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...
... middle of paper ...
...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
CAT. 2001. University of Buffalo. <http://cat.buffalo.edu/research.php>.
Freedom Scientific. 2001. Freedom Scientific. <http://www.freedomscientific.com/fs_products/software.asp>.
Group 7. 10 Dec. 1999. Virginia Tech, 27 Nov. 2001. <http://courses.cs.vt.edu/~cs3604/support/Assignments/Final.Assmt.F99/Disabilities/inclass.html>
Hyatt, Glenda Watson . Improving Government Access to Web Sites for People With Disabilities . 09 May 2001 <http://www.gov.bc.ca/odi/rpts>.
Soaring Eagle Communications. 23 July 2001. Soaring Eagle Communications. 1999- 2000 <http://www.eaglecom.bc.ca/index.html>.
The first personal traits that Coach Dale was forced to exhibit were his toughness and his assertiveness. On his first night in Hickory he met the men of town in the barbershop who were all willing to provide their experience and insight on the team and how to coach. Coach Dale had enough self confidence to know that none of these “insights” were going to help the Hickory team win basketball games and let them know they weren’t welcome by turning his back and walking out. Additionally, he was forced to demonstrate his toughness twice more on the first day of practice by telling the temporary coach, “Secondly, your days of coaching are over,” and then by standing up to the group of men after he dismissed Buddy from the team. These actions made no friends of the men; however, th...
Jim Valvano, otherwise known as “Jimmy V”, was a college basketball player, coach, and broadcaster. This paper will cover Jimmy and define his true leadership qualities. Jimmy was an icon in the sports world not only for his coaching ability. He taught the world that leaders need a vision, leaders need to connect with their followers, and that leaders learn from their followers. Jimmy defied the rules and transformed his players into exceptionally good players and even better people. He taught more than basketball to his players and reached outside of his coaching arena to touch the lives of people across the world.
...e, Geneviève, and Armin Schwegler. Creoles, Contact, and Language Change: Linguistics and Social Implications. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Pub., 2004. Print.
(2011). Assistive devices for special needs: Technologies and global markets. BCC Research, 374, Retrieved from http://www.marketresearch.com/BCC-Research-v374/Assistive-Devices-Special-Technologies-Global-6122386/
As a college basketball player, I learned that being an effective leader did not mean that I had to be a constant bundle of energy. Rather, I realized over time it is more important to understand your teammates and what makes them tick, and to translate that knowledge into separate leadership styles to match each individual. This is crucial when working with an extremely diverse group of attitudes, personalities, and mindsets. I believe people would describe my style as steady, positive, and upbeat – opposite of my head coach in many ways. Countless times I would pull a teammate aside who had been berated and explain in a constructive
Barriers to employment, transportation, public accommodations, public services, and telecommunications have imposed staggering economic and social costs on American society and have undermined our well-intentioned efforts to educate, rehabilitate, and employ individuals with disabilities. By breaking down these barriers, the Americans with Disabilities Act will enable society to benefit from the skills and talents of individuals with disabilities, will allow us all to gain from their increased purchasing power and ability to use it, and will lead to fuller, more productive lives for all Americans.
I believe the Americans With Disabilities Act is the most important precedent set in the struggle against all discrimination for persons with disability. In this paper I will give a brief description of the statutes set by the Americans With Disabilities Act, pertaining to disabilities in the workplace. I will then discuss what employers are required to do according to the A.D.A. and some of the regulations they must abide by. The next section of this paper will discuss the actual training of employees with disabilities with a highlight on training programs for workers with mobility and motion disabilities. The following section of this paper will discuss the economic effects of a vocational rehabilitation program. Finally this paper will conclude with a brief discussion of what the measures set by the Americans With Disabilities Act means to the actual workers and people it benefits.
Flaherty, J. (2011). Coaching: Evoking excellence in others (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Taylor & Francis.
Riviere, A. Assistive Technology: Meeting the Needs of Adults with Learning Disabilities. Washington, DC: NALLD, 1996. (ED 401 686)
Today’s classroom looks vastly different than classrooms even a decade ago. Teachers today need to be aware of different impairments and the impact it has on the tools they will be using to aid all of their students ability to reach their full potential. Students with cognitive impairments bring with them a unique set of challenges for the student and teacher to both overcome. Cognitive impairments encompass a vast array of qualifiers which makes accommodating for the student seem more problematic than is the reality. So what qualifies as a cognitive impairment? Dove (2012) highlights “attention, memory, self-regulation, navigation, emotion recognition and management, planning, and sequencing activity” as some cognitive processes that provide hurdles for students with cognition deficiencies. However, as Katsioloudis and Jones (2013) note, other cognitive disabilities include traumatic brain injuries, autism, and learning disabilities among others.
Several assistive listening devices can improve the communication ability of deaf children. According to IDEA, every child with a disability is entitled to have access to assistive technology (California Department of Education, 2004). The California Department of Education (2004) outlines IDEA’s definition of an assistive technology device. It explains that this device consists of “any item, piece of equipment or product system…that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of a child with a disability” (California Department of Education, 2004, p. 1).
Individuals with disabilities have laws in place to protect them and their rights as Americans. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act “requires public schools to make available to all eligible children with disabilities a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment appropriate to their individual needs” (Us department of education, 2011). Schools have resources available to help educators meet the needs of any individual with a disability.
Abstract: Assistive technology is one way that individuals with learning disabilities have been able to overcome the difficulties with comprehension that they possess. This form of technology comes in many forms, ranging from low to high technology devices.
Though Martinique is not the only Caribbean island that France colonized, it is one of the few that are left under French control and therefore Martinican society is more like that of France’s than on any other Caribbean islands. This does not mean that everyone is okay with staying under French rule, though; there is a small group of nationalists, which fight and strive for independence for the island. Most of the population is contented with their autonomic place within the French Republic. Most Martinicans, while preserving French West Indian cultural identity through Creole language, music, cuisine, and mores prefer not to sever their political ties with France. Though being a department is not always positive, for the most part, Martinique and France have a mutually beneficial relationship. Martinicans, because they are considered French citizens, receive the welfare programs that France provides. This covers health care, retirement, benefits if they experience widowhood, and assistance fo...
Ultimately this paper will describe the various ways persons with disabilities continue to encounter several obstacles in their daily lives.