Amidst the pandemic and chaos, things have suddenly become more complicated, which is why people with disabilities, like everyone else, are waiting for virtual assistance. Now they can do things that were once impossible to do on their own. With the support of assistive technology, they can live a better quality of independent life.

From smart glasses to automated electric wheelchair users, an artificial intelligence cane that guides blind people, and assistive technology have changed the lives of people suffering from a multitude of disabilities.

Of course, the assistive technology of speech synthesis software helps people with a variety of disabilities. Assistive technology works wonders when it comes to accessibility to information and the virtual world.

Text-to-speech tools powered by artificial intelligence that offer many flexible settings for tone, speed, and audio conversion to multiple languages. The most human-like audio conversion of your favorite text is just one click away. Users need minimal effort to simply listen to their favorite book, magazine, blog, or online shopping audio tour – everything becomes possible in one click.

Website Voice is an intelligent software that automatically recognizes text and starts audio conversion of the main part of the text in a few minutes. This not only reduced human effort, but also played a significant role in making content accessible to audiences in the most remote corners of the world.

The Website Voice development teams have created this text-to-speech software that makes all kinds of online content accessible to people with disabilities. Speech-to-text tools are great handy tools for regular people, not to mention people with disabilities.

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Mouse tracking with hands-free: There are now many truly amazing ways that people with disabilities can control the cursor without relying on mouse or keyboard commands. One option is FaceMouse, which turns a standard webcam into a mouse operator. It recognizes facial or head movements and converts them into commands, such as clicks. Essentially, you can use your head movements like a joystick. FaceMouse even allows users to set specific movements for certain commands, such as “Open mouth” or “Enter key”.

Another option for hands-free mouse tracking is to use a Lomak, a backlit mouse and keyboard. A small device with a laser pointer is worn on the head (or, alternatively, on the arm). By moving the head, directing the laser light to different points on the keyboard or screen, users can control the cursor. Lomak’s keyboard is also controlled by laser light and has the option of voice confirmation of commands.

The third option is the EyeGaze Edge system. This really cool system works thanks to a special video camera installed under the screen. The camera observes the user’s eyes to determine where they are looking. The user then controls the system by looking at special keys that are displayed on the control screen.

Voice control: Software for special voice control capabilities includes programs that convert speech to text and also allow you to control your computer by voice. Dragon is one of the most well-known and feature-rich programs for providing access to the Internet. It allows you to enter text anywhere you find a text box, and you can even tell it where to place the cursor. However, the accessibility tool is not perfect, and people with disabilities will have to rely on other tools, such as activating switches, to gain full access to the Internet.

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Assistive technology is nothing new. For example, a pair of reading glasses is a type of assistive technology. Web accessibility tools perform a function similar to a pair of glasses, as both the glasses and the accessibility tool allow a person with a disability to perceive and interact with the outside world. From this point of view, a wheelchair and an accessibility tool are basically aimed at the same result – helping people with disabilities to access things in life that others take for granted.

People with disabilities can use website accessibility software to help them be active online. More well-known examples of accessibility software include screen readers and screen magnifiers, which allow blind and visually impaired people to interact with online content. These examples of accessibility software are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the technology that now exists to help people with disabilities navigate the web.

Unless you are a person with a disability, you probably take for granted that you can easily control a mouse, type on a keyboard, or click to select options while browsing the web without the need for assistive technology. Now imagine doing the same online tasks without being able to see or move your hands. Suddenly, the Internet looks like a completely different place – a place full of obstacles and limited access. There are website accessibility tools to overcome these obstacles and overcome the barriers that still exist for users with disabilities.

Internet accessibility for people with disabilities has been a concern since the birth of the Internet, and the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) was created in 1997 by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to set standards for Internet accessibility. However, it is only now that web accessibility is really getting serious attention. Most countries still don’t have any website accessibility laws, which means that people with disabilities are often unable to access and use websites, including much-needed services on public sector websites such as healthcare.

If you want to improve the website accessibility on your site, you can start by reading the WAI guidelines and using website accessibility tools to check the accessibility of your website. However, this can only take you so far. To truly improve web accessibility, you need to understand how people with disabilities use the web with assistive technology and accessibility software. Only then can you make meaningful changes that give all people, including those who rely on assistive technology and web accessibility tools, equal access to your website.

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