TAP-It: A Winner
By Williams, John M.; Action Magazine,Publication Date: March 18, 2011
Article features an interactive learning center that is accessible to individuals with a wide variety of disabilities. TAP-it, an acronym for Touch Accessible Platform for Interactive Technology, employs “intended touch” to enable students of varying abilities to interact with a large computer screen. Users can operate the screen using a finger or an assistive device such as a head pointer, eye gaze technology, foot pedal or remote control unit. Larger icons help accommodate users’ lack of precision and accuracy in directing the mouse pointer. TAP-it works with most software on any computer, allowing resizing of text and graphics, adjusting of brightness and contrast controls, and enlargement of images. The low glare display is shadow free, providing optimal viewing for low vision users. The learning center can be used with a variety of assistive and educational software programs, including on-screen keyboards or voice recognition for typing, scanning for mouse control, screen readers for text-to-speech capability, screen magnification programs, and programs used in special education such as IntelliTools, Co:Writer and Write:Outloud, and Kurzweil 3000. The TAP-It platform moves up and down with the use of a button and its 42 inch interactive LCD panel can be tilted from zero to 90 degrees. Priced at 9,000 dollars, the system is intended for multiple users in educational settings such as institutions and learning centers.
Assistive Products Discussed: KURZWEIL 3000 FOR MACINTOSH
CO:WRITER 4000
INTELLITOOLS WINDOWS ACCESS PACK I AND II
KURZWEIL 3000 FOR WINDOWS
CO:WRITER & CO:WRITER 2.0
INTELLITOOLS MAC ACCESS PACK I AND II
WRITE:OUTLOUD
WRITE:OUTLOUD TO GO
Published by: United Spinal Association (Website:http://www.unitedspinal.org)
Link to text: http://www.unitedspinal.org/publications/action/2011/03/18/tap-it-a-winner/
