Where It's AT – Assistive Technology Blog

BookSense XT

A recent addition to the MDTAP Technology Library is the BookSense XT, produced by the HIMS Corporation.  http://www.hims-inc.com.  No matter where you get your digital audio books, the BookSense will likely be able to play it.  It includes support for most common audio file formats as well as support for specialized formats such as that used by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) http://www.loc.gov/nls, BookShare http://www.bookshare.org and Learning Ally(formerly RFB&D)  http://www.learningally.org.

The features which make the BookSense stand out from many digital book players currently on the market are it’s small size and long battery life.  It has easy-to-understand text-to-speech voices, which as expected can be highly customized to suit a listener’s preferences.  A powerful bookmarking system and a variety of audio recording options are also included.

Media can be copied from a computer to the bookSense using the included USB Cable or via SD Card.  While the BookSense has internal flash memory, very large capacity SD Cards are easily available which makes for  a virtually limitless amount of storage.

One criticism of the BookSense is the unusual shape of the keys.  They are smooth and convex, which may make  differentiating between them difficult for some. This is a fine example of why you might want to borrow the Booksense from our Technology Library before deciding if it is the perfect digital book reader for you.  To speak with one of our Assistive Technology Specialists, call (410) 554-9230.

For product information and a full specification list see:  http://www.hims-inc.com/products/booksense-xt

The Maryland Interagency Transition Council (IATC), a council devoted to ensuring effective interagency planning and delivery of services for secondary students with disabilities, is excited to announce the launch of the Transitioning Youth Facebook page. The use of social media allows the IATC to share updates, news and announcements in real time, and engage youth with disabilities in a popular and effective medium. So be sure to check out and “Like” the Transitioning Youth facebook page!

Want to know if your website is accessible? Check out these checklists and validators to see how you can make you site more accessible to all users!

There are number of organizations that provide more comprehensive guidance for how to make websites accessible.  A web
accessibility company called WebAIM provides a checklist for 508 compliance that many find to be very useful:

http://webaim.org/standards/508/checklist

There are also the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG  2.0) created by W3C, which many used in addition to, or instead of, Section 508 guidelines. WCAG 2.0 offers guidelines for achieving different levels of accessibility — your website can be at Level A (most basic accessibility), Level AA, or Level AAA  (highest level of accessibility).

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 from W3C – http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/

WebAIM also provides a checklist for compliance with WCAG 2.0 standards as well: http://webaim.org/standards/wcag/checklist

If you are interested in the comparison between Section 508 and WCAG 2.0, they are compared here:

Mapping Section 508 on WCAG 2.0 Level A: http://www.csulb.edu/~wed/public/EqEffAcc/

Apple’s iPhone is a great example of a COTS (Common off the shelf) product which has well-designed, native accessibility features.  As part of their design philosophy, Apple states that Universal Design means a device should be usable by everyone.  Here’s how almost everybody with special needs can use Apple’s iDevices.

All of the iOS accessibility features are grouped together in the “Settings” app.  After opening “Settings”, tap “General” and then
“Accessibility.”  Related accessibility features are grouped together.

VoiceOver

For the blind and visually impaired, the “Seeing” section of Accessibility features VoiceOver and Zoom.  Voiceover changes the way in which the touch screen works and provides spoken output.  In the newest release of iOs, the operating system for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, triple-clicking the “Home” button activates VoiceOver on every device.  Some descriptive information is provided on the VoiceOver page, and there is even a practice area where the VoiceOver gestures can be practiced.

Nearly all built-in iOS features are VoiceOver accessible and a large percentage of third-party apps work just fine with VoiceOver.  By conforming to certain programming guidelines available from the Apple website, nearly all iOS apps can be made VoiceOver compatible.

Zoom

Zoom is a screen-enlargement feature also located under the “Seeing” category of the accessibility section.  As the name implies, Zoom can zoom in on specific sections of the screen for easier viewing.  Zoom has reportedly improved in iOS 5 and now
works well throughout the iOS environment.

Hearing

The Hearing section has many tools which may be helpful to those who are deaf or hard of hearing.  These include: customizable
vibration patterns, an LED flash for ringer alerts and a mono audio option.  Also, as featured in a 2010 Apple commercial, the FaceTime app allows for two-way video communication including sign language.  While not iPhone specific, many cellphone providers offer a data and texting only plan which may be specially requested.

The “Motor” section is new to iOS 5. Assistive Touch is a feature which allows access to all of the standard screen gestures
through a drop-down menu.  Note that Assistive Touch is not compatible with VoiceOver as of yet.  As stated above, this is a new feature of iOs and further developments are expected.

An important feature of the iPhone 4S is Siri.  Siri makes an iPhone more usable by everyone, including those with disabilities.  Siri can understand complex commands and can perform many common tasks through spoken direction.  Voice dictation can
speed text entry by speaking rather than typing.  Just tap the “microphone” button located beside the space bar to insert text using your voice.

To learn more about the accessibility features of all Apple products, including the iPhone, visit: http://www.apple.com/Accessibility

Interested in apps for families? Moms with Apps is a group of family friendly developers that focus on quality apps for families. Their apps catalog includes a section for Special Needs and is a free download from iTunes! Check them out see what some of the newest apps are for moms, kids, and busy families.

AT in the news for the week of November 28th- December 2nd

Robot could help improve older people’s quality of life

Surface Tabletop PC Aids Children With Autism, Cerebral Palsy

A Cane For The Blind Improves Social Interactions

High tech audio system aids in classroom clarity

Penguin Racer switch adapted toy

The Gift of Reading with Bookshare  

Tablet technology provides new options for children with learning disabilities

New device could help prevent emotional meltdowns

UTech designing prototype device to aid disabled kids

Smartphone technology as an accessibility platform