Computers are able to be adapted for people who have disabilities. These disabilities could be low vision, blindness, speech and hearing impairments, learning disabilities, mobility, or health impairments. Individuals that have a disability, benefit greatly from using computers. They benefit by being able to access a computer for enjoyment and by working with electronic resources, such as word processors or spread sheets. Adaptive software can be a very simple installment on a computer or it can be very dynamic. Either way, they are used to help the people with disabilities easy access computers. The following are the disabilities followed by the tactics that make the computers adaptive.
Blindness - The keyboards are standard while braille and specialized voice programs are used.
- Input- dots on the key board are used
- output- speech out and braille
- documentation - scanners that can read and store material
- Input- large keys
- output- large monitor and text enlarger
- documentation - scanners that can read and enlarged printer abilities
- Input- word processors with the capabilities to spell check, highlight, grammar check and predict.
- output- enlarged screen, color contrasts. Reading and speech systems.
- documentation - speech output and speech output.
- Input- flexible mouse, keyboard, easy on/off switch, word prediction software
- output-assistant may be needed to print materials, speech output
- documentation - generally do not have difficulty.
Assistive Technology
With so many adaptive technologies there are bound to be some negativity that follow. Individuals with mobility disabilities may have troubles fitting their wheel chair beneath the computer. For this problem to be fixed, there are flexible keyboards, monitors, mouses, and documentation. There are devices that let the individual make selections without using there fingers. These devices could be accessed by using their mouth, head-stick or some other pointing device. There are also left and right hand keyboards that are designed for people with impairments. For the more severe disabilities input could be done by using Morse Code or voluntary controls using the knee, finger or mouth. Screen output is not a problem but assistance could be needed. Low vision and blindness is made adaptive for computer use by having enlarged output, braille, color changing, and voice output devices. Technological accommodations for people have a LD (learning disabled) are to be done by a "trial by error method." The person who is LD is able to give advice on what basic tools helps the individual demonstrate knowledge and intelligence. Word processors, reading systems, concept mappings, and talking calculators are only a few of the accommodations that are able to help an individual with a LD. Bathrooms, aisle ways, door ways and building entrances must be designed to allow wheel chairs access, if not what is the point of have accessible computers. Positions of keyboards, table and monitors need to be able to move to accommodate the person. StickeyKeys and FliterKeys makes the standard keyboard more accessible. Alternative key boards and keyguards are also used to correctly push the correct keys. Word prediction, alternative pointing systems, and speech recognition are all used to accommodate the individual. Visual, and hearing impairments, along with limited sensitivity can be corrected by using a variety of methods even thou hearing impairments has few adaptions. Screen enlargement, and programs titled, ZoomText Xtra MAGic are free to download are very helpful accommodation. People with limited sensory impairment can benefit by using Dragon NaturallySpeaking or Voice Xpress to control the computer.
It is great to see that technology is able to serve anybody with any disabilities. I was really impressed with the abilities of the computer to serve the the blind. Having Braille key boards is a wonderful invention that helps. Society has made technology available for anybody to use. I noticed that the adaptation can be used by anybody with different disabilities. Screen enlargements, and voice recognition is able to serve people with visual, mobility and learning disabilities. It is also great to think that the program Dragon can be used by any individuals, disability or not. Many people can talk better than they type, so Dragon would be helpful in this scenario. While reading these articles, I kept think about Stephan Hawking and his disabilities. I believe he uses a head stick to communicate and he communicates entirely through a computer. Technology is helping him continue successful life. I wounder if there centers or libraries that are technology catered for people who have disabilities mentioned in the readings for this module?
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