Technology and Disabilities.

In class we briefly learned about how people with disabilities can still use technology and how technology can help them and improve their quality of life. Since we didn't really get very detailed in the class discussion, I wanted to do a little bit of research on my own to find out more about it.

I think this topic is particularly interesting because it something that is actually using technology to better the world. Most of the technology we have looked at with new media is just something to benefit our lives, make things more convenient, and save time. However, this is an idea that actually helps others. It's unfair to just let the internet, email, games, social networking, etc. be just for people who were gifted and blessed in their abilities. This is something that, if possible, should be given to everyone, regardless of your physical condition. Another reason I am interested in this topic is because I am amazed that it is even possible for us to create technology that has the ability to do these things and help disabled people. It is hard for me to fathom. I am always amazed by technology and what we have been able to do with it, but this takes the cake for sure. The final reason is because this is something that impacts interpersonal relationships very heavily for disabled people, so this ties in very nicely to my overall theme of my blog.

In Tech Talk 4, we learned a little about Section 508 which was "enacted to eliminate barriers in information technology, to make available new opportunities for people with disabilities, and to encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals" (Wikipedia.com). Essentially Section 508 enables disabled people to interpret and use public websites, chats, emails, etc. It does not require private websites to do so, but all public ones need to follow to guidelines. It can be given the "Bobby" test to see if it is accessable meets the guidelines. I think this is great. Sheryl Burgstahler from the University of Washington wrote in an article Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology "People with disabilities meet barriers of all types. However, technology is helping to lower many of these barriers. By using computing technology for tasks such as reading and writing documents, communicating with others, and searching for information on the Internet, students and employees with disabilities are capable of handling a wider range of activities independently. Still, people with disabilities face a variety of barriers to computer use. These barriers can be grouped into three functional categories: barriers to providing computer input, interpreting output, and reading supporting documentation. Hardware and software tools (known as adaptive or assistive technologies) have been developed to provide functional alternatives to these standard operations."It includes people with disabilities rather than excluding them, which we so often do. This is something that can and has dramatically changed people's lives and has especially changed their ability to communicate, have a social life, and interpersonal relationships in general. I can honestly say that I see basically no down sides to helping the disabled communities use this technology. The only problem is cost. Much of the supplies and programs needed to operate these things is very expensive.

Now--what exactly does it do? There are several different types of software you can get. It can be adapted in so many ways to accomodate different disabilities. You can use only your mouth, only your feet, your hands (without reaching), or even your eyes. The adaptive technology can be used by blind, deaf, speech impaired, mobile impaired, or even disabilities such as dyslexia. The technology is unbelievable. Some of the programs that are pretty common, especially in schools, are JAWS, Dragon Naturally Speaking, ZoomText, OpenBook and Kurzweil Reader.

The use of these technologies can also be related to Jenkins article of convergence. With these adaptive softwares and hardwares, we can see many different technologies converging for one thing. Through different media convergences we are able to see the technology grow and build on each other to create something new and easier.

I know I have said it many times before, but this adaptive technology is amazing for anyone with a disability. Through the ability to communicate online they can have more of a social life than they do in the physical world. They can chat with groups of people, email, maintain an online social networking site, etc. They can even find groups on Facebook or other sites of people with similar problems and they can talk to each other and relate. It is great progress to be making and is something that is going to change interpersonal relationships for the better, I believe. Hopefully in future generations we will find a way to make the technology programs cheaper and more available to the disabled community.