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Accessibility Equal Access to Free Software

Hema Seetharamaiah Wipro Technologies. Accessibility Equal Access to Free Software. Agenda. Understanding Accessibility Impetus for accessibility Accessibility Solutions Understanding and designing for disabilities Current Work in Linux Accessibility Example - Gnome Accessibility

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Accessibility Equal Access to Free Software

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  1. Hema Seetharamaiah Wipro Technologies Accessibility Equal Access to Free Software

  2. Agenda • Understanding Accessibility • Impetus for accessibility • Accessibility Solutions • Understanding and designing for disabilities • Current Work in Linux Accessibility • Example - Gnome Accessibility • Challenges in making Linux accessibility happen.

  3. What is Accessibility? • Helping people with disabilities to gain the same benefits of technology that people without disabilities currently have today. • Includes the software and technologies that enable users with disabilities to interface, access, obtain and communicate information using a desktop computer.

  4. Impetus for making providing accessibility • Provide fair and equal access to free software to disabled users • Relevant Laws • US - Sec 508,ADA, UK – DDA (1995) • Australia, Canada, EU, Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, Sweden. • Increased customer base • Access to a bigger, untapped talent pool • Accessibility also means 'power' use for normal users

  5. Understanding disabilities • Visual Impairments • Blindness • Low Vision • Color Blindness • Hearing Impairments • Deafness • Mobility Impairments • Arthritis, Parkinson's disease, temporary/permanent loss of limbs or digits • Poor muscular control, inability to use standard mouse, keyboard devices

  6. Cognitive and Learning Impairments Dyslexia Difficulties in remembering, resolving complex sensory information. Age-related Impairments natural deterioration of eyesight, co-ordination, etc. Temporary disabilities 'normal' users can also be temporary disabled! Understanding disabilities contd.,

  7. Accessibility Solutions • Hardware Solutions • Speech synthesizers, sip and puff systems • braille printers, eye gaze pointing devices • Software Solutions • Console • Graphical

  8. Designing S/W for Disabilitiessupport input/output methods, consistency and flexibility • Adhere to general principles of (universal) design • Human Interface (usability) Guidelines • Theme Compliance and Keyboard navigation • Facilitating for Assistive technology (AT) usage • Framework for interfacing with AT Tools • Assistive technology tools

  9. Linux Accessibility Current Work • Desktop Accessibility: GNOME Accessibility Project, KDE Accessibility Project • Low Vision – Gnopernicus, Gmag • Speech – Via Voice • Screen Readers - Screader • Console - Emacspeak • Braille - BRLtty • Keyboard & Mouse – GOK, AccessX

  10. GNOME Accessibility - 1

  11. GNOME Accessibility contd., • Theme Compliance • GNOME 2.0 Accessibility Themes. • Large print theme for sawfish • Keyboard Navigation • GNOME Keyboard Navigation Proposal, specs. • Assistive Technologies Projects • Gnopernicus • Gnome Online Keyboard (GOK) Project site - http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gap Mailing lists - http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo

  12. Making Linux Accessibility Happen - Challenges • Technical Challenges • X and toolkits accessibility • Development for braille, screen readers etc. • Lack of drivers for AT hardware • Need for more easy-to-use general tools • Building up awareness within the community • Inter-community awareness. • Extra-Community awareness • Dialogues with the AT Industry, vendors, etc.

  13. Getting Involved • Gnome Accessibility Project • KDE Accessibility project • Mozilla Accessibility • BLINUX • Ocularis • Free-b-Software

  14. In Conclusion… Providing accessible technologies will • Be a catalyst of independence and freedom for disabled people • Bring free, affordable software closer to disabled people • Increase scholastic and employment opportunities and facilitate upward mobility for the disabled. • Level the playing field for all • Provide enhanced computing experience for all Acknowledgments: Muktha.Narayan@wipro.com Anand.subra@wipro.com

  15. Contact Information Hema Seetharamaiah Wipro Technologies, 53/1 Hosur Road, Madivala, Bangalore – 560 068. Tel: 5502001 - 8, Ext. – 5045 Email: hema.seetharamaiah@wipro.com

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