Accessibility, ICT and you (continued)

• Common software and hardware adaptations for accessibility
• Make your website accessible to people with visual impairments

Common software and hardware adaptations for accessibility

Special equipment may be the best way to adapt a computer to meet the needs of different users, but not all adaptations will be relevant to every disabled user, so always start by reviewing the needs of each individual. Remember that they may have their own relevant knowledge and experienceand have a preferred solution to their needs.

1. Scanner and optical character recognition software
   Scanners take a picture of a page of text, which Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software will then convert to text. This can then be read aloud by a text reader. Reasonably good-quality OCR software may well be bundled free with a scanner.
2. Keyboard stickers
   Adding high-visibility stickers to a keyboard is a cheap and effective way of making it easier to use for people with a visual impairment.
3. Compact keyboards
   Small keyboards are more convenient for wheelchair users and are often suited to one handed users.The keypad is built into the main set of keys, making it narrower than a standard desktop option.The Cherry Compact Keyboard costs about £45 and is very sturdy.
4. Mice
   A standard mouse assumes a world full of people with the same-sized hands, but you can buy smaller and larger mice, choose the number of buttons it has and decide how they are programmed. Or you can plug two mice into one computer, so that one is always available for a left-handed person. Costs vary enormously, from £10 up to several hundred pounds for highly specialised pointers.
5. A trackball
   Trackballs are a sort of upside-down mouse and are great for people who find the movement ofthe mouse difficult to control. Moving the ball moves the cursor, while the base stays still. Buttons around the ball can be set for standard click functions or to trigger specific actions, such as opening a particular application. Trackballs are more expensive than a mouse but can make life much easier for lots of people.
6. Speakers or headsets
   Headphones combined with a microphone help when using speech recognition software. A decent headset can now cost as little as £10.
7. Text readers
   A piece of software reads what is on the screen, including options for the use of menus. Although there are free text readers available, it often pays to buy software with specific functions, such as being able to work in particular applications. Most will offer a free version to try before you buy.
8. Voice recognition software
   Voice recognition software such as Dragon Naturally Speaking is now commonplace and enhances the use of computers by people with a wide range of needs, from physical difficulties to dyslexia and visual impairment. Although it can be found for free, paying for voice recognition software brings additional features such as being able to read menus. It is worth remembering that setting up voice recognition software requires the software to learn a voice and recognise the commands. It may not be practical to expect someone to sit down and start commanding their PC without allowing time for some training.
9. Wordbar
   Wordbar helps speed up writing by presenting choices of words and phrases in a bar along the bottom of the screen. It’s based around themes and topics and enables the user to select words to insert into a document without having to type the whole word.

You can explore the options with an organisation like AbilityNet before you make your decision by talking to the Advice and Information Team on 0800 269545. They can make suggestions and help source the right solution for you. AbilityNet can also help if you require amore complex solution such as setting up a complete system with training and lifetime technical support.

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Make your website accessible to people with visual impairments

The web has made a wealth of new information available to people with serious sight problems. With the help of synthesised speech and Braille display technology, even completely blind people can use the Internet. However, inappropriate web design can render a site unreadable, so web designers must make their sites accessible.

To cater for everyone, websites should enable the individual to adjust the text and colour settings to suit their needs. Most people with sight problems have some useful vision and read online text in exactly the same way as fully sighted people: with their eyes. Some may require large text, others can only read smaller letters. Many need a highly contrasting colour scheme to make text readable, while some can only read yellow text on a black background.

In contrast, people with very little or no vision read web pages with the help of accessibility tools. Synthesised speech software reads the content of web pages aloud through a speaker, while Braille software outputs to a special display, so that the website can be read by touch.

People with vision impairments have many problems with inaccessible websites, but people with other impairments such as mobility, hearing, cognitive and learning disabilities can also have problems. Web designers and their clients need to think through these issues when designing their site.

There are international standards for accessibility, most of which can be checked through online services. Even so, asking people with accessibility needs to test the site at the design stage is the best way of checking whether it is up to scratch.

You can read more about website accessibility in the Web Accessibility for Voluntary and Community Organisations guide.

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