Accessibility and Assistive Technology
From Schoolforge-UK
Assistive Technology (AT) is technology that empowers the elderly and the disabled. It covers hardware and software add-ons and also the features of existing software used to make ICT more accessible to all (when it is usually known as Accessibility). It is a fundamental issue of making IT more usable by all; many features such a speech input are of use to anyone. By ensuring that software is accessible it will be more usable by all people, not just those with disabilities. As we all age we will eventually need accessibility tools ourselves. Having said that a one-size-fits-all solution is often not good enough and features must be tailored to an individual's situation. AT is an area where FLOSS can really shine by filling the gaps left by proprietary developers and enabling the free sharing and development of ideas.
In terms of the accessibility of existing Open Source programs, the main Linux distros, desktops and projects such as OpenOffice.org all have accessibility projects focused on making software more accessible. There are accessibility projects for the Gnome, KDE and OpenOffice. The Linux Accessibility Site (LARS) provides a summary of the work of the Linux Accessibility community.
The OATSoft website aims to make Open Source Assistive Technology (OATS) easy to find and will bring users, clinicians and developers together to create the OATS that people want. OATS was presented at FLOSSIE 2005. Fullmeasure.co.uk also provides information on OATS and customising existing software.
Several Open Source Assitive Technology projects exist, for example Dasher text input and PowerTalk presentation narration.
Schoolforge has a project on Assistive Technology with Terminal Servers and there are examples of AT in the main directory Free, Libre and Open Source Software solutions for Education.
The ITCH Wiki has notes on Linux accessibility as well as general information.
The Accessibility Initiative (WAI) develop Strategies, guidelines, resources to make the Web accessible to people with disabilities.
OpenDocument Open standard for documents is comitted to accessibility see notes on recent the meeting and Open Document Fellowship provide up-to-date information and are are running the Accessibility Project. An analysis of the recent events in Massachusetts is available.
Section 508 covers US federal agency accessibility requirements.
Open standards for AT include W3C User Agent Accessibility Guidelines and WAI Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.
The Ace Centre provides a focus for the use of technology with the communication and educational needs of young people with physical and communication difficulties. They have several guides are a key partner in the OATS Project.
AbilityNet are the leading charity working in AT in the UK but currently cover Open Source solutions only to a limited extent, the lead assessor for Linux is currently Clare Folkes. Their many factsheets and skillsheets includes one aimed at teachers and parents called Practical Implementation Issues around Recommending Technology in Schools which is of interest when introducing any technology.
Dasher is totally unique text input OATS where users select letters from a continually changing stream of choices based on the text entered previously. It only requires vision and a way of moving a cursor.
For those who missed David MacKay's demonstration of Dasher plus the new eye tracker at the Special Needs Fringe, Leon Cych has posted a video of the seminar on his excellent 'Learn 4 Life' innovation in education site : http://tinyurl.com/8vd7g .
The The Ace Centre have Open Sourced their excellent SAW 5 overlay switch scanner program and this will be the poster child for the OATS project. I'll write more soon. SteveLee
Watch or listen to Chris Mairs talk: Lifestyle access for the disabled for the The BCS/IEE Turing Lecture 2006. It's an excellent introduction to the issues facing disabled users of technology.
