Assistive Technologies

Assistive technologies (AT) are specialized hardware or software products that help people with disabilities.

Types of Assistive Technologies

Screen Readers

A screen reader is a form of assistive technology that renders text and image content as speech or braille output. Screen readers are essential to people who are blind, and are useful to people who are visually impaired, or have a learning disability. The following are some popular screen readers:

See video showing a screen reader reading the primary navigation on CPABC's website.

Google Screen Reader


Screen readers are essential to people who are blind,  visually impaired, or have a learning disability.

Alternative Keyboards

Alternative keyboard layouts allow people who experience difficulty accessing conventional keyboard designs to use computers.

  • Ergonomic keyboards
  • Large key keyboards
  • Miniature keyboards
  • One-handed keyboards
  • Keyboard with different layouts.

Captions

Closed captioning are subtitles specifically intended for people who are hearing impaired or deaf. The captions or subtitles are called closed captions because they are hidden, until they are otherwise 'opened' by the viewer from a menu or by selecting the relevant option from their settings. Closed captioning tends to be a transcription rather than a translation, and usually contain descriptions of important non-dialog audio such as "sighs" or "music".

Open captioning or subtitles are an integral part of the film/video and can't be closed off from view.

Subtitles are used to translate dialog from a foreign/source language to the target (native language) of the audience.

Switches

Switches allow people who have severe mobility challenges to operate computers and other electronic devices. An adaptive switch is an input-output device that allows the individuals to independently activate assistive  devices.

Browsers & Operating Systems

Alternative Display

Almost every modern browser and operating system offers built-in features with assistive technologies. Below are some basic tips to address the most common accessible challenges. Many of these tips below are built right into your computer's operating system.

Operating systems on computers, tablets, and mobile devices offer a wide range of built-in customization features to help meet vision, mobility, language, and learning needs.

  • Screen magnifiers and large text increase the size of items on the screen
  • High contrast and alternative colour schemes allow you to increase and decrease the contrast, reverse colors, or change the color scheme.
  • Cursor magnification allows you to make the pointer larger to make it easier to follow and view items.

Alternative Control

  • Adjustable key and touch screen sensitivity allows you to adjust the key repeat rate and the delay until a key repeats when you hold it down.
  • Key speed and hold duration adjusts the amount of time a key or touch gestures need to be pressed before it is registered.
  • On-screen keyboards can be used with a pointing device or switch scanning instead of a standard keyboard.
  • StickyKeys allow you to press one key at a time instead of pressing them simultaneously.
  • Mouse and trackpad sensitivity can be adjusted for tracking speed, double-click speed and scrolling speed.
  • Mouse keys is a feature available for people who have difficulty using a mouse.Mouse keys allow you to use the numeric keypad to control the movement of the mouse.
  • Voice recognition lets you control your device with your voice instead of your keyboard.