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EXAMPLES Universal (or broadened) accessibility, or Universal Design means greater Usability , particularly for people with disabilities. But, argue advocates of assistive technology, universally accessible technology yields great rewards to the typical user; good accessible design ''is'' universal design, they say. One example is the " Curb Cut s" (or dropped curbs) in the sidewalk at street crossings. While these curb cuts enable pedestrians with mobility impairments to cross the street, these also aid parents with carriages and strollers, shoppers with carts, and travellers and workers with pull-type bags, not to mention Skateboard ers and Inline Skate rs. As an example, the modern Telephone is inaccessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Combined with a Text Telephone (also known as a TDD Device for the Deaf and in the USA generally called a TTY[TeleTYpewriter]), which converts typed characters into tones that may be sent over the telephone line, a deaf person is able to communicate immediately at a distance. Together with "relay" services, in which an operator reads what the deaf person types and types what a hearing person says, the deaf person is then given access to everyone's telephone, not just those of people who possess text telephones. Many telephones now have volume controls, which are primarily intended for the benefit of people who are hard of hearing, but can be useful for all users at times and places where there is significant background noise. Some have larger keys well-spaced to facilitate accurate dialling. Also, a person with a mobility impairment can have difficulty using Calculator s. Speech Recognition software could recognize short commands and make use of calculators easier. Toys which have been adapted to be used by children with disabilities may have advantages for "typical" children as well. The Lekotek movement assists parents by lending assistive technology toys and expertise to families. dick TELECARE Telecare is a particular sort of assistive technology that uses electronic sensors connected to an alarm system to help caregivers manage risk and help vulnerable people stay independent at home longer. An example would be the systems being put in place for senior people such as fall detectors, thermometers (for Hypothermia risk), flooding and unlit gas sensors (for people with mild Dementia ). Notably, these alerts can be customized to the particular person's risks. When the alert is triggered, a message is sent to a carer or contact centre who can respond appropriately. Technology similar to Telecare can also be used to act within a person's home rather than just to respond to a detected crisis. Using one of the examples above, unlit gas sensors for people with dementia can be used to trigger a device that turns off the gas and tells someone what has happened. Designing for people with dementia is a good example of how the design of the interface of a piece of AT is critical to its usefulness. People with dementia or any other identified user group must be involved in the design process to make sure that the design is accessible and usable. In the example above, a voice message could be used to remind the person with dementia to turn off the gas himself, but whose voice should be used, and what should the message say? Questions like these must be answered through user consultation, involvement and evaluation. ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS Accessible computer input Sitting at a desk with a QWERTY keyboard and a mouse remains the dominant way of interacting with a personal computer. Some AT reduces the strain of this way of work through Ergonomic Accessories with height-adjustable furniture, footrests, wrist rests, and arm supports to ensure correct posture. Keyguards fits over the keyboard to help prevent unintentional keypresses. Alternatively AT may attempt to improve the ergonomics of the devices themselves:
Input devices may be modified to make them easier to see and understand:
More ambitiously, and quite crucially when keyboard or mouse prove unusable, AT can also replace the keyboard and mouse with alternative devices: Trackball s, Joysticks , Graphics Tablet s, Touchpad s, Touch Screens , a microphone with Speech Recognition software, Sip-and-puff input, and Switch Access . Software can also make input devices easier to use:
Durable Medical Equipment (DME)
Learning difficulties
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