In order to make the Web easier to navigate and read for seniors, people with slight disabilities and special education students, grants of innovative IBM software applications are being made to eligible nonprofit organizations and schools around the world.
Entitled accessibilityWorks and Web Adaptation Technology, and developed by IBM Accessibility Research, the applications are comprehensive Web browsing tools designed to enable individual users to personally customize the format of Web pages they visit, for optimal readability.
AccessibilityWorks runs on Linux and Windows operating system software, and employs the open Web browser, Mozilla Firefox. It is the most current application, with new features under development, and has been made available following the success of Web Adaptation Technology in the early 2000's. Web Adaptation Technology runs on Windows operating system software and Window's Internet Explorer Web browser.
Both applications are available in multiple languages, including Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese, Italian and Spanish and:
- Assist people with low vision by enabling them to magnify the contents on a Web page, change the color of the text and background, turn off animation and sharpen images to greatly improve readability;
- Allows selected words or text to be read aloud, using "a text to speech" feature; and
- Samples the typing of people who have difficulty typing with accuracy (e.g., those with tremors, arthritis or recovering from a stroke) and detects the errors and automatically adjusts the keyboard sensitivity to accommodate their typing styles.
Nonprofit organizations serving the elderly, people with disabilities, and developmentally disabled children and adults are eligible to receive a grant of either accessibilityWorks or Web Adaptation Technology. Grants are valued at $40,000 and $35,000 respectively and have been awarded to almost 200 organizations in 28 countries. Grant recipients include Abilities, Inc. (NY), AbilityNet (UK), Canada National Institute for the Blind, Enable India, FEGS (NY), Fundades (Peru),Hong Kong Society for the Blind, National Center for Learning Disabilities (NY), Muscular Dystrophy Ireland, Neil Squire Society (Canada), Open Door (Brazil), PACER (Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights) (MN), Pina Palmera AC (Mexico), SeniorNet (CA), SER Jobs for Progress (TX), Shanghai Committee on Ageing (China), and United Cerebral Palsy of Suffolk County (NY).
Web Adaptation Technology has received the 2006 Business Partner Award for Goodwill Industries International, the da Vinci Award™ from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Michigan Chapter (NMSS) and the Engineering Society of Detroit (ESD), as well as the 2004 Best New Ability Research Award from the New Freedom Foundation and the 2002/2003 Product of the Year Gold Award from the National Business & Disability Council. |
