Older people and disabled people need extra tech help to stay connected during lockdown
Submitted by Mark Walker on Thu, 30/04/2020 - 13:42
Older people and disabled people are amongst the worst hit by the coronavirus lockdown – they are more likely to be suffering from loneliness and need extra help to use their tech. That's why we're highlighting their freephone helpline and a network of police-checked IT volunteers who can provide free one-to-one support to help with all sorts of tech problems.
We are also running AbilityNet Live! - a series of free online events about staying safe online, staying connected, getting the most from your smart speaker which is being supported by Amazon, RNIB, REd Cross, Microsoft and many other organisations.
More lonely, more isolated
Recent figures show that there are at least 13.9 million disabled people in the UK. Even before the Coronavirus emergency they were much more likely to feel the effects of social isolation. In a recent survey by Scope:
half of disabled people of working age said they “always or often feel lonely”,
1.2 million older people said they felt “chronically lonely”
45% of pension age adults are lonely.
Sarah Botterill is from AbilityNet and says that their services are vital to make sure that we don’t overlook the very people who need the most help:
“We’re seeing technology bring us together in amazing ways in these difficult times, with families and friends using online calls to stay connected. Lots of older people and disabled people are really confident about using their phones or tablets, but many of them need extra help when using tech to stay in touch – which is adding to their sense of loneliness and isolation."
“Up and down the country we know that concerned relatives are trying to get their family connected, trying to get them on Skype or Zoom calls or sharing news on WhatsApp. But even when they have a smartphone or tablet what people really want is someone they can call when they need help - someone they can trust who will be patient and not baffle them with jargon."
"That's why we're highlighting our freephone helpline on 0800 048 7642 - anyone can call that and ask any tech question, no matter how trivial it may seem, and it's backed up with a network of IT volunteers."
Patient, trustworthy tech support
AbilityNet IT volunteers have been helping people in their homes for over ten years, and they don’t just fix it and run away – they show people how to do things for themselves and help them feel more confident and independent. They also help them find ways to connect with family and friends, such as getting on Facebook, or using Skype, playing online games or sending emails.
“We are proud to have a network of extremely patient, highly experienced tech support volunteers,” says Sarah Botterill. “They are used to dealing with all sorts of techie questions from people of all ages, And that's why their motto is that no problem is too small for them to deal with, whether it is setting up a new tablet supplied by the family, getting rid of viruses or simply getting the broadband working.”
AbilityNet Live! Free online events for disabled and older people
AbilityNet Live! is a series of free online events, specially developed to answer questions for disabled people and older people who are working or studying from home, or want to stay connected to family or friends. Upcoming sessions include:
How to access online learning to stay motivated and learn new skills
How to take care of your mental health while working or studying from home
How disabled people can use Alexa and other smart speakers to stay connected
Need more help?
Call our Freephone helpline during office hours on 0800 048 7642
This FREE webinar offered information and support on how to stay safe online. It's extremely relevant during a time of COVID-19 for people who are new to, and dependent online.
It's great to see so the government offering financial support, and communities rallying but, sadly, these new services also create opportunities for scammers.
In this webinar, we explained some of the techniques scammers use to trick you into giving away valuable personal information and to give away your money.
During the webinar we:
Explained how scammers use social techniques to encourage you to fall for their scams
Revealed the warning signs to watch out for when you're online
Explored specific types of scams including phishing scams and email spoofing
Explained the dos and don'ts of online banking
Explained how to shop safely online
Who is this webinar for?
Anyone. In these unprecedented times, we're all learning to do things in new ways. Our specific focus is on older and disabled people who need support now more than ever. The webinar will build confidence for all online users and for those who may be new to using online services.
The webinar lasted 1 hour and included a brief question and answer session.
How to find local support using the internet during COVID-19
Submitted by Alex.Barker on Tue, 14/04/2020 - 14:51
Communities and charities are coming together in a time of coronavirus (COVID-19). The internet brought together the global community, and in this time of crisis can help older, disabled and vulnerable people access the physical, practical and emotional support they need during this time of crisis.
As part of AbilityNet's response to COVID-19, we've launched a series of weekly webinars under the umbrella of AbilityNet Live! designed to help people at home, and those are working from home.
In our recent webinar, we heard from leading charities including Age UK, the British Red Cross, RNIB and Stroke Association as well as COVID-19 Mutual Aid UK to find out how they're providing local support. Here are five things we learned.
1. Local support during COVID-19
Access to local support is just a couple of clicks away. We heard from COVID-19 Mutual Aid UK.
The website grew out of a local support group in Lewisham and now acts as a central listing as to where your nearest COVID-19 support group is; simply enter a postcode or your town or street name into the search box and it will reveal the local groups.
You can contact these via email or in some cases, WhatsApp or connect directly via COVID-19 Mutual Aid UK.
Help varies according to the local group; some will collect medicines while others will deliver food in rural areas where there are few shops.
Helping isn't just about practical acts. The charities are also embracing the need for community, and to look after people's mental health during this time. We heard about a variety of befriending services.
A number of the charities have befriending and helpline services for those who may feel lonely during this time. Age UK has joined up with The Silver Line, which is available to call anytime on 0800 4 70 80 90. Age UK's Call in Time is a befriending service which will match you to someone who will call for a half-hour chat.
Stroke survivors can match to someone who knows a lot about stroke through its befriending service, and you can connect to online forums via My Stroke Guide.
You can also find local support groups using Facebook.
With help signing up to Facebook or any other technical support we continue to operate our helpline on 0300 180 0028 or contact us about remote support.
3. Apps to help those with visual impairments and sight loss
The RNIB actively embraces technology that can help bring greater independence to people with visual impairments, or sight loss. It has teamed up with former AbilityNet Tech4Good Award winner Be My Eyes, making it the first sight loss charity in the UK to partner with the global app.
The app has millions of sighted volunteers. Those with sight loss can use their camera to get help, which could be as simple as asking whether what's in front of them is a tin of beans or a tin of spaghetti hoops.
It isn't the only app of its kind, and RNIB has been reviewing others on its website, including neighbourhood app Next Door.
RNIB is also offering a free subscription to RNIB Newsagent so you can download newspapers and magazines to keep up with the latest news or to read about your favourite hobby.
4. Staying safe
While accessing help, it's important you keep yourself safe. COVID-19 Mutual Aid UK will not keep any of your details after your request is fulfilled.
It's also important you don't let volunteers into your home. It's a health risk during this time of COVID-19.
All the charities we shared the webinar with are keen to spread kindness during this unprecedented time. The British Red Cross has a kindness manifesto and has been delivering colouring books as a part of its wellbeing packages in the community.
Age UK groups have been coming together and having virtual coffee mornings, and running virtual book clubs so there's still plenty of activity even if the groups can't physically meet up.
People are also sending letters, and writing stories.
AbilityNet provides a range of free services to help disabled people and older people.
Call our helpline. Our friendly, knowledgeable staff will discuss any kind of computer problem and do their best to come up with a solution. We’re open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm on 0300 180 0028.
Please note: calls to our helpline number cost no more than a national rate call to an 01 or 02 number and count towards any inclusive minutes in the same way as 01 and 02 calls, and AbilityNet does not receive any money from these calls
Arrange some remote support. We have a network of AbilityNet ITCanHelp volunteers who can help if you have technical issues with your computer systems. They can come to your home, or help you over the phone.
We have a range of factsheets which talk in detail about technology that might help you, which can be downloaded for free. You may find our factsheets talking about voice recognition and keyboard alternatives useful.
My Computer My Way. A free interactive guide to all the accessibility features built into current desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones.
With a sudden rise in the use of online meetings such as Zoom and Teams there are lots of top tips about hosting such meetings, from dealing with small children creeping about in the background to making sure you turn off the camera when taking a comfort break.
What is more difficult to find are top tips to ensure that disabled people studying or working from home can participate in meetings and be productive as their colleagues.
This free webinar will explain the key things to think about to ensure that disabled people can access and participate in online meetings and study. It will cover the basics for any accessible online meeting, as well as specific tips for Microsoft Teams and Zoom.
It will be of interest to anyone who hosts meetings in a business, charity or university setting.
It will feature automatic live captions.
It will be recorded and shared with anyone who registers.
It’s not ‘social distancing’ it’s ‘physical distancing’
Submitted by Adam Tweed on Tue, 31/03/2020 - 21:05
At a time when isolation is a genuine concern, we must heed the revised advice of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and move from referring to ‘social distancing’ and instead use the term ‘physical distancing’.
It seems like semantics, but ‘social distancing’ is a phrase that triggers our minds to think of isolation, solitude, loneliness.
It suggests that this challenging period is one in which we are alone.
The truth is for many of us, this period of ‘physical distancing’ has made us re-valuate the importance of social closeness, and the seemingly trivial bonds we have with others have become conspicuous in their absence.
However, we live in an age like no other. The technology we have at our fingertips plays a crucial role in enabling us to remain socially together despite the need to stay physically apart.
It wasn’t that long ago when communication, especially with grandparents and parents, was a phone call, a one-on-one conversation and an “I’ll go get your father” handover.
Now we have video conferencing with multiple participants, parents and grandparents who have tablets and smartphones to hand and are comfortable with using them.
We can set a laptop on a table and join our family for Sunday lunch without being in the room. We can meet our colleagues online for a coffee break and a chat, grin at the ping of the notification that someone is reaching out rather than roll our eyes at the interruption.
We are not alone, the groups we belong to, our ‘tribes’, our families, have not disappeared, and although we may be physically apart, we’re still socially connected, we’ve merely migrated online.
AbilityNet: Helping you during the Coronavirus Pandemic
To ensure we stay connected in this time of crisis AbilityNet is:
Launching AbilityNet Live weekly webinars to help older and disabled people, and employers and employees remain connected
FREE webinar: Working From Home: Tech Solutions for Disabled People
Submitted by Mark Walker on Tue, 24/03/2020 - 22:14
Helping disabled people who are working from home
Please note: the date for this webinar has now passed - you can access the recording and other details including the slide deck on our website.
Anyone whose job allows it is now working from home, many of them for the first time. There is a lot of general advice about remote working being shared but AbilityNet is keen to focus on how disabled people can remain productive.
Some people may never have worked from home before, or they may have reasonable adjustments and solutions in place in their office which aren’t available at home.
Employers are keen to ensure that every member of staff remains productive, but resources are stretched and they may not have the technical or management knowledge to help.
Our guest experts bring all sorts of practical expertise for employees and their employers - including a range of free and low-cost solutions which may be a useful stop-gap in such changeable times.
There will be plenty of time for questions from the audience and the session will also be recorded and shared with anyone who registers.
Hosted by Robin Christopherson, Head of Digital Inclusion, speakers include:
Billy Courtney, AbilityNet Assessor - who provides one to one advice to disabled people
Lizi Green, AbilityNet - provides practical advice at our HE Tech Demo Days
Jo Blood, Posture People - provide ergonomic office equipment
Bela Gor, Business Disability Forum, who can help with HR and legal questions
The event will be delivered on Zoom and will include live captions, Please let us know of any accessibility requirements when you sign up.
Submitted by Mark.Gaddes on Thu, 19/03/2020 - 14:13
A message from Gary Moore, CEO of AbilityNet
With so much uncertainty at work, at home and in education, I would like to reassure you that AbilityNet is doing all it can to keep its services open for our many different customers.
Like many organisations all of AbilityNet's staff and volunteers are now working from home. The good news is that many of them were already home-based. We are very experienced at delivering our services remotely and accessibly, and our infrastructure is designed to support distributed working and collaboration.
I have laid out more details below, but to a very large extent we can confidently maintain business as usual.
You may know that we deliver a number of services from a variety of locations across the UK, for a huge range of individuals and organisations:
Our staff and volunteers provide face-to-face, telephone and remote IT support to disabled and older people in their homes
Our assessors provide face-to-face and online assessments to students and employees
Our consultants deliver accessibility consultancy and testing services to some of the largest brands in the world, sometimes from their offices, but usually delivered remotely
We run online and face-to-face events including free webinars, the Tech4Good Awards, TechShare Pro and an annual IT Volunteers conference
Our website offers free resources and expert information about disability, technology and accessibility
There's a more detailed round up for each service below, but what they have in common is that we have always put accessibility and the needs of our clients at the heart of our work, and are used to working remotely.
As well as the hard work and commitment of our staff and volunteers we rely on accessible tools which help us collaborate and connect.
At the heart of our day-to-day working toolkit is Office 365, with its many accessibility and sharing features, using Teams for internal communications and Sharepoint for sharing documents. We use the highly-accessible Zoom for our paid-for and free webinars and use tools such as Confluence for internal knowledge-sharing and PeakOn for employee support.
We also make sure we consider any reasonable adjustments our staff need to work comfortably at home, and our IT team ensures that all our systems are secure and efficient.
I hope this is of interest and reassures you that we are ready and able to help you with your projects and challenges in the weeks and months ahead.
Wishing you all the best in these difficult times.
Gary Moore
CEO, AbilityNet
AbilityNet Services Update
Given such a wide customer base we thought it helpful to summarise the current position for our each of our services.
Digital Accessibility Services
Most of our work is conducted remotely by a team that is experienced in working from home or other locations beyond our offices.
This includes accessibility testing and audits, consultancy and expert support on projects.
We use online meetings in Teams and Zoom to share findings, deliver free webinars and provide training - all of which have relevant accessibility features.
Some clients do ask us to work on-site, often for security reasons. We know this could be an issue if offices are forced to close but we are confident we can find ways to support them as they grapple with the challenges ahead.
In particular we can help you support any staff who need to make adjustments or deal with accessibility issues.
We deliver face-to-face assessments in 11 centres across the UK to anyone who is eligible for Disabled Students Allowances (DSAs).
Many students are concerned about attending face-to-face sessions which is why we also have a highly effective remote service. This optional feature of the DSA service has been approved in current circumstances by the Student Loans Company.
Our assessors are able to provide confidential video-based services even when working outside our office locations.
As well as support for students we provide a range of information for university staff.
This includes disability advisers to help them support students as well as digital teams and others concerned with delivering accessible and inclusive educational services.
The organisations we support with already use face-to-face and remote options to enable our staff to support their employees.
Many of our assessors are able to provide confidential video-based services when not in our office locations and which can be accessed from behind most firewalls.
Technology will become even more vital if older and disabled people are to be asked to quarantine themselves. We can and do deliver free support remotely but we know that may people will not feel confident about that.
We are working closely with our volunteer network and charity partners to make sure they are in touch with the people they support and, wherever possible, we are helping people to access remote support.
Please contact our helpline on 0300 180 0028 or get in touch on our Facebook page if you have any questions.
The launch of this year's AbilityNet Tech4Good Awards on 1 May will now be online only. Face-to-face events planned for July and September continue to be planned but will of course be kept under review.
The IT Volunteer Conference we planned to run with RNIB in June has been cancelled and we are instead looking to run a series of webinars and online activities during Volunteers Week to inform, engage and celebrate technology and volunteering.
TechShare Pro, 16/17/18 November, London - we’re working closely with the main sponsor Microsoft and the Olympic Park venue, Plexal, to manage the planning process.
Looking for help?
We specialise in helping disabled and older people use technology at home, at work and in education.
Whatever your question please feel free to ask for our help.
Call our free helpline during office hours on 0300 180 0028.
Check out our factsheets and other free online resources including free and recorded webinars.
Use My Computer My Way to learn more about how to adapt any computer to meet your needs.
How Alexa can change the life of a disabled person
Submitted by Guest Blogger on Tue, 17/03/2020 - 15:42
Guest blog: Colin Hughes
My smart home journey started back in autumn 2018 when the progression of my muscle wasting condition, muscular dystrophy, meant that I could no longer rely on my hands and arms to do things due to muscle weakness. Closing the blinds, turning up the thermostat, and switching on the television had become impossible. As a result, I decided that voice control was the way forward if I wanted to maintain, and even extend, my independence.
However, there were two remaining pieces of equipment I wanted to gain control of and these were old devices from the last century and not easily voice enabled.
1. Open sesame - electric door opener
The first was my electric door opener, which is fixed to my front door. I have never been able to open my front door due to weakness in my arms and hands. My door opener is manufactured by Record, a UK company who make many of the electric door openers you see in office buildings and shops and works by a small hand-held radio remote control, which when pressed, opens the front door so I can get in and out. It is really useful and is my only means of access and exit. However, the problem I have been experiencing in recent years, as my have muscles have got weaker, is reaching for the remote control if it is lying on a table, or on a shelf. So with this in mind I have been looking for a way of opening and closing my flat door with just my voice.
Last year, I saw a YouTube video of someone in the USA controlling driveway gates with Alexa using a inexpensive eWeLink wireless switch module. It got me thinking so I sent the video to Record and asked them whether they could do something similar with their electric door opener. My request got a positive response and the company said their technical department would experiment with my suggestion. However, it wasn't until December when they got back to me to say they had developed a solution.
I live in social housing and my landlord agreed to pay for the works, which are minor, and do not invalidate the warranty. In total the price including labour was £150.00. This was quite a difference to a £5,000 quotation I received from another contractor previously. What is it about companies and exorbitant prices for custom solutions involving disability!
Record's solution involves a smart WiFi switch controlled by the eWeLink Smart Home Control app on my iPhone, which is integrated with Alexa. The smart WiFi switch is hard wired to the door controller. From the eWeLink app you can configure the command you require to trigger the unit to open the door. For example, if you wanted the command could be "Micky Mouse" and the unit would trigger the door to open for a single operation. Both Alexa and the switch unit share my secure home Wi-Fi as a common platform to communicate with one another.
I am also able to open the door from outside my flat because Amazon now offer Echo Buds, wireless earbuds with full Alexa integration, which means I can take the Alexa voice assistant everywhere. Inside I can let people in, and myself out, with a voice command to my Echo smart speakers, and outside in the street I can let myself in with my Amazon wireless earbuds.
I should add that the solution controls both my flat door and the communal street door, and both doors also work manually in the normal way with a key, and with the radio remote control. Alexa is just a handy third option for me.
This customisation to an existing system is a good example of how receptive some manufacturers can be to custom requests. The Record engineer told me this is the first Alexa integration the company have ever carried out on their equipment.
I couldn't resist using "open sesame" as my first Alexa command for opening the door but I had to as Alexa didn't understand something obvious like "open the door"; she kept confusing it with another instruction. I will be changing this command regularly in case passers-by happen to cotton on to my Alexa command.
I think it's great that Record have collaborated with me. As one friend joked maybe they should offer me a seat on their board now! However, the serious point is that I wish more companies were receptive to making modifications to their existing products to make them disabled-friendly. Better still, design products from the outset with everyone's needs in mind.
2. Bose home theatre system
In my 2018 smart home article I also wrote of my desire to control my Bose Lifestyle 30 home theatre system with my voice to stream music, podcasts and radio stations. The 20-year-old Lifestyle 30 is no longer manufactured and supported, but I wanted to make it smart and integrated into my Amazon Alexa smart home to essentially turn a 'dumb' stereo into a voice enabled device.
Nowadays this is fairly straightforward. Amazon have been selling a cheap device called an Echo Input that adds Alexa capabilities to old music systems by connecting via a 3.5 mm audio cable into the AUX input on the back of the Bose, and other music systems. However, the problem I was experiencing was, when the Bose is powered on, it always starts in CD mode by default and it is not possible for me to pick up the Bose remote control to switch it to the required AUX mode to stream music by Alexa commands because it is too heavy for me to handle. It was also not possible to use my existing home radio frequency sender as the RF frequency Bose use is not compatible. Infrared control wasn't an option either as my Bose does not support this.
For two years I looked for a solution with no joy but a breakthrough came last autumn when a friend sent me a YouTube video of someone automating a 20-year-old Bose Lifestyle 20 via Google Home. I could see from this video that what I wanted to do was in fact possible. However, despite this evidence, every expert I spoke to told me it was still very complicated.
As I was unable to get in contact with the YouTube poster I tried the private sector and one company quoted me £5,000 for a custom solution to my problem! That was the highest quote I received and there was another for around £1,000.
With a prompt from AbilityNet, I remembered Remap a UK charity with skilled volunteers who custom make equipment for disabled people. Remap headquarters gave me a couple of their branches in London to try to see if they could assist. The first branch I tried had no one with computer skills.
However, when I contacted the second branch they had a computer expert on their committee who volunteers in his spare time. Remap put me in touch with Andy and I sent him the YouTube video, and the Lifestyle 30 service manual, which my local NHS environmental control service managed to obtain from Bose on my behalf, (Bose are very reluctant to hand out the service manual as the Lifestyle 30 is no longer manufactured). With other bits and pieces of information I had picked up, from posting on various hi-fi and Alexa forums, Andy came round before Christmas to carry out a quick assessment.
The solution that Andy came back with in the New Year was to utilise the 3.5mm RS232 data input socket on the back of my Bose, which is normally used by engineers to run diagnostics. A £15.00 Arduino micro processor was programmed to transmit serial codes, which we obtained from the Bose service manual, to first enter the unit into data input mode, this mimics the remote control and then transmits the code to switch the Bose unit to AUX mode as if entered by the front switches on the unit or via the remote control. The TX/RX ports on the Arduino were set to 1200, 1, N and programmed to transmit the codes 1 second after the Arduino was powered on. A test switch was also included in the Arduino circuit to manually transmit the data to the Bose. The Bose and Arduino are powered by separate smart plugs, both controlled by my voice via an Alexa skill.
I have created a group in the Alexa app on my iPhone that will simultaneously power on the Bose, and the Arduino at the same time by the two smart plugs and with a three second delay when it is powered on, the Arduino will switch Bose to AUX mode and then Alexa will play a playlist or radio station of my choice. It is fairly instant. The noise you can hear on the video is simply the CD starting when the Bose is powered on but this stops after a few seconds when the Arduino switches the Bose to AUX mode. An Alexa voice command such as "turn on the Bose" is all that is required to trigger this action simultaneously. Now I am able to build music, radio, and podcasts into my existing Alexa routines.
There is something really satisfying about breathing new life into a dumb but classic old piece of kit and making it smart for the 21st-century. I could have gone down another route and spent a lot of money on a modern system with Alexa capabilities built-in but I am glad I didn't. I am also very grateful that there are charities like Remap, and volunteers like Andy, in existence to help people like me. I do not know what I would have done without them.
Conclusions
As I have discovered over the past two years, voice controlled smart home tech is a great liberator for anyone who is unable to use your hands and arms as the result of a spinal injury, stroke, or muscle weakness. It has literally transformed my life in so many positive ways.
Whilst I am fairly technical, and persistent in achieving my goals, the problems that some disabled people may face with smart home technology is that it is very expensive and there are few sources of funding available. Some disabled people may also need assistance with installation, configuration and maintenance of devices and software.
My big idea to solve these two fundamental issues is to bring together government, big technology companies like Amazon, Google and Apple, the banks, and others and create a Motability-like charity for the smart tech era that will help disabled people to lease or buy smart devices using their disability benefits, and backed up by a support service to assist with with advice, installation, and any problems that crop up.
In much the same way the Motability Scheme has, for the past 40 years, enabled people to get mobile by exchanging their mobility allowance to buy or lease a new car, there should be something comparable for smart technology that can help disabled people with independence.
Whilst I have received great support from my NHS environmental control service, and charities like Remap and AbilityNet, in this Internet of things era we now live in, access to assistive technology is too important to be left to the good fortune of stumbling across a specialist charity.
It should be a human right and there should be a formal scheme in place to meet the needs of disabled people who could benefit from this technology, whether that is controlling their home, studying, or in employment – in short, so disabled people can enjoy the freedom and independence that so many of us take for granted.
So much has changed in the last two decades. In fact so much has changed in the last two years. As a blind person I’m just one example of how tech has helped improve the life choices for people with disabilities. We now have all the power of computers with us wherever we go – and with a range of sensors such as camera, GPS, accelerometer and compass etc that, when perhaps one or more of your own senses don’t work, can be incredibly empowering. Whereas a disabled person used to have to purchase expensive (and often relatively limited) devices, they can often now use mainstream gadgets such as a smartphone that have all the necessary accessibility features built-in and which offer thousands of apps that do the same functions for a fraction of the price.
As a blind person I used to need a talking GPS device (£750), a talking notetaker (£1500), a talking barcode scanner (£150) and many, many more specialist devices – all that had to be carried around in a backpack and each with their own charger etc – whereas now I have all that functionality and an awful lot more in one device. That same device is also almost infinitely expandable with each new app or service that comes along.
All this excellent tech, however, can only enable access to the digital world for people with disabilities if that world makes certain allowances. That’s where the need – no, the imperative - for digital accessibility comes in.
The low-down on accessibility
Digital accessibility has two main aspects; the accessibility, affordability and functionality of physical devices (specialist or mainstream) and the accessibility of services (websites and apps etc) that we access using those gadgets. OK – so ‘Digital’ probably only means the latter, but the former is so inextricably involved that we need to consider both.
The accessibility of devices has transformed in recent years – driven in large part by Apple. Apple has lead the way and shamed or energised others to follow. Disabled people are using their smartphones to aid mobility, manage their health, interact with colleagues, friends and society, play an active part in commerce and also have a lot of fun. The accessibility of the Mac and I-devices has ‘mainstreamed’ inclusion and, because of its influence on Android and other manufacturers, has meant that inclusion is now more affordable than ever before and we have largely seen the end of expensive, specialist, devices.
The accessibility of these devices has also impacted that second area of web and app accessibility. Apple’s developer tools have been designed such that you actually have to break accessibility in your app. Thus there are tens of thousands of apps to choose from that are now accessible – often replacing hard or impossible to use websites that haven’t been built with the benefit of such an environment. This has had a massive impact on choice for disabled people. As a blind person I would always first reach for an app which is a much more accessible, cleaner and more distilled user experience. Actually I would first reach for Alexa or Siri to see if the information or interaction I want can be done in a few seconds flat. If it works then this is a result. If it doesn’t then I have only wasted seconds before firing up the app.
One reason why the smartphone (and increasingly, the smartspeaker) is so empowering is that it enables people with disabilities to avoid using the internet. Despite the carrots and the sticks associated with making your website accessible, the internet is still a horribly inhospitable place for people with disabilities. If a virtual assistant or inclusive app can come up with the goods then a frustrating exploration of a much more complex – and almost invariably less accessible – web-based alternative will be avoided like the plague.
Mainstreaming accessibility
The concept of digital accessibility is now not only more mainstream an issue – it is, in fact, a purely mainstream issue.
We’re living in the age of extreme computing. Let’s think about how we use computers today. In this mobile-first world many of us are interacting with devices in ways that are far removed from the conventional set-up of your office or home where you sat in your comfortable chair, had your preferred keyboard, mouse and screen and ultimate control over your environment. If the sun was too bright or too dull, for example, you’d pull the blind or turn on the lights.
Now, whether it’s juggling a phone one-handed as you weave down the street coffee in-hand, desperately trying to finish off that text or transaction before you reach the bottom of the escalator, or tilting and shading your phone under the glare of the midday sun, you’re involved in extreme computing – and extreme computing needs inclusive design.
The challenge is to optimise for every situation.
That sounds like a tough challenge - optimising your devices (if you’re a device manufacturer) or your content and functionality (if you create websites or apps) for everyone and every situation. Well the accessibility guidelines are actually meant to do just that. In the case of websites or apps, for example, you’re designing to optimise for the needs of people who may have a vision, motor or learning impairment for example.
If you have no disability but you are using your phone one-handed on the move then you actually do have a temporary impairment that is identical to someone who has a motor difficulty 24-7. It’s true. You need exactly the same design considerations (good sized tappable areas separated by enough white space) as is needed by someone with Parkinson’s or a tremor.
In the same way, if you are trying to find out some information or purchase a product online very quickly in the few seconds you have available as you stand on that escalator, then you require that the site or app you are using has extreme usability to be able to complete it in the time you have available. This extreme usability is needed by someone with a learning difficulty to be able to successfully complete it regardless of how much time they have. Exactly the same requirements – and accessibility, or inclusive design, will help to achieve it.
You get the idea. Similarly good colour contrast and choice of font will help those with small screens on a sunny day just the same as it will help those with a vision impairment regardless of their screen size.
Thus accessibility – with its historical connotations of being solely for the disabled user, requiring extra budget and effort and, being a ‘bolt-on’ often being dropped off when push comes to shove – should probably now be replaced with the idea of ‘Inclusive design’. Inclusive design is for every user and, as such, is factored in from the very start of any project and informs every decision along the way.
How to move the accessibility needle
Hopefully, at this point, we all agree that digital accessibility is essential to make products and services fit for purpose in this mobile-first world – quite apart from it being an essential component of the daily digital lives of people with disabilities.
It's been a legal requirement to have an accessible website since 2003 and yet we estimate that still 90%+ of websites in the UK don't even meet a level of WCAG single-A compliance - let alone AA which is arguably the legal requirement.
I believe that the single most impactful development that will see a seismic shift in accessibility is for government to actually enforce the law. This sounds odd, but in an open letter to the government I explain and I’ll summarise it here.
You can barely leave your car one minute over time without getting a parking ticket, or speed on the highway without seeing a camera-flash, but where are the government’s wardens of the internet? The law on accessibility matters too - arguably much more so for those disabled users directly impacted and indeed for our digital economy more widely. Because, what’s good for someone with a visual impairment is good for someone using a small screen etc, etc (you're all experts on this now).
While it can take considerable time and expertise to ensure a website is compliant, it's incredibly simple to check AA-level compliance (the legal minimum) with an automated checking tool. It would only take a very small team to enforce.
So why leave it to disabled individuals to enforce the law? That seems wrong to me. One reason is that for the longest time the government probably felt that their own house wasn't sufficiently in order. They were doing the equivalent of speeding or parking on double-yellow lines themselves. But now gov.uk is pretty accessible and so I say that now is the time. Let’s get this initiative underway and get companies to sit up and take note.
Whilst a government department would not want to name and shame, organisations such as the RNIB or indeed ourselves at AbilityNet may well wish to put in a frequent FOI (freedom of information) request and thus the names of organisations could well be made public. I believe the financial and brand incentives would see a paradigm change in what has been an incredibly slow journey to accessibility.
That’s my take-away and you can take it or leave it. Other countries choose to be proactive and are seeing a significant shift towards a more digitally-inclusive world for everyone.
I hope you decide to champion accessibility because it’s the right thing to do and not out of fear of the possible brand or legal consequences – but, as a blind person driven to despair by the digital world on a daily basis, I really don’t mind either way.
The future of voice-first healthcare – in one handy, expert book
Submitted by Robin Christopherson on Tue, 10/03/2020 - 11:52
Meeting the experts in voice-first tech
Today (10 March) at an international healthcare conference* in Orlando, Florida a ground-breaking new book is being launched on how voice-first technology - like Amazon’s Alexa or Google’s Assistant - can be leveraged to revolutionise healthcare delivery and the lives of people with disabilities.
Guest authors, all experts in this field, were each asked to contribute a chapter to this landmark publication that explores the intersection of Voice and Healthcare.
In my capacity as long-time Head of Digital Inclusion at AbilityNet and podcast host of the Echo skills demo show; Dot to Dot, I was invited to write a chapter examining the rich area of voice-first tech and disability.
The lead authors of the book are Harry Pappas, Dr David Metcalf, Dr Sandhya Pruthi and Dr Teri Fisher. Along with guest chapter authors, they review information from the top thought-leaders in this space, examine real-world case studies of the outcomes and explore the future of voice technology in healthcare.
“Our ability to communicate through the spoken word and the relationship to technology and healthcare, is the basis for this entire book.” Dr Teri Fisher
About the book
The healthcare industry is on the cutting edge of voice-user interface (VUI) design and making great progress to improve patient care through developing technologies, literally transforming the voice of the industry. The advantages of VUI extend far beyond simple conveniences for patients or a healthcare employee’s saved phone call. VUI has a profound impact on care improvement. Just like a person, a well-designed VUI can use tone of voice, inflection and other elements in conversation to shape behaviors or calm nerves. With VUI, physicians and patients become empowered to make informed decisions about healthcare.
The use of voice technology across smart speakers, IoT, clinical and home devices and wearables for improving the patient experience and clinical outcomes was recently identified as one of the most significant emerging technologies in healthcare. Smart speakers are the #1 selling consumer item in the world and competition is increasing between Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri, Microsoft Cortana, Google Voice Assistant, and a host of other specialty platforms specific to healthcare. Voice technology is not just pervasive in smart speakers and smart phones – it is finding its way into wearables, vehicles, homes, and even consumer and clinical medical devices. We even have smart jewellery emerging with health, wellness, and safety features built in. Best of all, this trend spans intergenerational health and wellness that goes beyond clinical care into long term health and wellbeing and the potential for increased patient engagement.
In this book, the authors review information from the top thought-leaders in this space and examine real-world case studies of the outcomes and potential of voice technology in healthcare.
Topics include; clinical and home health use cases, next generation fitness facilities, voice and wearables in smart, connected communities, voice technology in social companions/robotics, voice technology in future surgical suites, and the future of voice technology and artificial intelligence.
About the conference*
This year held in Orlando, Florida, the HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exhibition brings nearly 45,000 health information and technology professionals, clinicians and executives from over 90 countries around the world, together with over 1,300 exhibiters and market suppliers.
It’s really not hyperbole to say that exceptional education, world-class speakers, cutting-edge products and powerful networking are hallmarks of this truly industry-leading conference.
Buy the book
You can buy the book in print from Amazon UK, as well as in print and Kindle editions from the US and Canada stores.
* Conference update
Due to the on-going risks associated with Coronavirus, the physical conference has been cancelled and moved online.
I will now be one of the guest speakers during the online event, outlining the themes of my chapter and taking questions. You can register at http://voicefirsthealth.com/live
Access to local support is just a couple of clicks away. We heard from 
All the charities we shared the webinar with are keen to spread kindness during this unprecedented time. The British Red Cross has a kindness manifesto and has been delivering colouring books as a part of its wellbeing packages in the community.
At a time when isolation is a genuine concern, we must heed the 
A message from Gary Moore, CEO of AbilityNet
experiences of building a voice operated smart home
because Amazon now offer Echo Buds, wireless earbuds with full Alexa integration, which means I can take the Alexa voice assistant everywhere. Inside I can let people in, and myself out, with a voice command to my Echo smart speakers, and outside in the street I can let myself in with my Amazon wireless earbuds.
a cheap device called an Echo Input that adds Alexa capabilities to old music systems by connecting via a 3.5 mm audio cable into the AUX input on the back of the Bose, and other music systems. However, the problem I was experiencing was, when the Bose is powered on, it always starts in CD mode by default and it is not possible for me to pick up the Bose remote control to switch it to the required AUX mode to stream music by Alexa commands because it is too heavy for me to handle. It was also not possible to use my existing home radio frequency sender as the RF frequency Bose use is not compatible. Infrared control wasn't an option either as my Bose does not support this.
with skilled volunteers who custom make equipment for disabled people. Remap headquarters gave me a couple of their branches in London to try to see if they could assist. The first branch I tried had no one with computer skills.
changed in the last two years. As a blind person I’m just one example of how tech has helped improve the life choices for people with disabilities. We now have all the power of computers with us wherever we go – and with a range of sensors such as camera, GPS, accelerometer and compass etc that, when perhaps one or more of your own senses don’t work, can be incredibly empowering. Whereas a disabled person used to have to purchase expensive (and often relatively limited) devices, they can often now use mainstream gadgets such as a smartphone that have all the necessary accessibility features built-in and which offer thousands of apps that do the same functions for a fraction of the price. 
that are now accessible – often replacing hard or impossible to use websites that haven’t been built with the benefit of such an environment. This has had a massive impact on choice for disabled people. As a blind person I would always first reach for an app which is a much more accessible, cleaner and more distilled user experience. Actually I would first reach for Alexa or Siri to see if the information or interaction I want can be done in a few seconds flat. If it works then this is a result. If it doesn’t then I have only wasted seconds before firing up the app.
a chapter to this landmark publication that explores the intersection of Voice and Healthcare.