Daily Nebraskan
Page 3
UNL receives grant to develop
computers for disabled students
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June 17, 1986
By Linda Bendixen
Staff Reporter
UNL recently received a $275,000
grant from the United States Depart
ment of Education to develop a compu
ter system that is accessible to handi
capped persons.
The grant, written by Christy Horn,
coordinator of the Education Center for
Disabled Students, in collaboration
with Lois Schwab, professor of human
development and the family, provides
funds for three years. After that the
university must provide the funding.
"We hope that because this is the
first system of its kind, the university
will continue to support it," Horn said.
The system helps handicapped per
sons take their own notes and write
t heir own papers. Horn said that in the
past students had to dictate their pap
ers to someone and hire notetakers.
Though the system is designed for
disabled persons it does not rely on
specialized equipment. It is built
around a system of relatively inexpen
sive and adaptable IBM computers.
The computer center does, however,
have some specialized equipment.
A large print monitor, purchased by the
University Foundation, can enlarge let
ters up to five inches and then scan the
material on the monitor for visually
impaired students. In addition, a voice
synthesizer can read, information from
the screen, The center is also purchas
ing an optical character reader pro
grammed to read journals.
The computers have modified key
boards that do not require a student to
push two or more keys at one time in
order to type. This is beneficial to stu
dents who are able to use only one or
two fingers, Horn said.
The new equipment also makes it
possible for students who are paralyzed
to operate the computers. Switches
that react to the slightest movement,
such as a touch, a bite or even the blink
Test inaccuracies
examiner's fault
POLYGRAPH from Page 1
First, Wilkins asks irrelevant ques
tions in order to trace the "normal"
measurements of the subject on the
machine. An example of this type of
question would deal with the subject's
name, age, the day of the week, and so
on.
Second, Wilkins asks "throw away"
relevant questions such as, "Do you
intend to lie to me today?" Finally, the
primary relevant questions are asked,
he said. These questions deal directly
with the subject and the incident from
a general beginning gradually building
to a climax of specific questioning.
"The questioning process can be
unnerving for both the innocent and
the guilty," Wilkins said. "If the sub
ject is not nervous, I would right away
suspect him of lying or using some sort
of chemical abuse to keep him cool
under pressure."
After the test is given, Wilkins com
pares the subject's answers with the
subject's measurements on the poly
graph. If the measurements remain
consistent during each phase of ques
tioning the suspect is "probably" inno
cent, f
However, if there is a deviation, Wil
kins must determine what it was about
a particular question or questions that
made him react differently. Later, the
suspect is given a chance to explain his
reaction.
As far as inaccuracies, Wilkins said
it's the examiner, not the polygraph
that messes things up.
"Less than ten percent of all poly
graph operators are competent for the
job," he said. "It's up to the examiner
to interpret the results, the polygraph
only measures the responses."
Lincoln has three private, four police,
five UNL, three sheriffs, three state
patrol and three public polygraph exa
miners, he said.
Many medium to large sized busi
nesses in Lincoln now require new
employees to take the polygraph test.
"This is due partially to petty steal
ing, occasional chemical abuse on the
job, and that sort of thing," Wilkins
said. "It's now more of a precaution
than it used to be."
of an eye help the students operate the
computers.
The switches are connected to a
specialized word processing system
called Words Plus. The disk contains a
vocabulary bank of 2,400 words, which
the student can use to write a paper.
After a student has used the system for
a while, the computer is able to predict
which words the student would use.
Portable computers are available for
students to check out and take home,
including portable lap computers that
let students take notes in class.
All of these systems operate with
keyboards. Modified typing techniques
are taught to students with limited fin
ger dexterity.
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Police Report
Friday, June 13
2:30 a.m. Medical emergency-injury
at Coliseum. Person
taken to hospital.
11:10 p.m. Non-injury accident
at 21st and W streets.
12:30 p.m. Theft of book from
CBA.
2:04 p.m. Non-injury accident
in metered lot at 13th and R Streets.
Saturday, June 14
6:13 a.m. Small fire by dock at
City Union.
8:33 a.m. Vandalism at con
struction site at 12th and Q Streets.'
5:36 p.m. Person taken to
detoxification center from 16th and
P.
Sunday, June 15
1:05 a.m. Emergency phone at
Area 3 parking lot at 14th and New
Hampshire streets vandalized.
2:11 a.m. Three incidents of
vandalism to vehicles reported in
Area 23 parking lot across from
Harper-Schramm-Smith.
4:03 a.m. Misdemeanor assult
reported.
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