8/22/12 Adapting and Access to Social Media for People with Disabilities

2  A disability justice movement working to transform communities.  Home of Michigan’s Assistive Technology Program   Contact Michigan Disability Rights Coalition (MDRC)

3  We’ll share things we know or have heard about.  We are not covering alternative computer or smartphone access.  Cover some popular social media sites, not specific disability issue sites.  We are not endorsing any systems or products.  There’s more out there! Please share. About Today’s Session

4  Social Interaction & Belonging  Self Esteem  Access issues: the potential of multimedia and digital information  Inclusion considered “normal”. Why use and Social Media?

5  Facebook : 850 million users  YouTube: More than 3 billion views per day; 48 hours of video is uploaded every minute.  Twitter: More than 200 million accounts  LinkedIn: 135 million users; new members joining faster than two new members a second. Usage: Social Media Channels

6  Reading printed text or small print  Complexity  Difficulty signing up for an account  Remembering passwords  Spam, viruses, ads  Incapability with screen reader software  Other access issues  Access to technology, internet Potential Problems

7  Used by sites to verify a real person is signing up for an account, not automatic spammers.  Often use difficult to read images or garbled audio  Go around this:  WebVisum WebVisum  Captcha Monster Captcha Monster CAPTCHAs

8  Many being developed aimed at seniors  Most have simplified visual layouts  Many use larger fonts  Some offer enhanced support and assistance  One prints out s – no computer needed.  Costs vary widely. Simplified

9 Example: ICan

0 Example: PawPaw Mail

12 Demo from the website Paw Paw Mail Demo

12  Parlerai creates a network for a child with special needs using tools to enhance collaboration and provide a safe means of communicating via the Internet. Includes picture communication. Parlerai  Point-and-Chat® simple to use talking , talking instant messaging, and talking twitter. So if you can say it with AAC software, you can send it as text over the Internet. Point-and-Chat® AAC Users

13  Send a video or voice .  Have it read to you on the phone  Skip the computer and print it – PrestoPresto  Text to Speech and Speech to text on smart phones. Alternative

14  Built-in features such as Siri, VoiceOver, Magnification, Google Voice…  Have read to you if you have a print disability (text to speech)  Input text using your voice (speech to text).  See webinar archive iDevices, Android and appsiDevices, Android and apps Apps for Smart Phones

Easier to Use Systems 5

16  Dolphin Guide  CDESK by AdaptiveVoice  Endeavor Desktop by AbleLink Technology Computer Systems

17  Messaging/Social Interaction  Many new systems being developed  Aimed at the aging/senior market  Stay at home/aging in place Seniors & Caregivers

18  Trend appears to be away from specialized browsers.  Add on for Firefox and Chrome Browsers  Options in other Browsers  Web Trek by Ablenet  Audio of Web via Phone Adapting Web Browsers and Alternatives

19 Twitter

20  A microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based messages of up to 140 characters, known as "tweets“  Can now tweet pictures too.  Share information, breaking news  Discussions, classes and workshops. “backchannel”  Social TV -“chatterboxing” What is Twitter?

21  Many programs to use twitter (twitter clients)  Mobile Twitter  Tweat from  Mashups Using Twitter

22  A web-accessible alternative to Twitter.com.  It is designed to be easier to use and is optimized for disabled users.  Works with keyboard-only, older browsers like IE6, low band internet connection, and without JavaScript Easy Chirp

23  Uses the microphone on the iPad  Breath controls movement and selection of keys on a keyboard.  Developed in Japan Breath Bird

24 Facebook

25  Use the Mobile Site  Post from Outlook  Try an app that works with voiceover  Post using voice to text with an app Access for Facebook

Linkedin

27  Has been fairly accessible  Some of the problems with other social media  Becoming more difficult for screen readers. LinkedIN Access

28 YouTube

29  Can show people using sign language  Easy YouTube  Extra Large YouTube YouTube Access

30  Closed Captions  Auto Caption  No toggle for Audio Description Captions and YouTube

31 Questions?

32 Final Thought: "“When you give everyone a voice and give people power, the system usually ends up in a really good place.” - Mark Zuckerberg, CEO & Founder of Facebook Thank You!