Where It's AT – Assistive Technology Blog

In honor of  the 22nd Anniversary of the passage of the ADA on July 26th, the ADA National Network has developed an anniversary toolkit that includes a history of the law, statistics, videos, resources and sample proclamations. The ADA Network has also made regional information available, including personal reflections on the impact of the passage of the law.

Learn more about the ADA and access the toolkit at the ADA National Network website.

The 2012 Autism Telesummit is hosting a FREE telesummit for parents and educators. Covering topics that range from nutrition to visual strategies to support success, the telesummit will be hosted by a variety of field experts. To learn more or to register, visit http://autism-telesummit.com/.

AT in the news for the week of 7/16 – 7/20

Metro Dot: Bracelet Transportation Card for Visually Impaired People (Future Designs)

Disney must let disabled mom use Segway – San Francisco Chronicle

Free Medical Equipment Available To Those Who Need It

With iPads in hand, blind students find independence – Houston Chronicle

E-mail With Your Eyes

Disability Employment: Are We at the Tipping Point?

BuZoo – app for learning, exploring & communicating is now in Private Android Alpha

New HumanWare iPhone app will get deaf-blind and sighted people talking

Clarkson develops hybrid cane/walker for disabled, design takes second in competition

 Tech lets you run a smart home remotely

Parents of Non-Verbal, Autistic Son Launch a New Communication App

National Search for Ideas on the Future of Senior-Centric Mobile Communications

Hannah More School Accepting Applications for Employment Program Serving Young Adults with Autism and/or Mental Illness

Project EMPLOYMENT is a work skills development program that helps young adults with autism spectrum disorders and/or mental illness gain employment. Project EMPLOYMENT will begin Sept. 4, 2012, on the Hannah More school’s Reisterstown campus.

The 28-week program provides instruction and community based experience in self-advocacy, disability disclosure, social skills in the workplace, life skills for employment and technology skills that allow independence. In addition to job skills development, participants will experience two internships in the Reisterstown area. Following the program, participants will receive job development assistance and supported employment services in their home communities.

Applicants to Project EMPLOYMENT must be between 18 to 25 years old, have an autism spectrum disorder or mental illness, have a high school certificate of completion or diploma, and be able to eventually function independently on a job site.  Applications are being accepted through Aug. 24. For an application or more information, contact Sue Murray at 410-526-5000, ext. 626, or smurray@hannahmore.org.

Auto-playing Audio

Audio, such as background music, that automatically plays when a user comes to a web page can be very distracting and will interfere with screen reader audio. WCAG 2.0 Level A requires that “a mechanism is provided to stop, pause, mute, or adjust volume for audio that automatically plays on a page for more than 3 seconds.” It is usually better to not automatically play audio, but allow the user to manually play the audio if they choose.

VOICEYE

Contributed by Joel Zimba, Special Projects Coordinator, MDTAP

As a unique approach to accessing printed material, Korean company, VOICEYE INC, has developed a means of non-visual access to the printed page.  A small bar-code printed in the upper right hand of a page can contain as much as two pages of text.  The codes can be scanned by a smartphone running the VOICEYE app, which is currently available for Android and IOS devices.

The Korean government has incorporated VOICEYE technology into all government documents, such as tax forms, and even utility bills.  After scanning a VOICEYE code, the text can be read with the device’s TTS (text to speech) or enlarged via the VOICEYE viewer.

Anyone can make a VOICEYE code using the VOICEYE Maker plug-in for MS-Word, which is available from the VOICEYE.com website.  The VOICEYE apps are also available from their respective app stores.  The app also provides a magnifier, a bar code reader (only available in Korea) and a money identifier for six currencies (in-app purchase).

While adoption of this technology is much slower outside of Korea, look for VOICEYE codes coming to documents, books, signs or menus near you.