AbilityNet Factsheet – November 2015
Vision impairment and computing
This factsheet gives an overview of some of the main ways computers can be adapted to help anyone with a visual impairment. Some of these accessibility features are built into standard computers.
Advances in assistive technology are opening up a world of productive possibilities for blind and partially sighted people in work and education, and at home. Finding the right technological ‘solution’ for anyone with a visual impairment can enable them to carry out a wide range of computing tasks very effectively. It can help to advance their career, increase their independence and self-esteem, and to combat social isolation.
Employers have a ‘duty of care’ to all their employees and, under the Equality Act 2010, must also make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to prevent discrimination against disabled staff. Adapting computer hardware and software to ensure that visually impaired members of staff are not disadvantaged in the workplace helps to retain valued employees and improve productivity.
Section 9 gives details of the services that AbilityNet provides to assist businesses, charities and individuals with identifying and realising the best possible solution for their particular situation and needs.
Links to other helpful resources, including specialist suppliers, are given in Section 10.
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AbilityNet Factsheet: Vision impairment and computing,
November 2015. www.abilitynet.org.uk/factsheets
Contents
1 How many are affected by sight loss? 4
2 How can technology help? 4
3 What should employers do? 5
4 How can I input into and control my computer? 5
Keyboarding 5
Learning to touch type 6
Alternative keyboards 6
High visibility keyboards 6
Larger keys 6
More specialist keyboards 6
Voice control 7
5 How can I read and understand my computer output? 8
Enhancements for people with low vision 8
Configuring your web browser 8
Larger monitor 8
Screen resolution, image size, contrast and colour 8
Zooming in 9
Magnification software 9
Help for people with very little or no vision 10
Built-in screen readers 10
6 How can I read other printed materials? 10
Reading machines 10
7 What about note takers, tablets and smartphones? 12
Notetakers 12
Tablets and smartphones 12
Some useful apps 13
Synapptic software 14
8 How important is training? 14
9 How can AbilityNet help you find the best solution? 15
Our Workplace Assessment Service 15
Consultancy services 16
DSA/Student Assessments 16
10 Other useful links and resources 16
AbilityNet factsheets 16
My Computer My Way 16
RNIB 17
Action for Blind People 17
BCAB (British Computer Association for the Blind) 17
Royal National College for the Blind (RNC) 17
Specialist suppliers – contact details 17
11 About AbilityNet 19
Support us 19
Contact us 19
Copyright information 19
1 How many are affected by sight loss?
Almost two million people in the UK live with sight loss – around one in 30. Of these, only some 360,000 are registered with their local authority as blind or partially sighted. That is, they have experienced some degree of irreversible sight loss which cannot be corrected by glasses or contact lenses.
The number of people living with sight loss is likely to double by 2050 because:
§ the UK population is ageing and, as we get older, we are increasingly likely to experience sight loss
§ there is a growing incidence in some of the key underlying causes of sight loss, such as obesity and diabetes.
2 How can technology help?
Choosing the right kind of assistive technology can transform the abilities of visually impaired people to perform everyday computing tasks like:
§ reading documents
§ producing letters and reports
§ sending and receiving emails
§ browsing the web
§ communicating through social media
§ working with spreadsheets and data entry.
A good knowledge of the assistive technology they use can enable someone with partial or no vision to effectively undertake very advanced tasks such as programming or web development.
Moreover, technologies that previously cost hundreds or thousands of pounds are now being either built in to mainstream devices or are available at a far lower cost.
In addition to built-in options, specialist hardware and software solutions (including apps for the latest smartphones) now make it very much easier for blind and partially-sighted people to:
§ quickly input information and control their computer
§ read and understand a range of outputs from their computer
§ read other printed materials.
These advances mean that there are now often a number of potential approaches to solving any individual’s specific computing needs. A one size approach will not suit everyone; and this factsheet is intended to help visually-impaired users begin to identify the particular configuration of hardware and software options that will best meet their own individual requirements.
3 What should employers do?
Under the Equality Act, employers have a duty to ensure that employees with a disability (including visual impairment) are able to perform effectively.
To meet the requirements of the Equality Act, employers may need to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to ensure that disabled members of staff enjoy equal access to everything involved in doing and keeping their job as any non-disabled colleague. Employers who fail to meet their responsibilities under Act may be vulnerable to claims of discrimination and could be taken to an employment tribunal.
Any adjustments required do not necessarily need to cost a lot of money and would depend in part on the size and nature of the organisation. For blind or partially-sighted employees, reasonable adjustments could include:
§ adapting the workplace
§ introducing some changes to work organisation
§ providing personal training and support
§ making use of relevant assistive technologies.
Advances in technology mean that anyone who is losing, or who has already lost, their sight can now overcome many of the barriers previously faced and continue to be a highly productive employee. Government schemes like ‘Access to Work’ can also help meet some of the additional employment costs.
See Section 9 for details of AbilityNet’s services to employers.
4 How can I input into and control my computer?
Keyboarding
Learning your way around the keyboard and, ideally, to touch type are key skills for visually impaired computer users. Being able to touch type and use the keyboard effectively will increase your accuracy and productivity in both drafting documents and emails etc. and in operating your computer.
Using a keyboard is often faster than using a mouse, and for people with little or no useful vision, it can be the most practical way to input data and control a device. Working with ‘hotkeys’ (i.e. keyboard shortcuts) is a very powerful way of driving a computer – pressing a combination of keys together to perform most of the functions of a mouse.
Learning to touch type
There are a number of software programmes available aimed at helping people with sight loss learn how to touch type.
For Windows PCs, options include: Azabat Touch-Typing Tutor, and Portset Touch Typing Tutor.
Englishtype Senior is available for both Windows and Apple Mac computers.
Suppliers of touch type tutorials include: Adapt-IT; Inclusive Technology; RNIB; and Portset.
Alternative keyboards
High visibility keyboards
The letters on a standard computer keyboard are small and can be hard to see. One alternative to this would be to purchase a high contrast keyboard; but a cheaper option would be to modify the keys on your existing keyboard by covering them with high contrast stickers. These use larger letters and come in upper and lower case sets.
Larger keys
However, people with impaired vision who are learning to type often find it difficult to locate keys accurately on a standard-sized keyboard. For many, it can be much easier to use a high-visibility keyboard with a smaller number of larger keys – such as the BigKeys, Jumbo, XL or KeyMonster keyboards.
More specialist keyboards
Some keyboards have been designed specifically to work with certain specialist software programmes produced to assist people with a visual impairment. These include Dolphin Large Print and MAGic keyboards, both of which feature large print, high contrast keys – many of which give speedy access to the associated software's most useful features.
Another option for blind users is a Braille display. Although these can be very expensive, they serve a dual function. Utilising just a few keys, Braille displays allow you to both enter data and control your computer, and also to read documents, web pages and email using Braille.
Chording keyboards like the CyKey are another important option, especially for people with more limited dexterity as they only require you to press a few keys in combination (like a chord on the piano) to generate letters.
For more information on additional keyboarding options, see the AbilityNet factsheet on Keyboard and mouse alternatives and adjustments.
Specialist suppliers for keyboards and stickers include: Adapt-IT; Bellaire Electronics; Hands Free Computing; Humanware; Keytools; RNIB; and Sight and Sound Technology.
Voice control
Using voice or speech recognition to operate the computer (perhaps combined with text-to-speech output) may be a viable alternative for users who are physically unable to type. However, voice control is difficult to learn and operate successfully, especially for blind users, so it is usually only recommended for people with an additional motor impairment (such as arthritis). Even for people with only limited ability to use some of their fingers, using a chording keyboard might still represent a more practical option for inputting text.
In addition to the specialist programmes available for those wanting to pursue voice control, quite powerful speech recognition capabilities are now built into both Windows and Apple computers.
For more information on the main options, see the AbilityNet factsheet on Controlling the computer with your voice.
5 How can I read and understand my computer output?
Enhancements for people with low vision
For people with low vision, there are many ways that you can adjust your computing set up to enable you to view and understand its output more successfully.
Significant accessibility features are now built-in as standard on new Windows and Apple computers. Many of these are highlighted below but, for more detailed instructions on how to make such adjustments, visit My Computer My Way at https://mcmw.abilitynet.org.uk/vision/
Configuring your web browser
Many websites are visually complex and can be extremely difficult to navigate and read, with multiple columns and difficult colour combinations. However, many popular web browsers allow you to adjust the size of the text and the colour settings to whatever suits you best.
Larger monitor
Larger screens present much larger images and text to view, and screens are available today that are over 30 inches. Using a monitor arm can also be very useful in adjusting the viewing distance / angle and reducing potential glare.
Laptop screens are generally smaller, with a typical viewing area of around 15 inches. They do come in larger sizes but with quite substantial increases in overall weight. Connecting your laptop to a larger monitor (or to a modern TV using an HDMI cable) is generally a better solution.
Screen resolution, image size, contrast and colour
Screen resolution determines the size of the dots that make up the images you view on screen. High resolution screens present sharper but smaller images – so people with low vision will benefit from setting their screen to a relatively low resolution of around 800 x 600 pixels. This will make text, icons and menu options etc. larger and easier to see. Adjusting the screen contrast and brightness can also help.
Aside from screen resolution, there are other options you can select in both Windows and Mac OS X to increase the display size of text, menus, folders, icons and the mouse pointer.
Many people with impaired vision can see some colour combinations (such as white text on a black background) better than others, and different colour options are available in most programmes. Both Windows and Apple computers have a wide range of pre-defined colour schemes to choose from, or you can create your own preferred scheme.
Zooming in
Zooming in increases the size of whatever is displayed in the document window, and many programmes include easy-to-use options to achieve this up to five times the standard display size. This does not affect the size in which the document is printed out.
Windows and Mac computers also have built-in magnifiers that you can use to enlarge the size of the whole screen display, including programme toolbars.
Magnification software
Magnification software programmes are available that enlarge and enhance everything on your computer screen. As the size of the enlargement increases, the amount of the original screen image being displayed reduces – but you can use the mouse (or cursor) to select where you want to focus. Many programmes also include options for enhancing and customising screen colours and pointers.
Reading large print on screen for any length of time can be very tiring but, fortunately, leading magnification products are also available with fully integrated screen reading capabilities.
These can offer complete or selective screen reading options, full internet accessibility and text navigation (making it easy to read – by character, word, line or sentence and paragraph – while you create or edit documents).
Specialist software options for Windows computers are ZoomText Magnifier Reader, Dolphin Supernova Magnifier and Screen Reader, and MAGic.
Compatible keyboards are also available for Dolphin and MAGic software. These include dedicated function keys for operating the programmes’ most used features. Dolphin Supernova also provides full Braille support for blind users and is compatible with the latest Braille displays.