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[ Music ]

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(Narrator) A generation[br]ago, personal computers

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began to make their[br]mark on the world.

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It was the beginning[br]of an incredible change

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in the way we do things.

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For people with[br]disabilities, that change

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was even more profound.

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(Dan) For the first time,[br]people with disabilities,

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particularly people[br]who are blind,

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had a chance to[br]compete successfully,

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using the computer.

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(Stephanie) I found[br]that computers opened up

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a whole new world, and I could[br]get a lot of stuff in Braille.

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What I can do is I can[br]use my screen reader

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to get into a different program; [br]I can type something up

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just regularly on the[br]computer, hit three buttons,

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and it will be in Braille[br]right in front of me

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on a piece of paper.

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(Israel) The program[br]I use for speech

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helps me read[br]everything like email,

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and if I look for[br]information about something,

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it will tell me the results.

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(Narrator) They're talking[br]about adaptive technology:

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software and hardware[br]systems that assist computer

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and Internet access for[br]people with disabilities.

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(Dan Comden) The technology[br]that we have available

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is appropriate for[br]people with a wide range

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of sensory impairments.

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Everything for somebody with[br]a minor hearing impairment,

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where we might do some[br]captioning or special blinking

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on the screen, to somebody who's[br]blind, who needs speech output,

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or maybe wants to incorporate[br]speech output with speech input.

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(Narrator) People with[br]sensory impairment

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are affected in the way they[br]use vision, hearing, or touch.

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They may have a slight[br]loss of ability,

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or they may be completely[br]unable to use one or more

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of their senses.

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(Michael Richardson) Sensory [br]impairments affect people in

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a variety of ways, depending on[br]how well they've adjusted

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to their disability,[br]how significant it is.

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For me personally, with a[br]significant, profound hearing loss,

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I have issues[br]with communication.

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Hearing and talking[br]on a regular phone

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is nearly impossible for me.

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However, the use[br]of computers lately

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has really enhanced my[br]communication abilities,

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especially with[br]the use of email.

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With email, I'm able to communicate [br]with anybody anywhere, anytime.

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(Narrator) Some people[br]with sensory impairments

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may not need adaptive[br]technology for computer access.

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Others will require[br]significant enhancements.

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To decide what[br]works best for you,

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start by determining[br]what you want to be

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able to do with the computer.

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Then choose accommodations[br]that help you do those things.

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(Dan) It's absolutely vital that[br]somebody with a disability be

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involved in the decision-making[br]process when it comes

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to selecting their[br]adaptive technology.

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They're the experts who[br]know what they need,

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so it's imperative that they be[br]part of evaluating what's going

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to be a successful solution.

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(Justin) Adaptive technology[br]has helped me out a great deal.

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I can get on the Internet and[br]access anything I want to with

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voice output on the[br]computer, and it, you know,

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it's just really[br]helped me out a lot.

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(Narrator) We'll show you some[br]of the computing tools that

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people with sensory impairments[br]have used successfully.

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These are just some[br]of the options;

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there are always other[br]approaches to try,

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and new hardware[br]and software are

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being developed all the time.

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(Narrator) We'll start[br]with visual impairments.

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First, a definition.

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Low vision is a loss[br]of visual acuity

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while retaining some vision.

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People may have[br]uniform low vision,

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or they may have variations such[br]as tunnel vision or alternating

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areas of vision and[br]total blindness.

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There may be light sensitivity,[br]or an inability to see colors.

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People who are blind have very[br]little or no vision at all.

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(Ryan) Now I'm going to[br]Internet Explorer right now.

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(Screen reader) http...

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(Narrator) Speech output is[br]the most popular form of access

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for people who are blind.

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This software[br]allows the computer

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to read aloud text,[br]email, or Web pages.

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(Screen reader)[br]Page has 31 links.

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(Narrator) Ryan, a high[br]school student who is blind,

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uses this type of software.

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(Ryan) It can tell you all[br]the stuff on the screen,

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and it speaks through[br]your sound card.

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It's good for surfing[br]the Web, doing email,

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or doing your reports.

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I can go into a Word[br]document, I can start typing,

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it will speak the[br]character as I'm typing it.

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(Screen reader)[br]W..I..N..D..O..W..S period.

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(Ryan) I can also have it read[br]to me exactly what I've typed,

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so I can know if I made[br]any spelling mistakes.

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(Screen reader) I like [br]Jaws for Windows.

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(Narrator) People who are blind[br]use a standard keyboard for input.

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That standard keyboard also[br]controls the screen reader.

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(Screen reader) Link[br]reference tools.

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Enter.

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(Narrator) Braille[br]output systems

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are also available[br]for those who need

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more detailed information[br]than speech output provides.

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Refreshable Braille[br]displays echo information

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from the screen to a[br]panel with Braille cells

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with moveable pins.

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To print materials[br]for later reference,

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a Braille embosser gives[br]a permanent record.

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(Teacher) You have[br]about eight minutes...

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(Narrator) Portable notetakers,[br]using speech or Braille,

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can be invaluable[br]for people on the go.

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(Student) I'm writing this down.

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(Narrator) Many people with low vision[br]use screen enlargement software.

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This enlarges text and graphics[br]displayed on the monitor.

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You can also use [br]closed circuit TVs,

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or video magnifiers, to[br]enlarge printed materials

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or photographs.

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This camera has auto[br]focus and can be

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used with a computer monitor.

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(Nate) You slide your[br]paper under and then just

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fool with the[br]knobs a bit and you

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can get it as big or[br]as small as you like.

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(Narrator) For those who[br]are sensitive to light,

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the enlargement systems[br]can also reverse the screen

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from black on white[br]to white on black.

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And large print[br]keytop labels may

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be helpful for people[br]with low vision

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who are learning to type.

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(Buffy) I have a[br]question about this word.

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What does it mean?

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(Narrator) People with[br]hearing impairments

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may have partial or[br]complete hearing loss.

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And for general computer[br]use, there's very little need

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for adaptive technology.

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Built-in operating features[br]offer visual alternatives

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to audio signals.

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(Buffy) For example, when you[br]get a signal from the computer

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like a beep or a honk that says[br]you've done something wrong,

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then they can make it do[br]something else to show me that

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something's wrong.

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(Narrator) Streaming multimedia[br]is a concern for people who can't hear.

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Captioning for videos, or[br]audio transcribed into text,

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are ideal.

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However, most content[br]developers don't include this.

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Some do.

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(Jeffrey) When I use[br]my computer at home,

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some of the games and so[br]forth, and the Internet,

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has closed captioning.

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(Narrator) For[br]immediate conversation,

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people who are deaf[br]or hard of hearing

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have some electronic options.

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One choice is instant[br]messaging software.

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Another is to use a TTY[br]or TDD device, which

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sends typed messages[br]over telephone lines.

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The newer TTY or TDD[br]versions allow conversation

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between someone with[br]a computer and someone

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using the TTY or TDD.

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(User) Final fourth-quarter projections?

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(Computer) Final fourth[br]dash quarter projections?

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(Narrator) People with limited[br]sensitivity in their hands or fingers

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may not be able to use [br]a standard keyboard and mouse.

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Speech input software allows[br]them to control a computer

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and enter text.

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If the loss of sensitivity[br]is peripheral neuropathy

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due to diabetes, there may[br]be vision loss as well.

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In that case, speech output can[br]be combined with speech input,

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using middleware to[br]connect the two programs.

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(Computer) Pay close attention[br]to the recognition accuracy

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of the system.

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(Dan) Middleware allows[br]the speech output software

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to work with the[br]speech input software;

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it brings the two together[br]so that the person who

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is speaking and[br]listening to the computer

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can have a successful[br]experience.

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(Narrator) Selecting[br]adaptive technology

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should be based on[br]individual needs.

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For education, employment,[br]and everything else,

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it's all about success.

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(Michael) The[br]advancement of technology

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and the use of computers[br]in the last 10 or 15 years

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has just been[br]phenomenal, especially

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for people with disabilities.

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And to see my peers, [br]other people with disabilities,

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succeed well in[br]school and careers

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is just a wonderful sight,

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and who knows [br]what the future holds.

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