Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology

(Dan Comden) The computer is a
vital tool for education and employment.

There's really nothing that
does the variety of tasks

that the computer can do
but it's not perfect.

(Narrator) That's because not
everyone can use the standard

computer and that's where
adaptive technology comes in.

With a little extra
hardware or software,

computers and the
Internet can be

accessible to people with
a wide range of abilities

and disabilities.

Adaptive technology
delivers a big payoff

for a relatively
small investment.

(Dan) The cost of
adaptive technology

really is quite
small particularly

when you look at
the impact that they

can have for a person able to
do their job more effectively

and more efficiently.

(Narrator) Adaptive technology
addresses the challenges

imposed by specific
disabilities.

For example, low vision.

(Nate) I use a
screen enlarger which

allows me to see everything
on the computer screen

that a normal person would
see with regular type

on the computer.

(Narrator) For someone
who is sensitive to light,

software can reverse the
screen from dark on light

to light on dark.

(Narrator) Large
print keytop labels

may also be useful for people
with visual impairments

especially if they're
just learning to type.

(Narrator) The most
common adaptation

for people who are
blind is speech output.

(Screen reader) The lab is well-equipped
with adaptive technology.

Tours and demonstrations can
be arranged by appointment.

(Justin) Really, it helps me
out a lot on the Internet.

I have voice output that
reads everything that comes up

on the screen,
on the computer screen,

so I'm able to access anything
that I want to on the computer

and it's really helped me out a lot.

(Narrator) A scanner
combined with speech output

allows people who are blind
to read printed materials.

(Screen reader) A tall
fellow in a Batman costume

comes soaring out
of the winter sky.

(Narrator) Other adaptations
include Braille displays

and Braille printouts.

(Narrator) People with
speech or hearing impairments

can use their computers to
communicate with friends,

teachers or co-workers.

(Katie) I really like using the
Internet because it's easier

to communicate with
people rather than using

the telephone.

I can read it instead of
listening and it's easier

for me to read it than to hear.

(Jessie) Yeah, the
Internet is helpful.

It allows me to communicate,

to communicate more easily
because of my voice.

It allows me to say more,
express myself more easily.

(Speech output) How... are... we...
playing... this... again...

How are we playing this again?

(Professor) There are places
you could land where you're

on blue, and you're
more conspicuous.

(Narrator) People
who can't speak

can use communication
devices to participate

in group discussions and
one-on-one interactions.

(Anthony) It's like our Army
men wearing their clothes.

(Professor) That's exactly right.

(Narrator) Those who can't hear
require visual alternatives

to sound output.

(Buffy) When they–when
the computer speaks

they have ways
of captioning that.

(Lloyd) The computer
system I use

uses visual output,
rather than sound output,

which means instead of
making a chime or ring,

it blinks the screen.

(Narrator) People with
learning disabilities

can use a variety of
software to help with reading

and with writing papers.

Adaptive technology ranges from
spell check and grammar check

to speech input and output.

(Screen reader) ...Washington is
leading the world in global health...

(Patrick) Schoolwork, it helps me 'cause
when me and my mom, like,

try to work to do it,
we usually fight,

so it usually ends up
being a bad consequence.

So if can do it on my
own, it's way better.

(Screen reader) Washington Phase
Two schedule, August 7 to 13.

(Joshua) I've
basically just used

standard word processors
with the grammar checker

and spell checker, and
dictionaries on the computer.

Just using the word processor
alone reduces amount of time

that it takes to write things.

(Crystal) I have a voice box
that it will read it to me,

so I understand
what I'm reading.

(Screen reader) Was Helen Keller
the first deaf-blind person

in the United States
to be educated?

(Crystal) And then
when I have to, like,

read books I just scan those so
they can read the books to me

so I don't have to spend two hours
reading one page or something.

(David) The things that
I found really helpful

have been
speech-to-text programs,

you know, you talk to
your computer and writes.

(Person dictating) At the
University of Washington a

variety of hardware
and software.

(David) I've written papers in college
in a quarter of the time

that it would have taken
me to type them by hand.

With speech-to-text,
I just say the word

and it shows up on the screen.

(Narrator) People with mobility
impairments have a wide range

of adaptive technology options.

For some, flexibility
in the positioning

of tabletops, monitors
and keyboards is helpful.

(Rodney) I use a mouthpiece
that I type with.

I can do at least
30 words per minute

when the words are going
from my head to the keyboard.

I like to write lots
of things, and were it

not for computers
and word processing,

spell checking and things like
that, it would take me ages.

(Erofei) I have a trackball
which I roll around and I use

Sticky Keys, like, to hold
down "control" and "shift."

The computer helps me
type reports better,

and it's easier on my arm.

I don't have to
wear my prosthetic.

(Jeffrey) One thing that
I use is a keyboard where

the keys are enlarged and
there is more space between,

because when I hit keys
on a regular keyboard,

I get double letters.

(Narrator) For people who
need to type with only one hand,

left- and right-handed
keyboards are available.

You could also use an
on-screen keyboard

with a head pointer or a mouth stick
for hands-free computer control.

Word prediction software can
increase speed and accuracy.

(Buddy) I have
an on-screen keyboard

and it also has word prediction,
where I throw in a letter like,

let's say I throw in a "T"

and like five words that
start with "T" will pop up,

the most common ones that I use.

They'll pop up and I'll click on
it and it'll just print it up.

I got fairly fast.

(Narrator) Some
people may choose

to bypass the keyboard
by using Morse code.

A sip-and- puff
switch registers dot

with a sip and dash with a puff.

Special hardware and
software translate Morse code

into a form that
computers understand.

(Oscar) I'm a junior this year.

(Narrator) Other people may
choose a speech input system

to replace the keyboard.

(Oscar) I use a program
that helps me type.

Whatever I say it types.

I talk into the microphone
and it types it out

on the computer screen.

Makes me feel a lot more
independent and don't have

to rely on somebody for so
much and I can do it myself.

(Narrator) The Internet
can be accessed

from almost any
location, at any time

that a person wants to use it.

This is a real benefit for
people with health impairments.

(Nadira) I think the computer
can help hospitalized kids.

When I was in the hospital
for like, one month,

I talked to other kids

and I could, like, socialize
with them and people sending

me emails, greeting
mails to get well.

(Mitch) In the past year I've,
I lived in the hospital.

And an Internet connection there

allowed me to communicate
with teachers.

(Alex) I think that the Internet
is really helpful for students

who miss school due to medical
reasons because it allows them

access to teachers,
resources and fellow students

which can be very helpful.

(Narrator) For anyone with a
disability adaptive computer

technology is a vital link to
success in school and in work.

(Buddy) It's more fun, I mean,
I've had people try to type

for me and you know, it's just
no fun to tell someone else

what to write.

Like I took a
poetry class,

and I felt weird trying to tell
some friends or my aide

what I'm thinking and what
I'm trying to put on paper.

(Nhi) I like using my
computer because it

help me to be independent.

(Hollis) It lets me
express my ideas.

(Shem) I virtually
live on computers.

On the computer people are
more on an even keel.

On the electronic field
we're all equal.