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Computers are today an integral part of life, whether at home, at work or at school. Software developers are thus constantly working on developing application software that is easy to understand and use. A large group of computer users however find it difficult to use conventional software because they are suffering from a disability like blindness, hearing impairment, physical disabilities, etc. Thus, one of the challenges of making computer software easily accessible is to design it in a way that allows those with disabilities to use it too.
When endeavouring to cater to the needs of the challenged, application software developers need to take into consideration several factors. First, it is important that as many people as possible have direct access to the software. This implies that the software design be such that users will not need to use special adaptive software and hardware. Direct accessibility is thus of prime concern.
Second, the software needs to be compatible with special access features that can be built into the system or attached to it by users. This will ensure that the software works just as effectively with the attachments or modifications as it did before. Ensuring such compatibility will make the software available to those who cannot have direct access to it otherwise.
Third, the documentation training and customer support system must be so designed that it does not exclude persons with disabilities from their purview. This would mean being sensitive to the challenges faced by different disability groups and incorporating elements in documentation and customer support which will take these into consideration.
The overall accessibility of the software can also be improved in several ways. For example, making the documentation available in electronic form will ensure that it can be accessed by screen reading software and thus available to those who cannot use the printed manuals.
The customer support staff can respond effectively to the needs of disabled people if they are trained to be sensitive in this area. Not only do they need to be aware of disability access issues but also that the product is being used by challenged persons too. Particular members of the staff can be further trained so that they are able to handle complaints related to incompatibility of the software with disability access products.
Finally, access or compatibility issues which are raised by users need to be conveyed to the product designers so that these can be tackled effectively and addressed at the time of designing the software.
The responsibility of making computer software accessible to all does not lie with application software developers alone. Systems software manufacturers and disability access software and hardware developers also contribute to the process. It is only when all three fulfil their roles and share the responsibility that computers and software becomes truly accessible to disabled people.
About the Author: Aaron Douglas is president of Deep Ripples, an Indianapolis Search Engine Optimization company.
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