The topic of computer accessibility is a very interesting and pertinent one. The more we as a society depend on the internet and other computer tools in our day to day lives the more it becomes important to consider how these tools are used by people with various types of disabilities.
Today I have the opportunity to talk to you about a product called Dragon Naturally Speaking which is a piece of software that can be used to enable computers with voice recognition. For people with difficulty typing this can be very useful as you can use the voice commands to interact with all types of Windows software.
I have Crohn's disease, and while I don't necessarily consider myself to be disabled, the fear of the disease causing me to get to that level seems to lurk in the back of my mind. In 2006 when I was hospitalized and diagnosed, I was out of work on disability for about 3 months. When you are stuck at home recuperating, or housebound due to illness or disability, the internet can help connect you to the rest of the world. Between online forums, email to relatives and work, and just surfing the web for information its become crucial, not just an extra.
I think that voice recognition software can not only help disabled people work with computers but also help people simply work faster. I used Dragon Naturally Speaking years ago, and I bet they have improved the product a lot since then. Back when I used it was before the days of Bluetooth and good microphones and the software had a tendency to misunderstand me. According to their web site they have about a 99% accuracy now, which could make this a killer app for the disabled and really anyone trying to make life easier.
I also have carpal tunnel syndrome and I know that avoiding use of the mouse and keyboard can really help alleviate this type of repetitive stress injury.
