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PDA's

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From: John Goldthwaite
Date: Feb 7, 2002 6:51AM

PDA's have major accessibility problems. The PDA's based on the Palm OS
don't have a voice synthesis capability so it is hard to make them
accessible to blind users. Even with voice they would be very difficult to
use since they are based on a touch screen interface. Linear auditory
navigation as an alternative would be possible but not practical.

Their use would be very difficult for most and impossible for many
individuals with motor impairments due to the size of the controls and
accuracy required with the touchscreen.

An alternative for blind users is the talking version of the Nokia 9110 -
the Talx9110 or 9110i. http://www.talx.de/index_e.htm These are a
cellphone PDA combinations which have a small keyboard rather than touch
screen. The Talx program only controls the PDA part of the device and is not
active when the clam shell case is closed. Stand alone, the Talx uses a
limited vocabulary of digitized speech. With external synthesizer of
braille display it can be used to read mail and for PDA functions. These
are based on the GEOS operating system so special applications design for
Palm OS or Microsoft Pocket PC would not run on them. There should be an
equivalent device for Microsoft Pocket PC but I haven't seen one yet.
Perhaps someone on the list has.

Other alternatives would be a Braille notetaker or talking notetaker such as
the Braille'n'Speak or Keynote Gold. These have the functions of a PDA and
can upload and download data to PC's.

For motor impairment, the RERC on Wireless Technology has a group working on
IR interfaces in which an Augmentative Communications Device controls a cell
phone, pager or PDA. So far they have just done a pager. However many AAC
devices are laptop PC's themselves so you could just use PC programs
instead.

A laptop is probably the most practical alternative for individuals with
severe motor impairments