2. I use it as a braille TTY to make a relay phone call or relay SMS.
I use it as a GPS system to figure where I'm going.
I use it to go to school.
I use it to jot down a note.
I use it to communicate with other deaf-blind people across the world.
I use it to communicate with people in the same room, who don't know sign language.
I use it to stay in touch with family.
I use it to do my grocery shopping.
I use it to find out if it's raining outside.
I use it to access the library and read books.
I use it to find out about any emergencies.
My phone isn't just a phone. It's my connection to the world.
-Deafblind User
My Phone is way more than just a phone.
3. “ Deafblindness is a unique and isolating sensory
disability resulting from a combination of both a hearing
and vision loss or impairment which significantly affects
communication, socialisation, mobility and daily living.”
Australian Deafblind Council
Digital Inclusion
4. 2013 – Pilot in Victoria for Deafblind Community
Develop training materials - Digital Literacy
Research into Accessibility
Loan of mobile devices
Support Worker Training
Peer Training
Develop Case Studies
Evaluation framework to evaluate program’s value (SROI)
Able Australia / Telstra Partnership
5. Expanded networks – Facebook friends
Language development
Social interaction – Posts and comments
Access to Culture
Sharing experiences via photos
Increased awareness of advocacy issues.
Digital Inclusion via Social Media
6. Includes Low hearing AND low vision
Complex communication needs
Language Literacy
Auslan
Braille,
English Literacy
Digital Literacy
Deafblind Community
7. Growing numbers - ageing population
Difficult to know how many people with deafblindness -~
300,000 (Access Economics)
Widening gap in digital literacy as audio and video replace text
Hidden in families, aged care and supported accommodation.
Degenerative condition with ongoing grief.
Deafblind Community
8. Cultural Diversity
English as a Second Language
Aged
Other Disability
Unemployed
Socio economic disadvantage
Mental Health
Deafblind Community
9. “If a Device works for the
deafblind community, it
will work for everyone”
11. Out of the box Accessibility built into Device
A range of inputs and outputs.
Touch & vibration
Speech and braille
QWERTY Keyboard and Braille Keyboard
Magnification, display colours.
Android, Windows, Apple
Good Design
12. Customisable input and outputs.
Speech
keyboard shortcuts
Magnification
Display colours.
Android, Windows, Apple
For Example my phone is read as "Four hundred and 7, eight hundred and
eighteen, three hundred and twenty nine."
Customisable Accessibility
13. Websites and Apps designed for each
device, platform, screen size is causing major headaches.
No Consistency across devices and platforms.
Accessibility is seen as just an additional burden with
rushed deadlines.
Accessibility = Quality Design
Across All Devices - Apps - Platforms.
Accessible Websites and App
14. “You put water into a cup, it becomes the cup.
You put water into a bottle it becomes the bottle.
You put water into a teapot it becomes the teapot.”
Responsive Web/App Design
15. Content separated from the Device/Platform
Same content into any device becomes accessible due
to user settings on the device.
Ensures consistency for user
Keep the Complexity – Make is Simple
Responsive Web Design
16. “It is a terrible thing to see
and have no vision.”
Helen Keller
17. Claire Tellefson- Digital Literacy
Claire.tellefson@ableaustralia.org.au
www.ableaustralia.org.au
http://exchange.telstra.com.au/author/claire-tellefson/
Editor's Notes
ACCAN Report in 2011 into Telecommunications for Deafblind Community.Findings were Very low numbers of deafblind people have access to mobile devices due to funding and training constraints.
In light of the ACCAN report, Telstra partnered with Able Australia to support the existing Ablelink training program with the aim to expand nationally. The framework outlined the process for measuring change and calculating the financial value generated by the program. Broadly, this involved measuring the change in participants well being as direct result of the program, and using financial proxies to place a value on the change. Lastly, the financial benefit of the program is calculated based on the value of change and program costs. Loan of Devices has been very successful as there is nowhere to get advice and to try before they buy.Peer training is also very successful with support workers to assist with communication and technical problems.
mobile technology can be used to increase economic, workplace, educational, political and social participation;independent living, safety, full inclusion in society.Great pride in using mainstream devices
To teach digital Literacy need first to teach English, then Braille.In the case of Helen Keller she first had to learn the concept of Language.
I tried the Android. Now give me back my iPhone! "Farhad Manjoo The age July 19, 2013Google developed the software and phone makers could alter the OS in any way they liked.Phone makers and carriers add unnecessary features make modifications to all the essential features - email, calendar, notification, home screen - they are a not the original Google "easy to use" design. It is possible to re configure all these apps but "out of the box" accessibility is preferable.
Iphone is 10% accessible. 0% customisable Consistency – New is different ach time, Delete is different, No Shortcuts.
