Making use of technology can make a huge difference to anyone who has difficulty with reading and writing. In the past; many of these helpful tools have only been available with the purchase of additional, specific software. In contrast; all of the major platforms now include a range of basic accessibility functions within their operating systems. These can be found on the device itself or sometimes, may need to be installed with an additional download.
This does not mean that the need for purchasing specialised software is no longer necessary, because some people will still benefit by using software that can provide additional features and quality tools beyond basic functions. However, on today’s devices accessibility features are increasingly available to anyone who wants to use them. They just have to know where to find them and try them out!
Over the past few editions of Contact (the BDA’s magazine) members of the BDA’s New Technologies Committee produced a series of articles which explored and briefly summarised the different accessibility tools to be found on various platforms. These articles can be found using the links below. We hope you find them useful.
Enabling Technologies: iPhones and iPads
Enabling Technologies: Windows 10 and Microsoft Office latest developments
Enabling Technologies: Google Docs and Chrome Extensions supporting Study Skills
BDA Technology 