L.A.T.T.E.

Apocalyptic Accessibility Predictions for 2012

2012-01-03T12:30:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year, everyone!

As we begin our first steps of the new year, the last one - full of accomplishment, tragedy, comedy, and conflict - leaves us with a legacy of accessibility that we must fulfill. Issues with Ubuntu's new Unity environment, GNOME 3 difficulties, Twitter being embraced as a viable and accessible social network, new research being done on brainwave-reading interfaces for use with consumer electronics, COICA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combating_Online_Infringement_and_Counterfeits_Act) and SOPA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_Online_Piracy_Act) both threatening accessibility on the information superhighway, Microsoft threatening vendor lock-in even more with its UEFI Secure Boot (http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2011/10/the-right-to-dual-boot-linux-groups-plead-case-prior-to-windows-8-launch.ars), and the ever-growing number of Android smartphone users all made 2011 a very significant year in assistive technology and accessibility.

There are improvements to be made. As IPv6 and HTML5 slowly grow in usage, accessibility must be taken into account for all websites. Smartphones, netbooks, laptops, desktops, tablets, and cloud-based devices are on the rise. So much so, in fact, that America's 16-year-olds seem to be breaking off the love affair with the car (http://adage.com/article/digital/digital-revolution-driving-decline-u-s-car-culture/144155/), trading it for mass transit and high-quality digital technology.

I made some good predictions last year - thankfully, only a few came true. Smartphone assistive technology indeed did grow and develop. One excellent example was the rise of digital personal assistants like Vlingo (http://www.vlingo.com/) and Apple's Siri. Open-Source, Linux, and community-driven development drove new assistive/accessible technology software and apps, such as Wheelmap (wheelmap.org).
Unfortunately, closed-source assistive technology did not drop in price, and did indeed rise in some cases. Hardware and software costs were barely contained on the closed-source side, with costs being out of reach for most. Cognitive web accessibility became a more prominent issue within the disability community, but not in the way that many wanted it to become, due to many factors in the disability and techonology communities.
Thankfully, Net Neutrality was NOT killed off by Congress, although they certainly tried through COICA and SOPA. Net Neutrality on cell phone internet traffic, however, has been curtailed almost completely.
And finally, on a very pleasant note, more people with disabilities joined cyberspace online. Communities for people with disabilities have bloomed across social networks, forums, e-mail listservs, and more. As it is said, in cyberspace, no one can see your race, color, creed, gender, religion, or disability.

So what does 2012 hold?

In 2012, the year of the mayan apocalypse, I predict (with reservation) the following - in no particular order:

- Desktop computing systems will continue to decline in sales.

The majority of the American public may own a desktop system, but won't be replacing it anytime soon, if ever. Laptops, tablets and netbooks are catching up fast to the speed, capacity, and stability of their heavier, boxy friend. Floppy drives are dead and gone. Tape drives, outside the server room, are rare. Even gamers are going portable, with heavy-spec laptops and consoles that outperform midway-priced desktops. This is good news for people with disabilities, as the technology needed to perform a job or even communicate with others is becoming increasingly mobile. Still we'll have to wait for at least 5 to 10 years before we see computerized contact lenses on the market.

- Cognitive accessibility will be sidelined in the name of technological innovation.

Let's be honest, people; accessibility is not easy to push, much less get standard on most gadgets today. That being said, it's less hard to create a website that can be read by a screenreader, or offer braille device detection, than to create an interface that works for anyone that has a cognitive disability. Part of that is due to the diversity found among varying cognitive disabilities; in a phrase, who interprets what?
Customization is key, but won't be seen on a grand scale until the issue becomes so large and so unwieldy that, like an elephant in your living room, it can no longer be ignored. Until then, the creators of such gadgets, websites, etc. will put it on hold as other ideas are enacted.

- Congress and the entertainment industry (RIAA, MPAA, DMCA, etc.) will try to destroy Net Neutrality in the name of fighting piracy.

COICA is a great example, but recently SOPA is an even better one. At this time, SOPA hasn't made it out of committee; if it does, the House must reconcile it with the Senate's Protect IP Act, a slightly-less threatening version of SOPA. One hopes that if it ever reaches the President's desk, it will get a swift veto.
That won't stop a new bill being proposed, though, not to mention restrictions imposed by internet service providers or the entertainment industry. Start looking up alternative ways to access your favorite websites, people - they make take our tubes, but they won't take our freedom.

- Smartphone technology will not only get cheaper, but even more accessible

As long as smartphone hardware evolves - not to mention the Android operating system - accessibility and assistive technology will become increasingly standard. Prices will also slightly lower, as saturation and carrier lock-in slowly stagnate a supply-rich market.

- Brainwave-reading devices will start being tested and, possibly, released for consumer use.

Imagine not being able to type with your hands, using a mouth-stick or an eye gaze system to communicate with others online. While it can be done, it takes a lot of work just to write a sentence.
Enter brain wave typing (http://www.wired.com/medtech/health/news/2006/04/70568). Using a skull cap covered with electrodes, a person can focus on certain letters that pop up on a screen. Typing is slow, but can get faster with better electrode amplifiers and prediction software. Right now, the interface is expensive, yet it's only a matter of time before this gets cheaper, faster and available as an app for your tablet or smartphone.

- Online Learning will reach a new high.

With Stanford and MIT offering free online courses (without proper credit, of course), the quality of what one finds online in the way of education is rising. Stanford offered a machine learning, Artificial Intelligence and Database class this past fall/winter, and MIT is starting its MITx online learning site this spring. Will the classroom of the days of old be retired in the place of computers? Only time will tell. This is certainly a step in the right direction for people with disabilities, of whom have had many a problem with universities, ranging from physical access to inaccessible e-mail interfaces (a la Berkeley and its switch to Gmail, among others). Maybe online learning will become a more valuable part of major universities in this fashion.

Have any predictions for 2012 (aside from the apocalypse)? Comment, e-mail, facebook, or send a messenger pidgeon my way!

Espresso for all,

- Spencer

Why The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) is Bad News for People With Disabilities

2011-12-19T08:00:00.001-06:00

I'm going to be quite blunt about the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). Not only will it stifle innovation, create untold amounts of bureaucratic red tape and threaten personal privacy and security on a gigantic scale, it will also cripple communications for people with disabilties as they know it.

(Not familiar with the SOPA Act? Read here and get updated: http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-57329001-281/how-sopa-would-affect-you-faq/)

If you're skeptical of my analysis, look at the facts. SOPA will likely demand a complete re-structuring of DNS (Domain Name System), heavy monitoring of customer traffic by Internet Service Providers (AT&T, Verizon, etc), deep packet inspection (meaning forcing an Internet provider to intercept and analyze customers' web traffic), and allow broad interpretation of what constitutes copyright infringement.

To put it simply, if any website you visit casually links to another site that hosts infringed content, both sites could be completely blocked via court order. For example, a 12-year-old with their own blog that hosts videos of them singing current pop hits would be taken down with extreme prejudice, since even posting such video violates copyright. Oh, and the blogging site itself would be taken down for linking to such content, too.

While at first it doesn't seem to really affect people with disabilities, if you look under the surface, it's clear to see the damage that could be done.

Take, for example, social networking - specifically, twitter. The 140-character-per-tweet service is a welcome communication method for people with disabilities, due to its accessibility and simplicity.

Under SOPA, if one of your friends posts a link to a site that hosts infringed content, the whole site is taken down.

Not just your account - or your friends' account - the whole site, Twitter.com, is blocked.

If you're a regular commenter on a forum for people with disabilities - and someone posts a video/picture/audio clip from a movie, TV show, or other form of media - that forum can be blocked.

Those are just a couple of examples. Let's be clear, though - the internet, as users with disabilities know it - would change drastically, at the very least disrupting, and at the worst eliminating methods of communication they use.

Gutting online piracy at the expense of online communication and socialization for people with disabilities is absolutely reprehensible.

Join the fight against SOPA here: (https://wfc2.wiredforchange.com/o/9042/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=8173)

Polishing Chrome With Accessibility

2011-09-12T12:07:00.001-05:00

It used to be that the choice of web browser was painfully limited; Internet Explorer topped the list, followed by those who used Safari on their Macs, and whatever those odd Linux users had picked (I'm a Linux user by the way). Fortunately, this is no longer the case, and consumers have a wide variety to fit their own unique preference, taste and needs.

Many of you have heard of Internet Explorer (after all, it's pre-packaged in all current Microsoft Windows operating systems), Safari (pre-packaged in Macs), and possibly Firefox (one of the most popular browsers in the world). Google has also released a browser as well, dubbed 'Chrome'.

Chrome is a very fast browser utilizing tabs for its interface, along with a simplified window to improve the visual experience. However, users with disabilities seemed to not be at the top of the list, as many in the assistive technology world noted it to be a "virtual black hole" of accessibility. In the past few months though, this may have started to change, with the introduction of themes, extensions and apps that enabled better access to Chrome for people with disabilities. Not only that, but Google added their Voice Search (standard in their Android mobile operating system) to Chrome, a notable nod in the direction of accessibility and convenience.

Google began rolling out their Voice Search for their Chrome/Chromium browser as a way to quicken up the foraging experience. It's quite nice, to be honest - just click the microphone in the search bar and say what you want to find (example: brownie recipes); your query is typed in and Google's search engine starts scanning for your content. You don't need to have a special microphone or other customized equipment, either - I was able to use my laptop's built-in microphone (usually nothing more than a tiny hole near either the webcam at the top of the screen or near the speakers in the base) with no problems. From simple words with few syllables to more complex ones with many syllables, it was quite impressive.

But for me, that's not enough - I wanted to see if it could handle more, and if Google had actually taken into account the issue of accessibility rather than just doing a copy & paste job on a feature from Android. So I threw it a curve ball - I activated Orca Screen Reader, enabled it so that it would read whatever I moused over, and tried my hardest to confuse the Voice Search.

The result was much more impressive than I would have imagined; Google's Voice Search handled Orca as if it was a native application. At no time did Orca's reading interfere with my voice searching, even when done at the same time. It's intelligent to know the difference between what is coming out the speakers and what is going in the microphone, and to differentiate. Very cool.

Unfortunately, this feature is only available in the Chrome/Chromium browser as of now, but hopefully will be coming to Firefox and other browsers by surfing to the Google website. One can only hope...

EDIT - Having problems getting Chrome to recognize my voice. Don't know what's happened, but it may be due to a number of causes, namely the fact that I'm running Chromium (Linux version of Chrome) and that I'm using ALSA for my sound card drivers (too much to explain). I highly suggest trying Google's Voice Search out regardless of my recent experience. It could be as simple as a need for a Chromium update.

Google Extensions

ChromeVox - A screen reader designed for Chrome. Still being worked on, there are a few dependencies and you will have to enable experimental extensions in order to download and install it. Google has a user guide with a few tutorials that can help aid the installation process as well as initial configuration. http://google-axs-chrome.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/chromevox_tutorial/index.html However, despite my skill as a tech user and a Linux user, I was unable to get it working - possibly due to the fact that the TTS (text-to-speech) has to be manually compiled in Linux distributions. No worries for you Windows and Mac users, though - this extension should install with little problem on your computer. Keep in mind though, this is not a finished extension, so there are bound to be a few kinks along the way. I will update as soon as I am successful (or just try it out on the computer at work in my spare time). http://code.google.com/p/google-axs-chrome/wiki/InstallingChromeVox

ChromeVis - Magnifies and allows you to change the color of text on any page in Chrome. A great extension for those with visual disabilities, it magnifies the text you highlight and shows it at the top of the screen in a customized set of colors. Regardless of what you highlighted in your browser, text is rendered clean and easy to read along with great contrast for those with color blindness. You can customize the colors, size of the magnified text, and keyboard shortcuts. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/halnfobaneppemjnonmmhngbfifnafgd?hl=en&hc=search&hcp=main

Chrome Daltonize - This extension uses a technique of exposing details to color-blind users, allowing them see what they otherwise would have missed. Using algorithms that modify colors to help bring out what would not be seen, this extension works pretty well. However, to be honest, as a fully sighted user, I cannot fully vouch for its usefulness - but it was simple to install, had evident changes to pages without any problems, and great reviews. Has the ability to work automatically or at the push of a button, which is pretty sweet if you have more than one person using your computer. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/efeladnkafmoofnbagdbfaieabmejfcf?hl=en&hc=search&hcp=main

Chrome Black & White Theme - This theme is very simple. Only black and white colors, intended for accessibility. The title bar is black, inactive tabs are grey, toolbar buttons are blue and everything else is white. Installing it was easy and required no relaunch of Chrome; all icons were MUCH easier to see, and the main tab I was on being white made organizing the tabs I had much faster. A great theme for both people with and without visual impairments. https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx?response=redirect&x=id%3Donpphpnfgidbadcijndjfiecbbjdecop%26lang%3Den-US%26uc

ChromeLite - Turns the web into a text-only experience. A possible way to use with a screen reader outside of Chrome, as it not only makes Chrome faster (not that it needs to be) but it also disables images, videos, etc. that would only slow down a person with a visual impairment's web experience. It can be enabled and disabled by user preference. Uses ASCII to create 'images' of logos and such, so not exactly the best option for screen readers. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/bjekedpipaedojkbialnhabcecmfpofh?hl=en&hc=search&hcp=main

These are just a few accessible extensions; there are a lot more, but unfortunately most are still in development and need significant work. Hopefully, with time, Chrome can be more accessible for all users on multiple systems. If you know of any other extensions, themes and/or apps that expand accessibility into the browser, let me know at itsthelatte@gmail.com.

Espresso for all,

-Spencer

Polishing Chrome With Accessibility

2011-09-12T09:00:00.001-05:00

Update! - Having problems getting Chrome to recognize my voice. Don't know what's happened, but it may be due to a number of causes, namely the fact that I'm running Chromium (Linux version of Chrome) and that I'm using ALSA for my sound card drivers (too much to explain). I highly suggest trying Google's Voice Search out regardless of my recent experience. It could be as simple as a need for a Chromium update.

Google Extensions

ChromeVox - A screen reader designed for Chrome. Still being worked on, there are a few dependencies and you will have to enable experimental extensions in order to download and install it. Google has a user guide with a few tutorials that can help aid the installation process as well as initial configuration. http://google-axs-chrome.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/chromevox_tutorial/index.html However, despite my skill as a tech user and a Linux user, I was unable to get it working - possibly due to the fact that the TTS (text-to-speech) has to be manually compiled in Linux distributions. No worries for you Windows and Mac users, though - this extension should install with little problem on your computer. Keep in mind though, this is not a finished extension, so there are bound to be a few kinks along the way. I will update as soon as I am successful (or just try it out on the computer at work in my spare time). http://code.google.com/p/google-axs-chrome/wiki/InstallingChromeVox

ChromeVis - Magnifies and allows you to change the color of text on any page in Chrome. A great extension for those with visual disabilities, it magnifies the text you highlight and shows it at the top of the screen in a customized set of colors. Regardless of what you highlighted in your browser, text is rendered clean and easy to read along with great contrast for those with color blindness. You can customize the colors, size of the magnified text, and keyboard shortcuts. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/halnfobaneppemjnonmmhngbfifnafgd?hl=en&hc=search&hcp=main

Chrome Daltonize - This extension uses a technique of exposing details to color-blind users, allowing them see what they otherwise would have missed. Using algorithms that modify colors to help bring out what would not be seen, this extension works pretty well. However, to be honest, as a fully sighted user, I cannot fully vouch for its usefulness - but it was simple to install, had evident changes to pages without any problems, and great reviews. Has the ability to work automatically or at the push of a button, which is pretty sweet if you have more than one person using your computer. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/efeladnkafmoofnbagdbfaieabmejfcf?hl=en&hc=search&hcp=main

Chrome Black & White Theme - This theme is very simple. Only black and white colors, intended for accessibility. The title bar is black, inactive tabs are grey, toolbar buttons are blue and everything else is white. Installing it was easy and required no relaunch of Chrome; all icons were MUCH easier to see, and the main tab I was on being white made organizing the tabs I had much faster. A great theme for both people with and without visual impairments. https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx?response=redirect&x=id%3Donpphpnfgidbadcijndjfiecbbjdecop%26lang%3Den-US%26uc

ChromeLite - Turns the web into a text-only experience. A possible way to use with a screen reader outside of Chrome, as it not only makes Chrome faster (not that it needs to be) but it also disables images, videos, etc. that would only slow down a person with a visual impairment's web experience. It can be enabled and disabled by user preference. Uses ASCII to create 'images' of logos and such, so not exactly the best option for screen readers. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/bjekedpipaedojkbialnhabcecmfpofh?hl=en&hc=search&hcp=main

Espresso for all,

-Spencer

Tablets & Ubuntu: Highs and Lows

2011-06-11T18:46:00.001-05:00

Greetings to all!

Wow, it has been a eventful time since I last posted; not to make excuses, but with family in Joplin, I had higher priorities. Thankfully, they are all safe and sound.

---------

As we've seen within the past month or so, tablets have taken over the tech industry by storm - even though most users don't even have one yet. While I don't have any statistics to back this up, I do have the fact that the majority of my co-workers, friends, family and the people that I meet each day (yes, these are the people in my neighborhood) not owning a tablet device.

However, that IS changing. Major companies are focusing on tablets, such as Samsung, Motorola, and Apple - and most of the major ones haven't even debuted yet.

So let's clear the air here: the iPad is not the only tablet available for people with disabilities. In fact, it wasn't even the first tablet created. Tablet computers have been around since 2000, but failed to reach popularity until the iPad.

Currently, Apple's iPad/iPad 2 is the must-have, hot gadget for accessibility and assistive technology among professionals working with people with disabilities.

To be honest, it does provide accessibility - touchscreen navigation, a section of the App Store unfortunately referred to as "special needs" - which is an incredibly discriminatory term for people with disabilities - and more. It's slim, stylish, and fits well in various carry-alls.

But it is not the only tablet available for people with disabilities.

There are ten - TEN! - new Android tablets alone coming out this year. One such tablet, the Asus Eee Pad Transformer, comes with all the features of a regular Android tablet, and features a keyboard dock.

And it starts at $399.

If that's too high, there are other, less expensive tablets coming your way: Motorola's Xoom2, HP's touchpad, Samsung's Galaxy 2 and more.

But wait, what about apps?

Accessibility applications are available on the Android Market - and are free or available at low cost. Apps such as Google Goggles, various screen readers, text-to-speech apps, etc, etc.

So keep your options open the next time you are looking for an assistive technology device - specifically a tablet.

How can a screen reader read that?

I'm a huge Linux fan, and have been ever since I abandoned Windows XP three years ago for Ubuntu Linux for various reasons (no need for aftermarket anti-virus software, firewall software, nor anti-spyware software, free updates, free software, etc).

After exploring the interface and software, however, I had discovered something really cool: the assistive technologies category - and all of the applications available. Orca Screen Reader, KTTS & KMouth Text-To-Speech application, Dasher typer, MouseTrap hands-free controller, and more.

I was elated - here was a great operating system that would work on virtually any computer/laptop, and with free assistive technology applications! This was great!

Unfortunately, it was not to last. Ubuntu's latest version, 11.04, has a new interface - Unity - and is less accessible than ever. There is a choice for GNOME 3, but accessibility is also worse on that front as well.

Ubuntu is one of the most popular distributions in the land of Linux - yet it largely ignored accessibility. In its wake, many are seeking other interfaces and distributions to fill the gap. For example, there is Vinux (http://vinuxproject.org/) a consistent distribution for those with visual disabilities.

But what about other disabilities? People with hearing loss, limited mobility, cognitive, etc.? These are all valid issues that seem to have been forgotten in the latest upgrade.

As a Linux fan, I'm disappointed in Canonical (Ubuntu's chief company) for not sustaining accessibility as part of its operating system. Part of being open-source is being able to get all users to actually use the system, not excluding them from it.

I'm not ditching Linux though - there are many distributions that are great for people with and without disabilities. It's just a shame to see one of the top systems abandon a core demographic for a shiny, glitzy interface.

Next Time: The premiere of Peppermint Two, a comprehensive review of Vinux, and the top stories in accessibility!

Power Up Android Accessibility

2011-04-21T00:53:00.001-05:00

*(For those of you who attended my presentation and wish to download the materials mentioned, please see the end of this post)

Last week, I attended the PowerUp Assistive Technology Conference in Columbia, Missouri (http://www.at.mo.gov/powerup/) and gave a presentation about accessibility in Android and Google's App market. Many found it pretty informative, and didn't know Android actually had accessibility capabilities.

So, to help more concisely - and perhaps critically - review Android on an Assistive Technology level, I will give an overview of it in this post.

*Also, after many requests from the participants, I will now begin to feature at least one Accessible Android App every week - displayed on a secondary page for easy browsing. (http://thelatte.posterous.com/pages/accessible-android-apps)

SO! Without further ado....

For those of you not in the know, Google's mobile operating system, Android, is built on a modified version of the Linux kernel. It is able to run on a variety of smartphones, tablets, and even on your computer (it's been ported to an x86 version - found here: (http://www.android-x86.org/).

Most phones will come with a basic outside interface of four capacitive buttons - Back, Menu, Home, and Search - and with a touchscreen. Some phones may come with a slide-out or standard keyboard, which may fit your needs more than the standard touchscreen phone.

Its base accessibility features, unfortunately, cannot be enabled by a user who cannot see. This may seem like a small speed bump to some, but it's an independence and accessibility issue for many. After all, if you can't use your phone immediately after purchasing and activating it without help due directly to a disability, it's very frustrating. Apple's iPad has the same problem - hopefully this will be overcome in later versions of both.

Talkback, a screen reader that provides spoken feedback, is a native feature and cannot be removed. It is developed by the Eyes-Free Project (https://market.android.com/developer?pub=Eyes-Free+Project), which has also produced many other assistive technology applications that work natively with Android. Find out more about them here: (http://groups.google.com/group/eyes-free)

Google's Market has a wide - I mean WIDE range of apps. For people with disabilities, it's a challenge to deal with, since there is no category specifically labeled 'accessibility' or 'assistive technology'. It becomes readily apparent that Google wants you to utilize what you have used them for in the first place: search.

The good news is that when you do reach an accessibility app, you can find other ones through suggestions, recommendations and and see what else the developer has created. Honestly, though, having to dig through a gigantic market does get tiring for a new Android user - not to mention one who wants to create a more accessible device through customization of apps.

Another issue arises out of an advantage in Android - compatibility. The operating system alone has been ported to countless devices, each one differing at least slightly in hardware. An operating system can be very versatile and made to work on a wide array of hardware - but sooner or later, bugs are bound to rise simply through the incongruency of hardware to operating system.

App compatibility is an even bigger issue; since app developers can't possibly know every single piece of hardware that Android is ported to, the app reaches certain limits and may not work on certain devices.
Compatibility WILL get better as time goes by - Android is still a pretty young system compared to the older competitors out there.

However, if you can't wait, you can create your own app - the software development kit (http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html) is free; Google even offers an App Inventor (http://appinventor.googlelabs.com/about/) for those who are still new to the code.

Without an accessible smartphone, though, Android can only go so far. For example, I own a very small (2.8 inch screen resolution) tablet that has no speaker (headphone jack), four capacitive buttons, and 128MB of RAM. Aside from the microphone and wi-fi connection, that's really about it. Accessibility is very limited on the device due to physical and hardware parameters. So when choosing an Android device, check out the hardware and make sure it works for you; otherwise, the accessibility features won't be able to overcome the obstacle that the device ultimately becomes.

Hopefully, all concerns will be addressed as we watch Android grow up - and contribute to the community to promote accessibility on this truly unique operating system.

Espresso for all,

-Spencer

For those of you who wish to download the materials from my presentation, click on the following links for the seven files in total:
(The full presentation: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/26100324/AimingForAndroid/Aimforandroidfinal.ppt)
(Presentation Outline: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/26100324/AimingForAndroid/Aimforandroidoutline.doc)
(Android x86 version: ***The newest x86 version can be found here: http://code.google.com/p/android-x86/downloads/detail?name=android-x86-2.2-generic.iso&can=2&q=)***
(Install instructions for Android x86 version:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/26100324/AimingForAndroid/installinstructions.doc)
(Install instructions - rich text file:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/26100324/AimingForAndroid/Installinstructions)
(Sample list of Apps: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/26100324/AimingForAndroid/listofATapps.doc)
(Sample list - rich text file: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/26100324/AimingForAndroid/Listofatapps)
(UNetbootin - needed for Android x86 install:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/26100324/AimingForAndroid/unetbootin-win-549.exe)

Power Up Android (and my allergies): A Unique Post

2011-04-21T00:45:00.001-05:00

*(For those of you who attended my presentation and wish to download the materials mentioned, please see the end of this post)

Last week, I attended the PowerUp Assistive Technology Conference in Columbia, Missouri and gave a presentation about accessibility in Android and Google's App market. Many found it pretty informative, and didn't know Android actually had accessibility capabilities.

So, to help more concisely - and perhaps critically - review Android on an Assistive Technology level, I will give an overview of it in this post.

Hopefully, all concerns will be addressed as we watch Android grow up - and contribute to the community to promote accessibility on this truly unique operating system.

Espresso for all,

-Spencer

Sick Tonight, Blog Tomorrow

2011-04-12T22:38:00.001-05:00

For those of you who attended my presentation Tuesday and wish to download the materials mentioned, click on the following links for the eight files in total:

(The full presentation: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/26100324/AimingForAndroid/Aimforandroidfinal.ppt)

(Presentation Outline: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/26100324/AimingForAndroid/Aimforandroidoutline.doc)

(Android x86 version: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/26100324/AimingForAndroid/android-x86-1.6-r2.iso)

(Install instructions for Android x86 version:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/26100324/AimingForAndroid/installinstructions.doc)

(Install instructions - rich text file:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/26100324/AimingForAndroid/Installinstructions)

(Sample list of Apps: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/26100324/AimingForAndroid/listofATapps.doc)

(Sample list - rich text file: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/26100324/AimingForAndroid/Listofatapps)

(UNetbootin - needed for Android x86 install:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/26100324/AimingForAndroid/unetbootin-win-549.exe)

New, epic post coming soon - dealing with attacking allergies and killer pollen.

When spring hits...THIS is your worst enemy.

Espresso for all,

- Spencer

Look Ma, No Keyboard: Dasher Types In Accessibility

2011-03-11T05:00:00.001-06:00

Most of us have grown up around the conventional computer human interfaces - the keyboard, mouse, and graphic screen. Even with touch screen devices and other new peripherals being introduced, the keyboard and mouse setup is still king.

Yet for many people with disabilities - and those of us using netbooks with comically small keyboards compared to our green giant-sized hands - using the conventional interface is not a possibility. On top of that, the keyboard itself has been known to cause injury by way of carpal tunnel. There's got to be a better way.

...and there is! Turns out an application called Dasher (http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/dasher/), officially packaged for open source since 2002 (but in existence since 1997!), allows one to type without the neccesity of a keyboard, nor an on-screen keyboard.

A great application, Dasher is quick, easy to configure, and extremely stable. It caused no troubles running on various machines, including a netbook, laptop, and a PC. Apps are available for the iPhone/iPad and smartphones running Android at no cost (http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/dasher/MobileDasher.html).

Dasher can be modified to work with other assistive technologies, such as different buttons, mice, and even head/eye tracking software. As you learn to use the interface, speed and other controls can be adapted to one's liking - or you can let the application do that automatically by selecting the "adapt speed automatically" checkbox. Users can expect to reach from 20 to 30 words per minute; not much in the way of a blazing record, but much faster than using an on-screen keyboard - which can be both tedious and time-consuming.

Best of all, it's fully compatible with MouseTrap (you can find here: http://thelatte.posterous.com/hey-ubuntu-ditching-gnome-is-bad-accessibilit), an application that utilizes a webcam to track the motion of any object visible by the camera and moves the mouse cursor according to the path of the tracked object - such as a user's head or eyes.

Couple that with KMouseTool (http://www.kde.org/applications/utilities/kmousetool/), an application that clicks the mouse for you virtually, and you're ready to leave the keyboard behind.

For those still using Window$ and all of you Apple fans, you're not left in the dust - Dasher has up-to-date versions of its application for both proprietary operating systems. However, to run this trifecta of assistive technology, you will need a Linux operating system to run both MouseTrap and KMouseTool in conjunction with Dasher.

So get rid of that clunky old keyboard and upgrade yourself into the 21st century with Dasher!

Espresso for all,

- Spencer

test

2011-02-28T15:02:00.001-06:00

test

Flawed Logic: Egypt's Revolution May Indirectly (and positively) Affect Internet Accessibility

2011-02-16T12:32:00.001-06:00

Don't believe me?

It's understandable. After all, what does a Middle Eastern country's revolt against a dictator using online and offline activism have to do with accessibility?

On the surface, almost nothing.

However, when you peel back the layers of this truly momentous event, there is a landmark opportunity for major gain in web accessibility.

Let's examine what happened when Mubarak tried to disable internet access for the entire country. Did it truly stop all of Egypt's citizens from accessing web content?

No.

According to a few 'grey hats' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_hat), some set up makeshift cellular towers and backpack routers to 'piggyback' signals from neighboring countries. The Burning Man festival held in the U.S. does something different, but used in a similar way to what the Egyptians used: voice over internet protocol, etc.

Burning Man used what is referred to as The Open BTS project (Open Base Transeiver Station), which you can learn about here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenBTS. Also, a great post about the testing done at Burning Man by Ed Hunsinger can be found here: http://www.geeked.info/burning-man-and-communication-cell-phones-on-the-playa/. I urge you to read both.

Returning to the main point: Egypt's internet access, despite a complete cutoff by the Mubarak-led government, did not cease to exist. Obviously, online communication played a legitimate role in the peaceful and successful revolution; there are lessons we can learn from this. At least our State Department thinks so.

According to an article in New York Times written on Tuesday, February 15th, "the Obama administration plans to announce a new policy on Internet freedom, designed to help people get around barriers in cyberspace". "The State Department plans to finance programs like circumvention services, which enable users to evade Internet firewalls...secure their e-mail from surveillance or wipe incriminating data from cell-phones if they are detained by police."
Using what is called "circumvention technology", a technique where users route their traffic through multiple proxy servers in other countries, such firewalls can be dodged. Many proponents of this policy want it to also focus on protecting social communication and networking services, such as facebook, twitter, and others.

By switching the focus from overthrowing dictators to web accessibility, there is hope for removal of obstacles.

Flawed logic, I know - but this inadvertent series of events could lead to the path of easier access for people with disabilities.

For example, websites and pages with strict filtering, firewalls, and/or routing practices could be virtually negotiated with to enable effortless interfacing with modern-day assistive technology. Instead of relying on another person, one simply and independently uses solutions that the state department also wants to use - just in a different way.

In a word, tactical to practical.

Espresso for all,

Spencer

The Conundrum of Cognitive Accessibility

2011-02-04T17:13:00.001-06:00

Assistive Technology, despite some growing pains, has made significant progress over the past decade. Accessible devices have allowed people with physiological, biological and neurological disabilities to live the lives they choose.

...Wait, we seem to be forgetting something...

According to the National Center on Disability and Access to Education (http://ncdae.org/tools/cognitive/), accessibility for people with cognitive disabilities (largely on the internet) has been overlooked.

As quoted:

"Accessibility for users with cognitive disabilities can be a far greater challenge than for those with other types of disabilities. Cognitive impairments are the least understood of the disability categories (21) and much of what is published regarding cognitive disabilities is from a clinical or research point of view which does not directly include issues related to website accessibility (9)."

There are several reasons for this. I will elaborate:

Arguably easier to solve assistive technology problems when addressing physiological disabilities (for example, a person with vision loss, hearing loss, or loss of mobility).
Cognitive disabilities are often 'hidden' from view, i.e. cannot be detected by others through typical interaction.
Even now, the state of assistive technology is far from where it should eventually be; easy customization, setup and execution of applications are still issues being confronted to this day.
Most cognitive disabilities range on a spectrum, rendering any sort of structural model for assistive technology inadequate. Each individual case must be addressed on a customized basis rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

There are a few suggestions, ideas and even organizations that are working towards cognitive accessibility. Let's examine them with a critical eye.

-DDweb, a.k.a. Developing Minds Software (http://ddweb.developingmindssoftware.com/directory/)
One of the first things I noticed on this site was the interface, and that on the surface, it seemed to work. However, after running some tests for accessibility, I came across missing alternate text for the simplistic menu items. Very disconcerting.
I also noted that it seems not to be finished. For example, visiting this link on how to cook a 'Trifle' (http://ddweb.developingmindssoftware.com/directory/default.asp?page=cooking) takes you to a page that merely directs you to wash your hands, then gather ingredients. Plus, at the top of the redirected page, it has the title "Girl Talk". Since when was cooking only for females?
Many of the pages look incomplete and unfinished, which is unacceptable for a released product and/or website (unless it's in alpha or beta, obviously).

-Zoodles (http://www.zoodles.com/home/marketing)
Created primarily for children, this software is designed to be customized for the user by parents and/or guardians. Mostly full of games, educational subjects and other apps, it is designed to be simple and safe.
I was unable to try Zoodles out. From what I can gather, it would be great for kids, but not so much for adults with congitive disabilities.

-Utilizing the cloud.
An article written by Ted Drake on the Yahoo Developer Network (http://developer.yahoo.com/blogs/ydn/posts/2010/11/cloud-can-improve-living-with-cognitive-disabilities/) discusses how the cloud could be utilized for people cognitive disabilities.
It's a novel idea. For example, customized personal settings on an assistive technology device could be saved on a remote server for safekeeping in case of device failure and/or upgrade. That way, future devices can be adapted quickly, easily and seamlessly without the risk of data loss.
Another way cloud computing could be useful is through the sharing of tools. By using software providing assistive technology tools located in the cloud, all computers accessing said cloud would be able to use it. Libraries, classrooms, workplaces and other places would benefit from cloud-based assistive technology.
Both ways allow for full modification to each persons' needs.

-Cognitive Web Accessibility Guidelines (http://clearhelper.wordpress.com/2010/08/19/cognitive-web-accessibility-guidelines-from-2009-and-2010/)
John Rochford has compiled a list of links and resources about developing Web sites accessible to people with cognitive disabilities. It is full of information, and it links you to very important sites such as WebAIM (http://webaim.org/), The Web Accessibility Initiative (http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/wcag.php), and many others. I highly recommend this for anyone creating and/or maintaining a website, webpage or any other web-based content. The diversity of the information is great and is easy to interpret.

-Organizations working towards cognitive accessibility.
According to ClearHelper.org (http://www.clearhelper.org/), a few organizations that are actively striving to enhance cognitive accessibility include:

The ArcLink (http://www.thearclink.org/)
Inclusive New Media Design (http://www.inclusivenewmedia.org/)
The Rix Centre (http://www.rixcentre.org/)

And many, many more, which can be found in the reference article here: (http://www.clearhelper.org/Resources/CWA/Promoters/)

Only time will tell if assistive technology will rise to the challenge of successfully working for those with cognitive disabilities.

Espresso for all,

Spencer

2011 Predictions and Predications

2011-01-03T16:18:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year, everyone!

2010 brought a lot of assistive technology issues to the forefront. With Ubuntu leaving GNOME behind, the FCC's ruling on Net Neutrality, the 20th Anniversary of the ADA, Health Care reform, the rapid technological development of smartphones, etc. we were greeted with landmark opportunities to achieve major advancements for accessibility in high-profile technologies, such as internet communications, social networks, portable computing, and more.

There is still work to be done, however. As the IPv6 addresses start to replace IPv4 and HTML5 is more consistently used, web site accessibility for a diverse base of users with and without disabilities must be improved. Devices such as smartphones, netbooks, net-tops, laptops and tablets are constantly evolving, with more customizable interfaces, faster speeds and increased portability. No longer are we limited to the stock operating systems that are loaded onto such devices at the factory; we now can choose an operating system based on our preferences and needs.

In 2011, I predict (with some reservation) the following:

- Cognitive web accessibility will become a more prominent issue within the disability community.

As of now, most web site accessibility has been aimed at persons with physiological disabilities (i.e. visual, hearing, mobility, etc.). Yet there has been a recent cry for more accessibility for those with cognitive disabilities, of which some feel have not been addressed. While this is a valid issue, it may not be as easily tackled due to many factors;
one of which is most obvious - the internet is still not entirely accessible for people with disabilities, period.

- Smartphone assistive technology will continue to grow and develop

One thing you can count on when you observe the smartphone operating system wars, the competitors will always try to outdo one another in a chance to get a higher rating. Many are aware of Apple's iPhone and how accessible it can be right out of the box - not to mention with the purchase of a few apps. You may also be aware of Google's Android
operating system (used by a variety of smartphone manufacturers, such as motorola and htc) and its built-in accessibility, along with assistive technology apps as well. Microsoft's Windows 7 phone is also claiming to be fully accessible.
What does this mean? Good news for all people with disabilities in the market for smartphones and/or assistive technology apps. Apple and Google both have expanding app marketplaces that have accessibility apps in them - and as the operating systems/phones are upgraded, so will the apps. All three companies (not to mention smaller competitors)
want as many customers as possible - regardless of ability - so they want to sell a phone that can be used by as many people as possible.

- Net Neutrality will quietly disappear - and be killed off by Congress

Although this seems overtly political, it is not in any way. True Net Neutrality is essential for people with disabilities, as many of us use services on the internet that are not always listed as high profile sites. Low to no-cost sites and their products are constantly used by people with disabilities, not to mention a growing number of people who are facing declining incomes (who often include people with disabilities). Letting Internet Service Providers determine the speed of traffic to certain sites cannot be allowed, but in the latest FCC ruling, it has for wireless networks (3G, wireless broadband, etc. not wi-fi). If Congress repeals the already weak FCC ruling on Net Neutrality, we must be prepared for slow internet connection speeds, higher rates and possibly a large collapse of small web sites that just don't have the proper number of hits that ISPs deem high enough to deserve any internet traffic.
Since there has been little fanfare, ruckus or ANYTHING heard from the people of our country on this issue, we may see what little Net Neutrality we have left vanish - and the very communication lines we value so much with it.

- Open-Source, Linux, and community-driven development will drive new assistive/accessible technology software and apps

I admit, I am just a little biased on this one, but let's face some facts:

A) Android, Google's mobile operating system, is based off of Linux. The development kit used to build apps is free to download and use, and now Google has even released a program called App Inventor that makes creating your own apps much easier.
B) Apple allows developers to create their own apps (for a price, of course) and sell them to iPhone owners.
C) Sites such as Lifehacker.com and others allow users to post their own how-tos, sharing with others all kinds of information on technology, hardware, and much more.
D) Many Linux operating system distributions have accessibility communities that are dedicated to developing, fixing, and testing those distributions for proper accessibility - and it is voluntary.

- Closed-source assistive technology will not drop in price, and possibly rise

Many of us with disabilities are familiar with the alarming cost of closed-source devices. In the past, this was, unfortunately, our only choice when it came to accessibility. Now, we can choose less expensive options - but that may not be enough to lower the price of closed-source devices sold by assistive technology proprietors. In fact, it may raise their price as they struggle to gain back any profits/income they have lost due to lower cost assistive technology.
Will we see the decline of the closed-source assistive technology industry in 2011? Maybe not; however, it will most definitely take a hit if it does not adapt and/or lower its exorbitant prices.

- More people with disabilities will be on the internet

An easy prediction; the disability community will turn to the internet as a communication tool, cloud-based storage system, information repository, social networking platform, and much more. As people with disabilities become more internet-savvy, more of us will be using it on a more consistent basis.

Have any predictions for 2011? Comment below, tweet, or e-mail me!

Finding the internets on the road

2010-12-14T15:04:00.001-06:00

With the holidays upon us - as well as travel - connecting to the information superhighway is not always easy. So, in the tradition of helping my fellow humans in similar situations as I find myself, I will try to answer the following question as best I can:

How do you find (and stay connected to) wi-fi hotspots?

In many large cities, finding "free" wi-fi is usually easy to do. However, if you live in a suburb or a rural area, getting a wireless connection is a little harder to come by.

Here's some quick ways to grab a wireless signal, as well as some cautionary points:

- Plan ahead.

I know this sounds sort of redundant, but it's more complex than that. For example, if you have an idea of the area you will be in the day before - and have a connection to the internet - check out websites that list and/or show maps of geographic locations of wireless networks around the world/country. Take a screenshot or screen capture video of the map (make sure you zoom and move around to show all the data!), then save to a memory card, flash drive or portable device that you'll be using on your journey.
Example site: www.wigle.net

- Head towards the highway(s).

Strangely enough, the information superhighway can be found close to our nation's highways. This makes sense, due to the fact that a lot of retailers and businesses build close to interstates. The exact location of the wireless access point may be harder to find, though, since many sites that map out wireless networks do so by techniques such as 'wardriving' (the act of searching for Wi-Fi wireless networks by a person in a moving vehicle, using a portable computer or PDA) - and may just be listing networks found while driving on a highway.

- Build a "WokFi".

Sometimes, the wi-fi signal you find just is too weak. That's when you need to get creative - and build yourself something that'll amplify that signal on the cheap.
That's where the "WokFi" comes in.
Using simple Asian cookware scoops easily found at various stores, a USB wireless dongle and a USB cable, you can amplify the signal you're trying to receive. You can find out how to construct your own here: http://www.usbwifi.orcon.net.nz/

-----

Next post will be after January 1st and will discuss Google's Android OS - specifically, its accessibility and assistive technology that comes native, the accessible and assistive technology apps available on the Android market, and more.

Happy Holidays everyone!! See you in 2011!!

Assistive Technology Survey!

2010-11-12T10:42:00.001-06:00

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Hey Ubuntu: Ditching Gnome is Bad Accessibility Policy

2010-11-10T15:50:00.001-06:00

(2353 KB)
Watch on posterous

Over this year and last, I have kept a watchful eye on the state of accessibility in Linux, especially in the Ubuntu distribution using
the Gnome desktop environment. Until now, there has been a steady progression (especially this year) of access and assistive technology among most Linux distributions.
On October 25th, however, Mark Shuttleworth of Canonical announced that their own shell - "Unity" - will be used instead of Gnome in Ubuntu's 11.04 release, slated next year.

While I see some simplistic advantages to this decision, disastrous accessibility policy also comes to light.

Let's look at the facts of Unity:

Initially developed for Ubuntu Netbook Edition 10.10 (Of which at least one company avoided in favor of the older 10.04 version)
Requires functioning 3-D support (proper hardware & drivers)
Currently hard to customize its 'dock' for other applications
Hard to tweak for peak performance

Unless you've got the right hardware, the automatically-configured Compiz part of Unity will make it hard to operate. Older hardware and drivers may face a tough time running Ubuntu on their shell - and you can't turn it off, since Compiz is slated to be an integral part of the Unity shell. Canonical is wanting to do this for many reasons, but again, according to Mark Shuttleworth, it mostly came down to differing opinions (http://www.downloadsquad.com/2010/10/25/ubuntu-11-04-natty-narwhal-unity-gnome-default-shell/) and touchscreen support.

Regardless of the opinions that differed, ditching GNOME is simply bad accessibility policy - for a number of reasons.

GNOME has a growing Accessibility community (http://projects.gnome.org/accessibility/index.html), of which has brought together developers that have produced Orca, MouseTrap, MouseTweaks, and other applications. GNOME is also a very accessible desktop environment; you can easily configure it to your AT specifications within minutes. Also, the people working on the project haven't abandoned it - on the contrary, they're bringing ideas to the table. While KDE does have some programs (and I won't knock 'em for what they've done), GNOME seems to be a big player for many years in FOSS accessibility.

One clear example that shows GNOME's commitment to accessibility is MouseTrap (http://live.gnome.org/MouseTrap), an application that "allows users with physical impairments to move a mouse cursor. It uses a webcam to track the motion of any object visible by the camera and moves the mouse cursor according to the path of the tracked object (a user's head, for example)". Normally, proprietary software similar to this would cost hundreds - maybe even thousands - of dollars, and that's not including the equipment or setup fees. MouseTrap is in version 0.4, and there still is work to do (movement is a little choppy), but the point is that IT WORKS!

I've put together a video here that shows it in action.

When one of the most-used distributions fails to see just how essential GNOME is when approaching assistive applications, choices are made that may leave out some of the most loyal users.

*Of course, all conclusions won't be drawn until closer to the debut of Ubuntu 11.04, when we can get a closer look at just how the Unity shell will be handled as the main shell by Canonical. Users who are installing Ubuntu for the first time will be given a choice over their shell next year.

(Cite: http://blogs.computerworld.com/17224/ubuntu_changes_its_desktop_from_gnome_to_unity
http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2010/10/shuttleworth-unity-shell-will-be-default-desktop-in-ubuntu-1104.ars
http://arstechnica.com/open-source/reviews/2010/05/exclusive-hands-on-with-ubuntus-new-unity-netbook-shell.ars
http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/67880
http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2010/10/system-76-starling-netbooks-wont-ship-with-slow-confusing-ubuntu-unity/
http://www.downloadsquad.com/2010/10/25/ubuntu-11-04-natty-narwhal-unity-gnome-default-shell/)

New Home

2010-11-09T15:18:00.002-06:00

Greetings once again!
The L.A.T.T.E. has a new home (http://thelatte.posterous.com), one that will be quicker to update - and hopefully will be more accessible for all persons reading this blog. Also, Posterous has a lot of features that were not available on the other site.
Thanks for reading, and hope you enjoy the new digs!
Espresso for all,
Spencer

Stand Up For Autistics

2010-11-01T14:02:00.000-05:00

Stand up for my fellow Autistics and support the Autistics Speaking Day.

More info here: http://www.autisticadvocacy.org/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=122

75 Mhz of Antique

2010-10-18T12:22:00.002-05:00

The first Personal Computer my parents owned, circa 1992.

Time for a little nostalgia, everyone.

This post isn't dedicated to accessibility or assistive technology in as much as the first computer my family actually owned, although I will discuss it.

With that, I give you our first computer we ever owned, the Packard Bell Legend 401CD.

The back of our old Packard Bell Legend 401CD. Few ports, but they had color-coded labels for the cords. Snazzy!

My parents bought it in late summer of 1992. Intel processor, CD-ROM and Floppy drive. Dad upgraded the modem to 56K after a few years.

The back of our old Packard Bell Legend 401CD. Few ports, but they had color-coded labels for the cords. Snazzy!

The back of our old Packard Bell Legend 401CD. Few ports, but they had color-coded labels for the cords. Snazzy! (Apologize for the blurriness)

(Apologies for blurriness, the camera I used had manual focus option) This is the CPU of our computer. Compared to today's CPUs, it's a mastadon - in fact, the face of it is actually bigger than the latest iPod Nano.

The processor ran at 75 Mhz, and had 8 MB of stock RAM. We upgraded it beyond to about 64MB, if I remember correctly, but never upgraded the video card.

Strangely enough, while doing some browsing, I discovered that Packard Bell still "exists", even though they were acquired by Acer Inc some years ago. Explore their website here and find out more: http://www.packardbell.com/index.html
I was under the highly mistaken impression, all these years, that they were now a part of Hewlett-Packard simply due to the similarity in names. Just goes to show how ignorance and lack of research can lead to the completely wrong conclusions.

I have some video of this machine being dissembled that I will upload to this post later on as soon as I can stitch/edit it together.

As far as accessibility was concerned, it was nonexistent. Basic keyboard/mouse input and Windows 95 operating system with limited expandability. 95 had configuration opportunities for primitive assistive technology, but nothing that was very substantial. PC World slammed Packard Bell from '94 to '96 for producing a sub-par product - we still used this Legend 401CD for at least 6 years until it was replaced with an HP tower unit, which is now used by a senior citizen friend of ours running XP.
I now run A Dell laptop with Linux annd XP in a dual boot setup plus a EeePC netbook running Peppermint One OS (http://peppermintos.com/); my dad, an MSi touchscreen desktop with Linux-Windows 7 dual boot setup; and my mom running an Acer tower unit with Vista.

What was your first computer? How was your user experience with it like?

10 Tips To Improve The State Of Assistive Technology

2010-10-07T17:07:00.000-05:00

Picture of ADA T-Shirt with various buttons on display at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.

With the advent of the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (http://www.ada.gov/) upon us, the growth of people with disabilities using technology - especially assistive technology - has grown by leaps and bounds. Yet technology as a whole hasn't exactly caught up to us (people with disabilities). If money were no object, any person with a disability would most likely be using the latest and most advanced technology known to man in their daily lives - giving them the ability to live the life they choose on their terms.

However, as most of us are aware, this is not the case. Cutting edge tech costs money; the newer, the higher the price. If the technology doesn't even exist to address the demand, the situation is even more dire.

The possibilities of our current technological development, as well as its obstacles, are much more apparent when viewed from the side of people with disabilities. So, what can/could be done to further improve the state of assistive technology for people with disabilities?

I offer some tips below:

Utilize the "cloud".

A great way to ensure longevity, synchronization and backup of data for your device is to utilize "Cloud Computing". This is the concept of using the internet as a way to run applications and programs on your computer instead of having to install them. You can also save files and backup your system using various web sites/applications as well, such as Google Docs (http://docs.google.com) and Dropbox (www.dropbox.com). This way, if your AT device fails, you've got all of your files & data backed up and easily accessible by just getting online. Plus, if you have multiple AT devices, you can synchronize your information across all of them seamlessly.
Develop/use a larger variety of software/apps.

For most consumers, the way to acquire and use software was to physically buy it. The selection was limited by location, store, and by operating system (most consumers were Windows-heavy users). Proprietary software was, for the everyday user (and especially people with disabilities), the only way to go.
Thankfully, this is no longer the case. While proprietary software still has a legitimate hold on the PC market, smartphones have brought in a new era of "apps" that are either free or low-priced for consumers. Apple now rivals Windows in the operating system market, and the Linux kernel is consistently making a name for itself.
All this brings a more open, less expensive market for assistive technology software. Diversifying the applications on your device based on your needs, finances and customized interface significantly improves your user experience.
Embrace open source/Linux.

Open-source software, the Linux kernel and open-source operating systems are great ways to compliment your AT device(s). Not only are many available at no cost, they are also highly customizable. Source code can be modified to provide maximum usability for the consumer in various open-source applications, and many Linux-based operating systems (http://www.linux.org/dist/list.html) come native with assistive technology/accommodations. If other AT applications are required, you can download them from repositories at no charge - and even add various repositories to your system.
This high level of customization - not to mention the low-to-no cost of open-source computing - makes this tip crucial when considering assistive technology devices and their software.
Buy/sell/trade assistive technology.

Recently, I had encountered a parent who had just purchased a device for her son that had the following functions: text-to-speech, ''eye gaze'' (ability to use eyes/head as a mouse), communication system output, and Windows XP operating system. Cost? $18,000.00.
While I will neither condemn nor condone the use of a Windows operating system, the cost of this system is clearly outrageous. A device that costs three times as much as my car (which is in sound shape) should do a LOT more than that - or have an outside shell comprised of diamonds and 24-carat gold.
A way to avoid getting gouged by sky-high AT device prices is to sell your old one to someone else at a reduced price, trade it with someone else for a new(er) device, and/or buy a used device from a previous owner. Many people do this with cars, stoves, refrigerators, audio equipment, furniture, etc. So why not with assistive technology?
Just remember to use common sense in your transactions - only buy/sell/trade with someone you know and trust, and always keep records of your transactions.
Adapt various devices for use as AT.

As many of you probably know, any kind of device listed as "Assistive Technology" and that is covered under Medicare is also listed as "Medical Equipment". Since the process to get approved as "Medical Equipment" is lengthy and tedious, less companies get involved - thus selection of devices and prices are limited.
The market for consumer technology as a whole, however, is vast. Personal Computers, Laptops, Netbooks, Nettops, Tablets, Smartphones, etc. all are expanding our technological horizons at a constant pace. Apple and Google have proven that accessibility and universal design can be built into the latest and coolest gadgets without high cost. With this in mind, we can take the initiative and get creative with the current wave of tech, turning it into our own personal assistive technology. Not only will it meet our needs, but we will know how it was constructed, most likely how to fix it if/when it breaks down, and the building process will add a unique personalization and pride to the unit.
You might even discover that consumer gadgets available today are not only lower in cost, but more reliable and durable than existing assistive technology products.
Rate AT companies based on price, performance and other vital factors.

Recently, friend of the blog and colleague Ari Ne'eman (http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/10/exclusive-ari-neeman-qa/all/1) was interviewed by Wired Magazine. While he spoke well for Autistics like myself, one statement caught my eye:
"If there was some kind of web-based tool or mobile app that enables people to flag buildings with “very good” or “very bad” access, it could spur a lot of positive social change."
Profound words. This is one of the best ideas, and could very well spur the action needed to fully enforce the ADA. So why don't we do this with AT companies, too?
Rating AT companies based on the products they provide and using that as purchasing power would go a long way to aid the chronic reliability and durability issues, limited market, and steep prices.
Communicate via social networking sites.

Social network sites offer many great ways to communicate; you can post pictures, videos, links, and send messages back and forth to friends across the web. Regardless of disability, social network sites have the ability to equalize the social playing field, eliminating stereotypes and prejudices. As long as you're careful and stay safe, this is an excellent and cost-effective way to stay in touch with friends, family and colleagues.
Build our own social networks/sites.

However, a problem arises with many - if not all - social networking sites: lack of accessibility. Facebook, Myspace, and LinkedIn all have problems with assistive technology such as screen readers and text-to-speech devices; these problems are not limited to just these sites, though.
The most sure way to address these problems is not to change the sites (most social networks see no reason to change their format unless the majority of users stop using the site), but to create our own.
Some groups have already started to do this. Someday, with luck, we'll see the fruits of their labors.
Start up online communities for people with disabilities.

Online communities/forums for/by people with disabilities can help spread ideas, advice, tips, etc. to many who wouldn't be able to find those resources without the internet. It enables people to share their own experiences and troubleshooting with a large group. There are currently a few online communities for people with disabilities - and they are growing.
Spread the word.

Lastly, spread the word - about your experience with AT, what device(s) you use, how you use it/them, the cost, etc. Let people know just how you live your life using various AT gadgets.
As the number of people who gain information about the state of assistive technology increases, so does its quality.

And that's something we can all get behind.

Do you own an assistive technology device, and/or know someone who does? Comment about it below!

The 'fox Gets Accessible

2010-10-06T15:07:00.000-05:00

Ever since its introduction, Firefox has always fought to be as current as possible with cutting-edge add-ons, a customizable interface, and overall open-source that many have grown to love.
Firefox is one of the most compatible browsers when it comes to persons with disabilities, namely due to its open-source code, availability of free extensions, and the ability to help its parent company develop it.
Currently Firefox offers not only up-to-date features (such as full screen zoom, etc.), but also a selection of AT themes and add-ons to ensure that you can access the web your way.
You can find out more at www.accessfirefox.org, or http://www.mozilla.org/access/users.

One of my favorite themes is called AnyColor (http://www.accessfirefox.org/AnyColor.php). Its high customization, smooth look and easy configuration make it an easy choice for your browser. Plus, you can change its look without having to restart firefox - an excellent convenience for those who are always on the web.

Firefox accessibility themes are located here: http://www.accessfirefox.org/Firefox_Accessibility_Themes.php

Two must-have extensions are Fire Vox and The Firefox Accessibility Extension.

Fire Vox is, according to its home page at http://www.firevox.clcworld.net/about.html, "An open source, freely available talking browser extension for the Firefox web browser. Think of it as a screen reader that is designed especially for Firefox.
In addition to the basic features that are expected of screen readers, such as being able to identify headings, links, images, etc. and providing navigational assistance, Fire Vox provides support for MathML and CSS speech module properties. It also works on Windows, Macintosh, and Linux."
Fire Vox works extremely well. Testing it on multiple machines and operating systems proved its functionality and ease of use. Even though I don't necessarily need it, this extension is still installed and enabled on my browser to this day.

The Firefox Accessibility Extension is essentially a multi-tool for AT. Shoehorning multiple features into one add-on, it gives you a higher state of control over the web page you're browsing, thereby allowing you to access sites that may be limited in their accessibility scripting. It houses more than 55 tools, and comes packaged in a convenient toolbar.

For Firefox accessibility add-ons, direct your browser here: http://www.accessfirefox.org/Firefox_Accessibility_Extensions.php

If your browsing experience still comes up short, Mozilla (Firefox's 'parent') has a page, team and dedicated community to help. Find out more about how Mozilla embraces AT here: http://www.mozilla.org/access/users

Access Mozilla picture from site

Happy Browsing!

A big THANK YOU goes out to the following sites and the people behind them: www.accessfirefox.org, http://www.firevox.clcworld.net, www.mozilla.org/access

At Linuxcon!

2010-08-11T11:19:00.001-05:00

Hey folks!

I'm here at Linuxcon enjoying all the fun!
If you're here as well, try to find me and say hi!

For everyone else, I'll be updating you about Linux and progress made towards universal design, accessibility and assistive technology.

See you here in Boston and/or on the interwebs!

- Spencer

Why India's $35 'Laptop' Isn't Good For Assistive Technology

2010-08-02T15:18:00.000-05:00

Indian minister for HR Development, Kapil Sibal, displaying the $35 laptop

As many of you who read this blog may know, I am a fervent proponent of affordable assistive/accessible technology. Often times the cheaper, the better.
Yet this time is not one of them.
This iPad-like touch screen laptop is priced at $35, which for many of us, seems like an impossible figure to charge for such a product.

How can this be?

Indian minister for HR Development, Kapil Sibal, worked with India's tech universities to develop the Linux-based machine that even has a solar-powered add-on.
It looks to be a little smaller than the iPad, and most tech experts believe that the price won't give you a high-quality screen or the latest processor. It has no hard drive, instead running on a memory card which utilizes flash memory to increase speed and boot/shutdown times. Sibal was quoted as saying it was India's answer to MIT's "$100 laptops".

A closer look at the $35 laptop, being held by Indian minister for HR Development, Kapil Sabal.

"We have reached a [developmental] stage that today, the motherboard, its chip, the processing, connectivity, all of them cumulatively cost around $35, including memory, display, everything."
This touchscreen device is supposedly equipped with internet browers, a PDF reader and potential video conferencing capability; however, Sibal also stated that the hardware was "created with sufficient flexibility to incorporate new components according to user requirements".
This quote leads one to believe that the initial cost of this device is merely the basic version, and it may cost more depending on your needs. It seems that while you do get the essentials at the low price of $35, you may not get the processing power, USB connectivity, bluetooth connectivity, wireless, ethernet, etc. without paying more.
Another viewpoint to examine is the essentials you get themselves. Where do they come from? Many of us know that technology from India is often cheap, but not THIS cheap.
A teardown of the iPad by Fast Company shows that its constructed parts cost at least $230. What bargain bin are the parts for this $35 laptop coming out of? Are they reliable? Are they durable? How long will they last? What about compatibility? Can they be serviced by do-it-yourselfers or will it have to be sent to a service center? Too many questions surface about this device.
Finally, to my original point - why it isn't good for affordable assistive technology.
Linux operating systems and software, even with their versatility, require adequate processing power and reliable components. Add to that the need for a stable platform that will have to scale long run times over periods of hours - maybe even days - you need hardware that can match the operating system. Without a reliable and durable operating system that partners with the same reputable hardware, the technology persons with disabilities rely on to live their lives can and/or will fail - and that is not acceptable.
One can face the fact that no device nor operating system is without fault or subject to system failure every once in a while; yet we must ensure that these are kept to a minimum by producing quality products at affordable prices that utilize stable operating systems and software.

Easystroke: Take Control Through Gestures

2010-07-07T14:00:00.003-05:00

For many individuals with developmental & physiological disabilities, the conventional computer user interface of keyboard & mouse is not an option. Unfortunately, the ability to type and use a mouse proficiently seems to be a requirement in order to use modern computer technology, such as desktops, laptops and sometimes even netbooks.
One solution to this quandary is an application known as Easystroke (http://sourceforge.net/projects/easystroke/). A gesture recognition program, Easystroke is easily customizable and compatible with a number of different interfaces, from common mice, webcams, joysticks, trackballs, touchscreen tablet PCs, and more. Easystroke lets you add your own commands along with custom gestures, enabling total personalization within the program.

(Interface as seen in Ubuntu 10.04)

Easystroke is - as its name states - easy to work with. Simply "draw" the gesture that relates to the command you want to execute. For example, to start a new OpenOffice word processor document, you could draw a "W" on your desktop.

(*Screen Capture Video of Easystroke in action)

It also can execute other commands, such as minimize, close, open, maximize, and virtually any others you can think of. It can emulate a scroll wheel on a mouse, hold down modifier keys and even press keys just by the flick of your customized gestures.
Easystroke does take some time to set up personalized gestures and commands (make sure to have it listed as a startup application!), but after you and/or a friend do this, that's it! Easystroke is ready to go. If you have Ubuntu or a similar Linux operating system, Easystroke can be found in the software center under Universal Access.

(*Screen Capture of how to access EasyStroke in Ubuntu Software Center)

A big thank you goes out to Thomas Jaeger (ThJaeger@gmail.com), the person who created Easystroke.

*Some videos may have playback issues at full screen mode. If you would like a copy of the videos via e-mail with/without captions and/or audio, let me know at: itsthelatte@gmail.com

Why Linux & Open-Source Assistive/Accessible Technology Matters

2010-06-25T13:55:00.002-05:00

Many of us have come to realize that while Windows/Mac operating systems do come standard with some accessibility, they can be very basic and often times scant of any options to extensively customize the tools for various needs. For extra tools and programs to aid in access and assistance on technology and devices, one is left with little choice but to buy proprietary software/hardware to meet those needs.
Unfortunately, the expense of such is largely determined on the severity/type of disability - the more severe, the higher the cost. Since persons with disabilities are for the most part unable to afford these costs due to lack of employment, poverty, lack of sufficient income/bankroll, etc., they are forced rely on loans, state/federal services/grants, and government programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security/SSI, and others.
It has been stated by some that persons with disabilities should work - i.e. "pull themselves up by their bootstraps" - and quit relying on other sources/people for their needs.

What we as a people are failing to not only realize but understand is that many persons are caught in an inexorable cycle that by itself discourages and prevents employment. It's why unemployment for persons with disabilities is currently more than 10% in this country.
Here's how it functions:

A person has a disability and needs assistive technology.
In order to afford said technology, the person needs to generate income.
To generate income, the person with a disability needs a job.
In order to work, the person with a disability needs assistive technology.
Repeat from point 2.

Once stuck in this cycle, it is almost impossible to get out without assistance from outside sources - unless you have relatives who will help pay for it.
These tools aren't an optional luxury, an unnecessary expense or a waste of taxpayer dollars - they are instruments used to assist persons with disabilities live the life they choose as anyone else would do. They level the playing field so that everyone has an equal opportunity to achieve their own dreams, something that all Americans - including myself - deeply cherish.
It is my hope that open-source technology and Unix/Linux applications and programs will continue to grow and proliferate in the field of assistive/accessible technology. The freedom to choose more open, less expensive technology will eventually break the inexorable cycle for all persons with disabilities, and will promote further advances in assistive/accessible hardware/software, as well as the devices involved.

We are on the brink of technological revolution; from an open-source smartphone operating system (Android) to Linux assistive technology applications and programs, we have a monumental opportunity to improve the quality of life for all persons with disabilities.

It's one we can't afford to miss.

3 Great Linux Distributions for Netbooks

2010-06-21T16:36:00.004-05:00

As we roll halfway through 2010, many of us have seen the popularity of portable computers continue to rise. Recently there has been a demand for a smaller, cheaper, and more portable version of today's laptops; this has come in the form of what is called a 'netbook'. These netbooks are smaller in size and contain no disc drive, yet have similar processing power to budget-priced laptops. With no dedicated graphics card or audio card, netbooks are designed for mostly web-surfing, office-type work, and lighter applications than their larger cousins. Attractively priced, their popularity has jumped, as well as the variety and style in which they are offered.
Most netbooks are sold with one of three distinct operating systems - Windows XP (soon to be phased out of the current market), Windows 7, and various Linux distributions. Even though Apple does sell a tablet, they do not sell a netbook, so Mac distributions will not be covered in this article.
While Windows XP and 7 do offer various options for assistive technology, they are limited solely on the basis of proprietary software and licenses, which hides costs for software beyond the purchase of the netbook.
Many Linux distributions are available for netbooks at no cost, and they offer free software alternatives that significantly rival their proprietary brothers. Here are a few (in no particular order of importance) that are worth trying out - and free:

1.) Ubuntu Netbook Edition
http://www.ubuntu.com/netbook
Long the staple of many newcomers to the Linux kernel, Ubuntu is considered by many as the most user-friendly. Developed by Canonical and based from Debian, Ubuntu also is available for servers and desktops.
Ubuntu Netbook Edition comes with a slick, easy-to-use interface. The user interface is customized to work inside a netbook's small screen and begins with a netbook launcher - a menu with large icons and categories to choose from instead of a "start" menu. Native accessible technology comes standard, as you can configure keyboard and mouse accessibility easily - as well as assign preferred applications for assistive technology when starting up your netbook.

Ubuntu also comes standard with the Ubuntu Software Center, a massive collection of free software available through the GPL-GNU license (this basically means it's free to use for personal use for anyone; google it for more answers). The collection includes great assistive/accessible software that's free, such as a gesture recognition program, screen reading programs, screen magnifier programs, text-to-speech programs, a program that can directs the mouse via webcam and your head/eye movements, and many more.

Ubuntu Netbook Edition works best on newer netbooks due to its bigger system footprint; while it is most certainly a great operating system, it does require a significant amount of processing power and memory to operate. Older model netbooks may run it slower, so unless you have a netbook from 2009 or later, you may be better off running another distribution.

2.) Peppermint
http://peppermintos.com/
A smaller, lightweight distribution based off of Linux Mint, Peppermint relatively new to the Linux community. Despite its rookie status, it's pretty sweet, boasting quick boot and shutdown times, fast load times for applications, an overall pleasing look and a user interface that many people can easily get accustomed to.

Since both Linux Mint and Peppermint are based off of Ubuntu, Peppermint's Software Manager offers the same free software available you'd find in Ubuntu.

Peppermint Linux comes pre-installed with some web applications, including a few Google apps. A helpful support community and forum that can be reached via the peppermint website can answer virtually any question you have.
Peppermint works great on nearly any netbook with little to no configuration. However, it is a new distribution, which means that bugs and errors may appear in updates every once in a while - but this isn't anything to stress about. So far, the developers for Peppermint have done a stellar job when updating the system; if you have problems, you can always download the newest, re-spun version of Peppermint from the site - or search for a solution in the forum.
(Note: The author must clarify bias, as they currently use Peppermint on their own netbook. They are not compensated to use/endorse Peppermint in any way, but the author is satisfied with the operating system on a personal basis.)

3.) Aurora (formerly known as Eeebuntu)
http://www.auroraos.org/
A project that originally started out to specifically support Asus EeePC netbooks, Aurora has become a cult hit among both new and experienced Linux users. Recently, the Aurora Team has redesigned their website and is taking the operating system through radical changes. It is definitely worth checking out. Clean, customized, quick and downright unique, Aurora has definitely made its presence known in the community. Like Ubuntu Netbook Edition, it comes with its own Netbook Launcher menu.

Unlike it however, it also comes in another flavor that disables the launcher if you so choose.

The current stable version, a.k.a. 3.0, uses Ubuntu repositories for its own software center. However, the developers have decided to ditch Ubuntu's base for a Debian build, and currently are in the middle of beta testing. Aurora will be the latest version, but they're still beta testing a version called EB4 - if you'd like to get your hands on that beta, follow the link here: http://eeebuntu.org/eb4-b1.iso.
Aurora is a novel distribution, but to be honest, the stable 3.0 is getting old and is having quite a time competing with others. If you own a EeePC, it will work well. On the whole, unless you'd really like to beta test 4.0, it would be best to stay on the sidelines and wait for the stable version to be released - but keep an eye on the site, as it is going through changes as you read this. Aurora is a moving project, so make sure you stay in the loop.

Welcome!

2010-06-18T16:40:00.001-05:00

Greetings, and welcome to The L.A.T.T.E.!

This blog will be focused on Linux Assistive Technology That's Economical (L.A.T.T.E.). To put this in simpler terms, it will be about assistive technology software, operating systems, hardware, etc. on the Linux side - and that is affordable for those with disabilities/assistive technology needs.

Content available here will be devoted to open-source offerings as much as possible, so feel free to share with others - and of course, to share with this blog as well!
Comment below the post or send me an e-mail at: itsthelatte@gmail.com

All the best,

Spencer