TECHNOLOGY SITES OF INTEREST
FOR COLLEGE BOUND OR POST-SECONDARY VOCATIONAL STUDENTS & ADULTS

File Conversion Site:  http://www.zamzar.com/
Step 1 Press the letter h until reaching the first heading. This should say, "heading three." Arrow down just below this heading and you will find "step one." Here is where you choose the file to convert.

Step 2. Arrow down to the edit box and press enter. If you are using JFW, you will hear "forms mode on." If using Window-eyes, you hear "msaa mode off."

Step 3. Press alt plus i and look for the file to convert from your computer in the usual navigation procedure. Press enter on your file to put it into the edit box.

Step 4. If you are using JFW, turn forms mode off by pressing the num-pad plus.

If you are using Window-Eyes, press control plus shift plus "a" to turn msaa mode back on.

Step 5. Arrow down until you find step two. This involves choosing a type to convert your file.

Step 6. Arrow down to the combo box and press enter.

Step 7. Arrow down to the file type you wish.

Step 8. Tab once to the email box and type in yours.

Step 9. Tab twice to the converter button and press the spacebar.

Step 10. Press enter on okay.

Step 11. You might be warned about sending information to the internet. Just press the letter y.

A link to the file will be sent to your email. You must click on the link to access the file.

Accesswatch.com
This is a page loaded with many valuable mini-tutorials, product reviews done by other visually impaired computer users and much more. http://www.accesswatch.info/

Iowa Project Assist is a page with tutorials addressing assistive technology and how it works with commonly used programs. Floppy disc cost $25.00 each.  http://www.blind.state.ia.us/assist

Blind Bookworm: Accessible Etexts and Ebooks
This is a link site with an extensive list of reviewed links. It is a good resource for both students and teachers. There is information about E-texts as well as a number of other resources.
www.panix.com/~kestrell/sources.html

The Iowa Department of Rehabilitation Project Assist has a large variety of audio or e-text tutorials. These cover most of the commonly used Microsoft programs and assistive technology needed to access these programs.  http://www.blind.state.ia.us/assist

Book Share.org
This subscriber service offers a growing clearinghouse for both scanned texts of books produced by volunteers (a good way to earn your membership fee and e-texts from publishers like O'Reilly.

Book share is a wonderful resource. For more information about Book Share go to: www.bookshare.org.

Disability Resources
This is a link site with links to a number of different resources. The following links have all been taken from this link site. The links and direct URL's are provided. Unless otherwise noted, access to these sites is free and available to all on line.  www.disabilityresources.org/ALTERNATIVE-FORMATS.html

Electronic Text (E-text) Collections on the Internet The following are noncommercial (free) collections of books in electronic format on the Internet. Users should note that the formats vary (e.g. ASCII, html, pdf, etc.); some may be more accessible with adaptive software and hardware than others.

Alex Catalogue of Electronic Texts = A "collection of digital documents collected in the subject areas of English literature, American literature, and Western philosophy."
For: High school, college and university students http://infomotions.com/alex/

Internet Public Library Online Texts Collection = Search the collection's 13,000 titles or browse by author, by title, or by Dewey Decimal Classification. http://www.ipl.org/reading/books/
For: students 13 and under on their kids pages, for high school, college and university students on the rest of the site.

National Library of Canada - Electronic Collection = "The NLC electronic collection incorporates formally published Canadian online books and journals. These publications are being acquired, catalogued, and permanently stored at the NLC. Public access is provided on the Internet through the World Wide Web." http://www.nlc-bnc.ca  For: High school college and university students.

Project Gutenberg = Classic books from the first quarter of the 20th century and before, selected and produced in "plain vanilla" (ASCII) text by volunteers. Search for specific works (or browse) by author or title, or download a complete list in zipped format. Project Gutenberg e-texts are also available via FTP. http://promo.net/pg/ For: High school, college and university students.

University of Waterloo Library - Electronic Text Center = "A collection of electronic resources of value to those pursuing scholarly research in the humanities," particularly primary texts in the disciplines of Classics, English, French, German, and Philosophy. Some of the materials are available offline or via other sites. http://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca  For: College and University students.

Infomine is An extensive guide to scholarly and academic resources on the Internet from the University of California-Riverside. Topics covered the sciences, government information, social sciences, humanities, and instructional materials. http://infomine.ucr.edu/
For: University students.

Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) - VISUCAT = Search CNIB's collection of materials in Braille, print Braille, audio, electronic text, and descriptive video.

Accessibility: Individuals who are registered clients of the CNIB have access to the library services. The IRC, Information Resource Center is another service offered by the CNIB that students and teacher should explore. The service can help individuals research and find information on different topics. More information can be found at the web site or by contacting the CNIB. http://www.cnib.ca

Louis Database of Accessible Materials for People who are Blind or Visually Impaired = Maintained by the American Printing House for the Blind, "Louis contains information about more than 145,000 titles of accessible materials, including braille, large print, sound recordings, and computer files from over 200 agencies throughout the United States." http://www.aph.org/louis.htm

Accessibility: Users need to register with this service. It appears to be more for school personnel rather than students and it is not clear if Canadians would have access to this database. It also appears as though there is a fee for use associated with using this service. A tole free number is provided on the web site for further information from APH.

Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D) - OnLine Catalog = Search RFB&D's collection of audio and e-text textbooks and educational materials. http://www.rfbd.org
Accessability: accessible to Canadians but students need a membership and there is a fee for membership

eyes2eyes.com - A Web Site for the Blind and Visually Impaired. This page has many articles and interesting tip.

Infoeyes.org is where you can ask any question anytime. This is for children and adults. One can talk with a librarian live on the internet or email a question. Emails are answered very promptly.

The site’’s address is below. http://www.infoeyes.org/

Microsoft Reader: (a collection of free and charging e-books) You must use the Microsoft Reader to read these e-text. http://www.mslit.com/default.asp?mjr=FRE For a direct link too the main home page of e-text, go to www.mslit.com

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