Technology for Disabilities

Arun will lead a discussion about how to deal with disabilities in technology and discuss his project SKID (http://skid.org.in/).

Disabilities and Accessibility with Arun

Interests of People

Arun's Work

Stephen Hawking came to India. The software that he uses, the hardware is not being made. X company decided to create software for Stephen Hawking (open source).
Why would Stephen Hawking need software from India?
- They did go to Microsoft and M$ werent interested.
Stepen can only press one button.
- Cna hold down buton
Go to his website:
- What do you think about your disabilitit?
His computer is just like anyone elses.
Book: Beautiful Code (chapter about Stephen Hawking)

Special Kids

skid.org.in
very simple modules (ruby on rails)
- very simple task
- Very easy to write modules
  - script to set up skeleton of modules
- combine modules
  - Typing and Email modules combined
- Had kids write modules in one summer
  - high school kids, college kids
Ruby on Rails was used because of its modular natures
- easy for novices to program like experts
Can navigate with just an x-y joystick
4 button design
FireWater (ruby) module controls firefox
speech enable (can speak for)
- Find matching sentences with regular expression to easily find things to say
- Can change via text files
- Parent can put in words and pictures based on what is being learned
- Festival
Hardware
- Cheap solid state laptop
YouTube
- ??
Images
- select 3 modules in order to pick pictures and crop
- Works really well with autistic
Site Administration
- There are modules for parents/teachers/admins to clean up data and manage site
Bulletin Board
Promotion
- Mailing list
- Arun works at schools

Disability Issues

Kinds of disabilities
Many degrees (like blindness)
Disabled from Birth
- Size of person will dictate technoogy for disabled
In many area in the world, education is not available to the disabled
Speaking is really hard to learn
Communication problems mean that it is difficult to communicate the disbality to technology

Define Disablity

Challenges in Designing

Questions (What can we do?)

If you see any things that are sensory exciting?
- Send to Arun
Do you know kids that could use this software?
- takes patience on both sides
- in India, it is foreign to buy a computer for a disabled
Anyone with experience with installing software on SD card?
Ruby on Rails training?
Students who are seeking meaningful small projects (create some modules)?
- Easy for resume.
Conversion of Joystick client to JS?
- ATM: Festival needs to be installed. Driver only on Linux.
- USB joystick

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