Assistive Technologies (AT)s | Accessibility
Standards Based Development
Assistive Technologies are software or equipment that people with disabilitie use to improve interaction with the web, such as screen readers that read aloud web pages for people who cannot read text, screen magnifiers for people with some types of low vision, and voice recognition software and selection switches for people who cannot use a keyboard or mouse.
alds (Assistive Listening Devices)
alds, hearing loops, and induction loops amplify sound from the speaker's microphone.
cart (Computer Aided Real-Time Captioning or Communication Access Realtime Translation)
cart is when a professional types what is being said verbatim so that people can read the text output.
Interpreters
Interpreters are sign language interpreters, cued speech transliterators, and others. Note: sign languages are different from spoken languages and there is not a one-to-one translation.
sts (Speech-to-speech)
sts is one form of Telecommunications Relay Service that allows persons with speech disabilities to access the telephone system to place and receive telephone calls. stsenables persons with a speech disability to make telephone calls using their own voice (or an assistive voice device). sts uses specially trained operators, called Communications Assistants (cas), to relay the conversation back and forth between the person with the speech disability and the other party to the call. sts cas are trained in understanding a variety of speech disorders, which enables them to repeat what the caller says in a manner that makes the caller's words clear and understandable to the called party.
Who Uses sts
Often people with speech disabilities cannot communicate by telephone because the parties being called cannot understand their speech. People with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, Parkinson's disease, and those who are coping with limitations from a stroke or traumatic brain injury may have speech disabilities. People who stutter or have had a laryngectomy may also have difficulty being understood. In general, anyone with a speech disability or anyone who wishes to call someone with a speech disability can use STS.
Using sts
A special phone is not needed for STS. You simply call the relay center by dialing 711, and indicate you wish to make an STS call. You are connected to an STS CA who will repeat your spoken words, making the spoken words clear to the other party. Persons with speech disabilities may also receive STS calls.
Sprint also offers wireless plans for customers who have speech disabilities.
References and Resources
at (Assistive Technologies), also known as Adaptive Technologies, is an umbrella term that includes assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices for people with disabilities and also includes the process used in selecting, locating, and using them. AT promotes greater independence by enabling people to perform tasks that they were formerly unable to accomplish, or had great difficulty accomplishing, by providing enhancements to, or changing methods of interacting with, the technology needed to accomplish such tasks.
pseudo-assistive technologies
pseudo-assistive technologies”. For reference, I’m speaking specifically of products like ReadSpeaker, eSSENTIAL Accessibility, and BrowseAloud. In the strictest semantic interpretation, one could argue that they’re still assistive technologies with the primary difference being that they are offered on a per site basis and provide text-to-speech functionality to read the site’s content aloud. These products are actually not new and some of them are nearly a decade old. Despite this, the criticisms levied against such products are the same today as they were almost a decade ago. The problem I have, personally, with such products is twofold: first is what they’re capable of doing and the second is how they are marketed.
On a technical level these products essentially all work the same: They read the content of the page via text-to-speech. Though the features of each product differ slightly, the end result is the same: text becomes . The value you place upon the text-to-speech capability I guess depends upon your perspective. I will concede that there may be instances where this is useful. For example, I sometimes turn on ReadAloud on long PDF documents. To this end, these products are potentially useful for people with reading disorders or attention disorders. But here’s the thing: People who require text-to-speech in order to gain access to content will need it on all websites and, indeed, on all software applications they use, not just their browser. This is important to understand: These per-site text-to-speech services are, at best, a mere convenience for persons who prefer to hear the content – not a legitimate assistance for those who need to hear the content. This takes me to my second concern.
http://www.karlgroves.com/2012/04/19/can-assistive-technology-make-a-website-accessible/
assistive-technologies
http://ncam.wgbh.org/invent_build/web_multimedia/accessible-digital-media-guide/tools-for-access
Assistive technology (AT) is an umbrella term used to describe any product or technology-based service that helps disabled people to live, learn, work and enjoy life. In the context of on-line education, assistive technology refers to hardware and software technologies that enable people with disabilities to use computers more effectively.
Main categories of assistive technologies:
Screen Readers
Screen readers are software products designed for blind users, but they are also useful to users with learning disabilities. Screen readers locate information seen on the computer screen and vocalize it using text-to-speech software and, occasionally, hardware. Most screen readers work in close concert with the operating system, relying on the computer's built-in capabilities. Applications and software that conform to the standards of the operating system are more likely to be accessible. Applications and software that ignore the requirements of screen readers and the operating systems that support them may well prove unusable for some disabled people.
Refreshable Braille Displays
A refreshable braille display is a tactile device that raises or lowers dot patterns on command from an electronic device, usually a computer. The result is a line of braille that can change from moment to moment. Current refreshable braille displays range in size from one cell (six or eight dots) to an 80-cell line, most having between 12 and 20 cells per line. Braille displays are the primary means of access to computers for users who are deaf-blind.
Screen Magnifiers
Screen magnifiers are software solutions for people with low vision. These products allow the user to enlarge the size of images and text displayed on screen. Screen magnifiers may also permit the user to change the default colors of the display.
Compatibility between screen magnifiers and software can be a problem for developers. Typical screen magnifiers track the cursor or the active region of the screen and will automatically enlarge that portion of the display. Applications that use a custom cursor design may cause the magnifier to enlarge the wrong portion of the screen. Developers can avoid this problem by relying on standard interface practices, particularly those that apply to cursor control and display.
Adaptive Keyboards
Adaptive keyboards are designed for users with physical disabilities who cannot use a standard keyboard. Users with reduced range of motion may require smaller keyboards. Conversely, those without fine motor control may require a keyboard that is somewhat larger. Keyboards that offer fewer choices are helpful to users who benefit from a more structured learning environment and one-handed keyboards are helpful for those who can only type with one hand.
For users who are only able to use a mouse (or assistive technology that emulates a mouse), the keyboard itself can be represented on screen using software. Pointing at individual letters replaces the physical act of typing.
Developers can take steps to support users of these technologies. Applications and software that employ the operating system's standard methods of reading input from the keyboard should be compatible with all adaptive keyboards. Those applications that bypass the operating system and attempt to interrogate the keyboard directly will probably not be accessible to users who wish to substitute an adaptive keyboard.
Voice-Recognition Software
Voice-recognition software allows the user to input data or control the computer by speaking. Voice-recognition software benefits users who have difficulty typing or using their hands. Generally, applications and software that allow full access through keyboard commands are well suited for use with voice-recognition software.
Single Switches
Single switches are hardware solutions for users with physical disabilities who can control the computer only with one or two specific movements. Single switches are used with software scanning preset options on screen. The user triggers the switch when the option he or she wishes to choose has been highlighted during scanning. Single switches can be used in conjunction with on-screen keyboards and word prediction software. Scanning software can be used to create customized screen layouts for use with a variety of applications. However, every clickable spot in the layout must be identified in advance in order for the scanning software to find it.
A general resource describing assistive technology is the Technical Glossary of Adaptive Technologies from the Adaptive Technology Resource Centre at the University of Toronto. Equivalent Access Versus Alternative Access When considering accessibility of learning applications, it is important to understand the differences between two types of access: equivalent and alternative. Equivalent access provides the disabled user with content identical to that used by the non-disabled user. For the disabled user, however, that content is presented in a different manner. Providing a course textbook in braille format, on audiotape, or in digital format are examples of equivalent accessibility. Alternative access provides the disabled user with a learning activity that differs from the activity used by the non-disabled user. However, the alternative activity is designed to achieve the same learning objectives. For example, a mobility-impaired student might be given the option of conducting a science experiment in a virtual laboratory, where the levels of dexterity, strength, and physical access are different from those required in a physical laboratory. Equivalent access should be provided whenever possible. Alternative access should be provided only if equivalent access is not possible. However, there are numerous examples where software developed for alternative access has become the mainstream choice when its value to all learners was recognized. For example, the virtual microscope developed for disabled students by The Open University proved better able to achieve key learning objectives than its mainstream counterpart and so came to be used by all students. Finally, when providing equivalent access via brailled textbooks or tactile graphics, consider timeliness. Ensure that the service provider receives the original materials as far in advance as possible. Depending on the subject matter, the length of the textbook and the complexity of the graphics, it may take up to several weeks to create the braille or tactile copies. Direct Access Versus Compatible Access Solutions designed to make education accessible can be grouped into two categories: direct access and compatible access. A directly accessible product allows a person with a disability to operate all on-screen controls and access all content without relying on assistive technology. For example, to be accessible to users with low vision, directly accessible applications, software or Web sites offer features that enlarge all controls and on-screen text. They are also designed using high-contrast colors or provide features that allow users to choose appropriate colors. To be accessible to users who are blind, a directly accessible product should have a keyboard interface with audio output. Such a keyboard interface can also provide access for users with physical disabilities. Audio output should announce the presence and status of all on-screen controls and convey the atmosphere of the application, software, or Web site. A built-in method of using a single key to scan through choices in the application or software will provide access for users who can only use a single switch as input. Teachers of students who are visually impaired report that their younger students receive only limited training with assistive technology. For this reason, providing direct access in products targeted at elementary and middle-school students is particularly important. Direct access brings many benefits. The most important is that the user is able to access educational material without special assistive hardware and software. Thus, direct access helps to reduce costs for schools and individuals, and eliminates the technical difficulties associated with using assistive technology. Direct access also gives students with disabilities the option to use any computer, freeing them from dependence on adapted workstations. Ideally, the directly accessible interface should be designed by the same people who create the application, software or Web site. These are the content experts; when they apply their understanding of educational goals to designing an accessible interface, the resulting educational experience will certainly be superior to the alternative — assistive technology paired with software not designed with users with disabilities in mind. Alternatively, the compatibly accessible application, software or Web site is an application designed with assistive technology in mind. This level of access assumes that the user has a preferred assistive-technology package installed and is relatively competent and comfortable with it. A compatibly accessible product is designed with "hooks" built into the software that facilitate the use of a screen reader, screen magnifier or alternative input devices. These hooks are provided by developers using tools such as Microsoft Active Accessibility (MSAA) and the Java Accessibility API from Sun Microsystems. Exposing the system cursor, using standard controls and fonts, and following the operating system's human interface guidelines can also help make a product or Web site compatibly accessible. Compatible access offers some advantages. It provides consistency of operation between applications for users who already know how to navigate with their assistive technology or who can become competent doing so. In some cases it may be less expensive to develop applications, software, and Web sites in this way. Relying on assistive technology for text-to-speech capability rather than adding it into the product itself, for instance, can save on disk space for larger applications. In reality, compatibly accessible products may be the only means of access for some users, such as deaf-blind braille users who depend on screen readers to interact with computers. Developers who are designing applications, software and Web sites to be compatible with assistive technology should use proven programming techniques to create software that works consistently well with the range of screen readers, alternative input devices (e.g., switches, on-screen keyboards, voice recognition), and any other input or output device that is not part of a standard computer.Assistive Technology or Adaptive Technology (at are umbrella terms for devices for people with disabilities, including the process used in selecting, locating and using them. at is a broad subject, this post is going to focus on at use in Web Development and Web use.
Universal Accessibility means greater usability, for all users, but particularly for users with disabilities. Good accessible design is universal design.
Computers with hardware extensibility, that encompass software designed for accessibility are becoming the cornerstone of at's. Speech recognition software, tdd/tty, tts are all common at's that are being integrated into extensible computer hardware for use by people with disabilities.
Accessible Input
Some people with disabilites can't use or find the standard qwerty keyboard and mouse (the most dominant way of interacting with a computer today) to be constricting and/or confining. One way of combating this is to make the keyboard/mouse more ergonomic using at's. In cases where keyboard/mouse are unusable, at actually replace the keyboard/mouse; there are many different devices in this field, most tailored to a specific disability and overcoming the problem(s) a person with such disability faces.
Web Accessibility
Web Accessibility is the inclusive practice of making websites usable by all people, regardless of abilites and/or disabilites. Sites that are built correctly using web accessibility provide access to information and functionality regardless of how the user is accessing the site. Web accessilibity aims to address user disability needs, such as: visual, motor/mobility, auditory, seizures and cognitive/intellectual.
Current at's that enable and assist web browsing include: screen reader software, braille terminals, screen magnification software, screen recognition software and keyboard overlays.
The wai is a project by the w3c, whose aim is to improve the accessiblity of the www for people with disabilities.
Disregarding Disabilities
Most software, web applications/sites and the like are often build without regard to people with disabilities. One major reason behind this is the
Primary Tasks
Manage Focus Provide Shortcuts Make Them Discoverable These are just some of what Axs Library can do Two secondary methods in particular,axs.hd and axs.md.
axs.hd Detects if browsers are running in high contrast mode.
axs.md detects if msaa (Microsoft Active Accessibility) is being used on the host machine (read, screenreader)
Microsoft Active Accessibility is an api used by assistive technology to understand what is happening on the user's machine and present an alternative user interface. Common usage is for screen readers such as Jaws or WindowEyes to speak what is on the screen. The axs.md method can give your code insight into whether the user might be using some assistive technology and want to opt into alternative navigation or organization of the web site content.
You can turn on High Contrast in Windows 7 by doing the following:
start -> control panel -> search for window color, click Change window colors and metrics
Basic and High Contrast Themes, click high-contrast color scheme that you want to use.
In Windows 7 Home Basic and Windows Starter
start -> control panel -> appearance -> display
click Change color scheme, select the high-contrast color scheme you want
aol Accessible JavaScript Library
Accessibility Topic Center
Accessibility Best Practices
http://dev.aol.com/downloads/axs1.2/demos/md/md.html Did not detect that NVDA was being used...but I only checked in Chrome
Check in Jaws
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timed_Text
http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/glance/" title="WCAG 2.0 at a Glance">WCAG 2.0 at a Glance
http://www.w3.org/TR/2010/NOTE-WCAG20-TECHS-20101014/complete.html" title="Techniques for WCAG 2.0">
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_Content_Accessibility_Guidelines" title="Web Content Accessibility Guidelines">Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG-TECHS/" title="Techniques for WCAG 2.0">Techniques for wcag 2.0
http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/wcag.php" title="Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)">Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (wcag)
wcag explain how authors can build more accessible content into their sites, for people with disabilities. Content in this context refers to all information on a web site or web application that is necessary or intended for site/application functionality. wcag is one in a series of interconnected guidelines, published by the w3c, for improved accessibility. wcag is intended for content developers, authoring tool developers, accessibility evaluation tool developers and others who are just starting to develop for web accessibility, however I believe they are for all developers and should be addressed by all as well.
wcag 2.0 Guidelines
wcag 2.0 has twelve guidelines organize
Four Principles of Accessibility
wcag 2.0 guidelines and success criteria are organized around four principles, which build a strong foundation necessary for anyone to access and use Web content; this Web content must be:
- Perceivable -
- Operable -
- Understandable -
- Robust -
If any of these principles should be untrue in your design/development, users with disabilites will not be able to use the web.
Note: there are plenty of usability guidelines developers can employ to make their content more usable, the wcag 2.0 only includes guidelines that address problems for people with disabilities.
Each of these guidelines has Success Criteria that pinpoint what must be achieved for standards conformity; each Success Criteria has been written to be technology neutral. Note: while content may satisfy the Success Criteria, it may not always be usable by all people with disabilites. To compensate, usability testing is recommended, as well as reviews utilizing recognized qualitative heuristics.
Note: failure of a sufficient technique of a success criterion does not necessarily mean it has not been satisifed in some other way, only that this technique has not been successfully implemented and therefore cannot be used to claim wcag 2.0 conformance.
Advisory techniques are techniques that enhance accessibility but did not quality as sufficient techniques for not meeting the full requirements of Success Criteria, and/or because they are not testable, and/or because they're only good or helpful in some circumstances but not in others. Note: developers are encouraged to not overlook advisory techniques simply because they are not Criteria; adding advisory techniques when appropriate will increase the accessibility of a web site.application.
wcag 2.0 provides Layers of Guidance to meet varying needs of web developers, including principles, guidelines, Success Criteria and Sufficient and Advisory Techniques. All of these work together, providing guidance on increasing the accessibility of content.
Perceivable
Perceivable: information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive.
provide text alternatives for non-text content provide captions and other alternatives for multimedia create content that can be presented in different ways, including by at's, without losing meaning. make it easier for all users to see and hear content
Operable
Operable: User inteface components and navigation must be operable.
make all functionality available from a keyboard give users enough time to read and use content Do not use content that causes seizures. Help users navigate and find content.Understandable
Understandable: Informationa and the operation of user interface must be understandable.
Robust
Mazimize compatibility with current and future user tools Note: even conforming content that reaches AAA level of conformity will not be accessible to all individuals with disabilites, particularly users with cognitive-learning disabilities. Usability Testing aims to determine how well people can use content for its intended purpose Programatically Determined (Programatically Determinable) deterimined by software from author-supplied data provided in a way that different user agents, including at's, can extract and present this information to users in different modalities. Supplemental Content additional content that illustrates or clairifes the primary content, such as an audio version of a web page, an illustration of a complex process and/ a paragraph summarizing major outcomes made in a study.The at companies listed below provide specialty software/hardware that provides essential computer access to individuals with significant vision, hearing, dexterity, language, or learning needs.