Assistive Technology for Visual Impairments 

Many years ago, I was my mother's reading eyes when hers began to fail due to diabetes macular degeneration. This was years prior to the advancement of technology and the introduction of the many devices that are so valuable many today.
 
"Bruce Groendyke, a severely nearsighted Army vet from Hightstown, New Jersey, says he’s a “technical dinosaur.” But as one of many veterans who attended a recent class held by New Jersey State Library’s Talking Book and Braille Center, he learned how to use the assistive technology features on an iPad. Libraries nation­wide have been joining forces with state agencies to improve their patrons’ access to assistive technol­ogy. Through a partnership with New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired are providing acces­sibility programs for patrons with visual impairments." (AL, 2017)

Bruce is one of thousands who have or are facing macular and visual degeneration in the United States. From the very young to the older generation with visual impairments, more are seeking help and relying to our public libraries to help with the latest in technology!

                                    Read2Go

                                        What is it and how it can benefit the Visually impaired?
                 Read2Go corresponds with Bookshare, a digital library that makes books available
                   to anyone with  reading-related disabilities such as dyslexia and vision issues:

                                         Accessing BookShare with Read2Go on Apple iOS

                                        

                             Simple, Fast, Easy

Read2Go is an accessible ebook reader app that lets you read Bookshare books with ease on the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch.

With Read2Go, you can find and read Bookshare books on a single Apple device. Just find the book you want, download, and start reading. Read2Go lets you customize your reading experience in many different ways:

• Listen to words read aloud with Acapela voices (Heather or Ryan)
• See and hear words as they are highlighted
• Connect and read with a braille display
• Enlarge font sizes
• Adjust colors and reading speeds and more!

 Audiences include:

• Blindness: Read aloud with Heather or Ryan voices, navigation integrated with VoiceOver text-to-speech (TTS)
• Low Vision: Heather or Ryan voices, plus large font options, background, text and highlighting color options
• Learning Disability: Word-level highlighting plus Heather or Ryan voices
• Physical Disability: Switch-compatible

Library patrons of all ages with visual disabilities can benefit from Read2Go and the many assistive technology devices that not only opens doors to those with disabilities but gives confidence and much needed independence!

Resources:

Marcotte Ai. Bringing Assistive Technology to Patrons. American Libraries. 2017;48(1/2):24-25.  http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.palomar.edu                                                            
Read2Go, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsuIJXVDAI8                                           
Accessing BookShare with Read2Go on Apple iOS, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hPcXzZW9pc