Assistive Technology

For the past 6 years, I have had the newest version of the iPhone, but have never taken the time to look at the accessibility features. My iPhone 6 is running on the most recent software update, iOS9.3.1. After taking the time to explore the accessibility features, I found that there are over 29 ways to change your iPhone's setting to accommodate a variety of disabilities. Within those 29 or so options, some of the options go further with a number of sub-options. With all of these different features that can be modified, where do you start?

Using Apple's website to dig a little deeper into how they categorize their features, I've learned that they clump their features into four categories: vision, hearing, physical and motor skills, and learning and literacy.

Vision

Under this category heading are features like zooming, color inverting, and gray-scaling. These types of features change the way the text and images appear on the page so it is possible and easier for a person with visual disabilities to manipulate. For people who have difficulties with the shapes and design of this technology, there are features like button shapes and motion reduction. This allows some of the more advanced and moving features appear in such a way that is more pleasing to the eye.

Hearing 

For people who have disabilities that involve hearing loss, the iPhone has a variety of features that can accommodate any need. Just as if someone would connect their speakers through the use of Bluetooth, those with hearing aids can wirelessly sync their hearing devices to their phone. With this technology, people with hearing devices will be able to hear any noise that the phone may make, including text to speech software. The iPhone also has a feature that includes subtitles and captions to match any verbal sound as well as audio descriptions. To notify the user of incoming messages or alerts, there is a feature that allows the LED camera light to be used as a warning device. 

Physical and Motor

For people with disabilities such as Muscular Dystrophy, the iPhone has features that can make using their products accessible and convenient. For those who love to text, the predictive text feature gives suggestions of possible words that can be used based on what the topic of the message is and the first letter of the word that you're typing. This allows the user to type the minimal amount of letters and still have an in-depth conversation. Another feature is key short cuts that will automatically include phrases or sentences based on one or two letters typed. Touch accommodations allows users to program different directives for the iPhone to follow based on how long the user touches the screen. Tapping three times on the screen could order the iPhone to open the messages app. It can also be programed to ignore repeated touching and only acknowledge longer touch times.

Learning and Literacy

For the students who have difficulties staying on task, there is a feature called Guided Access that allows the instructor or guardian to temporarily disable to home button and keyboard. Without the option of straying from the task, a person with struggles to maintain attention to tasks can become successful in more immediate time periods. There is also a feature called Safari Reader that removes all the distracting ads and images from the text. Without all the distraction, students will be able to focus on the text itself, increasing their chances for success.