Assistive Technology

Ginger Software , the maker of the powerful spelling and contextual grammar checker "Ginger" has released an iPhone app called Ginger Page . Ginger's technology can correct mistakes that common spell checking software would not detect. Ginger does this by analyzing the context of the text being written. For example, if you are writing about drafting a school essay Ginger will suggest that you use "write" instead of "right." From my testing, Ginger also seems much better at suggesting and correcting punctuation than other editing software. Ginger Page can also read your writing back to you using text-to-speech , which can be a powerful proof reading tool, especially for those with dyslexia. Once you have completed your writing, you can share it by text message, email, or open it in another compatible app. While the Ginger correction software is very good, the app has some notable omissions. Ginger Page is only available for iPhone which is perplexing f...

Recently, select Apple Retail Stores have started hosting free accessibility workshops. The hour long sessions are instructed by Apple Store employees and cover various accessibility features included in iOS 7 and OS X Mavericks . Workshops are divided based on the user's needs and include hearing, vision, and physical and motor skills. These workshops will presumably cover features such as VoiceOver , Assistive Touch , Switch Control , and more. These workshops are a great way for Apple customers to learn about helpful accessibility features that are already built into their devices. The workshops will also offer u sers of Apple's accessibility features an opportunity to get their questions answered in person. The training of the workshop instructors will be key to a successful experience. Hopefully, these workshops will be offered in all Apple Stores in the near future.  While accessibility specific workshops may not help Apple's bottom line, they demonstrate Apple con...

Google 's futuristic modular smart phone has the potential to dramatically change how we think of electronics. The still unreleased phone call Project Ara has a interior metal structure with slots for different components to connect. For example, modular components could house a camera, battery, touch screen display, or speaker. These components snap into place making a relatively standard looking smartphone. Consumers could purchase components and assemble them to make a personalized smartphone. The phone allows consumers to exchange a component for extra battery power or a more powerful camera depending on the situation. With such customizable hardware, the Ara phone could adapt to fit the needs of people with various disabilities. If users have a hearing impairment they could add a louder speaker component. Conversely, if a user is deaf there is no need to waste space with a speaker when the space could be used for something more useful. The possibilities are almost limitless. A...