An interactive table
for
children with various abilities
Tabita Kurien
A Ford Foundation Scholarship
Post Graduate Student of New Media Design
National Institute of Design

WHAT ?
Disability
A mismatch between the needs of the learner and the education offered
Inclusion
Is the future where children with and without disabilities study together.
accessibility
The ability of the learning environment to adjust to the needs of all
learners

Myths about Disability
People with disabilities feel more comfortable around other people with
disabilities.
People who are blind have a sixth sense.
People with disabilities need to be protected from failing.
People with disabilities have different goals than people without
disabilities.
People with disabilities have problems getting around.
People with disabilities are usually very sedate and unable to participate
in recreational activities.
A person with a disability is sick, or has something wrong with them.
People with disabilities have a poor quality of life.
People with disability always need expensive and high-tech assistive
devices or services.

DISABILITY
DISABILITIES TYPES OF DISABILITIES ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES USED
Low Vision Screen Magnifiers
Blindness Screen Readers
VISUAL Colour blindness Text Browser
DISABILITIES Tunnel Vision Voice Browser
Partial Blindness Braile embossers
Conductive Signage software and accessibility features
HEARING Sensorineural provided by the operating system-show sound
DISABILITIES Combination of sensorineural and conductive and sound sentry
Cognitive disabilities
Dyslexia
Word prediction software's
Slow Learners
LEARNING Spell checkers
Attention and concentration difficulties
DISABILITIES speech recognition tools
Language and comprehension difficulties
Memory loss comprehension of moving text difficulties
Onscreen keyboard
Alternative mouse
Users with limited limb movement.
Left handed keyboard
Repetitive stress injury.
MOBILITY
Head mouse
Paralysis
DISABILITIES
Head Pointer or mouth stick
People who have no precise control over pointing devices.
Voice recognition software

Universal design
The seven Principles that describe characteristics that make designs
universally usable are:
1. Equitable Use
2. Flexibility in Use
3. Simple and Intuitive Use
4. Perceptible Information
5. Tolerance for Error
6. Low Physical Effort
7. Size and Space for Approach and Use

Techniques to make software accessible
Avoid use of colour alone for conveying information
Provide sufficient contrast between foreground and Background colour.
Allow the user to customise text display-colour contrast and font size.
Restrain from displaying text on a cluttered background.
Support keyboard navigation to all parts of the movie.
Provide keyboard shortcuts to enhance keyboard functionality.
Assign a logical tabbing order to help learners comprehend the information effectively.
Provide alternate text for non textual content such as, informative images graphical buttons
and all other important information displayed as images.
Provide an option to users to control animation or provide an option to view animated
information in a non animated format.
Document adequate information related to accessibility in the help.
Inform users in advance about any audio content, if present.
Provide adequate support for video information.

Techniques to make software accessible
Use clear and simple language for displaying textual information
Avoid using flashing and blinking content or provide an option to the learner to ignore the
flashing element.
Supplement text with images and charts to help users with learning disabilities understand
the information easily.
Use a consistent navigation method throughout the course.
Inform the user in advance about the pop up windows.
Allow important information to remain on screen and prompt the user to close the alert
window as per their convenience.
Avoid auto refreshing content.
Provide an option to the user to adjust the audio output as per their needs.
Provide the audio information in alternate format, such as text transcript, subtitles and
captions
Do not indicate important information through audio alone.

Why make accessible products?
Its fair
Every individual has the right to information.
Its the law
There is now a legal duty to meet the information needs of your blind and
partially sighted customers following the implementation of Section 21 of the
Disability Discrimination Act in October 1999.
It makes business sense
Two million people is a sizeable customer base which cannot be ignored.
Meeting the needs of all your customers makes good business sense.”

PROCESS
Books
Catalogues
BRAINSTORMING
Papers Communication Device
Internet
Digital Inclusive space
RESEARCH
Sentence formation
iew FABLE
terv vation e
In er USER STUDY
ir
Obs stionna
Que ert
Exp kshop
r SCOPE
Wo hing
c
Tea
Handheld Projections MATERIAL
CONCEPTS
DIMENSIONS
Interactive wall COST
RESEARCH
Games for blind
Hardware Ergonomics Content
Software
PE
TY
Animation Table Table Target User
Wheel chair drawing TO
O
EXPERT
PR
Lessons
Computer Interface
Interactive hospital games PROTOTYPE Programming Switches Switches Method
Remote Remote Games
Students
Teachers
USER
Therapist
TESTING Technical Experts

A day in their lives
Coming to school Assembly Classes
Lunch Break Play time Back home

What is Fable?
Fable is an inspiration from the past for the future.
Fable is accessible
Fable is collaboration
Fable is learning
Fable is interaction
Fable is a game
Fable is a friend
Fable is a tool

PHYSICAL FEATURES
A 21 inch monitor is placed horizontally
The stand on which it rests is made of 19mm block board.
The teacher will has a remote which has five buttons with which she can control the game.
It is sturdy as it will be used by children.
Each player has 4 buttons to control (Left, Right, Go and Rotate)
The buttons are circular arcade buttons which are highly sensitive and resistant to harsh use .
The top of the table is made of 19mm MDF and covered with white san mica.
The table has a drawer to keep the remote.
The table is on wheels and can be dismantled completely so that it is portable.

INTERACTION FEATURES
Fable at present is a four player interactive space
The teacher has control over the game with the help of a remote.
It is collaborative process where one child helps another.
The games are made accessible.
It can be played with a blind, a deaf, a wheel chair user as well as a child with cerebral palsy
together.

PROTOTYPE
MATERIAL
DIMENSIONS
COST
RESEARCH
EXPERT
Content
Hardware Ergonomics
Software
PE
TY
Animation Table Table Target User
§ § Children with
§
TO
Audio Safety Form
various
§ § §
Visual Portability Colour
O
abilities
§ §
Size Size
PR
Lessons
Computer Interface
§ Interaction §
Company § Sentence
§ Orientation § words
Configuratio § Action
ns §
§ Tenses
Colour
§
Spelling
Programming Switches Switches
Method
§button § Size
Push
§
Flash §the
Fill in
§
Colour
§
Toys
§
XML blanks
§
Placement
§
Accessible
§
Visual
§
§ Options
Light
Basic
§
Dotnet Remote Remote Games
§
§ §
Form
PCB Fun
§ of
§ §
Position
Foldable Levels
buttons §
Motivation

FUTURE OF FABLE
Fable can be made for more than four players.
One can use flat screens instead of CRT monitors.
Fable can be made in different sizes from as small as a pocket video game which can be folded to
one as big as a well where the whole class can play together.
It can be made with different access switches.
All the subjects can be taught
.
A new medium to assess learning.
Pure entertainment.
Collaborative games can be played with children in other parts of the world with the help of internet

What I have learnt
Professional Personal
Accessibility Never give up
Electronics Simple things in life bring great
happiness
Programming
Nothing is Impossible
Entrepreneurship
God sends angels when he
Model Making knows you need them the most
Technological Advances Sign Language
Teaching

Thank You
“ Now, more than ever we need people who can
lead humanity towards technologies that improve
society ,rather than technologies that simply
improve over technology. ”
-John Maeda