Assistive Technology
In a world progressing further and further into a digital age, access to technology and assistive software devices is necessary for Americans with Disabilities to maintain their access to society. Technology exists for desktop and mobile platforms with a convergence of the two slowly approaching.
At Home
Whether browsing the internet or maintaining productivity indoors, software and hardware are available to make life easier at home. Many websites can be accessed with tools such as UserWay, a plugin compatible with many web browsers. Similar tools are available in Windows 10 and 11 as well as MacOS and iOS. Google also has a suite of tools that include speech recognition and text reading, both available on their Cloud Service.
Technology also exists for direct access to your home computer. Adapted keyboards, adaptive mice, on-screen keyboards help people at home use their computers that weren’t designed for an accessible world.
On the Move
Google Android and Apple iOS devices both possess tools that can make digital life easier for Americans with Disabilities. Translation services, screen reading, and voice transcription are all available natively and through third-party apps. For non-verbal children and adults with speech difficulties, software such as ProLoquo2Go is available on iPads to enable communication through the visual selection of words and phrases. It can even be programmed to an individual’s preferred phrases and most-used words.
At Work
Accessibility doesn’t have to end at the front door! Software such as Dragon Speech Recognition can be used at an enterprise level to enable voice dictation of records in the professional setting. Powered desks can be set to allow easy access from a wheelchair or for somebody preferring to stand to relieve back pain. Evodesk, UPLIFT, and SmartDesk are all available online and can serve as accommodations for Disabled Americans in the workplace.
Not sure where to start?
Contact us to find out which programs will best meet your goals.