Welcome to the

Assistive Technology Resources

webpage for the Ventura College -

Educational Assistance Center (EAC)

Assistive technology is any device, software, or equipment that helps people work around their challenges. - Understood.org

This webpage is designed to introduce built in functionality of current devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc., as well as specialized softwares/apps that can enhance access and aid in learning.

 

Reading

Text-to-Speech (TTS) technology reads digital/electronic text out loud and is available in one form or another on nearly all smartphones, tablets, computers, etc.

Text-to-Speech may help reduce access barriers for a student who may have a print disability (blind, low vision, mobility limitation) or struggles with reading, decoding or comprehension but may also help with writing, editing, even focusing.

Text-to-Speech Spotlight

Spotlight - Chromebook

Dictation

Speech-to-Text (STT) - also referred to as dictation, voice-to-text, voice recognition or speech recognition and is the process of recognizing spoken language (speech) and translating into electronic text. It's a great method to use for students who may struggle with handwriting, typing, spelling and/or think faster than they can write or type.

Several types of Speech-to-Text tools are available on smartphones, tablets, computers, etc.:

Notetaking Resources

Developing an effective notetaking process is a valuable and important skill for college students. Whether taking notes during lecture or while reading your course textbook, notetaking is the process of organizing information into an understandable format that will assist in your studying and learning process.

Notetaking is a skill ... so it may take some time and may require some exploration as there are a variety of notetaking methods: outline, SQ4R, Cornell Method, Mapping Method, etc. And you may also find that you may utilize different notetaking processes/methods for different courses depending the subject. For example, the way you take notes in a Math course may be different than the way you take notes in your History course. And that is ok! The goal is to develop notetakings skills that work you ... notetaking skills that allow you to identify key concepts, main ideas and supporting details and organize that information in a manner that will aid your understanding, remembering and learning the subject.

Below are resources that may aid in developing your notetaking skills:

Time Management

Time Management is the process of organizing and planning how to divide your time between specific activities. Good time management requires an important shift in focus from activities to results: being busy isn’t the same as being effective. (Ironically, the opposite is often closer to the truth.) - MindTools

Below are a few resources and techniques that may aid in helping you develop good time management skills: