Computer accessibility: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 03:10, 10 August 2025

Revision as of 10:46, 19 August 2025

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== Accessibility features ==

[[File: BBC News web accessibility demo.jpg|thumb|[[BBC News]] website shown in 'desktop mode,' with accessibility links at the top. The screenshot is taken from Windows Mobile.{{Update span|date=December 2023}}]]

Accessibility features are meant to make the use of technology less challenging for those with disabilities. Common accessibility features include [[Text to Speech|text-to-speech]], [[Closed captioning|closed-captioning]], and [[keyboard shortcut]]s. More specific technologies that need additional hardware are referred to as [[assistive technology]].<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Wu|first1=Ting-Fang|last2=Meng|first2=Ling-Fu|last3=Wang|first3=Hwa-Pey|last4=Wu|first4=Wu-Tien|last5=Li|first5=Tien-Yu|date=2002|editor-last=Miesenberger|editor-first=Klaus|editor2-last=Klaus|editor2-first=Joachim|editor3-last=Zagler|editor3-first=Wolfgang|chapter=Computer Access Assessment for Persons with Physical Disabilities: A Guide to Assistive Technology Interventions|title=Computers Helping People with Special Needs|volume=2398|series=Lecture Notes in Computer Science|language=en|publisher=Springer Berlin Heidelberg|pages=204–211|doi=10.1007/3-540-45491-8_44|isbn=978-3-540-45491-5}}</ref>

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*Motor or dexterity impairment such as [[paralysis]], [[cerebral palsy]], [[Developmental coordination disorder|dyspraxia]], [[carpal tunnel syndrome]], and [[repetitive strain injury]].

[[File:Accessibility - a11y.svg|thumb|a11y, numeronym of accessibility illustrated]]A topic closely linked to computer accessibility is [[web accessibility]]. Similar to computer accessibility, web accessibility is the practice of making the use of the [[World Wide Web]] easier to use for individuals with disabilities.<ref name=":3" />

Accessibility is often abbreviated as the [[numeronym]] '''''a11y''''', where the number 11 refers to the number of letters omitted.<ref name="roselli-2016">

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== Accessibility options for specific impairments ==

[[File: BBC News web accessibility demo.jpg|thumb|[[BBC News]] shown in 'desktop mode,' with accessibility links at the top. The screenshot is taken from Windows Mobile.{{Update span|date=December 2023}}]]

[[File:Single switch onscreen keyboard.jpg|thumb|A single-switch [[assistive device]] that enables the user to access an [[on-screen keyboard]]]]

=== Cognitive impairments and illiteracy ===

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=== Motor and dexterity impairments ===

[[File:Single switch onscreen keyboard.jpg|thumb|upright|A single-switch [[assistive device]] that enables the user to access an [[on-screen keyboard]]]]

Some people may not be able to use a conventional [[input device]], such as the [[computer mouse|mouse]] or the [[computer keyboard|keyboard]]. Therefore, it is important for software functions to be accessible using both devices. Ideally, the software will use a generic input [[API]] that permits the use even of highly specialized devices unheard of at the time of software's initial development. [[Keyboard shortcuts]] and [[mouse gesture]]s are ways to achieve this access, as are more specialized solutions, including on-screen software keyboards and alternate input devices ([[Switch Access|switches]], [[joystick]]s and [[trackball]]s). Users may enable a [[Bounce keys|bounce key]] feature, allowing the keyboard to ignore repeated presses of the same key. [[Speech recognition]] technology is also a compelling and suitable alternative to conventional keyboard and mouse input as it simply requires a commonly available audio headset.