Block 2

Since my last entry, we have all been working on the first Tutor Marked Assignment (TMA), which, for a few weeks, was all-consuming. Well, that was submitted last weekend and now we are well underway with Block 2.

Block 2 is about achieving accessibility. It less theoretical than Block 1 and is largely about assistive technologies, accessible formats and creating accessible resources. The next TMA is a longer one. We all have to create an accessible learning resource and then compare our own with that of another student. Before I get onto that task though, here are some thoughts about assistive technology.

Assistive Technology

These seem to fall into four categories:

1. Inbuilt features in Windows/other operating system;
2. Open source software;
3. Proprietary software;
4. Hardware and other physical items.

Let's pick one from each category to have a look at.

Windows

I have essential tremor. This makes handwriting very difficult for me. From childhood, I've always been slow at handwriting. In order to stop the shaking, I have to grip my pen tighter than normal, which gives me writer's cramp and it makes my writing slow. Having access to computers, smartphones, etc. makes my life much easier but typing can still have its problems. My ring and little fingers have the worst tremor and I often get multiple a, s, k, l, etc. Filter keys can help with this. It was better in Windows 7 but I'm beginning to get the hang of Windows 10. The screenshot above shows my personal settings. I have enabled repeat keys and set different time gaps for the first and subsequent repeated keystrokes. I find 0.3 seconds and 1 second work well for me.

Open Source Software

I tried Ss Overlay and have fallen in love with it. It is completely free and easy to install. You open the settings and choose the colour and transparency of the overlay and then the whole screen is coloured to these settings. I like teal colour as it reduces visual stress and seems to help me avoid getting migraines when I am on the computer for long periods of time.

Proprietary Software

When I started my studies with the Open University, I had an assessment of needs. This resulted in me being given Dragon software. Some people don't get on well with it but I find it really useful, especially when writing assignments. I have a headset and I just dictate everything I want to write. 

It takes some getting used to. You have to tell it what punctuation to use and formatting can be tricky at first but you can use it alongside a normal keyboard, so I think it gives me the best of both worlds. It certainly helps with my posture when doing any extended piece of writing, as I can sit up straight, rather then bending over the desk.

Other items

I'm not sure that I would call it technology in an IT sense, but I also have an ergonomic chair for studying. This was another result of my assessment. It is really comfortable and it has support in every conceivable place. It even has a pump up lumbar adjustment, which I love. I also have ergonomic chairs at work but these are not as good as my study chair.