Assistive Technology: An Introduction

In human-computer interaction, computer accessibility (also known as accessible computing) refers to the accessibility of a computer system to all people, regardless of disability.

Computer accessibility can be achieved by changes to hardware (like keyboards, the mouse, or using touch screens) or software (such as software that types on the computer what you speak into a microphone called “speech-to-text” software). Hardware or software that enables people with disabilities to use a computer is known as Assistive Technology.

There are many types of impairments. But most of them fall in four basic categories:

Cognitive Impairments include learning disabilities like dyslexia, ADHD, or autism. They can also include developmental disabilities, traumatic brain injury, stroke, or Alzheimer’s disease.

Visual Impairments include low-vision, complete or partial blindness, or color blindness.

Hearing Impairment includes deafness or hard of hearing.

Motor or dexterity impairment includes paralysis, cerebral palsy, arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, or a strain injury.

These categories are not mutually exclusive. A person who has cerebral palsy may have no motor impairments at all but may have memory problems. A person who has had a stroke may have a cognitive impairment as well as motor or dexterity impairments. Just as impairments are not mutually exclusive, one type of Assistive Technology, such as speech-to-text software, can work for much impairment, such as blindness or low vision or motor, dexterity impairments, or learning disabilities like dyslexia.

In addition, some people like the Deaf, people who have total or almost total loss of hearing from birth or a very young age, don’t see themselves as being disabled at all. Instead, they feel they are a “linguistic minority” because they use Sign Language instead of speech. Other disabled people feel they are culturally enriched and politically empowered by their relationship with the disability community.

Everyone will have impairment sometime in their lives. If you wear glasses you have impairment (low vision) and wear prosthesis (glasses). The older we get the more likely we are to have impairment. Thus, assistive technology makes computer use easier for everyone!

Which Assistive Technology is Right for You?

Vision: Windows 7 features for vision accessibility, Kurzweil 3000, Zoomtext, Dragon Naturally Speaking, and Tips for internet browsing for the visually impaired:

If you have low vision, visual impairment, macular degeneration, partial blindness, or blindness there are several pieces of software installed on this accessibility computer to help.

You can use many features that come with Windows 7 on this computer. For example, screen magnifiers work like a magnifying glass. They enlarge a portion of the screen as the user moves the focus—increasing legibility for some users. Some screen enlargers allow a user to zoom in and out on a particular area of the screen. Windows 7 has its own magnifier. There is also a software program called Zoomtext installed on this computer (see below).

There are software programs that present graphics and text to speech. A screen reader is used to verbalize, or “speak,” everything on the screen including names and descriptions of control buttons, menus, text, and punctuation. Windows 7 has a basic screen reader called Narrator in Windows 7. This computer also has Kurzweil 3000 that will read your screen and help you navigate the web with ease.

Windows 7 has a speech recognition program called voice recognition. It allows data entry by voice commands rather than a mouse or keyboard.

In addition, Kurzweil 3000 allows you to scan printed materials in order to bridge the gap between print and computer. Kurzweil will also read WebPages and help you read email. Kurzweil can be used in conjunction with specific software programs such as VisAbility and OmniPage that can help with the process of scanning.

Zoomtext is a screen magnification enhancement software. People with low vision typically need to magnify or enhance the screen. Zoomtext screen magnification software provides higher levels of magnification, contrast, and color enhancement.

Dragon Naturally Speaking is a Voice Input software. It can be used as an alternative to typing words and sentences into a word processor and for operating program controls like menus and buttons.

Tips for internet browsing for the visually impaired:

1. Keep the screen uncluttered. People with low vision impairments may have trouble reading what is on the web page if it is cluttered, while a blind person using screen reading software may have trouble because the information on the page could get jumbled if it is not presented in an orderly fashion, because typically screen readers read the page from left to right.

2. Avoid placing multiple hyperlinks on any one line. It is easier for the user to find the links if each one is on a line of its own. It also makes it easier to click on the right link.

3. Avoid having a tiled background. People with low vision may have difficulty reading information on sites with a tiled background or a background image because the text may become obscured.

4. Avoid backgrounds that are dark or light in color. People with low vision or color blindness may have difficulty reading text if the background and text colors do not contrast well.

5. Space out items on the page. Providing space around items will make the site neater and cleaner. This may help avoid any confusion for the visually impaired user.

6. Provide an alternative page that is text-only. Text only v ore accessible to all visitors.

7. Include descriptions of graphics and images. If the graphics are critical to the content of the page it is good to provide a caption for the graphic for those people using screen reading software.

8. Use the ALT attribute with images. The ALT attribute provides alternative text for the user that is intended to help the user understand the graphics on the page.

9. Provide “speech” using options such as Talker or Real Audio . These are software programs that can be downloaded to make a web page talk.

10. Include menu alternatives when using image maps. An image map is a picture on which part of the picture can be clicked on to find a link to another page. Providing menu alternatives for image maps ensures that the embedded links are accessible.

11. Make links descriptive. Nondescriptive phrases like ‘click here’ when used as a link present problems for those people using screen readers. Screen reading software typically allows the user to tab through the page to all links, so the words the user look different in different web browsers. One should try to test their web page with at least one text-based browser such as Lynx.

Motor, dexterity, or mobility impairment: Windows 7 features and Dragon

Some people may not be able to use a conventional input device, such as the mouse or the keyboard. Therefore it is important for software functions to be accessible using both devices; ideally, software uses a generic input API that permits the use even of highly specialized devices unheard of at the time of software development. Keyboard shortcuts and mouse gestures are ways to achieve this. More specialized solutions like on-screen software keyboards and alternate input devices like switches, joysticks and trackballs are also available. Speech recognition technology is also a compelling and suitable alternative to conventional keyboard and mouse input as it simply requires a commonly available audio headset.

The astrophysicist Stephen Hawking is a famous example of a person suffering from motor disability. He uses a switch, combined with special software, that allows him to control his wheelchair-mounted computer using his remaining small movement ability. This performs as a normal computer, allowing him to research and produce his written work, and as an Augmentative and Alternative Communication and environmental control device.

Hardware: If you have a motor or dexterity impairment a “track ball” mouse and computer touch screens can help you.

Windows 7:

Now, with the improved speech capability within Windows 7, those with limited motor function and dexterity can just tell their computer what to do via their own voice.

But before you begin the process of speech recognition, Window 7 guides you through a configuration tool to maximize your experience. First, start the speech recognition tool found within the Ease of Access Center. Then set up your microphone to work in sync with the speech recognition within the operating system.

Once everything is set-up you will go through a tutorial that teaches you to use the computer with only the power of your voice, while learning about the basic commands and dictation functions. After you have completed the tutorial, you can train your computer to understand you better.

People with Cerebral Palsy or carpal tunnel syndrome can use the built-in On-screen keyboard which makes typing easier. Within Windows , you can resize and customize On-screen keyboard to your needs. In addition, a great new feature is its text prediction with eight pre-set languages. When text prediction is enabled, as you type, the On-Screen Keyboard displays a list of words that you might be typing. You can customize the sticky keys and keyboard shortcuts. In most circumstances, you can eliminate your keyboard all together and just use the mouse as your tool.

Dragon Naturally Speaking is speech-to-text software. With Dragon, you do not have to be able to type or use a mouse. Dragon will type text for you and well as help you command the computer to search the Web and answer emails when you dictate into a microphone.

Hearing: Windows 7 Accessibility Tools

While sound user interfaces have a secondary role in common desktop computing, usually limited to system sounds as feedback, software producers take into account people who can’t hear, either for personal disability, noisy environments, silence requirements or lack of sound hardware. Such system sounds like beeps can be substituted or supplemented with visual notifications and captioned text (akin to closed captions) in Windows 7.

Cognitive Impairment: Kurzweil 3000 and Dragon Naturally Speaking

The biggest challenge in computer accessibility is to make resources accessible to people with cognitive disabilities – particularly those with poor communication skills – and those without reading skills.

Dragon Naturally Speaking helps people who have trouble typing or trouble with spelling by allowing you to dictate into the computer what you want to say.

Kurzweil 3000 helps people who have trouble with reading by allowing you to scan printed materials into the computer so that the software will read them for you, as well as reading Web documents, emails, and word documents to you.