Accessibility in Tech#

Someone once told me you can have the greatest technology in the world, and if you can’t use it, it’s pointless.

Isn’t that the truth! Being someone with a disability, and a technology lover, I just thought I would give my two cents on that… or, I guess with the phase out of the penny, my five cents, rounded up of course.

The Good#

Let’s start with the best stuff.

3D printing#

I love arts and crafts as much as the next person, but I am not always great with my hands. Some days they are steady, other days, not so much. Woodworking has never been a thing I was good at, but I love creating a physical object. 3D printing has allowed me to design and build things in the real world, designed precisely in the virtual world. It’s a wonderful way for me to create things that improve my life, such as a cup holder for my mobility aids.

Accessible Apps#

There are also plenty of apps for tablets and phones. One that’s been great for me is an AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) app on my tablet — it helps when I have speech problems. I run the “Speech Assistant” app. There’s even the ever-favorite “Lizard” button, for which I used Copilot to help write a quick script to convert audio files to a format that the AAC would play.

The Bad#

Uh-oh… We are going to discuss the bad. It’s not too bad, though.

Touchscreens#

I both love them and hate them. My fingers don’t always go where I want them to, and small screens are sometimes a pain. Give me physical buttons when I can get them. I’m dreading my next car because it will probably have fewer buttons than my current one. As long as there’s a good “anchor point” for my fingers near the screen, it’s fine. This is one reason I like my phone so much: I can “anchor” my hand to the phone and operate it with my thumbs, like a normal person. See, I told you it wouldn’t be too bad.

Autoplay#

Autoplay in apps/video players can drive my ADHD nuts. I just can’t stand it when things just go on and do their own thing. So, I always turn it off when I can, and most of the time, the ‘shorts’ video apps allow me to pause, which is a nice break.

Conclusion#

So, it’s not all 🌹roses🌹, but it’s not all terrible either. I hope you all find ways to use technology that work for you.