Yahoo! Inclusive Design

Role of Assistive Technologies in Higher Education and Work places

Srinivasu ChakravarthulaSr. Manager, Inclusive Design, Yahoo!

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Introduction to AT

• Assistive Technologies help people with disabilities to have access to computers, mobile and other electronic devices

• Type of Assistive Technologies are vary for one disability to another

• Some of them are software and some are hardware.

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Needs of a student

• Access to text books• Taking down the notes

Completing the assignments• Research• Appearing Examinations• Attending to the Lab sessions

Communicating with network colleges or students• Mathematics• Access to geographic maps• Understanding concept

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Issues and Solutions• In-availability of text books, maps etc in alternate formats

– Scanner with OCR– Tactile maps and graphs– Student to have a net book / laptop

• Inadequate library material in accessible formats– Digital Talking books with DAISY

• Lack of Assistive aids in labs– Aids like liquid level indicators, talking measuring tools

• Lack of accessible gaming platform and awareness for outdoor games– Tactile chess boards and awareness among students and teachers how to

include people with disabilities in games and other entertainment activities

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Issues and Solutions (Contd.,)

• Access to the internet• Access to wide range of mailing lists and

forums– Access India– Bookshare.org– DAISY Forum of India

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Needs at work place

• Attending meetings• Making presentations• Generating reports• Use of Intranet• Communication

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Issues and solutions

• For a person with low vision – Telescope• For person who is completely blind – obtain PPT in

advance• Scanner and OCR• Orientation for work place• Tactile labels at food counters, meeting rooms• Awareness among the other employees• Ensuring accessibility standards for Intranet

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Resources

• WebAnyWhere – http://webanywhere.cs.washington.edu

• NVDA – Free and Open Source Screen reader – http://nvda-project.org

• DAISY: http://daisy.org• BookShare: http://bookshare.org• XRCVC – http://xrcvc.org

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Questions and Thank you!Srinivasu Chakravarthulasrinivu@yahoo-inc.com

http://accessibility.yahoo.comTwitter: @vasutweets @yahooaccess