Wednesday, March 18, 2009

.AIMS AND BACKGROUND

The CALL Centre is a small unit within the Department of Educational Studies, in the Faculty of Education, The University of Edinburgh. The Centre is co-located with the Scottish Sensory Centre, offering a rich one-stop resource. CALL is both a Service and a Research Unit. Service activity is limited by the amount of staff time available, but is open to anyone in Scotland concerned with communication difficulties, particularly in a learning context.
New technology has much to offer people with physical, communication or sensory difficulties. Computers and computer-based aids have become smaller, cheaper and more practical and can be readily adapted to provide disabled people with access to communication, education, recreation and employment.
Communication systems with synthesised or digitised voice offer a means of communication for those who cannot speak; switches and other devices can be used by people with physical disabilities as an alternative to a standard computer keyboard; enlarged displays or voice feedback offer computer access to those with visual impairments; specialised software helps people with writing or spelling difficulties. `Low-technology´ systems such as picture or symbol books can be valuable too.However, the wide range of possibilities means that choosing and using these technologies with particular individuals can be complex and sometimes daunting. The CALL Centre addresses these problems and works to help people with disabilities (and their carers and professional helpers) get the most from this new technology

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