Author Archives: dnw

JAWS screen reader gets more bight

Freedom Scientific has recently released JAWS 18.0.2738, which incorporates several important improvements made between the JAWS February 2017 release and this mid April 2017 update, plus dozens of less revolutionary but very practical enhancements. JAWS (Job Access With Speech) is the world’s most popular screen reader, developed for computer users whose vision loss prevents themContinueContinue reading “JAWS screen reader gets more bight”

TED Talks on Designing for Disability

TED Talks on Designing for Disability: TED Talks (technology, entertainment and design) are short presentations delivered to live audiences by subject experts and recorded on video for later viewing online. The Designing for Disability playlist is 10 TED talks on good design, life hacks and smart technology to empower and include people with disability. TheContinueContinue reading “TED Talks on Designing for Disability”

We need to talk about Accessibility on Chatbots

What happens when a blind person wants to use your chatbot? This idea started after I did a research on UX for autonomous cars or self-driving cars. I did some interviews with 4 people, one of them being blind. I was really surprised to know that she can fully take care of herself and go aroundContinueContinue reading “We need to talk about Accessibility on Chatbots”

How to Get Your iPhone to Read On-Screen Text Aloud to You

Being able to hear written text on your phone read aloud to you can serve multiple purposes. If you have any type of impaired vision, it can certainly help in that regard. It’s also useful in settings where you don’t have the time nor capability to stare at your phone and read large blocks ofContinueContinue reading “How to Get Your iPhone to Read On-Screen Text Aloud to You”

5 Ways to Make Your Web Content More Neurodiversity Inclusive | NOS Magazine

When most people think about accessibility in technology, their first thought may be about accessibility for blind or D/deaf people: captioning, visual descriptions or Braille conversion. Blind and D/deaf people aren’t the only ones who benefit from inclusive technology, though. Autistic people, people with learning disabilities, people with ADHD and other neurodivergent people also haveContinueContinue reading “5 Ways to Make Your Web Content More Neurodiversity Inclusive | NOS Magazine”

Designing for Accessibility: The Ultimate in UX

Designing for users with a broad range of abilities can bring challenges. But, before you start thinking “Great, more stuff to limit my rockstar designs” — recognize this: Smart designs aren’t created to impress your peers. Smart designs (and smart designers!) use design elements like color, placement, and interaction in very intentional ways to help site visitorsContinueContinue reading “Designing for Accessibility: The Ultimate in UX”

Windows 10 free upgrade offer still on for AT users

Microsoft continues to support a free upgrade to Windows 10 for people who are using Assistive Technologies (AT) in Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1, despite officially ending their promotional offer on 29 July 2016. Curated by (Lifekludger) Read full article at Source: Windows 10 free upgrade offer still on for AT users |ContinueContinue reading “Windows 10 free upgrade offer still on for AT users”

Developers: get started with web accessibility

If web accessibility is new to you, the path ahead can seem overwhelming. If web accessibility is new to you, the path ahead can seem overwhelming. It’s not so bad. I promise! You could chase perfection forever by building accessible products for every user imaginable. That’s no different from design and development more generally: there’sContinueContinue reading “Developers: get started with web accessibility”

108 million web users are color blind. Tips for designing keeping them in mind

Design, keeping everyone in mind As designers, you pick up the best colors for the canvas and the most engaging content for your users, but often miss out on the color blind ones. Repeating the ever-repeated stats — 8% of the males and 0.5% of the females are color blind. Now that is a HUUUGE number ifContinueContinue reading “108 million web users are color blind. Tips for designing keeping them in mind”

Changing Places > Home

The Changing Places Consortium launched its campaign in 2006 on behalf of the over 1/4 of a million people who cannot use standard accessible toilets.This includes people with profound and multiple learning disabilities, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, as well as older people. To use the toilet in safety and comfort, many people need toContinueContinue reading “Changing Places > Home”

Accessibility in the classroom—tools that impact my students – Office Blogs

Creating a collaborative, inclusive classroom has many moving parts and pieces—and finding the right balance can be challenging. As a special education teacher, I am constantly on the hunt for technology and tools that give students with disabilities an environment that is personalized, differentiated and yet as close to their peers’ experience as possible. IContinueContinue reading “Accessibility in the classroom—tools that impact my students – Office Blogs”

Calls for a Technology Bill of Rights for People with Disabilities in the US

The National Council on Disability (NCD) in the United States has made a call to establish a ‘Technology Bill of Rights for People with Disabilities’ as part of a series of recommendations to the US Federal Government for making technology more accessible to people with a sensory, cognitive, or mobility disability.  … Curated by (Lifekludger)ContinueContinue reading “Calls for a Technology Bill of Rights for People with Disabilities in the US”

Emerging tech aims to improve life for handicapped

Emerging technology is giving new hope for the handicapped, and harnessing brainwaves for the physically disabled and helping the visually impaired with “artificial vision” are just the start. … Many systems showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas are aimed at improving quality of life for people with disabilities. BrainRobotics, a Massachusetts-based startup,ContinueContinue reading “Emerging tech aims to improve life for handicapped”

Top tips for accessibility

Heidi Laidler, Media Access Australia’s User Experience Designer, gave a recent talk about how to test for accessibility at a ‘Hack 4 Good’ event attended by web professionals from around the country. Discover the top tips for accessibility from a user experience point of view, in this captivating podcast article. Listen to Heidi’s complete addressContinueContinue reading “Top tips for accessibility”

Why we need to make web accessibility a priority

The world has never been more socially aware than it is today; in recent years the world and our society has taken important steps to becoming a more accepting and inclusive one. However, there is still aspects of day to day life that are living in the past and one of them is the Web.ContinueContinue reading “Why we need to make web accessibility a priority”

New cards extend banking options for vision-impaired customers

For NSW teenager Connor McLeod, who is blind, using an automated teller machine on his own has not been possible until now. … curated by (Lifekludger) Read full article at Source: New cards extend banking options for vision-impaired customers

wA11y – The Web Accessibility Toolbox WordPress Plugin

Boost your WordPress accessibility! The Web Accessibility Toolbox contains tools to spot deficits in accessibility and suggestions on how to better it. … Recently released, the wA11y plugin consists of tools to check and correct your WordPress site’s accessibility. (The name is derived from a11y, the shorthand way of writing accessibility, with “w” representing Web.)   TheContinueContinue reading “wA11y – The Web Accessibility Toolbox WordPress Plugin”

Building a better, accessible web

Building a better, accessible web Detailing why accessibility matters, the types of disabilities there are/how to cater for them, and how to write good, semantic HTML and utilise ARIA to create accessible, robust web applications Slide deck at source… Curated by (Lifekludger) Read full article at Source: Building a better, accessible web

A group of Google employees spent their ‘20% time’ making Google Maps wheelchair-friendly

  Google Maps is now wheelchair-friendly. The wildly popular map app will now tell you whether locations are suitable for people with access needs — and it’s thanks to a group of Googlers who worked on the feature in their “20% time.” It’s a famous policy of the Californian search giant: Employees can spend 20%ContinueContinue reading “A group of Google employees spent their ‘20% time’ making Google Maps wheelchair-friendly”

Writing HTML with accessibility in mind

Writing HTML with accessibility in mind An introduction to web accessibility. Tips on how to improve your markup and provide users with more and betters ways to navigate and interact with your site. If you don’t want to read the preface, jump right to the tips. Personal development and change in perspective When I made my firstContinueContinue reading “Writing HTML with accessibility in mind”

New Guide for Affordable and Accessible Technology Now Available Online

A new guide from ACCAN and Media Access Australia was launched this year at the annual ACCAN conference. The Affordable Access project addresses two of the key pillars of digital inclusion – affordability and accessibility of technology. The Affordable Access project is an online guide which provides information on low-cost technology with useful accessibility features. TheContinueContinue reading “New Guide for Affordable and Accessible Technology Now Available Online”

Architecture students’ attitudes to UD

The attitudes of architecture students to universal design is the focus of a Deakin University study. It builds on previous work (Design 4 Diversity) in 2010 on inter-professional learning for arch… Curated by (Lifekludger) Read full article at Source: Architecture students’ attitudes to UD