Types of assistive technologies and who uses them
Common assistive technologies (AT) that disabled people use to access, navigate, interact with and understand web content.
On this page
Braille displays and notetakers
Braille displays and notetakers are electronic devices that allow someone to consume and interact with content in Braille, a tactile system for reading text with the fingers.
Refreshable Braille displays
A refreshable Braille display usually connects to a computer, including mobile phones and tablets. To access the information that’s displayed on the computer screen, it needs screen reader software. As the screen reader processes the content, it sends it to the Braille display instead of (or in addition to) announcing it out loud.
As the Braille display receives the content, it dynamically raises and lowers different combinations of pins (dots) in a row of Braille cells. Users read the row of cells with their fingers from left to right. Once they reach the end of the row, it’s refreshed with the next set of Braille text in the sequence.
Braille displays regularly have Braille keyboards, a set of buttons for writing Braille. Many displays also support Secure Digital (SD) cards, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi, and can be used to perform simple activities, like reading or writing documents without connecting to a computer.
- Refreshable Braille Display — SNOW/IDRC — OCAD University
- Refreshable Braille Displays — AFB
- Braille Displays — Blindness — Deque
- Braille device videos — RNIB
Braille notetakers
A Braille notetaker is a standalone computer with a Braille keyboard, and usually with a refreshable Braille display. It may or may not have a screen, and can be used to do email, create office documents, browse the web, play music, read books and run other common types of software.
- Notetakers and Non Display Based Personal Digital Assistant (PDAs) — SNOW/IDRC — OCAD University
- Electronic Notetakers (Braille) — AFB
Who uses Braille displays and notetakers
Braille devices are used by people who:
- are blind
- have low or partial vision
- are deafblind.
Eye trackers
An eye (or gaze) tracker is a combination of hardware and software that allows a user to:
- move the cursor around a page by looking
- click on elements by blinking or performing facial expressions, like smiling or sticking out their tongue.
Eye trackers enable people to do everything that can be done with a keyboard or mouse.
Different Kinds of Eye Tracking Devices — Bitbrain
Who uses eye trackers
Eye trackers are used by people with very limited mobility — this may be caused by:
- rehabilitative disabilities, such as paralysis, spinal cord injury, repetitive strain injury and severe carpal tunnel
- motor disabilities, such as cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy.
Keyboards
A standard keyboard is an essential assistive technology for digital accessibility because:
- it can be used instead of a mouse to navigate web content
- many other assistive technologies either work through the keyboard or emulate keyboard functionality to interact with web content.
There are also adaptive keyboards that have larger or smaller than standard keys, illuminated keys, alternative key configurations and keyboards for use with one hand.
- Adaptive keyboard — WebAIM
- Keyboard alternatives — AbilityNet
- Keyboards — National Council for Special Education
Who uses keyboards
Keyboards are commonly relied on to navigate and interact with web content by people who:
- use a screen reader — because of a vision or a learning impairment
- cannot use a mouse — because of a permanent or temporary mobility impairment that makes using a mouse or pointer difficult or impossible
- prefer to use a keyboard — because they find it quicker to interact with computers using keyboard commands instead of a mouse.
See more on how people use a keyboard only:
Pointers (mouse alternatives)
The mouse is a pointing device that translates physical hand gestures into relative movements on the screen using a visual indicator. That indicator is often an arrow and is called a pointer or mouse cursor. Buttons on the mouse enable the user to interact with a user interface component that is visually located under the pointer.
Some people are unable to use a conventional mouse in a reliable or pain-free way. But they are able to use alternative pointing devices, such as a:
Read more about mouse alternatives:
- Alternative mouse systems — SNOW/IDRC — OCAD University
- Mouse alternatives — AbilityNet
- The Mouse — National Council for Special Education.
Who uses mouse alternatives
Alternative pointing systems are used by people with mobility impairments that make holding or moving a conventional mouse too difficult or impossible.
Screen magnifiers
A screen magnifier is software that enlarges the content displayed on a screen. The tool can work as a virtual magnifying glass, allowing the user to move a lens around the screen under which the content is enlarged. It can also enlarge all of the content on the screen and the users scrolls around as needed to reach all parts of it.
Screen magnifiers typically include a range of features, such as the ability to:
- customise fonts, colours and text spacing
- enlarge text as it’s typed to make it easier to spot mistakes
- change the mouse cursor to make it easier to see.
Some screen magnification software also includes a screen reader.
Windows and macOS, as well as iOS and Android, all come with built-in screen magnification software. There are also third-party screen magnifiers available, such as:
Read more about screen magnifiers:
- Screen Magnification — AbilityNet
- Screen Magnification — Perkins eLearning
- Screen Magnifiers: Who and How They Help — Bureau of Internet Accessibility
- Browsing with screen magnification — TetraLogical
- Screen magnification technology — Assistive technology demonstrations — Vision Australia.
Who uses screen magnifiers
Screen magnifiers are used by people with low or partial vision.
Screen readers
A screen reader is software that translates digital content into speech or Braille. It includes a text-to-speech (TTS) system for processing text into synthesised speech.
A refreshable Braille display is required to receive and render the content as Braille.
A screen reader does more than just read out the text on a web page. It assesses different aspects of the content before determining how to interpret and present it to the user.
If web content is properly designed and developed, a screen reader can provide information about the content, its structure and functionality by identifying things like:
- headings and their levels
- lists and the number of items they contain
- the column header for the table cell currently being read
- links and buttons and what their names are
- different types of form fields and their labels
- the text alternatives for images.
Screen reader software also enables people to explore and interact with web content in specific ways using the keyboard. Different commands make navigating and operating content much easier, for example:
- moving from heading to heading, table to table, list to list
- activating a control that a developer has mistakenly not made keyboard accessible.
For a good introduction to screen readers, with lots of videos explaining how they work and showing them in action, see:
- What is a screen reader? — Axess Lab
- What is a screen reader, and why are they important? — TPGi
- Browsing with a desktop screen reader — TetraLogical
- Browsing with a mobile screen reader — TetraLogical
- Screen reader technology — Assistive technology demonstrations — Vision Australia.
For insights into the preferences of real screen reader users, see:
Common screen readers
These are 5 of the most common screen readers for the different operating systems:
- JAWS (Job Access with Speech) — for Windows
- NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access) — for Windows
- Orca — comes with GNOME
- VoiceOver — comes with macOS and iOS
- TalkBack — comes with Android.
Support for te reo Māori
Screen readers can read content with the correct pronunciation for the language used, but only if:
- the screen reader includes a speech synthesizer that supports that language
- the developer has programmatically declared the content to be in that language.
NVDA is currently the only screen reader that reads content in te reo Māori. It comes with the eSpeak NG synthesiser (among others), which includes support for te reo Māori pronunciation.
Who uses screen readers
Screen readers are used by people who:
- are blind or who have low or partial vision
- have learning, cognitive, intellectual impairments, such as dyslexia (listening to a screen reader helps users focus on the content rather than on the act of reading, resulting in a better understanding of the material)
- are not native speakers of English.
Speech recognition
Speech recognition systems are a combination of microphone and speech-to-text or voice input software. The software converts the user’s speech into digital text or commands for controlling a computer, enabling them to navigate and interact with web content.
The words a person speaks might be typed into a form field in a web page or interpreted as a command to move to a different section on the page or to activate a user interface component, such as clicking on a link or button.
Users can also map voice commands to mouse and keyboard actions, making it easier to accomplish various tasks.
Windows and Mac computers as well as Android and iOS smartphones, have speech recognition built into the system.
- Windows Speech Recognition commands — Microsoft
- Use Voice Control on your Mac
- Use Voice Control on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch
- Voice Access — Android
However, the most commonly used speech recognition software remains Nuance’s Dragon software.
Read more about speech recognition:
- Speech Recognition — Web Accessibility Initiative — W3C
- Voice Recognition — An Overview — AbilityNet
- Browsing with speech recognition — TetraLogical
- Voice control technology — Assistive technology demonstrations — Vision Australia.
Who uses speech recognition
Speech-to-text systems are used by people who:
- have mobility impairments (paralysis, missing limbs or limited dexterity)
- have language or reading difficulties
- prefer to speak instead of type.
Some people use speech recognition software in combination with other AT, such as switches.
Switches
A switch is a device that works together with software to enable users to control the cursor on a screen and interact with a computer. Switches respond to simple physical movements, such as:
- a single touch
- pressing a button
- blinking an eye
- sipping and puffing air.
This makes switches very effective, as they can be operated by any part of the body with which a user can make a regular, intentional movement.
For more about switches, including videos of people using switches and how to design switch-friendly interfaces, see Assistive Technologies — The Switch — Axess Lab.
For some design considerations related to switches, see YouTube video: Assistive Tech: Switch Device — A11ycasts — Google Chrome Developers.
Switch scanning
A common feature in switch software is called scanning, where the different items on the screen are sequentially highlighted. When the item of interest is highlighted, the user activates the switch to select or act on the item.
For more information, see Switch access scanning — Wikipedia.
Switches in mobile phones
A switch does not even need to be a separate device. Today, switch support is built right into Android and iOS devices. This means a user can choose to connect a separate switch device to the phone or just use the phone’s screen, buttons, or camera as a switch.
- About Switch Access for Android — Google Help
- Use Switch Control to navigate your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch — Apple Support
Who uses switches
Switch devices are used by people with severe mobility or intellectual impairments.
Wands and sticks
Wands and sticks are worn on the head, held in the mouth or strapped to the chin. They are manipulated with the neck or jaw muscles to press keys on the keyboard, tap or gesture on a touch interface, or control another input device.
For a video of someone using a head wand, see Head pointer device — Assistive technology demonstrations — Vision Australia.
Who uses wands and sticks
Wands and sticks are used by people who find it difficult or prefer not to use their hands.