The Guardian has a thought-provoking article that says interactive whiteboards and other technology haven’t adequately adapted themselves for the visually impaired. While braille and other measures help the hard of seeing get around on a basic level, the lack of available specially-designed TVs, PVRs, interactive whiteboards and other electronics may be preventing the handicapped from enjoying technology to the fullest extent. The article makes the interesting point that in some cases, products like talking microwaves might appeal to blind and seeing consumers alike, making them a one-size-fits-all solution that everyone can use.
In the case of interactive whiteboards, the Guardian article links to an article in Insight magazine regarding the Catch 22 that visually impaired students face in class. Turn the lights on, and the projected image from the laptop desktop may be harder to see than regular markerstrokes on a traditional whiteboard. Turn the lights off, and students can’t take notes during your presentation. The article suggests a few ways to remedy the issue, and the simplest one involves computer desktop maintenance such as clearing off desktop icons, making the font bigger, and using an animated cursor to make everything easier to see and follow. The other solutions seem a lot more technical, drastic, and expensive, so you should probably relay them to your IT person if you’re interested in trying them out.
It’ll be interesting to see how far interactive whiteboard manufacturers go to accommodate the visually impaired. Because in a technologically advanced country governed by the No Child Left Behind Act, it’d be a shame if no one in the industry even lifted a finger.
(Photo via Morguefile)
Posted by Taeho Lim
