TechDis Tuesdays

Free and Open Source Software

FOSS library user aids

TechDis A.T. genreshttp://bit.ly/Aa7DGj

Grouped by task rather than impairment:• reading

• writing

• recording

• planning

• communication

• visualisation

• alternative interfaces

• LetMeType: http://www.clasohm.com/lmt/en/

• Lingoes: http://www.lingoes.net/index.html

• Dasher: http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/dasher/

• Audacity: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

• Camstudio: http://sourceforge.net/projects/camstudio/

• Jing: http://www.techsmith.com/jing.html

• Xmind: http://sourceforge.net/projects/xmind3/

• FreeMind: http://freemind.sourceforge.net

• RapidSet: http://www.fxc.btinternet.co.uk/ *

• VuBar: http://www.fxc.btinternet.co.uk *

• Virtual Magnifying Glass: http://sourceforge.net/projects/magnifier/

* Denotes search for item on page (long list)

Free portable text to speech tools

• DSpeech http://dimio.altervista.org/eng/

• Balabolka http://www.cross-plus-a.com/balabolka.htm

Free TechDis Voices

JISC TechDis new FOSS pages

• http://www.jisctechdis.ac.uk/techdis/technologymatters/enablingtech/FOSS

Questions for discussion1. What are the barriers to widespread usage of these

tools? Accessing exe files? How do we get around those?

2. Networking and/or portability?3. How do we encourage uptake among staff / students?4. Training on their use – how is this best effected?

Youtube?5. What other FOSS tools might be of interest?6. Examples of deployment (institutional level)