- What is the ATL?
- Who does the ATL work for?
- How can I find out about the technologies that are available?
- What will the ATL want from me or want me to do?
- What will the ATL do for me?
- Does the ATL decide what accommodations students need?
- I get certain accommodations for exams, such as the use of a laptop and a separate room for testing, does the ATL provide those?
What is the ATL?
The ATL is the Adaptive Technology Lab – we are a department dedicated to aiding FAS students with disabilities, through the use of various technologies. All of our clients are referred to us by the Accessible Education Office (AEO). We assist our clients with access to course materials, research materials. We also assist with access to classroom activities.
We work with faculty, students, and the AEO to determine the best way to meet each student’s needs. To make sure students have access to the materials and tools that they need, we use many techniques and technologies including scanning and optical character recognition to create PDF or text files to be used with zooming software or screen readers; transcribing texts and music into Braille; creating tactile graphics; and creating audio files. We also provide a variety of solutions for in-class accessibility.
The ATL offers demonstrations of voice recognition software, text to speech software, smartboard technologies, and any of the other accessible technologies that we use, by appointment.
For students who are registered with the AEO, we also can provide laptop computers for quizzes and exams.
Who does the ATL work for?
We provide services to students in Harvard College and the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (GSAS) who are registered with the Accessible Education Office (AEO). We can also demonstrate accessibility software and hardware, such Dragon NaturallySpeaking and ergonomic keyboards, to all members of the Harvard community.
How can I find out about the technologies that are available?
We are happy to provide demonstrations by appointment. Students likely to be using our other services should first register with the AEO. We will demonstrate any of the hardware and software we use and support. To make an appointment, email atl@fas or call us at 6-8800.
What will the ATL want from me or want me to do?
After you are registered with the Accessible Education Office and they have determined that our services are part of your accommodation, you should schedule a meeting with someone at the Adaptive Technology Lab. You may have already met with someone here as a prospective student, but this visit will be the one that determines the formats in which you will receive your materials.
We will need to know which classes you are taking as soon as you know what they might be. Even an idea of which classes you might be taking will help us, if you have more than 50% level of certainty.
Once you know which classes you are taking, we will need the syllabus or at least a book list from each class so we can get to work on creating the digital texts as soon as possible. As soon as you are aware of additional materials, you should let us know about them. The sooner we know about your texts, the sooner you get them. When you meet with us, we will discuss turnaround times for your materials.
We may contact your professors before the semester begins to see what their plans for the class are. We do this to get a head start on creating materials, when possible. We do not reveal any information about to the professor. Although we may contact the professor, that does not alleviate your responsibility to tell us what materials you need.
Once you get your materials from us, it is your responsibility to tell us if the materials you have received are sufficient and whether there is something more you need from us to properly access your materials.
What will the ATL do for me?
We are here to ensure that students have access to course materials and are able to do their coursework. Whenever possible, we will work directly with you to provide all accommodations. Our goal is to provide technological assistance to students with the least impact possible on the process of teaching and learning.
The ATL provides digital texts in a number of formats, depending on your needs and on your accommodation as determined by the AEO. The types of texts we are equipped to produce include PDF, various formats of etext, Braille and output for refreshable Braille displays, music Braille and tactile graphics.
We also provide demonstrations of accessibility software, and we can provide some assistance with classroom accessibility.
Delivery of materials will be either via web site or by pickup at our lab on the main floor of the Science Center.
Does the ATL decide what accommodations students need?
We do not make decisions on accommodations or other overall policy. For questions on policy and accommodations, please contact the Accessible Education Office.
Once the AEO has received and confirmed a student’s paperwork, they will contact us and generate a letter detailing the specific accommodations a student is entitled to receive. Accommodations can include special texts (such as electronic or Braille versions), extra time on tests and exams, special computer programs or hardware to be used in the classroom or for completion of assignments, amongst other things. If the accommodations on your letter are not appropriate or sufficient, please contact the AEO. You do not have to present the letter to us, but you must present the letter to a member of your course faculty in each course to receive accommodations.
I get certain accommodations for exams, such as the use of a laptop and a separate room for testing, does the ATL provide those?
The ATL does assist faculty with some exam accommodations. We provide laptops with accessibility software (such as a zooming program or a screen reader) for students that are registered as our clients. We can also provide exams in special formats (such as an electronic format or Braille) if that is part of the student’s accommodation. For placement exams and final exams, both of which are administered by the exams office, we provide any copies of the exam in alternative formats and provide all laptops and special equipment directly to the exams office.
If the test or exam is an in-class exam, we can provide the exam in alternate formats and any laptops or equipment directly to a faculty member or TF. The ATL does not provide proctors or special rooms for exams. For these your professor should contact his or her department. In final exams and placement exams, the exams office provides all additional rooms and proctors required for student accommodation.
We also cannot provide a reader or a scribe (someone to read the exam to the student and to write down his or her answers) for a student exam. For this you or your professor should contact the relevant department or the Accessible Education Office.