AbilityNet
Inclusive use of ITBilly Courtney
Assessment Service Manager
2012
Agenda
Introduction to AbilityNet
Why Accessibility
Web Accessibility Issues
Assistive Technology
Q&A
Introduction to AbilityNet
Our vision is a world where accessible IT is available to improve the quality of life for those with disabilities and
accessibility needs.
We are the UK’s leading charity on IT accessibility and helping organisations benefit from IT and the Internet
25+ years assessing people’s accessibility needs:
Personal assessments
Advice and information
Equipment loan, supply and support
10+ years helping organisations
Deliver accessible, usable websites
Software and associated IT
AbilityNet Services
Why Accessibility
In Europe more than 300 million people have a disability. Over 10 million in the UK, plus our ageing population
The groups that have specific Issues with web and intranet accessibility are:
Vision – including blindness, colour blindness and tunnel vision
Hearing – both total deafness and hard of hearing
Mobility problems with hands and arms
Cognitive, Mental and learning disabilities
Many have more than one disability
Vision
Web presents unique problems to the millions who have low, restricted or no vision.
There are 4 broad categories of vision impairment:
Colour blindness – red/green impairment most common, affects 5% of male population and 1% female – test at vischeck.com
Mild vision impairment, larger font size, different background
Moderate vision impairment, screen magnification software
Blind / severe vision impairment, screen readers
Mild vision impairments - adjust the browser
Moderate Vision Impairment - Magnification software
Severe Vision Impairment – Screen Reader / Braille Displays
Screen readers allow users to hear what is happening on their computer by converting the screen display to digitised speech.
e.g. Window-Eyes and JAWS
Refreshable Braille Displays only read one line of text at a time made up of 20 to 80 cells
Each cell contains eight small pins allowing eight-dot computer Braille to dynamically represent what is on the computer screen
Hearing Impairments
Hearing impaired people have particular problems with
Inaccessible multimedia, including video and audio – no captions or transcripts
Captioning
For those whose first language is BSL (British Sign Language) there are words in English that do not exist in their vocabulary.
For example; recent research by the BBC found terms such as ‘marinade’ in their recipe section were not understood by BSL users, highlighting the need to provide a glossary for key words
Mobility
People with mobility impairments face challenges when navigating and interacting with web pages.
They may experience difficulty moving the cursor with the required precision or may lack the manual dexterity or hand-eye co-ordination required to use a standard keyboard or mouse.
Some people will use voice recognition to navigate and interact with web pages
Hand/Arm Adaptive Technology
Alternative Pointing devices
Hand/Arm Adaptive Technology
Alternative keyboards
Cognitive Impairments
Cognitive impairments include dyslexia, memory impairments and attention deficit disorders.
This group benefits from
Simple language
Consistent navigation, and
Using graphical icons as navigation aids
Content should be organised logically and clearly
Cognitive Impairments
There is also software available for people with reading difficulties such as
Browsealoud
Readspeaker
Text Help’s Read and Write.
They all read the content of Web pages in synthesised speech.
Two Examples
The Big Project – www.thebigproject.co.uk
World's Worst Website, can you see what’s wrong! http://www.angelfire.com/super/badwebs/
But there is some good out there!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQW7KW4SX10&feature=youtube_gdata
Windows 7 Ease of Access
Windows Key + U
Vision
High Contrast
Left Alt + L Shift + Print Screen
Font Size
Make the Screen Easier to Use
Change Size of Text & Icons
Log off/on required
Mouse Cursor
Make Mouse Easier to Use
Extra Large/Inverted
Narrator
Start Narrator
Windows 7 Ease of Access
Physical
Sticky Keys
Shift x5
Filter Keys
Right Shift x8 Seconds
Keyboard Shortcuts
ALT Key
Autocorrect in Word
Windows Voice Recognition
Dragon Naturally Speaking
Demo
Switch Access
The Grid
Switch Input
Eye Tracking
Camera Integrated System Tracks Eye Position
Mouse Navigation
Dwell Clicking
Communication Aid Overlaid Software
Apple iOS Accessibility & Apps
VoiceOver
Zoom
Invert
Siri/Evi
LookTel Money Reader
Questions
www.abilitynet.org.uk
Advice & Information Line
0800 269545
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