Technology and Disability - Volume 10, issue 1

Authors: Lane, Joseph P.

Article Type: Introduction

DOI: 10.3233/TAD-1999-10101

Citation: Technology and Disability, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 1-2, 1999

Authors: Ballabio, Egidio | Whitehouse, Diane

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Twenty years from now, there will be at least 100 million older people in Europe. The number of European disabled people is also on the increase. The European Union is tackling these challenges in a number of ways, for example, by supporting advanced technological research and development initiatives into issues affecting older people and disabled people. This paper focuses on the European Commission

Keywords: assistive technology, European Commission, information and communication technologies, people with disabilities, older people, research and technological development, Telematics for the Integration of Disabled and Elderly people (TIDE)

DOI: 10.3233/TAD-1999-10102

Citation: Technology and Disability, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 3-10, 1999

Authors: Nielsen, Christian Woetmann | Ambrose, Ivor

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: In Europe, the development of housing designs which address the needs of people with disabilities began some 30 years ago with specialised housing solutions, and simple adaptations. They addressed the needs of wheelchair users, in particular. Building legislation and welfare legislation (e.g., rental subsidies) supported the building of this special housing, which enabled a higher degree of integration in the community for citizens with disabilities. The past ten to fifteen years, however, has seen a paradigmatic change in many European countries with the introduction and refinement of so-called Lifetime Adaptable Housing standards within mainstream housing. In this approach, the goal …has become one of ensuring that new-build and renovated housing stock is technically capable - at low cost - of accommodating the widest possible range of user needs, that is, for persons with all types of disabilities, families with small children and seniors. This paper gives an overview of European experiences in bringing disability access standards to mainstream housing, based on a survey of eighteen countries. The paper documents the existence of a variety of technical standards as well as differing economic incentives and legislative powers between the countries. The paper concludes that new partnerships between builders, architects and organisations of people with disabilities have advanced the practice of building adaptable housing considerably. Yet, there is considerable scope for technical research and development targeted towards new, flexible housing types. Show more

Keywords: adaptable housing, building regulations, physical access, universal design

DOI: 10.3233/TAD-1999-10103

Citation: Technology and Disability, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 11-19, 1999

Authors: Stephanidis, Constantine | Emiliani, Pier Luigi

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: This paper addresses the critical issue of accessibility of interactive applications and services in the Information Society by disabled and elderly people, following two paths. Firstly, the paper develops an argumentation for proactive and generic strategies towards designing for the broadest possible end-user population, including disabled and elderly people, as opposed to reactive, adaptation-based approaches. To this end, the paper provides an overview of research and development work in the area of accessibility in Europe, and follows the evolution of research work from adaptation based solutions to the notion of universal access to the Information Society. The paper also reviews …the current state of the art in the area of universal design, and elaborates on the contributions of the unified user interface development method towards the development of an accessible Information Society. Secondly, the paper discusses necessary steps to advance the available results beyond technological feasibility, towards the economic efficiency and efficacy needed in the long run. It concludes by pointing out the compelling need for international collaboration and discusses recent efforts in this direction. Show more

Keywords: Information Society, accessibility of computer-based applications and services, adaptations, User Interfaces for All, Unified User Interface Development, technology transfer, non-market institutions

DOI: 10.3233/TAD-1999-10104

Citation: Technology and Disability, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 21-44, 1999

Authors: Sjöström, Calle | Rassmus-Gröhn, Kirsten

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Windows and the World Wide Web are two of the keys to the Information Technology explosion that we are all caught up in. Computer capabilities are increasing while they are getting easier to use. But how does a blind person handle a graphical environment like Windows? This article deals with Certec's efforts to find a way to use haptics (i.e., controlling with movements and getting feedback via the sense of touch), to provide new computer interaction techniques for visually impaired people and people with physical disabilities. Haptic technology makes it possible to extend the range of touch from …the length of an arm to a virtually unlimited distance. Show more

Keywords: haptic interface, Touch Windows, blind, sense of touch, visual disability

DOI: 10.3233/TAD-1999-10105

Citation: Technology and Disability, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 45-52, 1999

Authors: Furniss, Fred | Ward, Alison | Lancioni, Giulio | Rocha, Nelson | Cunha, Bernardo | Seedhouse, Philip | Morato, Pedro | Waddell, Neil

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Supported employment services have made open employment a meaningful option for persons with intellectual disabilities. To date, however, few people with more severe intellectual disabilities have benefited from these opportunities [14]. Many such persons can, with systematic instruction, rapidly learn complex work tasks, but need long-term support to maintain an acceptable level of performance over time. We describe a new system, based on a ‘palmtop’ computer, to assist people with severe intellectual disabilities to perform complex work tasks. Using the system, a worker with severe intellectual disabilities uses a radically simplified palmtop computer to access a series of …pictorial instructions guiding him/her through the steps in a task. For users who may become distracted from job tasks, devices similar to a commercial radio-pager remind the user to request the next instruction after a pre-set time has expired since the previous instruction. Should the user not respond to the prompt, the job coach or supervisor receives a similar alert. We present data from a series of six single case experiments in which the system was evaluated in use by workers with severe intellectual disabilities in real work settings. The results show that the system supports higher levels of work accuracy and pace than simpler support systems such as booklets of picture instructions, and that the prompting capacity of the system is useful to workers who may become distracted from job tasks. In addition, the capacity of the system to deliver instructions in clusters tailored to the needs of the individual user increases the utility of the system for persons with varying support needs. Show more

Keywords: severe developmental disability, supported employment, assistive technology, computer-aided support, cognitive aid, task guidance

DOI: 10.3233/TAD-1999-10106

Citation: Technology and Disability, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 53-67, 1999

Article Type: Calendar

DOI: 10.3233/TAD-1999-10107

Citation: Technology and Disability, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 69-69, 1999