1.
Mr. Win
Student of University of Education, Winneba (UEW)
Department of ICT Edu.
3 Assistive Technologies For Reading
Disabilities
Assistive technologies can help people with reading disabilities overcome their
challenges of reading. And this can be life-changing for them.
3 Assistive Technologies For Reading
Disabilities
Contributors: Mr. Win
Assistive Technology is an umbrella term covering the systems
and services related to delivering assistive products and
services. They maintain or improve an individual’s functioning
and independence, promoting their well-being.
People who most need Assistive Technology include:
 people with special needs
 the aged
 people with noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes
and stroke
 people with mental health conditions, including dementia
and autism
 people with gradual functional decline

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1. Screen Reader
A screen reader is a technology that allows visually impaired
users to access and interact with digital content, like websites
or applications, via audio or touch.
The main users of screen readers are people who are blind or
have very low vision. People with no or low vision mainly use
screen readers to get information in a way accessible to them:
braille, speech or both.
A screen reader transmits whatever text is displayed on the
computer screen into a form that a visually impaired user can
process (usually tactile, auditory or a combination of both).
2. Speech Recognition
Voice assistants and other speech recognition technologies
continue to provide more personalised experiences and
improvements in the difference between sounds.
Speech recognition technology enhances hands-free control of
speakers, smartphones and even vehicles in different
languages.
3. Video Magnifiers
Electronic or video magnifiers are versatile tools to access print
information for many people with low vision.
The advantages of this technology over traditional optical
magnifiers include the following:
 improves the contrast of the text to be read.

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 ability to view more of the text at one time.
 versatile settings of brightness, contrast and colours to
suit individual preferences.
 lines and markers to focus on the text you want to read.
Video magnifiers can magnify print, handwriting and graphics
from two times up to seventy times normal.
With most video magnifiers, the information to be read is placed
on a moveable platform under a camera, and the enlarged
image is displayed on a screen above. Video magnifiers come
as both desk-based and portable systems.