Research and engineering center funded by the U.S. Department in 2004 dedicated to advance accessibility and usability in existing and emerging telecommunications products for people with all types of disabilities. Telecommunications accessibility is addressed along all three of its major dimensions: user interface, transmission (including digitization, compression, etc.), and modality translation services (relay services, gateways, etc.).
Published in Chapter:
Mobile Phones as Assistive and Accessible Technology for People with Disabilities
John T. Morris (Shepherd Center, USA), James L. Mueller (Shepherd Center, USA), and Michael L. Jones (Shepherd Center, USA)
Copyright: © 2015
|Pages: 17
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-8239-9.ch116
Abstract
Mobile phones have contributed substantially to greater levels of social participation and independence by people with disabilities. Mobile phone technologies (including tablets) have become increasingly powerful, sophisticated, flexible, and ubiquitous since the first commercial mobile wireless phone call was made on October 13, 1983. In 2007, the launch of the first iPhone with its capacitive touchscreen interface ushered in a new era of accessibility, usability, and assistive technology for people with disabilities. Still, important economic and accessibility barriers to greater mobile phone use by people with disabilities remain. The evolution of mobile phone behaviors of people with sensory, physical, and cognitive disabilities is closely intertwined with the development of ever more powerful and flexible mobile phone technology, as well as the evolution of statutory and regulatory requirements for accessibility and use. This article summarizes these developments, by first identifying and defining disabilities, then distinguishing between assistive technology and accessible technology. Finally, the complex evolution of mobile phone technology and mobile phone behaviors by people with disabilities is reviewed.