How many times have you entered the library, tried to find or read a book, become frustrated at a perceived lack of assistance, and left?
Despair no more because the MSU Libraries have created a solution to this growing problem with their Handicapper Access Center (HAC), located across from the Information and Referral Desk at the Red Cedar entrance.
This cozy room created and maintained by Denise Forro and Paul Cooper contains several adaptive and assistive technologies to ease library use for students with disabilities.
Included are a Reading Edge machine, which will scan and read aloud printed materials in a synthesized voice (you can choose from several voices and speeds) . Students can also record these materials on disk for later use on a home PC. The Reading Edge accepts Braille input and the only request by staff is that students erase their last document when they finish.
Visually impaired students wishing to access pilot e-mail, Magic, or the Internet can use one of two machines. One is equipped with ZoomText and HandiWord and can be used to enlarge a screen. Because of the memory requirements of these programs, this computer is a bit slow.
Blind students can access Gopher and Magic on a computer that offers voice output. Instructions for use will soon be available in Braille. As always when working with computers, there are some bugs to be worked out, but Paul Cooper is determined to have this lab up and running at full speed.
The final machine that is currently available in the HAC is a ClearView magnification device. Students can use this device to read any printed material, including newspapers and handouts. This machine is useful for learning disabled students as well as visually impaired students because it has a switch that allows one to invert the text (from black on white to white on black). Another switch allows individuals to focus on one line at a time.
Both Denise and Paul are looking forward to your patronage of the HAC, so stop in next time you go to the Main Library. You can also check out their services through the Internet by accessing MSU's home page.