Implications of Cloud Computing for People with Cognitive Disabilities Clayton Lewis AHG ATIA January 25, 2012

What is cloud computing? past future

Advantages Very low cost Lower barriers to entry – No need to maintain computer and software More services Greater availability of useful data More powerful services – Speech recognition, machine translation, highlighting important information, …

Why Is Cloud Computing Important for People with Disabilities? Cloud technology can be used to make access to information and services much easier for people with disabilities. User profiles can allow computers to automatically personalize themselves. Ex: Any computer can offer a student reading and writing aids, configured for their personalized use (voice, color contrast, etc.)

GPII Global Public Inclusive Infrastructure initiative – GPII.org Improve the user experience for computer users with disabilities – Allow users to store needs and preferences online – Help users find appropriate applications and services – Automatically configure applications and services Autopersonalization based on online profile

vision video at GPII.org

How it Works User profile in the cloud Modified browser accesses user profile… …customizes presentation of Web page to meet user’s individual needs

How it Works User profile in the cloud Matchmaker program helps user identify applications that can be configured to meet their needs

Some Example Applications in Higher Education from Accessing Higher Ground, November 16, 2011 with Jim Tobias, Inclusive Technologies

Example #1: Autopersonalization Student creates online profile specifying AT configuration Configuration is applied automatically to any machine Enhanced browser reads profile o automatically tailors rendering of Web pages

Focus on Slimmed-down Presentation clutter is everywhere on the Web it is an obstacle for some readers GPII is working on technology to provide views of material that suppress rarely-needed content

Example #2: Online Captions If the video is not captioned: o Find a captioned version somewhere else o Caption the video in real-time o Caption the video offline and notify the user when the captions are ready o Notify the video producer that captions have been requested If the video is captioned: o Display the captions according to your preferences, on the device you are using o Correct or comment on the caption o Translate the caption

Example #3: Cloud- Based Screen Reader WebAnywhere Personalized settings Adapts to content

Example #4: Specialist Interpreter For classroom or distance learning Interpreter who is familiar with the course content (at least the terminology) is located and connected to the session

Support for Software Providers GPII infrastructure enhancements aim to – Simplify the development of accessible applications – Support online delivery of tools and services personalization for access subscriber authentication These are benefits for mainstream as well as Assistive Tech providers

GPII Status $11M European Commission project launched November, 2022 – Additional amounts likely in international matches – OCAD University a major participant, with Canadian funding National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research leading US effort – 2012 budget request of $10m not appropriated – NIDRR to commit funds from existing budget for partnership efforts with other federal agencies

Ideas from Coleman/Silicon Flatirons Roundtable (October, 2011) Easier use of shared computers – in any residential settin, public settings Assistance on Demand: – increase independence by supporting access to trusted helpers in the world Developing community networks – provide ability to locate and communicate with known people in the community

Ideas from the Coleman/SF Roundtable (cont.) Open interfaces for applications allows applications to be adapted to needs of different users – for example people for whom neither keyboards nor speech interfaces work well Open information architectures are needed to support flexible creation, management, and sharing of information individuals, families, and communities need

Ideas from the Coleman/SF Roundtable (cont) Not all issues are technical: – reimbursement for services in addition to devices more generally: funding structures that can evolve with the changing technology environment – need for business case data to motivate making mainstream services accessible – opportunity to get better data on need for, adoption of, use of, and abandonment of, technology

Findings from AHG Roundtable accessibility support outside special labs is needed payment arrangements must allow 3d party support lowering captioning and interpretation costs is key supporting transition from campus is a challenge faculty struggle with creation of accessible content support for students with learning disabilities is the biggest demand

A Word of Caution cloud technology will not solve all of our problems there is a risk of exaggerated expectations and mistaken resource allocations – parallel: technology in the schools success with technology requires investment in people and their skills we need to grasp the real opportunities of the cloud, but with a sober sense of reality

Your ideas? GPII.org raisingthefloor.org