Computers and the Disabled - New Abilities Lead to New Opportunities

People with disabilities may have problems staying in the mainstream of society. Visual impairments can make it hard to navigate; hearing difficulties can hurt communication; and mobility issues can make it hard to live your life without help.

Computers are helping to make life easier for the disabled. But some people who are disabled may have trouble using them. Fortunately, some very creative people - and companies - are developing specialized "assistive devices," which can open up the world of computing to people who might otherwise be left out of it.

Help for the hearing impaired
Computers are naturally helpful for the deaf and hearing-impaired because they're so visual. Email and especially chat services can make communication possible even among people who wouldn't be able to have a vocal conversation.

Computers can also be good teachers, of sign language, lip reading, and even speaking. There's software available to "translate" a word into a pattern, with instructions on how to speak that word. Then, after the word is spoken, the computer can display the pattern of the speaker's word, and the speaker can compare the two patterns. If the patterns are very different, the speaker can keep practicing until they're the same, making it much more likely that what they say aloud will be understood by someone who can hear - even though the speaker can't.

Help for people with visual challenges
The visual elements that can be so helpful for someone who can't hear well can be a real problem for someone who can't see well. But there have been some remarkable developments to make it easier to "see" what's on the computer's screen.

People who have some vision can use software that increases the size of what's on the screen, or changes everything to text. There are also devices that can convert text to spoken words, and there's even a web browser that speaks. And when a blind person wants to write something, like an email message, a letter, or even a research paper, it may be possible to have specialized software translate dictated words into text, essentially going the opposite direction of the "text-to-speech" software.

Help for people with physical mobility issues
The keyboard and mouse that many of us take for granted, and have no trouble using, can create major problems for someone who can't move easily or at all. There are specially designed keyboards that can be used with only one hand. And when it comes to the mouse, there are many alternatives. One is controlled by eye movement; a blink by the user causes the mouse to click. Another is a silver "dot" that attaches to the user's nose or glasses and is then "read" and interpreted as mouse movement. For people who can move a little, there are also joystick mice.

Finally, those who can't move much at all may still be able to control the computer using Morse code. The simple patterns of dots and dashes developed over a hundred years ago for the first transatlantic cables are still a great method of communication for people who can move only a little.

Technology and other issues
Of course, there are always "bugs" that need to be worked out. Little things like pressing two keys at one time can be easy for some people but impossible for others, so software needs to be able to adapt for that difficulty. Some web sites aren't very "user friendly" when it comes to the disabled; graphics without descriptions or "tags" can make a web page difficult to read or navigate, especially if text-to-speech software gets hung up on an unidentified graphic. But many companies are now engineering websites to be easier to use, and may even offer text-only versions.

One of the biggest issues may be the number of disabled people who can't use computers at all. Adaptive devices are wonderful, but they can be expensive, which limits their availability. This means that people who can't afford them won't be able to use a computer, and the lack of computer literacy can really limit their opportunities, especially when it comes to employment.

Individuals and organizations are trying to make adapted computers more available at low or no cost. Some groups will donate computers to the disabled. And Goodwill Industries is leading the way with a new kind of internet cafe. The cafe, which opened recently in San Antonio, Texas, has computers with devices like the "silver dot," joystick mice, magnifying and read-aloud software, and even a mouse controlled by eye movements. But the greatest benefit of all may be that it's free to users.

Most people who use computers would probably say that they're great tools. For the disabled, though, computers can be a lot more than a tool. They can be a window to a world they'd never be in touch with otherwise. And they can provide a way to become more productive and independent - both personally and professionally.