BCS November 2009 History of Assistive Technology

Models of Disability Religious Medical Social

Religious

Medical

Social

Definition of Assistive Technology Any item, piece of equipment, or system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that is commonly used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. (section 508 ADA) Assistive technology is hardware or software that helps a person use the computer. Assistive technologies include screen reader software (provides an aural translation of the information on the screen), voice recognition software (allows people to navigate with voice rather than a keyboard or mouse), and many input devices such as large keyboards and mouse pedals. (ADE)

Any item, piece of equipment, or system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that is commonly used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. (section 508 ADA)

Assistive technology is hardware or software that helps a person use the computer. Assistive technologies include screen reader software (provides an aural translation of the information on the screen), voice recognition software (allows people to navigate with voice rather than a keyboard or mouse), and many input devices such as large keyboards and mouse pedals. (ADE)

Assistive Technology across the spectrum Mobility Daily Life Environmental control Literacy Communication

Mobility

Daily Life

Environmental control

Literacy

Communication

AT/IT Mechanical

Mechanical

AT/IT Early Experiments Standalone Devices BBC Micro Win 3.1

Early Experiments

Standalone Devices

BBC Micro

Win 3.1

AT/IT Windows and Beyond Integration of AT into ICT’s Accessibility Options Supported Third Party Devices Hardware Software

Integration of AT into ICT’s

Accessibility Options

Supported Third Party Devices

Hardware

Software

Accessibility and the OS

Third party devices – growth in demand

Hardware

Software

AT/IT – Advent of Mobility Mobile Phones PDA’s Netbooks

Mobile Phones

PDA’s

Netbooks

AT/IT – AT in the Cloud System Access to Go Write Online

System Access to Go

Write Online

AT/IT – Ubiquitous and Pervasive AT Inredis

Inredis

AT/IT – Next steps Touch Voice Brain Gesture

Touch

Voice

Brain

Gesture

AT/IT - Convergence AT/IT impacts on Mobility Daily Life Environmental control Literacy Communications

AT/IT impacts on

Mobility

Daily Life

Environmental control

Literacy

Communications

Key themes Enabling Access – not mending the user Access embedded – designed for access not retrofit Anytime Anywhere Access Portable Mobile Pervasive Converged Technologies Transference into mainstream – no limitations

Enabling Access – not mending the user

Access embedded – designed for access not retrofit

Anytime Anywhere Access

Portable

Mobile

Pervasive

Converged Technologies

Transference into mainstream – no limitations

Religious Model of Computers Please make it work