LibGuides: Assistive Technology: Home

Equipment in the Main Library ATC

TOPAZ® XL HD High-Definition Desktop Video Magnifier (user guide)
TOPAZ Magnifier has moved out of the ATC room and is located by the MSU Main Library Reference Desk. Used by people with low vision, or learning disabilities, to magnify the page of a book, a letter, a photo onto a computer monitor. Words and images can be made much larger, and text can be changed from black on white, to white on black, as well as to other high contrast colors.
SARA CE Scanning & Reading Appliance (user guide PDF)
The SARA reader is used to scan the page of a book or other print, and read aloud what's on the page. It uses OCR and cannot be used for handwritten letters.
SARA CE User Guide MP3 (click to download)
MP3 audio version of the SARA CE user guide
Perkins Brailler (user guide)
The Perkins Brailler is a manual Braille typewriter.

Assistive Software in the ATC

Complete list of assistive and productivity software in the Main Library ATC

these two PCs are located directly across from the door (west side)

Dragon Naturally Speaking/Dragon Dictate (link to user guide)
Dragon is used by people with learning disabilities or physical disabilities to assist with writing. Dragon is speech recognition software: the user speaks and Dragon produces a typed document, like dictation.
JAWS (link to user guide)
JAWS is the most popular screen-reading program, used by blind people to access the Internet, Microsoft Office, library databases, etc. It reads aloud all text on the screen.
Kurzweil 1000 (link to user guide)
Kurzweil 1000 is used by people who are blind or have low vision. It can be used to read aloud printed text that is scanned in, and as a screen-reader for electronic text.
Kurzweil 3000 (link to user guide)
Kurzweil 3000 is used by people who have reading or learning differences. It can be used to read aloud printed text that is scanned in, or electronic text. It combines the read-aloud feature with highlighting and other reading/writing tools.
ZoomText (link to user guide)
ZoomText is primarily used by people with low vision to magnify what's on the screen. It also has screen-reading capability.

Assistive Software for Community Borrowers with Disabilities

The computer for community borrowers is located on the far right of the room (north side).

System Access to Go
A free screen reader which is installed on the Selected Resources machine in the ATC.

Contacts

At the Library

Heidi Schroeder, Library Liaison to Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities, 517-884-0899, hschroed@msu.edu

Paul Cooper, Systems, 517-884-0870

Ranti Junus, Electronic Resources, 517-884-0878

At RCPD

At Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD), assistive technology specialists are:

Leslie Johnson, Assistant Director, Assistive Technology, 517-884-1911

ATC Access & Login

Users must go to Circulation Desk. Those with MSU ID will have their PID recorded. Circulation Desk staff will unlock the door for users.

The two MSU student/faculty/staff computers require a login. MSU users should already have the login information, via being registered with RCPD.

MSU Libraries

Guides

Assistive Technology

For Immediate Assistance