Two trends in assistive technology are the shift towards mobile accessibility and combining multiple functions in one product. Everyone knows about the first trend; the second is still emerging.
I've blogged often about how built-in accessibility features and apps -- particularly for the iPhone -- are changing perceptions of what assistive technology is and expectations for what it should cost.
Last week, interviewing Diana Petschauer, who runs the Assistive Technology Lab at the University of New Hampshire, I saw how supple applications are becoming in the array of tools they offer.
One of Petschauer's favorites is Read&Write GOLD from Texthelp Systems. This program combines text-to-speech, the ability to edit PDF documents (a common accessible textbook format), e-book authoring, and easy ways to select, export, and organize information for any writing assignment. Such efficiency once required access to several different solutions.
Read&Write GOLD, which can be networked across a campus or school district, provides a cost-effective all-in-one solution for students with visual and cognitive impairments. Its iPad accessibility bridges these two growing technology trends.
I'm not implying that an iPad and one app is all a disabled student needs, but products such as Read&Write GOLD typify a new efficiency standard for text accessibility.
No comments:
Post a Comment