Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) occurs annually on the third Thursday of May, and it focuses on digital access and inclusion for the thousands of people with disabilities and impairments. The GAAD Foundation aims to disrupt the culture of technology and product development to include digital accessibility as a core requirement.
But what is digital accessibility? It starts with understanding that every online user, including individuals with a disability, deserves a first-rate digital experience on the web. In short, all web-based services should be equally accessible for everyone! This awareness and commitment to inclusion is the goal of Global Accessibility Awareness Day. To help shine a light on digital access and inclusion for people with disabilities, we have compiled an inexhaustible list of five technological innovations that are improving digital accessibility worldwide.
People with visual impairments might face unique challenges, especially in the educational environment. Not only must students with visual impairments be able to access text information across all curricular areas, but they also need to be able to participate fully in instruction that is often rich with visual content. Assistive technologies including electronic braille notetakers can support students in the learning process.
A braille notetaker is a portable word processing device that utilizes the eight key braille input systems and has an integrated refreshable braille display. This accessibility tool encompasses many functional areas in addition to reading and writing. Individuals with a visual impairment can use a braille notetaker to complete academic or professional assignments, read pieces of work, and navigate the Internet. Although products and their features may vary, many braille notetakers are often available with WiFi connectivity, speech output, access to digital features like e-mail, and even GPS navigation tools. The braille notetaker is a valuable, lifelong resource that should be introduced to the visually-impared community!
Hearing Assistive Technologies, or HATS, are devices that can help the deaf and hard of hearing community have more accessibility to communications in challenging environments such as noisy or busy locations. Some HATS allows individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to see or read messages. In situations when it is difficult to hear, HATS are useful solutions.
One example of a hearing assistive technology is a hearing loop. A hearing loop works in conjunction with an individual's telecoil equipped hearing aid or cochlear implant to send the sound from a sound system (or microphone) directly to the individual. For those who do not have telecoil equipped hearing devices, they can request a receiver with headphones to have access to amplified sound through the loops.
An advantage to hearing loops is the fact that they are easy to use and discreet since someone has a hearing aid or cochlear implant with a telecoil, they are able to have accessibility by activating their telecoil without requesting additional equipment. Additionally, the hearing loop signal eliminates most background noise and provides direct sound without the distance effect or spatial sound degradation thus greatly improving the understanding of speech.
People with a speech impediment might need assistive technology to communicate with others and convey their wants and needs. Electronic fluency devices, for example, are intended to help improve the fluency of individuals with stutters. These devices achieve this by playing the sound of the user’s own voice back into their ear, slightly altered.
There are two main types of electronic fluency devices. On one hand, Delayed Auditory Feedback (DAF) devices play the user’s voice back delayed by a fraction of a second. DAF devices may resemble hearing aids or headphones with a microphone. There are also smartphone apps that can use DAF on phone calls. On the other hand, Frequency Altered Feedback (FAF) devices function similarly to DAF devices, but rather than delaying the user’s voice, they change the pitch of the voice.
Individuals respond differently to electronic fluency devices, depending on their degree of stammering. These devices can be used in more challenging situations, such as giving a speech, or as part of speech therapy to practice speech techniques.
Keyboard accessibility is a key component of digital accessibility. People with motor impairments may need alternative keyboards, eye control, or some other adaptive hardware to help them type and navigate on their devices. Fortunately, there are many types of assistive keyboards to accommodate individuals with limited mobility or decreased sensation in the hands.
If an individual cannot make precise movements with their hands, an adaptive keyboard can be useful. Some alternative keyboards have raised areas between the keys rather than lowered areas, which can help the individual first place their hand on the keyboard, then slide their finger onto the correct key. Others alternative keyboards come with proprietary word-completion software, which allows individuals to use fewer keystrokes. Recent developments have added another incredible and versatile option for those seeking an accessible keyboard, including tap keyboards, which fit around a user’s fingers!
A series of conditions such as stroke, dyslexia, Alzheimer’s Disease, traumatic brain injury, and others can impair an individual’s cognition, which can lead to the requirement of assistive technology. Cognitive aids can increase the functional indepdendence of individuals with deficits in cognitive processing by helping to support the completion of tasks in the individual’s natural environment. Even simple things like an uncluttered screen, consistent navigation, and the use of plain language could be useful for people with different learning disabilities or impairments.
One example of assistive technologies for individuals with dyslexia is text-to-speech screen readers. With text-to-speech technology, individuals can listen to words while scanning text or visualizing the narrative. This can be used to improve reading speed, develop visualization skills, and help readers see whole words instead of strings of letters. For students, text-to-speech software can be especially beneficial for reading comprehension and overall literacy skills.
The importance of assistive technology is growing, and innovators everywhere are effectively promoting the inclusion of individuals with disabilities. In honor of Global Accessibility Awareness Day, let us know which technological innovations are helping you navigate the world today!
InnoCaption provides real-time captioning technology making phone calls easy and accessible for the deaf and hard of hearing community. Offered at no cost to individuals with hearing loss because we are certified by the FCC. InnoCaption is the only mobile app that offers real-time captioning of phone calls through live stenographers and automated speech recognition software. The choice is yours.
InnoCaption proporciona tecnología de subtitulado en tiempo real que hace que las llamadas telefónicas sean fáciles y accesibles para la comunidad de personas sordas y con problemas de audición. Se ofrece sin coste alguno para las personas con pérdida auditiva porque estamos certificados por la FCC. InnoCaption es la única aplicación móvil que ofrece subtitulación en tiempo real de llamadas telefónicas mediante taquígrafos en directo y software de reconocimiento automático del habla. Usted elige.
