Assistive Technology for Computing
One thing that programmers generally don’t take into account when they’re typing out code is "How accessible is my program or website going to be for someone who’s impaired in some way?" Unfortunately, this has become a problem in our society which many people are hoping to fix. Already, there’s a huge assortment of products - software, hardware, accessories, etc. - to accommodate those with impairments or disabilities of every sort. Here, we will see the technology in current use that is making computing more universal.
Why Do We Need Assistive Technology?
If you can imagine being an impaired person trying to use a computer, you might imagine that life could become very difficult. People with disabilities (PWD’s) still need and want to do the same everyday things that people without disabilities do. It’s just a little harder and more complicated to do it. For example, I might go onto the internet to shop for clothes or cd’s, look for movies to watch, or even order medications that I might need.
What many of us don’t realize is that since some people are being inhibited from carrying out their everyday activities normally, the internet and computing may become even more important to them for that very reason. The accessibility of information via the internet is so great; they may not be able to afford to not use the internet and their computer.
When using programs that aid in internet usage, or even in computer usage, PWD's face different obstacles based on their individual disabilities. For instance, people with hearing disabilities may need programs and websites to be captioned so that they can read what is being said if there's a synthetic voice used in the program that talks to...
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...ul to avoid flashing texts and colors for people who may be prone to seizures, and which could cause some sort of disorientation. Also keep in mind that we're trying to make life easier for those who will be using our programs in the future.
Works Cited
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Hyatt, Glenda Watson . Improving Government Access to Web Sites for People With Disabilities . 09 May 2001 <http://www.gov.bc.ca/odi/rpts>.
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People with disabilities meet barriers of all types. However, technology is helping to lower many of these barriers. By using computing technology for tasks such as reading and writing documents, communicating with others, and searching for information on the Internet, people with disabilities are capable of handling a wider range of activities independently. Still, people with disabilities face a variety of barriers to computer use. These barriers can be grouped into three functional categories:
Assistive technology (AT) is any device, piece of equipment or system that helps a person with a disability work around his challenges so he can learn, communicate or simply function better. Though the word “technology,” is used many AT tools are low-tech. AT tools range from simple adaptive tools like highlighters and organizers to high-tech tools like text-to-speech software for those with sight challenging concerns.(Ref: Assistive Technology: What It Is and How It Works By The Understood Team)
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