Tools and Techniques

Accessibility: It's about people

Tools and preferences

People with disabilities access and navigate digital technology in different ways, depending on their individual needs and preferences. Sometimes people configure standard software and hardware according to their needs, and sometimes people use specialized software and hardware that help them perform certain tasks.

More about tools and preferences

Some common approaches for interacting with the Web include:

• Assistive Technologies – software and hardware that people with disabilities use to improve interaction with the web. These include screen readers that read aloud web pages for people who cannot read the text, screen magnifiers for people with some types of low vision, and speech recognition software and selection switches for people who cannot use a keyboard or mouse.
• Adaptive Strategies – techniques that people with disabilities use to improve interaction with the Web, such as increasing text size, reducing mouse speed, and turning on captions. Adaptive strategies include techniques with standard software, with mainstream web browsers, with mobile devices, and with assistive technologies.

Accessibility benefits people with and without disabilities. Features that support accessibility are becoming increasingly available in standard computer hardware, mobile devices, operating systems, web browsers, and other tools. Better Web Browsing: Tips for Customizing Your Computer provides information about customizing your computer to take advantage of such accessibility features and solutions.

Sometimes hardware and software with specific accessibility features, including web browsers, media players, or assistive technologies, may not be available to an individual. For example, tools may not be affordable, not installed or not compatible with the computer, not available in some languages, or not available for other reasons. In other cases, people are unaware of accessibility solutions or how to configure and use them.

More on tools and techniques:

• Perception - hearing, feeling and seeing
• Presentation - distingushing and understanding
• Input - typing, writing, and clicking
• Interaction - navigating and finding