Assistive Technology

In DCU we use Gmail and Google tools so get yourself set up with the Chrome Browser on your laptop to access your DCU Google account. Chrome is made by Google, so it works effectively with your DCU Google account. In Chrome you can now access the following Google online applications:

• Google Docs for writing documents
• Google Calendar for organizing your time
• Google Keep for digital post-it notes
• Google Slides to create presentations
• Google Drive to organize and save all your files.

Download Chrome to your laptop and sign in with your DCU email account. Keep all your College links and materials in your DCU Google account.

Bookmarking in Chrome

When you are in Chrome, you will be exploring many websites over time. You may be looking at websites for your assignments as an example. Keeping track of these useful webpages is key to helping you stay organised. Let's see how we can make or Bookmark these webpages and store them in a specific place so they can be accessed easily. This video helps you to get started with bookmarking.

Type with your voice - Voice Typing in Google Docs give us all the options of creating our assignments by speaking out loud. This can be useful for many reasons:

• You may be faster at typing with your voice than your hands
• If you have handwritten your assignment you can type up your first draft with your voice.
• Some find it easier to articulate what they want to write if they say it out loud.

This video has useful tips about voice typing in Google Docs.

Tip for Google Calendar - Google calendar is part of your DCU Google account. Go to Chrome, open your DCU Google account and then go to your nine square icon in the top right, to pull up your Google account menu and select the calendar.

A starting point could be to take your weekly academic calendar and to add it to your Google Calendar. You can repeat each entry so it can populate your calendar over a number of weeks. Add in extra events like giving yourself free time, set break times, schedule group work, trips to the library and more.

Google Docs now includes a "tabs" feature that allows you to organize your documents into separate sections. This is a powerful tool for managing long and complex documents.

How Tabs Work

• Organization: Tabs allow you to break a single document into smaller, more manageable sections. Instead of one long, scrolling document, you can have different tabs for different parts of your content.
• Navigation: You can easily switch between tabs by clicking on them in a left-hand panel. This eliminates the need for endless scrolling to find a specific section.
• Structure: Tabs can have subtabs, so organize your weekly lecture notes in separate tabs simply calling eacg Tab, Week 1, Week 2 and so on.

This video can help you get started with Google Docs and using the Tab feature to organize your notes.

This application, for your browser and it comes in app form too, can be underrated so I want to highlight it - staying organized means keeping track on the bigger picture and the small picture too. Google Keep is ideal to keep all those small things organized. This can be in the form of to-do lists as one example or a quick place to take notes and make reminders. It's like a digital post-it.

This video has useful tips about Keep.

In your DCU Google account you have access to Google Drive. This is your online storage for your Google Docs, Google Slides as well as PDF's and Slides from your Lectures and research you are collecting for assignments. Keep your files backed up in Google Drive so you always have a copy of your files and assignments. Keep your files organised by creating folders too and this video helps you to master these simple skills.

NotebookLM is a Google-developed AI-powered research assistant. It allows users to upload their own source materials, such as documents, PDFs, and web articles, and then uses a large language model to analyze and interact with that information. Key features include the ability to:

• Summarize documents: Quickly create summaries of uploaded sources.
• Generate Q&A: Automatically create questions and answers based on the content of the documents.
• Create outlines: Help users structure their writing projects by generating outlines from their research.
• Act as a chatbot: Users can ask questions about their sources in a conversational manner.

Sign into your DCU NotebookLM.

Essentially, NotebookLM acts as a personalized, AI-driven assistant that works specifically with your uploaded content, making it a valuable tool for  anyone working with large amounts of information. This video can help you get started.

Google Lens is an amazing tool that works on your Smartphone / Tablet (just download it from your app store) and it can be used on your Computer too.

One key ability of Google Lens is reading out text in a an image or photo. It does a whole lot more but I just want focus on this one feature.

A video about Google Lens.

Making your Google Slides inclusive

When you present your Google Slides, you can activate a feature called closed captions. This has an inclusive feature - as you speak your dialogiue is displayed in the presentation so for people who may have hearing challenges can see your words.

Steps to activate closed captions:

1. Open your presentation: Go to your Google Slides presentation in your browser.
2. Start Presenting: Click the "Present" button in the top right corner of your screen, or go to "View" > "Present". This will put your presentation into full-screen presenter mode.
3. Find the CC button: Once you're in presentation mode, hover your mouse over the bottom left corner of the screen. A menu bar will appear. You'll see a "CC" button (for Closed Captions).
4. Click CC: Click the "CC" button to toggle captions on.
5. Start speaking: As you speak into your microphone, the captions will appear in real-time at the bottom (or top, depending on your settings) of your screen.

A video about live closed captions in Google Slides.

Claroread Pro Software can assist students with:

Reading and writing support tools for any student looking to make the reading and writing process easier. Find text-to-speech, word prediction, spell check, proofreading and more in one easy to use program.  You can convert PDF's to accessible PDF's or to word using the Scan feature.

• Text to speech
• Proofreading
• Spellcheck

Please note that site license software runs on a subscription basis, and only applies while you are a current student in DCU. Once you are no longer a student, you will no longer be entitled to install/use the software.

A video about how to use ClaroRead.

To use Claroread Cloud and/or install Claroread for windows or Mac you must first agree to the DCU Disclaimer.   You will then be granted access to the log in details to access Claroread Cloud.  All DCU staff and students have access to use the Claroread Cloud  OCR (Optical Cloud Recognition Software), Chrome Apps and a number of iOS and Android apps.  Windows and Mac users can also install Claroread Pro/Plus along with a number of extras.  You also have access to download over 30 different vocalisers. 

Please note DCU hold a site licence for ClaroRead Pro for Windows. This software is also available for students and staff to use on campus within the student labs.

Install Claroread for Mac & Windows

Sign in with your DCU Google account by selecting the 'Sign in with Google' button.

Sensus Access is an online document conversion toole that allows students to convert readings into formats that more accessible to work with such as MP3 files, E-books and Digital Braille books.

You can use SensusAccess to convert content in Loop like:

• Slides & lecture notes
• Scanned PDF documents
• Pictures of text captured with your smartphone
• PowerPoint presentations
• Journal articles

This service is available to all students through the DCU Library website. Top tip - think about your commute time and how you can listen to documents instead of reading them. Here are some useful videos:

This video shows you how to convert your document into an audio file.

A video about converting your scanned document into a Word file.

Free to use Typing Software

Typing.com

Typing.com is a free online typing tutor & keyboarding tutorial for typists of all skill levels. Typing.com includes entertaining typing games, typing tests, and free official typing certification.

For more information on Typing.com please go to the Typing.com Website

Words to time is a useful website to help you estimate your reading time. This means you can then add this time to your calendar and plan the reading time you need for articles.

Written Kitten is a free website that is simple to use and encourages the person to write and set word count goals and even offers a treat when you reach that goal. 

Most useful for Sometimes we can procrastinate about getting started on a piece of writing so setting a goal of 100, 200, 500 or 1000 words, which is possible in Written Kitten can help focus us on the goal. Written Kitten even offers you a treat when you reach that goal. Pick your visual treat of a kitten, puppy or bunny when you reach this goal. 

A video about Written Kitten.

Goblin Tools is a website designed to assist individuals with tasks that might otherwise feel overwhelming or difficult. Goblin Tools aims to simplify daily challenges and enhance executive functioning.

The core principle behind Goblin Tools is to break down complex problems into manageable, single-step actions. Its various features leverage AI to provide practical support:

Magic ToDo: This popular tool transforms a "brain dump" or a large, daunting task into a clear, step-by-step to-do list. Users can even adjust the "spiciness level" to control the granularity of the breakdown, making it incredibly flexible.

A video about goblin tools to help you get started.

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method. It uses a timer to break down work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. The core idea is to improve focus and productivity by working in sprints, followed by brief rest periods to prevent burnout and maintain mental agility. This structured approach helps individuals manage distractions, prioritize tasks, and sustain concentration over extended periods.

This website has the pomodoro tool so try it out.

Your DCU Microsoft Account

Top tip - to download your DCU account go to the office website. Make sure you use your DCU email and password to log in.

When you enter the Office website, you'll find a button called 'Install Apps' on the right of the site.

Select the 'Install Apps' button and and this reveals a new button called 'Microsoft 365 Apps'.

This downloads a file that when selected begins a process to install your Microsoft account.

Immersive Reader

This provides options for a comfortable reading experience by allowing you to listen to the text read aloud or adjust how text appears by modifying spacing, color and more.

Your Word online has the most options when it comes to Immersive Reader. To find it, go to:

1. Select the 'View' tab,
2. then select 'Immersive Reader.'

Your document will open in a full screen format. 

Its key feature is the Play button that reads back your text - useful for proofreading. This video helps you to get started with Immersive Reader.

Find out more in the Microsoft Website.

Dictation - Type with your Voice.

In Word, here is a tool available in Word called ‘Dictate’. This dictation tool gives you the opportunity to type with your voice instead of your hands.

Office 365 can is available to DCU students. Just go to Office.com and log into your DCU account with your DCU email and password.

Find the 'Dictation' button in the 'Home' tab, to the right side of the ribbon. It has a small microphone icon with the word Dictate. Select the icon and wait for it to become active. Then start to talk and your words will begin to type. This video helps you to get started.

Microsoft Editor is an AI-powered writing assistant that is integrated directly into Microsoft Word and other Microsoft 365 applications. It has advanced capabilities offer suggestions for things like clarity, conciseness, formality, and vocabulary, helping to refine your style and make your writing more polished and professional. Microsoft Editor is an AI-powered writing assistant that is integrated directly into Microsoft Word and other Microsoft 365 applications. Going beyond a simple spelling and grammar checker, it functions as an intelligent assistant to help users improve the overall quality of their writing.

To use Editor in Word, you can click on the "Editor" button on the "Home" or "Review" tabs. This opens a sidebar that provides an "Editor Score" for your document and categorizes suggestions for spelling, grammar, and other stylistic improvements. It is a powerful tool for anyone from students to professionals, providing a seamless way to proofread and enhance their work directly within the Word environment.

This video can help you get started with Editor in Word.

Notetaking skills may be an essential part of the learning experience. In our Microsoft account we have Onenote that offers amazing options for notetaking.

Possibilities for Notetaking

• Explore the note taking possibilities with OneNote. Find a method of notetaking that is tailored to your needs. Be patient and take time to find a way that feels right for you. There is a mix of possibilities with writing, images and audio recording so it is worth discovering your preferred way to record notes. This video can help you to get started.

Presenter Coach helps you give more effective in-person and virtual presentations by providing you with feedback on your word choice, and speed, among many others. Presenting is a skill that takes time, and this tool offers assistance so you can practice your presentation and get useful feedback.

Most Useful for: exploring, experimenting, and perfecting your presentation style and gleaning tips from the feedback that you can consider improving your presentation skills.

This video helps you to get started with presenter coach.

The iPhone offers several powerful "reading support" features, all part of its accessibility toolkit, that can read text aloud for you. This is particularly useful for people with visual impairments, those with dyslexia, or anyone who simply prefers to listen to a long article or document.

The main features are found in Settings > Accessibility > Spoken Content. From there, you can enable:

• Speak Selection: This gives you the ability to have a specific block of text read to you. After enabling it, you can select any text in an app and a "Speak" option will appear in the context menu. Tapping it will have your iPhone read the selected words aloud.
• Speak Screen: This feature is designed to read the entire screen from top to bottom. Once enabled, you can activate it by swiping down with two fingers from the very top of your screen. A control panel will appear, allowing you to play, pause, adjust the speaking speed, or skip paragraphs.
• Highlight Content: For a more guided experience, you can turn on Highlight Content. As your iPhone reads, the words or sentences being spoken will be highlighted on the screen, making it easy to follow along. You can even customize the highlight style and color.

This video will help you to get started.

Dictation on the iPhone is a powerful, built-in feature that lets you convert your spoken words into text, saving you from typing.

To use dictation, you first need to make sure it's enabled. You can do this by going to Settings > General > Keyboard and toggling on Enable Dictation.

Once it's enabled, using it is simple. Just tap in any text field to bring up the keyboard. You'll see a microphone icon on the keyboard, typically located next to the spacebar. Tap this microphone icon and a visual indicator will appear, showing that your iPhone is listening. Begin speaking clearly, and your words will be transcribed into text on the screen. To add punctuation, just say the name of the punctuation mark, like "comma," "period," or "question mark." You can even say commands like "new paragraph" or "new line" to format your text. When you're finished, simply tap the keyboard icon or stop speaking for a few seconds, and the dictation will end automatically.

This video will help you to get started

Dictation on Mac provides a simple and efficient way to convert your speech into text, working across virtually any application where you can type, from writing emails to creating documents in Pages or Word.

To get started, you first need to go to System Settings > Keyboard and find the Dictation section. Here, you'll need to toggle on Dictation and choose a shortcut to activate it. The default shortcut on many modern Macs is the microphone key (F5), but you can customize it to be something else, like pressing the Function (Fn) key twice.

Once enabled, you can start dictating by placing your cursor where you want the text to appear and pressing the chosen shortcut. A small microphone icon will pop up, indicating that your Mac is listening. Speak clearly, and your words will be transcribed on the screen. To add punctuation, simply say the name of the punctuation mark, such as "period," "comma," or "question mark." You can even use commands like "new paragraph" to format your text. When you're done, simply press the shortcut again, or click "Done" to stop the dictation

This video can help you to get started with dictation on your mac.

Apple products have a great built-in accessibility centre including speak screen which can read text aloud on your Mac, iPhone or iPad.

To explore the Apple Accessibility centre and read about the features Apple provides check out the Apple Accessibility webpage.

To magnify the screen on a Mac, you can use the built-in Zoom feature. This allows you to zoom in on the entire screen or just a portion of the screen.

Enabling and Using Zoom: 

1. Open System Settings: Click the Apple menu, then choose "System Settings".
2. Go to Accessibility: Click "Accessibility" in the sidebar, then select "Zoom".
3. Choose Zoom Style: Select a Zoom style from the "Zoom style" pop-up menu:

Full Screen: Zoom takes up the entire screen. 

Split Screen: The screen is divided, with the zoomed portion on top. 

Picture-in-Picture: A separate window displays the zoomed area near the mouse cursor. 

1. Enable Zoom: Enable the "Use keyboard shortcuts to zoom" or "Use scroll gesture with modifier keys to zoom" options, depending on your preferred method of control.
2. Zoom with Keyboard Shortcuts:
3. Zoom In: Option (⌥) + Command (⌘) + = (equals)
4. Zoom Out: Option (⌥) + Command (⌘) + - (minus)
5. Toggle Zoom: Option (⌥) + Command (⌘) + 8 

6. Zoom with Trackpad Gestures:

   Double-tap three fingers on the trackpad to start Zoom. 

   Double-tap three fingers and drag to zoom in or out. 

   To stop Zoom, double-tap three fingers again. 

7. Zoom with Scroll Gesture:

Hold down the Control key (or your chosen modifier key) and scroll up to start Zoom. While holding down the modifier key, scroll gestures can be used to zoom in and out. 

Adjust Magnification: You can adjust the magnification level in the Zoom settings. 

More Options: Click "More Options" for advanced settings like how the zoomed image moves on the screen. 

A video about magnification in a mac