Meet Gabe DeLeon, ATR’s Low Vision Service Provider

Gabe DeLeon – Adaptive Technology Resources (ATR) – Low Vision Service Provider and Certified OrCam Trainer

Photo of Gabe DeLeon
Gabe DeLeon, Low Vision Service Provider

For the past several years, Gabe has been working with individuals who are Blind or have Low Vision throughout Wisconsin. Gabe’s focus is on our Veterans; working in conjunction with the Visual Impairment Services Teams throughout the VA System in Wisconsin, including the Milwaukee, Madison, and Tomah VA Centers. Installing low vision and blindness equipment, training veterans on their use, and assessing what is in the best need of the Veteran are among Gabe’s goals. His experience has extended to a variety of low vision clients of all ages and his patient, thorough, relaxed and caring training style have impressed many of his clients.

Gabe’s expertise extends to the following products:

• Tabletop CCTVs with 17″, 19″, and 22″ LCD monitors

• Tabletop CCTVs with PC Connectivity

• Portable handheld video magnification

• Wearable Portable OCR (Optical Character Recognition) solution

• Standalone scan and read appliance

• CCTVs with near, distance and self viewing

Onsite demonstrations of these low vision solutions are provided by Gabe free of charge throughout Wisconsin. He has set up equipment for clients in a variety of locations including clients’ homes, schools or workplaces.

Gabe’s thorough, professional and courteous service has been appreciated by numerous clients of ATR. If you would like to meet Gabe and examine ATR’s new line of low vision solutions, please call us so we can assist you.

If you would like to meet Gabe and learn more on the devices or services we can provide to patients with low vision or blindness, contact Gabe DeLeon at 800-770-8474 ext. 108 or email Gabe@adaptivetr.com with questions.

Gabe helping veterans
Gabe assisting his Veteran friends at Polish Fest in Milwaukee.

Meet Dave! ATR’s Speech and Language Pathologist

ATR is pleased to announce the addition of a Speech and Language Pathologist: Dave Moehn.

Dave Moehn, MS, CCC-SLP,  is a licensed Speech/Language Pathologist who received a Master of Science in Speech/Language Pathology from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and a Certificate in Assistive Technology and Accessible Design from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Dave’s interest in assistive technology began as a school-based speech/language pathologist where he worked with students with multiple disabilities and complex communication needs. He has over 25 years of experience in the public schools as an Assistive Technology Specialist and a Speech/Language Pathologist. Dave strives to develop and provide effective assistive technology services. Dave enjoys spending time with his family and coaching select soccer.

ATR is excited to welcome Dave to the team and continue to provide these valuable services. Dave will be conducting assessments and provide training for augmentative communication devices such as the Grid Pad, apps such as ProLoQuo2Go and more.

 

Adaptive Technology Resources, Inc, (ATR) of Southeastern Wisconsin has been providing adaptive products and services for clients with special needs, and also conducts professional evaluations by ATP* certified Occupational Therapists.  ATR specializes in educational solutions, including Kurzweil 3000, firefly, Audio Notetaker, and Dragon Naturally Speaking and offers individual and group professional development for a variety of software and hardware solutions. Our professional staff of OTs and Trainers have been working with a wide range of clients with varying abilities for over 20 years.  Over the last several years, we have added the expertise of a Speech and Language Pathologist to assist clients with communication concerns.

 

BrailleSense Polaris & the New Polaris MINI

Polaris and Mini Side by Side

Setting the New Standard for Braille Notetakers — Effortless Accessibility + Mainstream Apps & Features

BrailleSense Polaris and Polaris Mini side-by-side

BrailleSense Polaris and Polaris MINI combine the very best of two worlds with industry-leading accessibility and software that schools, businesses and home users have come to know and love. These powerhouse devices for the blind feature HIMS’ popular, paper-like Braille, a built-in OCR camera, and an upgradeable Android Operating System that supports mainstream apps like Polaris Office, Google Drive/Docs/Classroom and countless numbers of other blind-friendly apps from the Google Play Store, as well as our own proprietary apps.

Equal Access for Education, Employment & Enjoyment

polaris mini with user and his family

For the first time in history, people who are blind have easy access to the same tools-of-the-trade as their sighted counterparts without the need to get the IT department involved at all! Surf the web with Google Chrome. Use Polaris Office with Word, or Google Docs/Sheets/Slides to compose and edit memos, reports and homework assignments. Collaborate with colleagues by sharing documents on your Google Drive or syncing your calendar to your employer’s Google Calendar. And when you get home, enjoy a much-deserved break, reading a book from BookShare, BARD, Audible.com and other popular media distribution services.

Not Just Another Notetaker… It’s a HIMS Notetaker!

polaris mini

BrailleSense fans will appreciate that we’ve kept some things the same as they always were. You’ll still enjoy our ergonomic Perkins-style keyboard, traditional computer interface, Quick Browser, Excel Viewer, PowerPoint Viewer, Nemeth & UEB Math, Math Graphs, GPS navigation and Terminal Mode for using the Braille Sense Polaris and Polaris MINI as a Braille keyboard and display with your other devices — we’ve just tucked it all neatly into a new device with even more features. The 32-cell BrailleSense Polaris also has a built-in LCD and screen-casting, Voice Trigger (“Hey Polaris”), wireless charging, touch-enabled cursor buttons and user-definable, touch-enabled multi-function buttons.

Flexible Connectivity & Multimedia Support

Connect BrailleSense Polaris and Polaris MINI to your computer, iOS device, Android device, tablet or phone for easier access. You can even use it as an infrared universal remote, and binge-watch your favorite show using Chromecast to your TV.

Packed with Features, Light on Frustration!

  • User-friendly, upgradeable Android operating system
  • Access to 1000’s of apps on the Google Play Store
  • Built-in 13-megapixel camera for OCR scan, read and save
  • Optimized apps for Google Drive, Classroom, Docs, Sheets, Slides & APH Nearby Explorer
  • Student Essentials like Math Graphs, Nemeth & UEB Math
  • Connectivity with iOS, Android, Mac & Windows devices
  • Easy portability – BrailleSense Polaris MINI weighs in at LESS THAN 15 ounces!

ATR logo

Adaptive Technology Resources, ATR, of Southeastern Wisconsin provides adaptive products and services for clients with special needs, and also conducts professional evaluations by ATP* certified Occupational Therapists.  ATR specializes in educational solutions, including Kurzweil 3000, firefly, Audio Notetaker, and Dragon Naturally Speaking and offers individual and group professional development for a variety of software and hardware solutions.  ATR has been providing low vision rehabilitation services and devices to individuals with low vision since 1995.

ZoomText 11.7 and Fusion 11.7 are now available!

Greetings ZoomText 11 and ZoomText Fusion 11 users!

The ZoomText development team has delivered a very robust set of version 11.7 updates for ZoomText 11 Magnifier, Magnifier/Reader, and Fusion 11.  These free updates include important design changes in the ZoomText software that improve stability, performance and functionality of ZoomText’s features and tools. These improvements appear in a broad range of applications including Microsoft Office (2010, 2013 and 2016), Adobe Reader, web browsers (IE11, Chrome and Firefox), Skype, Windows File Explorer, Windows apps and utilities, and more. You can learn about all of the changes in the 11.7 update in the ZoomText 11 release notes.

To get the ZoomText 11.7 updates (for Magnifier and Magnifier/Reader)

  • If a previous version of ZoomText 11 Magnifier or Magnifier Reader is already installed on your system, go to the ZoomText 11 toolbar and choose ZoomText > Manage License > Check for Updates. This will launch the update wizard and walk you through the fast update process.

If you need to install ZoomText 11.7 Magnifier or Magnifier/Reader on a new system (where ZoomText is not yet installed), you can download the full installer from the ZoomText Downloads webpage. On this webpage, go to the section titled “ZoomText 11” and choose the installer that matches your license type.

To get the Fusion 11.7 updates

  • Go to the ZoomText Downloads webpage. On this page, go to the section titled “Fusion 11” and choose the installer that matches the language you require.

We hope you are enjoying ZoomText 11 and  would love to hear your thoughts on how to make it better.  Send your feedback to support@aisquared.com.

ATR logo

Adaptive Technology Resources, ATR, of Southeastern Wisconsin provides adaptive products and services for clients with special needs, and also conducts professional evaluations by ATP* certified Occupational Therapists.  ATR specializes in educational solutions, including Kurzweil 3000, firefly, Audio Notetaker, and Dragon Naturally Speaking and offers individual and group professional development for a variety of software and hardware solutions.  ATR has been providing low vision rehabilitation services and devices to individuals with low vision since 1995.

HIMS Releases New BrailleSense Polaris Firmware

using polaris

BrailleSense Polaris

HIMS has announced their third upgrade for the BrailleSense Polaris, the first and only Google certified Braille tablet without a screen. This upgrade features many fixes and enhancements in response to customer feedback and suggestions. This includes major improvements to the Word Processor, e-mail, improved access to Web portals like airports and hotels, better consistency and connection between the BrailleSense and Android side, and more. For those who have made the transition to UEB, there is no need to ever use Computer Braille on BrailleSense Polaris. Whether you’re writing an address in the web browser, entering an email address, writing in Google Docs … Computer Braille is gone. For people who are not using UEB yet, Polaris continues to support older braille codes.

using Polaris

BrailleSense Polaris supports creating and editing of Nemeth and UEB math right in the word processor and instantly displays the results correctly for sighted teachers. Coming soon! HIMS will be releasing another Polaris update which will have a treasure trove of features including support for creating and editing graphs.

Click Here for more information about this firmware release and for upgrade instructions.

 

ATR logo

Adaptive Technology Resources, ATR, of Southeastern Wisconsin provides adaptive products and services for clients with special needs, and also conducts professional evaluations by ATP* certified Occupational Therapists.  ATR specializes in educational solutions, including Kurzweil 3000, firefly, Audio Notetaker, and Dragon Naturally Speaking and offers individual and group professional development for a variety of software and hardware solutions.  ATR has been providing low vision rehabilitation services and devices to individuals with low vision since 1995.

OrCam – Wearable Assistive Technology Solution For Vision

OrCam is the World’s Most Advanced Wearable Assistive Technology Solution for people who are blind, visually impaired, have dyslexia, aphasia or other conditions.

What is OrCam?

OrCam is an intuitive wearable device with a smart camera designed to assist people who are visually impaired.

Easy to Use 

All you have to do is point.  OrCam responds to simple gestures making it easy to use – whether it’s to read, find an item or recognize a face or product.  No need to search for audio books, learn new software or use other tools.

Read

The OrCam device can read printed text, in real time.  You can read newspapers and books, signs, labels on consumer products and even text on a computer or smartphone screen.  Perfect for use at home and on the go.

Identify People

The OrCam device identifies known faces.  No more guessing – previously stored faces are identified and announced upon entering the camera’s view.  Less awkward situations, more control of your environment.

Recognize your personal items

Personalize your OrCam device by teaching it to recognize specific products around you.  Recognize previously entered consumer products, money notes and credit cards to make shopping and browsing quicker and easier.

 

A Personalized Experience

Each OrCam device is hand-delivered by a certified OrCam Trainer who will teach you how to use your new device. It arrives at your doorstep complete with all accessories included.

 

Gabe DeLeon – Adaptive Technology Resources (ATR) – Low Vision Solutions Specialist and Certified OrCam Trainer

For the past several years, Gabe has been working with individuals who are Blind or have Low Vision throughout Wisconsin.  Gabe’s focus is on our Veterans; working in conjunction with the Visual Impairment Services Teams throughout the VA System in Wisconsin, including the Milwaukee, Madison, and Tomah VA Centers.  Installing low vision and blindness equipment, training veterans on their use, and assessing what is in the best need of the Veteran are among Gabe’s goals.  His experience has extended to a variety of low vision clients of all ages and his patient, thorough, relaxed and caring training style have impressed many of his clients.

 

Lindsey Angst – Prevea Therapy Institute – MS, OTR/L, CLVT – Certified OrCam Trainer

Lindsey Angst

Lindsey Angst is an occupational therapist and the only Certified Low Vision Therapist (CLVT) in the state of Wisconsin north of Milwaukee and Madison.  She is also a Certified OrCam Trainer and has been working closely with ATR for many years.

 

 

Adaptive Technology Resources, ATR, of Southeastern Wisconsin provides adaptive products and services for clients with special needs, and also conducts professional evaluations by ATP* certified Occupational Therapists.  ATR specializes in educational solutions, including Kurzweil 3000, firefly, Audio Notetaker, and Dragon Naturally Speaking and offers individual and group professional development for a variety of software and hardware solutions.  ATR has been providing low vision rehabilitation services and devices to individuals with low vision since 1995.

 

 

 

FREE Update for ZoomText 10.1, Version 10.11.18

A FREE update for ZoomText 10.1, version 10.11.18, is now available.  This update provides support for installing and running ZoomText 10.1 in Windows 10 Creators Update.

Note: This fix requires that your installation of Windows 10 Creator Update has received the 1704D service update (from Microsoft), which is scheduled for release this month (May 2017).

This ZoomText 10.11.8 update also provides the following fixes:

  • ZoomText’s preference settings are preserved when reinstalling ZoomText over an existing installation.
  • Fixes crashes that occurred in various applications when StormShield antiviral software was active.
  • Fixes incorrect reporting of the active tab in Internet Explorer 11 when using ZoomText scripting.
  • Fix for keyboard and mouse events appearing out of sync after exiting ZoomText.
  • Added a program preference setting that unloads the “Ai Squared Magnification” service when exiting.

To get the 10.11.8 update, go to the ZoomText 10.1 toolbar and choose Help > Check for Updates.  This will launch the update wizard and walk you through the installation.  If you prefer, you can also download the full ZoomText 10.11.8 installer from the product updates page.  Be sure to download the installer that matches your license type.

 

Adaptive Technology Resources, ATR, of Southeastern Wisconsin provides adaptive products and services for clients with special needs, and also conducts professional evaluations by ATP* certified Occupational Therapists.  ATR specializes in educational solutions, including Kurzweil 3000, firefly, Audio Notetaker, and Dragon Naturally Speaking and offers individual and group professional development for a variety of software and hardware solutions.  ATR has been providing low vision rehabilitation services and devices to individuals with low vision since 1995.

The Next Generation VizZle! Visual Learning Special Education Software

If You Haven’t Seen the New VizZle, You Haven’t Seen VizZle!

The Next Generation of VizZle is an incredible upgrade from the Monarch Center for Autism that will have an immediate impact on your Special Education Program.  You haven’t seen anything like this before.

VizZle makes it easy to create and share visual supports.  VizZle works for anyone who absorbs and processes information fast, visually.  Click the link below to learn more about this effective software.

Introduction to VizZle

 

About The NEW VizZle Upgrade:

  • Interface now includes NEW Lesson Recommendations, a NEW Student Assignment Tool and so much more.
  • Now has a teacher-driven student profile, giving every student a personal, engaging and successful experience.
  • Was built using the latest HTML5 technologies. This means you can use VizZle (teacher and student interfaces) on laptops, Chromebooks, Interactive Whiteboards, iPads or Android tablets, giving teachers ultimate flexibility.

 

To learn more about VizZle, contact your midwest reseller, Adaptive Technology Resources, (ATR) at 800-770-8474.

Adaptive Technology Resources, ATR, of Southeastern Wisconsin provides adaptive products and services for clients with special needs, and also conducts professional evaluations by ATP* certified Occupational Therapists.  ATR specializes in educational solutions, including Kurzweil 3000, firefly, Audio Notetaker, VizZle and Dragon Naturally Speaking and offers individual and group professional development for a variety of software and hardware solutions.

Veterans Day

Honoring All Veterans on Veterans Day: We thank you for your service and sacrifices. We are forever grateful!

 

Webinar: Transitioning from BrailleNote to Braille Sense

New Webinar!:  Transitioning from BrailleNote to Braille Sense

Tuesday, November 8th, 2016
3:00 pm Eastern Time (2 pm Central, 1 pm Mountain, 12 pm Pacific)

* Learn ways that BrailleNote and Braille Sense are similar and what ways they are different.
* We will show you similarities in menu and document navigation and common keystrokes for popular actions and features.
* Then, you’ll learn what is different (some say better), such as the differences in the windows logic tab and the ability to shift tab through dialogs or alt tab between multiple running applications.
* We will also show how to convert native BrailleNote (KWB) files to DOC or TXT files that can be read and edited on the Braille Sense

Click here to register.

 

To learn more on the devices or services we can provide to patients with low vision or blindness, contact Gabe DeLeon at 800-770-8474 ext. 108 or email Gabe@adaptivetr.com with questions.

ATR is a Southeastern Wisconsin based company that has been providing low vision rehabilitation services and devices to individuals with low vision since 1995.