December 02, 2006

A number of blind people today use text-to-speech “screen readers” that work only with the character-based DOS operating system and not with the graphical user interfaces such as web browsers.

THE annual celeberations of the International Day of Disabled Persons is December 3, and aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilise support for the dignity, rights and well-being of the disabled. Just like other resources, technology should also be used for a good purpose and it’s a positive sign that in this era, when computer technology has made an ordinary person’s life easier than ever before, it has also facilitated disabled people.

For the last few decades, scientists and engineers have developed special devices for the disabled that are highly advanced as compared to the conventional ones that already exist. Almost all the current devices would not exist without the use of computer technologies. Recently, the students of Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology won all awards for the best “special needs” applications at the Pasha ICT awards ceremony. The first prize was given to a group of six students who developed a stand-alone system for sign language. The other two groups, who designed a vocal aid system for cerebral palsy and humanoid hand using pneumatic muscles, received the merit awards for their outstanding applications.

Currently, Microsoft’s Windows operating system offers several ways for disabled people to tweak the software, for example, a screen magnifier for the vision impaired and ways for people with limited dexterity to use the keyboard instead of the mouse. But few years back “most people didn’t know about them” Rob Sinclair, head of Microsoft’s assistive technologies group was reported to have said.

It turned out that 57 per cent of computer users between 18 and 64 could benefit from some such feature, such as increasing the text size or changing screen contrast to ease the job for tired eyes. In this way, the internet has changed the lives of blind people mainly because it provides independent access to information.

There are computer programs and devices available to input text, using Braille keys on and with certain printers, which can produce their work as either a Braille copy or normal ink text. If a blind person does not know Braille, there are helpful devices such as speech synthesisers which speak the letters, words, and sentences. This is particularly useful with word processors, email, and the internet. Bilal Shafiq Patel, a TV artist, says: “I’m used to working on the computer for hours. I regularly check my email and surf the internet with the help of useful devices available for blind people”.

A number of blind people today use text-to-speech “screen readers” that work only with the character-based DOS operating system and not with the graphical user interfaces such as web browsers.

Computers for the physically challenged
Most physically disabled people use canes, crutches or braces to help them in walking and millions of them need wheel chairs to become mobile. In this way, computers are especially useful. One good example from Robert J. Cattoche’s book, Computers for the Disabled, talks about a computer device called the alternative communication system like the one described above which uses special hardware implementations to work. In this, special electrodes pick up the small electrical signals created by the slightest movement in a muscle. These electrodes are able to detect the electrical currents generated by the moving of the muscle, and connect to another device which operates a switch that controls inputs into the computer.

Computers for the hearing-impaired
A deaf person can learn to communicate in many ways: They can learn through sight, lip-reading, sign language, reading and writing. A computer is a wonderful device for the hearing-impaired because computer hardware and software (by their nature) commonly produce visual output. Therefore, the deaf or hearing-impaired can utilise the same programs that everyone else uses. These programs have been developed to offer training and practice for the hearing-impaired in such things as sign language, finger spelling, and even lip-reading.

Of course, these programs are not just limited to the deaf or hearing-impaired; anyone can gain experience and learn from such software, especially family members and friends. All that the user needs is a system with a microphone and the correct software. In this, a person selects a word and the correct pronunciation is displayed as a pattern on screen. Similarly, words produced by the deaf are spoken into the microphone, and are also displayed as a pattern. The deaf person compares both patterns and, through practice, improves the pronunciation of the word.

Furthermore, the use of email and chat programs make their lives normal despite their disabilities. These wonderful innovations are terrific for the hearing-impaired because their applications don’t require one to hear or speak (which is a must in telephonic conversations).

Employment opportunities
Computers have provided disabled people with a powerful tool for achieving financial independence in their daily lives and hope for the future as well. With the help of these devices and advanced software, many disabled people can be just as competitive as anyone else. Nevertheless, computers can be unfriendly to the disabled, and as computers and cyberspace become easier to navigate, the disabled are regaining power over a crucial part of their lives.

Implementation
The ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) has produced a technical specification for designing software that is easier to use for the elderly, the disabled and everyone else. The ISO document is intended to provide a road map to software design that takes into account the varying physical and sensory capabilities of users to ensure that it can be used not only by people with visual, hearing, motor or cognitive disabilities but also by the elderly, temporarily disabled and by those with no disability at all. “This standard is part of a series of standards aimed at making systems more usable, in particular, more effective, more efficient and more satisfying for all users with either permanent or temporary disabilities,” Tom Stewart, chairman of the committee that developed the new standard, was reported to have said. “We are not solely concerned with ensuring that users with disabilities are treated the same as other users. We want all users to be able to live and work in harmony with their computer systems.”

The new technical specification ISO/TS 16071, “Ergonomics of human-system interaction, guidance on accessibility for human-computer interfaces”, provides guidance on the design of software that is accessible and connects and interacts with supporting tools such as screen readers, Braille displays and screen magnification software. It has been designed to improve the interface between the disabilities of the users and the software they use, as well as to make optimal use of resources by incorporating those accessibility features for which there is a clear user requirement in the early design. For example, increasing the size, contrast and overall visibility of screen displays or integrating features such as oversized monitors or large character display fonts as part of product design can greatly help people with visual problems.

Websites should be accessible to the disabled, a legal obligation under the UK’s Disability Discrimination Act of 1995. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has drafted standards that overlap with ISO’s new software standards.However, software is generally not caught by the 1995 Act, so while making software accessible to the disabled makes ethical and commercial sense, it is not currently a legal obligation, according to the Disability Rights Commission.

The commercial use is evidenced by a United Nations statistic. More than a half a billion people in the world are disabled as a result of mental, physical or sensory impairment and whose lives, as a consequence, are often limited by physical or social barriers. ISO/TS 16071 is expected to benefit people with a wide range of disabilities by removing barriers that prevent them from using or getting the best out of a software and contributing to the overall effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction.

(Source: www.out-law.com/page-3625)

The writer is a freelance contributor

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