Accessibility

The Illinois workNet Centers in Elgin, DeKalb and North Aurora provide the following Assistive Technology equipment to assist job seekers with disabilities the ability to access the Internet, information and computer systems.

Sorenson Video Relay Service Phone – Benefits individual with hearing and speech impairment.  Video relay calls are placed through an easy-to-use Sorenson videophone appliance connected to a television with a Web camera.  Users can see and signs to an ASL interpreter, who then contacts the hearing user via a standard phone line and relays the conversation between the two parties.   

Expert MouseTrackball – The Trackball is a simpler mouse for individuals with limited dexterity.  To move the mouse pointer, a user simply rolls the cue-ball sized trackball within the stationary base.  It is also programmable and can be used for dragging, clicking, cut and paste and is for left hand or right hand users.

Adjustable Keyboard Tray – This is a height adjustable tray for individuals using a wheelchair or has ergonomic concerns.

IntelliKeys Keyboard – This is an enlarged, programmable keyboard for individuals with impaired motor involvement and vision impairment.  It includes six keyboard “overlays” that can be slipped in and out of the keyboard to change the size and configuration of keys.  It also includes an overlay that can be used to adjust the sensitivity and repeat rate of the keyboard and to activate the “Sticky Keys” feature that allows modifier keys to be pressed in sequence rather than simultaneously.

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Large Monitor – This is a 21-inch computer screen for individuals with mild vision impairment.

Closed Circuit Television - An electronic magnification device for viewing printed materials. It is capable of magnifying from 5.4x to 54x and offers automatic focus, zoom, high contrast, and reverse image settings.

Large Print Keyboard Labels – Adhesive labels that make the keyboard keys easier to read.

ZoomText – Is for individuals who require large print to read, certain colors to enhance reading, and speech output to assist in reading text.  This is a fully integrated magnifier and screen reader for windows.  It can magnify any windows program for 2x to16x and speak all Windows components, echo typing and read multipage documents.  It includes a built-in-text-to-speech, advanced font smoothing, multiple zoom windows, cursor enhancements, color filtering and tracking and speech setting for voice, rate, pitch and verbosity.

Open Book – This gives blind or visually impaired individuals the tool to read, edit, scan, and manage printed text as well as text that is imbedded in graphics.  The software converts the printed page into electronic text to be read aloud through a voice synthesizer.  There are user-defined settings for magnification, character spacing, color and contrast as well as exclusive reading enhancement.  Efficient reading features such as skim reading, fast forward/rewind and bookmarking provide quick access to important information.

JAWS – Is a screen reading software that works with your PC to provide access to today’s software applications and the Internet for those individuals who are blind or visually impaired and have high reading and word processing skills.  With its internal, multi-lingual speech synthesizer and your PC sound card and speakers, information from the screen is read aloud or output to a refreshable Braille keyboard, providing technology to access a wide variety of informative, educational and job-related applications.

Home Page Reader – Software that reads most web pages aloud for visually impaired or blind individuals.

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Talking Books Tape Player – Plays and records both standard and “talking book” audio cassette tapes for individuals who are blind. 

Duxbury Braille Translator – Is a complete Braille translator/word processor for those individuals who are blind or visually impaired.  It includes built-in Nemeth math translation, MS Word support, Braille graphic file imports and much more.

Juliet Braille Embosser – Is a Braille output printer for individuals who are blind and use Braille.

Pocketalker – Is a simple sound amplifier for individuals who have a hearing impairment.

Donka, Inc
Donka is a partner of the Illinois workNet Center in North Aurora that is a non-profit organization providing computer training and job readiness services to persons with physical and visual disabilities.  Through computers and Assistive Technology, our clients become more self-sufficient and independent members of the community.  Our primary goals are:

1. Provide a credible computer training program to people with disabilities
2. Provide adequate training and experience to enable students to pursue further education or see employment
3. Provide a way for people who are disabled to utilize their intellectual abilities, increase their self-esteem and become more self-sufficient, independent members of the community.

Our computer instruction focuses on the common business applications.  Our training is intensive and individualized, with a goal of student driven success.  Donka believes that strengthened personal confidence combined with marketable computer skills yields a more productive person.
Our curriculum prepares students for work.  Students learn while working through realistic business scenarios.  They work at their own pace and ability level.  Students learn through a variety of instructional formats.  We use easy to follow textbook with CD ROM tutorials for review.  Besides following textbook instruction, students are given independent projects.  Students work on these projects with step by step assistance from the textbook.  These exercises reinforce learning while helping students identify performance gaps.  Students are tested as instruction for each computer program is completed

Assistive Technology assessment and training services are now available at your office, classroom, front door, or at the Illinois workNet Center.  Students from Kane County must have a fee for service contract with the Office of Rehabilitation Services (ORS).

America's Jobline - This is an accessible job bank and electronic resume service (an audio version of America's Job Bank) offered free to any blind or sighted job seeker who can use a telephone.  Many job seekers have only intermittent access to computers, but virtually all have access to telephones.  

You may dial 1-800-414-5748 and follow the voice prompts, or use the Ready Reference Guide by linking here.  More information about America's Jobline is available at the National Federation of the Blind at www.nfb.org/jobline/enter.htm

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