May 18th is Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), which is dedicated to keeping the community thinking, talking, writing, coding, and learning about digital access for and inclusion of the more than 1 billion people with disabilities world wide. When conversation turns to digital access, we may immediately think about web accessibility – making sure websites can be accessed and used by everyone regardless of ability or technology. When GAAD was started in 2011 that was its focus: Challenging developers to take web accessibility into the mainstream. Twelve years later, much of our lives are spent in digital spaces. We learn, work, and connect to community through technology. Discussions around accessibility have expanded to the devices we use, from wearables to cloud computing; access to mobile and broadband internet; inclusive social media; and access to the technology we use to learn and work remotely, access telehealth services, and interact with service providers.
NIDILRR grantees have worked in the digital access space for many years, including some of the earliest work with the Web Accessibility Initiative. Here are a few of the current grantees that are exploring research and development in access to technology, as well as the policies that promote access and inclusion.
- Promoting Mainstream Wireless Inclusion Through Technology Services (PROMISE) aims to address the multifaceted factors affecting people with disabilities to have access to and make full use of existing wireless technologies. The past decade has witnessed a tremendous growth in wireless technologies. Mainstream wireless products such as smartphones, tablets, smart home devices, smart speakers, wearables, and remote monitors are becoming increasingly ubiquitous and hold great promise for improving health, independence, participation, and quality of life of people with disabilities. The goal of this project is to engage all relevant stakeholders – people with disabilities, clinical and community service providers, and industry to create and pilot innovative, viable, and scalable technology services to expand access to and support effective use of mainstream wireless technologies among people with varying disabilities.
- New High Density Magnetic Braille Actuators: The Path to a Consumer Full-Page Digital Braille Display builds upon a previously developed low-cost Braille/tactile display based on magnetic Braille cell actuator technology. The patent-pending magnetic Braille cell actuator (taxel) technology utilizes a novel actuation and latching mechanism, which enables the fabrication of a very compact, low power consumption, high performance taxel Braille cell at significantly reduced cost to existing Braille cell technologies. The outcome of this project is the development of low-cost, full-page Braille/tactile displays of various shapes and sizes to increase Braille literacy and reduce the digital disparity experienced by people who are blind or have visual impairments.
- Cross-Sensory Digital Map Project Development develops a cross-sensory digital web-based map component that can be inserted into any webpage and viewed equally visually and in audio. The goal of this project is to address the lack of nonvisual digital maps by developing an accessible system for blind and visually impaired individuals to view, create, and share digital spatial maps. Currently, these individuals have extremely limited access only to certain kinds of map information such as turn-by-turn directions on a navigation app or, even more rarely, a tactile map.
- App Factory to Support Health and Function of People with Disabilities promotes the development of smart phone technology apps to address high-priority health needs of people with disabilities. Mobile healthcare or mHealth is an important new tool for management of chronic conditions; however, the increase of these mHealth apps may increase health disparities, leaving behind vulnerable populations, including people with disabilities. The App Factory aims to ensure that people with disabilities are full participants in the growth of mHealth.
- Inclusive Information and Communications Technology Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) addresses access to inclusive information and communication technologies (ICT) for people with disabilities. ICTs are an integral part of life, impacting education, employment, health, transportation, and social communication; however, as ICTs continue to evolve (e.g., digital technologies) access for individuals with disabilities may become prohibitive. This project takes a two-part approach to addressing ICT accessibility issues by (1) ensuring that existing solutions are known, effective, findable, more affordable, and available on every computer or digital technology platform; and (2) exploring the emerging next-next-generation interface technologies for which there are no effective accessibility guidelines or standards, and problem-solving in advance of these technologies.
- RERC on ICT Access for Mobile Rehabilitation (mRehab) develops, evaluates, and disseminates information about mRehab interventions to optimize health and function of people with disabilities. mRehab refers to the delivery of rehabilitation services and support for home-based rehabilitation using mobile or remote technologies. When executed successfully, mRehab can address key challenges of access and affordability of rehabilitation services for people with disabilities.
- RERC on Technology for People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing aims to facilitate a shift in the role of technology and address the accessibility and usability of technology for consumers who are Deaf or hard of hearing, their family, and friends. Project objectives include integration of hearing technology into an interconnected mainstream ecosystem, and access built into mainstream products.
NIDILRR continues to support research and development in digital access and inclusion, from small businesses developing innovative access solutions to multi-year centers conducting research and development in inclusive technology and the policies and practices that keep digital spaces open to all.