Web Site Accessibility Blog

IBM is making significant news in the accessibility world. A few weeks ago they gave FireFox code for additional accessibility features. In reading some background information in a recent article in TechWeb, IBM hired their first disabled employee in 1914. IBM has also been in advance of the times by offering programs for disabled veterans - long before the US Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

In TechWeb, IBM is working on a number of assistive technology products. One of the most anticipated product targets Graphical User Interfaces (GUI’s) as a means of pushing the envelope of assistive technology. The most recent offerings, Home Page Reader, WebAdapt2Me and ViaScribe are all serving aging-related conditions and elderly workers in addition to the typical assistive technology audience.

As a few examples, Homepage Reader is a screen reader product designed for blind users, and uses speech synthesis to read the text on web pages. One of the different features of this program is that hypertext is read with a different voice, to allow listeners to distinguish the links in context. WebAdapt2Me is a product for low-vision users or cognitive/physical disabilities. WebAdapt2Me allows users to customize font sizes, screen displays (removing wallpapers and irritating backgrounds), text spacing and animated icons.