Hearing a professor’s lecture, reading textbooks, talking on the telephone and using a computer are all activities most Iowa State students carry out repeatedly without thinking about them.

Duffy Lorr, member of the University Committee on Disabilities, recently attended a conference in Bloomington, Minn., on how assistive technology can help students overcome impediments in working toward a college degree.

Lorr said she went to the conference “to find out what is available in terms of technology for ISU students.”

Ron Grooms, systems analyst at the Computation Center, defined assistive technology as computer technology used to help disabled students carry out activities without hardship.

“The idea is to put a disabled student in the same situation as a non-disabled peer,” Grooms said.

Grooms said assistive technology can help those students with visual and mobility limitations and hearing and learning disabilities.

Locating sources of funding was a topic discussed at the conference, Lorr said, and has also been discussed at ISU.

“Some universities receive grants to help pay for the technology,” she said.

So far, a budget has not been drawn up, Lorr said. Currently, both the Dean of Students office and the Computation Center pay for computer software.

“I really hope a budget will be set up soon,” Lorr said. “We have a state of the art university; there’s no reason why we couldn’t be more accessible to disabled students.”

Lorr said she hopes all university computer labs eventually will be accessible to all students.

“It’s a matter of education and understanding what assistive technology is, and the fact that it’s not going to break the budget,” she said.

Joyce Packwood, program coordinator for Disability Services, said ISU’s assistive technology program is not up to par with other universities.

“Our machines are behind in technology,” Packwood said. “We need to catch up.”

Grooms agreed with Packwood.

“The computer technology, in my opinion, needs to be updated,” he said.

Lorr currently is drawing up a proposal to advise the university on what future steps should be taken in assistive technology.

Grooms said new technology has the potential to draw more students with disabilities to the university.

“This area is a growing concern for the university. By improving the technology, we can increase the number of students who come to ISU with disabilities,” Grooms said.