2007 PhD Thesis Final Revised.pdf - Curtin University

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Figure 6.12 (left) Example of full screen 2x screen magnification in Windows XP Figure 6.13 (right) Example of ‘ruler’ 2x screen magnification in Windows XP Screen reader software is designed for people with severe vision disabilities. The software performs a two-part process, firstly converting the GUI environment into text and then secondly outputting the text as audible information. Most screen reader software is programmed to take an intuitive snapshot of the GUI and output the most relevant information. To achieve this result, screen reader programs generally have different software scripts for different applications so that the software can immediately determine the information most relevant to the user. Unlike other AT software programs, screen readers assume that the user cannot see a mouse point and therefore all input will come from keyboard shortcuts. The voice used to convey the information can generally be altered in pitch, tone and speed to ensure comfort for the user. Popular screen reader programs include JAWS produced by Freedom Scientific, WindowEyes produced by GW Micro and Lookout produced by Sensory Software. In addition to specific input and output software applications used to provide accessibility and functionality for blind and vision impaired computer users, accessible versions of general applications such as word processors, calculators and web browsers have also been released. One example of the products available is the Braille translating software package from Duxbury Systems, a Braille equivalent of a Word Processing application. Another popular product is a program called Home Page Reader, produced by IBM, which converts the output of a web page into speech. There are also numerous large-print versions of fonts which can be used in standard word processors and calculators featuring large print buttons. 131
HP, Cisco and IBM have all contributed to the development of AT products. The HP representative sees the company’s role as going for “the sweet spot of the market…people with disabilities are not ‘one size fits all’…” so it is imperative that the technology matches the individual needs of users. HP have spent much time ensuring that its hardware devices can be accessed by people with disabilities, such as ensuring that all HP laptops can be opened with one hand. The HP representative used the analogy that HP builds an accessible house so that others can put individual AT needs inside it. Cisco has primarily contributed to the needs of accessibility through the provision of its educational program. The Cisco Certified Network Administrator (CCNA) course, used by students worldwide, has a trial course at <strong>Curtin</strong> <strong>University</strong> of Technology. It is called the Cisco Access for Vision Impaired (CAVI) project and it is designed specifically for blind and vision impaired users. The Interface for Cisco networking and routing equipment uses a text-based Command Line Interface (CLI) OS, allowing for easy translation into a text-to-speech engine or allowing the modification of text and colour size. This makes the course a good opportunity for people with vision disabilities (Murray & Armstrong, 2004). IBM has produced significant contributions in the field of accessibility. As one of the pioneers of the IT industry, the representatives explained that IBM has endeavoured to include accessible APIs for many years exemplified by the design of OS/2. In recent times, IBM has stepped away from focusing on in-house AT development for the mainstream marketplace but continues to focus on the development tools in niche areas where such are not currently available. For example, the development of Home Page Reader allows text-to-speech functionality when navigating the World Wide Web on a UNIX platform where accessibility tools are still limited. The representatives summed up IBM’s position by indicating that it is also aiming to fill in the gaps in AT and to provide tools at affordable prices. For the most part though, the AT products listed are manufactured by AT- specific companies. Even AT devices themselves can pose problems which contribute to the disability divide. There is often a perception that once a person with a disability has received an AT product, all problems are immediately solved. 132
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Faculty of Media, Society and Cultu
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ABSTRACT People with disabilities,
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3.0 ELEMENTS OF THE DISABILITY DIVI
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APPENDIX A: PERSONAL INTERVIEWS....
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The following orga
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INTRODUCTION Purpose of the study A
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! Are computing and Internet-relate
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disabilities in the workforce. As a
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entertainment package and, at worst
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Chapter 6, The provision of operati
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Australia, approximately four milli
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which people with disabilities perc
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dependence (J. Wilson & Wilson, 200
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economic model complements the righ
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ole of people with disabilities, go
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time. Policy and resulting legislat
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improved, funds were now available
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United Nations (UN) during the Inte
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actions and participation is connec
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occasional struggle for people with
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lindness within society also create
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communication. This chapter contrib
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seen as applicable to the developme
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Although clear-path and object-anal
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easily interpret text, making the A
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interface in their next OS release.
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networks so that there is exchange
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of information largely inaccessible
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again become sufficiently accessibl
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Figure 3.1 Household Computer or In
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of tertiary education compound the
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desire to repair the inferior body
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computing firms seemed to take issu
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an operating environment which was
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accessible and compatible with AT p
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cater for the needs of this group.
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4.2 Methodology for personal interv
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! Steger, John. Senior Consultant,
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All of these points were used with
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ates improved significantly due to
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Page 83 and 84: disability-related discrimination i
Page 85 and 86: was that Section 508 only applied t
Page 87 and 88: in order to combat the disability d
Page 89 and 90: Such views again highlight the inco
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Page 93 and 94: 5.0 THE PROVISION OF ONLINE INFORMA
Page 95 and 96: exist but not how to resolve the pr
Page 97 and 98: ace information for the Sydney 2000
Page 99 and 100: Essentially, the SOCOG case present
Page 101 and 102: In terms of finding out what people
Page 103 and 104: devices. The study concluded that t
Page 105 and 106: 6.0 THE PROVISION OF OPERATING SYST
Page 107 and 108: networking infrastructure market, w
Page 109 and 110: Internet were accessible, it could
Page 111 and 112: developer conferences as a good way
Page 113 and 114: 6.3 Disability-specific product ven
Page 115 and 116: company which tries to do everythin
Page 117 and 118: user through to large networks and
Page 119 and 120: with low vision was the addition of
Page 121 and 122: The UNIX platform has faced a diffi
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Page 125 and 126: character containing two dots. Brai
Page 127 and 128: Figure 6.7 Vario 80 Refreshable Bra
Page 129 and 130: Figure 6.10 Omni Phantom (SensAble
Page 131: addition there are other input-base
Page 135 and 136: ‘upper-echelons’ of users would
Page 137 and 138: such as Vision Australia located at
Page 139 and 140: internal policies reflect the need
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Page 143 and 144: 1. to demonstrate the ways in which
Page 145 and 146: Section B focused on the use of com
Page 147 and 148: question was to determine the exten
Page 149 and 150: defined opinions in this study. The
Page 151 and 152: the type and significance of an ind
Page 153 and 154: The print and Braille formats were
Page 155 and 156: with 23 telephone interviews and 3
Page 157 and 158: Frequency 100 80 60 40 20 0 Valid 1
Page 159 and 160: Valid Male Female Total Gender Freq
Page 161 and 162: Frequency 200 150 100 50 0 Valid Fu
Page 163 and 164: Valid Degenerative Stable Total Vis
Page 165 and 166: Frequency 100 80 60 40 20 0 Valid M
Page 167 and 168: 7.4.2 Computing and assistive techn
Page 169 and 170: Frequency 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Kno
Page 171 and 172: Frequency 100 80 60 40 20 0 Ability
Page 173 and 174: Frequency 150 120 90 60 30 0 Valid
Page 175 and 176: Frequency 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0
Page 177 and 178: N Valid Missing Familiarity of Inte
Page 179 and 180: Frequency 125 100 75 50 25 0 Valid
Page 181 and 182: Frequency 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Val
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Frequency 100 80 60 40 20 0 Valid D
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Internet session will contain a var
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Frequency 250 200 150 100 50 0 Vali
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Frequency 250 200 150 100 50 0 Vali
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Frequency 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Dis
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Frequency 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Gov
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Frequency 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0
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Frequency 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Des
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Frequency 100 80 60 40 20 0 Valid I
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7.4.5 Open-ended comments The Comme
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There were also a number of comment
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8.0 ANALYSIS OF FINDINGS 8.1 Introd
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levels of the working population. A
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the colour scheme question received
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Respondents were fairly evenly spre
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esult indicated that it is likely t
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able to interact with computing and
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Count Ability to Understand and Use
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Ability to Understand and Use a Com
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that knowledge of IT did not necess
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impaired people were not associated
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Count Income Total Income * Cost of
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8.3.5 Disability-specific issues fo
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The final comparison focused on the
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CONCLUSION Addressing the research
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with vision disabilities until the
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ole of this policy, in terms of inf
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een largely resolved in recent time
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vision disabilities perceived the I
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In essence, this study has revealed
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! the creation and implementation o
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Australian Federal Government. (200
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Galitz, W. (2002). Essential Guide
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Lindlif, T. R., & Shatzer, M. J. (1
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Stubbins, J. (1977). Social and Psy
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Zakon, R. (2002, 1 April). Hobbes'
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ETHICS APPROVAL: products and servi
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Name: _ Signature: Date: authorizat
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13. In the United States, the Rehab
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8. Do you perceive that people with
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Title: Department: Organisation: Ye
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18. In your opinion, are educationa
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e found at http://www.vipsurvey.org
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[ ] 2 Living in shared accommodatio
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[ ] 1 Screen magnification software
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24. My ability to use the Internet
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process which I mastered by myself:
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! 5.2 For data tables that have two
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! 10.5 Until user agents (including
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IBM International Business Machines
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