[*quote*]
++E-ACCESS BULLETIN
Access to technology for all, regardless of ability.
- ISSUE 182, September 2016.
A Headstar Publication, produced with the support of Thomas Pocklington
Trust:
http://www.pocklington-trust.org.uk .
To forward this free publication to others, use our forward link underneath
the end of the bulletin instead of your email application’s ‘forward’
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Please email questions, comments, article ideas and news leads to:
eaccessbulletin@gmail.com .
E-Access Bulletin conforms to the accessible Text Email Newsletter (TEN)
Standard. Visit the TEN Standard website:
http://www.headstar.com/ten .
++Issue 182 contents.
Section One: News.
01: World’s first ‘bionic Olympics’ to tackle everyday obstacles with
assistive tech.
- Competitors will slice bread and climb stairs using prosthetics.
02: ‘Hidden’ sight loss and dementia tackled in technology campaign.
- RNIB Scotland is latest charity to sign the charter.
03: Accessibility without the excessive price: affordable tech site
launched.
- Tablets, phones and apps for under £150 featured on an introductory
site.
News in Brief: 04: Nurturing Conversation – interpreter-assisted video
chats; 05: Tech Talking – assistive technology conference returns; 06:
Downloadable Library – ten million accessible e-books reached.
Section Two: The Inbox – Readers’ Forum.
07: Accessible Artefacts – Enhancing museum exhibitions for disabled
visitors.
Section Three: Q & A – James Buller, Home Office Digital.
08: Government for all: opening up online services.
A special digital accessibility team at the UK Government Home Office is
helping shape the way people with access needs use government services
online. James Buller is leading some of this work, finding out directly
from users how these services can be improved for them. In a republished
and adapted blog post from GOV.UK, he explains more about this specialised
accessibility role, as well as his own assistive tech and online needs
arising from aniridia, a rare genetic eye condition.
[Contents ends].
++Section One: News.
+01: World’s first ‘bionic Olympics’ will tackle everyday obstacles
with assistive tech.
Cutting bread, climbing stairs and unwrapping a sugar cube all feature as
competitions in an event being dubbed the ‘world’s first bionic
Olympics’, which will set out to show how advanced technologies can help
people with disabilities in daily life.
Taking place in Kloten, Switzerland, on October 8, the Cybathlon
championship features six types of contest, with disabled competitors using
and controlling assistive devices and robotic technologies.
The events will test how these technologies allow users to complete
day-to-day tasks. For example, in the ‘powered leg prosthesis race’,
competitors (referred to as “pilots”, as they need to control or steer
their technology) are timed using leg prosthetics to navigate stairs,
slopes and uneven surfaces.
In the ‘powered arm prosthesis race’, competitors with an arm
amputation and prosthetic must complete tasks such as: cutting and
spreading jam on a slice of bread, carrying a tray of items to a table,
opening a door and fitting a light bulb.
Cybathlon was created by Robert Riener, head of Health Sciences and
Technology, and Professor of Sensory-Motor Systems at the ETH Zurich
university in Switzerland. Riener told e-Access Bulletin that he was
inspired to start the event when he decided through his daily work that
“current assistive technologies are not functional enough and not
accepted by many people.”
Further inspiration for Cybathlon came after Riener read a newspaper
article about a man with a motorised knee prosthesis running up 103 floors
of Chicago’s Willis Tower.
Explaining the concept behind Cybathlon, Riener said: “We want to promote
the development of useful, acceptable, assistive devices for people with
motor disabilities, and not just find the strongest and fastest person with
a disability. That is why we have designed race tracks and obstacles that
have a meaning for daily life.”
Competitors in Cybathlon are not professional athletes, and instead have to
master the devices and technology they use in the events. “That is why we
call them ‘pilots’,” said Riener.
The technologies used are largely specialist and highly advanced. Asked if
it presents a problem that many disabled people can’t access or afford
these technologies, Riener said: “It is normal that the newest high-tech
is most expensive … However, we need new devices popping-up to shift
previous ideas. High-tech will become used by a broader population and
become cheaper, if it functions well. Furthermore, we urge politicians to
give larger funding to high-tech devices for people with disabilities.”
A total of 74 athletes from 25 countries will take part in Cybathlon. Other
contests include the ‘powered wheelchair race’, the ‘powered
exoskeleton race’, the ‘functional electrical stimulation bike race’
(‘pilots’ with a spinal cord injury – SCI – pedal bikes by
stimulating their muscles with electrodes), and the ‘brain-computer
interface race’ (‘pilots’ with an SCI navigate computer game avatars
purely through technology that reads their brain signals).
Find out more at the official Cybathlon site:
http://eab.li/2q .
Comment on this story at e-Access Bulletin Live:
http://eab.li/2y .
+02: ‘Hidden’ sight loss and dementia tackled in technology campaign.
The Scottish arm of the Royal National Institute of Blind People, RNIB
Scotland, has signed-up to the Technology Charter for People Living with
Dementia.
Originally launched in December 2015, the charter was developed by
organisations including Alzheimer Scotland, NHS Scotland and the Scottish
Government. It encourages greater use of technology in health and social
care for people with dementia, and features six key values, including:
“Routes and access to technology are ethical, equitable, simple,
understandable and user-friendly.”
As well as promoting technology as an aid for people living with dementia
and their carers, by signing the charter, RNIB Scotland are also hoping to
raise awareness of ‘hidden’ sight loss.
June Neil – training and development manager for older people and complex
needs at RNIB Scotland – told e-Access Bulletin that signs of sight loss
can go unrecognised in some people living with dementia, as the symptoms
are instead attributed to that condition.
Neil said: “Symptoms such as: not recognising faces, becoming
disinterested in hobbies, or not going out because someone can’t see the
numbers on buses – all of those things could be because of dementia or
could be because of sight loss, and [the individual] is unable to
communicate these changes.”
The charter lists a wide variety of benefits that technology can bring to
people living with dementia, including: reducing isolation and increasing
communication with others; supporting memory and decision-making; and,
reducing the risk of accidents.
For example, the MindMate app (available at the following link:
http://eab.li/2p )
helps to increase independent living for people with dementia. The app
provides reminders and gives advice about nutrition and exercise.
Sandra Shafii from Alzheimer Scotland told e-Access Bulletin that the
Scottish Dementia Working Group recently used a Dementia Engagement and
Empowerment Grant to purchase iPads. These will help individuals with
dementia connect with each other, particularly in group meetings, where
some members may live far away and not be able to travel.
Simplified interfaces on tablet computers and mobile devices are also
helping to increase technology use in older people with dementia, Neil
said, as are easy-to-use communication apps like FaceTime and Skype.
Websites like Dementia Circle (available at the following link:
http://eab.li/2i )
also test and list devices that can assist everyday living for people with
dementia.
RNIB Scotland’s move to sign the Technology Charter supports a
long-established partnership with Alzheimer Scotland. The two organisations
have previously worked together on similar projects, writing a best
practice document on how various technologies can support people living
with both sight loss and dementia.
Additionally, digital skills organisation Tinder Foundation recently
released a separate report, ‘Dementia and Digital’, based on research
around a similar subject. Key findings of that report include the
following: tablet computers are the most effective devices for delivering
digital skills and health training for people with dementia; and, access to
online resources increases wellbeing and confidence for people living with
dementia.
Read Alzheimer Scotland’s Technology Charter as a PDF:
http://eab.li/2l .
Read Tinder Foundation’s ‘Dementia and Digital’ report as a PDF:
http://eab.li/2k .
Comment on this story at e-Access Bulletin Live:
http://eab.li/2x .
+03: Accessibility without the excessive price: affordable tech site
launched.
A new online resource has been launched to help people make informed
choices about low-cost accessible technology.
The Affordable Access project (found at the link below:
http://eab.li/2o )
provides easy-to-understand information on a wide range of products and
devices, all for under 250 Australian Dollars (equivalent to around £150 /
190 US Dollars). Technology covered on the site includes: tablet computers,
smartphones, apps, desktop computers and TV streaming devices.
Affordable Access was launched by non-profit digital accessibility
organisation Media Access Australia (found at the link below:
http://eab.li/2s )
in collaboration with the Australian Communications Consumer Action
Network.
Four main areas of the site cover the following areas: common accessibility
features; differing access needs and disabilities; information on available
products; and a section for those with more advanced technological
knowledge.
The section on common features includes a list of recommended accessibility
software and apps (both built-in and third-party products) that work on
different operating systems. This includes screen-readers, voice
recognition software, magnifiers and Braille apps, all priced under $250.
Also included is a breakdown of accessibility features in different
versions of Android and Windows, both chosen because of their pricing. The
breakdown table also advises on how to enable these features and what kinds
of users they will benefit.
While some specific information on Affordable Access is geared towards
purchasing products in Australia, much of the content covers a wide range
of globally available technologies. The advice and recommendations are
applicable to anyone with an interest in accessible technology,
particularly those who are new to the subject or unsure of what device will
suit them.
Comment on this story at e-Access Bulletin Live:
http://eab.li/2w .
++News in Brief:
+04: Nurturing Conversation: A new, free service enabling people who are
deaf or hearing impaired to make video calls via an interpreter has
launched in Canada. SRV Canada VRS aims to improve communication between
people who are hearing impaired and those who can hear. When a hearing
impaired person makes an online video call using the service, an
interpreter appears on the device screen. The interpreter speaks the
hearing impaired caller’s sign language to the non-hearing impaired
caller, and then translates the vocal response back into sign language for
the hearing impaired caller.
Find out more at the SRV Canada VRS website:
http://eab.li/2u .
+05: Tech Talking: The accessibility challenges of new broadcasting
technologies – such as 360-degree video and binaural audio-equipped
virtual reality – will be explored in a keynote talk at the second
Assistive Technology Exhibition and Conference (ATEC), held in Sheffield,
UK, on November 24. Other sessions at ATEC will cover assistive technology
investment, creating accessible text, and difficulties faced by the sector,
with speakers from the BBC, Business Disability Forum and the British
Assistive Technology Association.
Further event information at the ATEC website:
http://eab.li/2j .
+06: Downloadable Library: Over ten million accessible e-books have been
downloaded through Bookshare, an online library for people with print
disabilities. The achievement was announced by Benetech, the non-profit
technology company that launched the project. Bookshare’s catalogue
features over 470,000 titles – including textbooks – which can be
converted to a range of accessible formats. More than 250,000 people in 70
counties have access to the Bookshare library, which is free to eligible
United States’ students, and available for a fee to others.
Find out more at the Bookshare website:
http://eab.li/2z .
[Section One ends].
++ Notice: Thomas Pocklington Trust.
E-Access Bulletin is brought to you with the kind support of Thomas
Pocklington Trust, a national charity delivering positive change for people
with sight loss. Find out more about the work of Thomas Pocklington Trust
by visiting their website:
http://www.pocklington-trust.org.uk .
[Notice ends].
++Section Two: 'The Inbox'
- Readers' Forum.
Please email all questions, comments and responses to:
eaccessbulletin@gmail.com .
+07: Accessible Artefacts: Thomas Bryan gets in touch from New Zealand,
where he works for the Blind Foundation, an organisation that provides
support and services for people with sight loss (find out more at the
following link:
http://eab.li/2- ).
Thomas works with developers and manufacturers, looking at how emerging
technologies can improve access to information and the environment for
people with sight loss. He wants to know how museums and art galleries can
use technology to improve the visiting experience:
“Can anyone point me towards information on equipment and services that
will enhance tours and exhibitions, to make them more accessible and
interactive for disabled visitors? I’d like to know about any technology
that might help – navigation tools, virtual reality devices, or just
anything that makes visiting a museum or gallery a better experience for
people with disabilities.
“Also, I’d like to know how museums and galleries can make exhibition
information on their websites more accessible and interesting for disabled
users – especially anything that goes beyond just following standard web
content guidelines.”
Suggestions and ideas, please, to:
eaccessbulletin@gmail.com .
[Section Two ends].
++ Notice: RNIB Connect Radio and e-Access Bulletin.
e-Access Bulletin will be appearing on RNIB Connect Radio each month in a
new feature on the station’s Afternoon Edition programme. Hear more about
the bulletin and upcoming content appearing in each issue, as we discuss
the latest accessible technology news and readers’ questions with Allan
Russell.
Episodes will be available after broadcast as podcasts from the RNIB
Connect Radio site. Listen to RNIB Connect Radio online, or via television,
smartphone or radio. Listening details at the following link:
http://eab.li/1g .
Find out more at the RNIB Connect Radio website:
http://eab.li/1h .
[Notice ends].
Section Three: Q & A.
- James Buller, Home Office Digital.
+08: Government for all: opening up online services.
James Buller is a user-researcher at Home Office Digital (HOD) leading on
access needs, and has been contributing to the Government Digital Service
(GDS) accessibility blog on GOV.UK, the UK government services portal.
Below is a republished, adapted version of the Q&A in James’ GOV.UK post
(with some additional material), explaining how he works with service users
to meet accessibility requirements, as well as his own use of assistive
technology and the wider work of HOD.
James’ original post can be found in full on the GDS accessibility blog,
linked to at the end of this article.
- Please tell us about yourself:
“I’m a user-researcher at Home Office Digital. I talk to and observe
users of our services to understand their needs. I relay these to my team
to improve our provision. I’m also thrilled to be leading HOD on access
needs alongside Emily Ball, raising peers and senior colleagues’
awareness, skills and standards of accessibility, plus sharing good
practice across government.
“Outside of work, I’m a trustee for Aniridia Network UK (found at the
following link:
https://aniridia.org.uk ),
the charity that supports people with my rare genetic eye condition. I
manage all aspects of its communications, IT and membership.
“Aniridia means my eyes didn’t develop properly as a baby. Most
obviously, I have no irises – no coloured part of my eyes. That means I
can’t shut out sun or bright light. It also means I can’t see detail
and am very short-sighted. Essentially, I see everything over-exposed and
in low resolution.”
- What visual aids do you use?
“Various magnifying glasses, sometimes including the camera and an app on
my phone. To see things like presentations, I use a monocular. It’s a
mini-telescope capable of focusing very nearby. This is useful when a
colleague wants to show me something on their computer screen a few feet
away. When outside, rather than sunglasses, I wear special green-tinted eye
shields to cut out blue glaring light, without affecting contrast too
much.”
- What assistive technology do you use when you’re on the web?
“Since my job is about usability of website interfaces, I avoid
overriding their designs, such as with high contrast colours or larger
fonts. So I use screen magnification software set to at least 200%, often
more. At my desk, the screen view is spread across two monitors so that
(most of) a line of text can be read with just head movement, rather than
horizontal scrolling.
“That’s not possible with my Android phablet, but the large screen
makes interfaces like the keyboards appear large. Plus, even with large
fonts or zoom, a decent amount of stuff is still in view.
“I keep up with blogs using RSS feeds and listen to blog posts during my
commute. The pronunciations can be fun. For example: ‘Now read live
reporting from GDS’ could sound like: ‘now red liv reporting from
geedesh.’
“Podcasts and videos are great alternatives to articles. Particularly for
tutorials – I’ll seek out an audio-visual tutorial rather than a
written guide.”
- What barriers do you regularly face on the web and in other parts of your
job?
“Reading written materials or filling in paper forms is hard. Beyond the
obvious, examples include: labels on sandwiches inside a glass counter; a
reception desk sign-in sheet; art gallery labels; colleagues’ notes. As
well as being hard to see, there are physical barriers or social
expectations that inhibit my methods of perceiving them.
“Online, when using screen magnification, the biggest difficulties are
due to notifications, dialog boxes or buttons being out of my current
zoomed field of view. I have to physically scroll around, hunting for the
interface I need. That is disorientating, takes valuable time and lots of
mouse movement effort, which could lead to repetitive strain injury.
“Applications with text that cannot be enlarged are a pain. I can use the
Android zoom, but then I have to swipe back and forth to read lines of
text. To avoid that, I’ve become good at reading the first three-quarters
of each line and guessing the rest, only swiping across when necessary.
“I’ll often give up reading rather than excessively scrolling my zoomed
view back and forth. Text that poorly contrasts with the background is also
a big hindrance.
“Also, ‘mega-menus’ can be a nightmare. I’m constantly moving my
mouse to the edge of the screen to move the area I’m zoomed into. I
frequently open menus by accident as the cursor passes over the area that
activates them.
“All that said, I far prefer electronic to paper in most situations.
I’d much rather write or fill in a well-designed online form with a
keyboard and monitor, rather than paper and pen.”
- (e-Access Bulletin Editor’s note: the following two questions and
answers are from separate material sent by James to e-Access Bulletin, and
are not included in the original GOV.UK blog post republished above)
- Tell us a bit more about your role at Home Office Digital and the wider
accessibility team:
“I’m now dedicated to leading on access needs full-time, and other
staff are coming on board to assist. The focus on accessibility within the
Home Office Digital team has been driven by Katy Arnold, Head of User
Research and Design. Everyone on her team received training on how to
discover and meet the access needs of colleagues and service users. We then
found 12 enthusiastic people from among the researchers, writers and
designers, and paired them up to specialise on a disability.
“They are tasked with growing our knowledge of how different disabilities
may affect use of our online services and what can be done to help. This
can then be fed into the design. The results of this are epitomised in the
‘Do and Don’t’ series of ‘designing for accessibility’ posters we
produced (link below to GDS blog about the posters:
http://eab.li/2n ).
“Three developers have also been given responsibility for improving how
we address technical aspects.
“Before we even start planning a project, let alone coding it,
user-researchers interview relevant people with access needs. We learn how
to make the service meet their needs. Then throughout development, we run
usability testing sessions, often visiting their home or workplace to
observe them using our system with their assistive technology, in their
normal environment.”
- How has this approach changed ways of working?
“Here are two examples of how online forms have changed:
“1: When asking for a phone number, enabling users (especially D/deaf
users) to specify that we should only text them instead of calling [over
the phone].
2: When uploading a photograph for a passport, providing a way for users
(such as, people with facial disfigurements) to override the automated
checks for compliance with the rules, and explain why to the human
examiner.
“I’m supporting all this work by giving advice, delivering training and
conducting site audits. Together with the fantastic accessibility team at
Government Digital Service and colleagues across government, we are
continuing to grow our capacity for understanding and meeting access needs.
I am thrilled to be part of the movement that’s creating exceptional
services for everyone.”
This article is a republished, adapted version of James Buller’s post on
the GOV.UK accessibility blog, which can be found at the following link:
http://eab.li/2m .
Licensing attribution: this article contains public sector information
licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Comment on this story now at e-Access Bulletin Live:
http://eab.li/2v .
[Section Three ends]
++End Notes.
+How to receive E-Access Bulletin.
To subscribe or unsubscribe to this free monthly bulletin, visit:
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Please encourage others to sign-up!
Please send requests, comments and ideas for news or features to:
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To forward this free publication to others, use our forward link underneath
the end of the bulletin instead of your email application’s ‘forward’
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Previous issues of E-Access Bulletin can be viewed in text or HTML format
at the following online archive:
http://www.headstar.com/eab/archive.html .
Copyright 2016 Headstar Ltd.
E-Access Bulletin may be reproduced as long as all parts, including this
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to subscribe with us individually by email. Please also inform the editor
when you are reproducing our content. Sections of the bulletin may be
quoted as long as they are clearly sourced as 'taken from e-Access
Bulletin, a free monthly email newsletter', and the website address below
is also cited:
http://www.headstar.com/eablive .
+Personnel:
Editor: Tristan Parker
Technical Director: Jake Jellinek
ISSN 1476-6337.
[Issue 182 ends.]
[*/quote*]
