Some of the applications are of a type familiar to many: tools
that allow users to increase the size of text on their screen or
have the computer read the text aloud. Others are less well
known.
IBM's Mouse Smoothing Software enables people who suffer from
hand tremors to eliminate excessive cursor movement, thereby
allowing more normal use of a PC. The software filters out the
shaking movements of the hand – in a manner similar to the way
image stabilising systems of some camera lenses work.
Its Keyboard Optimizer adjusts the standard response settings of
a user's keyboard, such as the delay before keys start to repeat.
Appropriate settings can help people with motor disabilities to
type more easily and accurately, but they can be difficult to use.
So the Keyboard Optimizer allows users to demonstrate how they
type, determines what response settings would be best, and sets
them.
Additionally, IBM is launching a new online resource for
software developers, to make it easier for them to build
applications that include accessibility features.
A recent survey by the American Association of Retired Persons
(AARP) shows that 7 in 10 Americans plan on working past the age of
65. According to the US Census Bureau, about two-thirds of the US
population will experience a disability after age 65, increasing
the need to make information technology more accessible. According
to the World Health Organization, between 750 million and 1 billion
of the world's 6 billion people have a speech, vision, mobility,
hearing or cognitive disability.
"We believe that companies, government agencies and
organizations that adopt accessible technology gain a competitive
advantage," said Frances West, director of the IBM Worldwide
Accessibility Center. "They are able to attract and retain the very
best workers, and benefit from their skills, insight and the
knowledge they can share with the next generation of workers."
