I have decided to write this blog about the accessibility features of iOS since my school is 1:1 with iPads. I know that Apple has gone to great lengths to make products that can be customized to work for people with many types of disabilities. The following are explanations of these features, occasionally coupled with screenshots from my exploration of these features on my iPad.
Apple mobile products running iOS (such as the iPhone and iPad) include multiple features to make using this device easier and/or possible for people with vision impairment.
VoiceOver "VoiceOver is a revolutionary screen reader that lets you know what’s happening on your Multi-Touch screen — and helps you navigate it — even if you can’t see it. Touch the screen to hear what’s under your finger, then use gestures to control your device. VoiceOver works with the apps that come with your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch." (Accessibility - IOS - Apple) |
Speak Screen "If you have a hard time reading the text on your iOS device, use Speak Screen to read your email, iMessages, web pages, and books to you. Turn on Speak Screen and swipe down from the top with two fingers, or just tell Siri to Speak Screen and have all the content of the page read back to you. You can adjust the voice’s dialect and speaking rate, and have words highlighted as they’re being read." (Accessibility - IOS - Apple) |
Siri "Siri, Apple’s intelligent assistant, helps you do the things you do every day. All you have to do is ask. Say something like “Tell Jay I’m running late” or “Remind me to make reservations for Saturday.” Siri can send messages, place phone calls, schedule meetings, and even turn on and off VoiceOver, Guided Access and Invert Colors. And because Siri is integrated with VoiceOver, you can ask where the nearest sushi restaurant is and hear the answer read out loud." (Accessibility - IOS - Apple) |
Dictation "Dictation lets you talk where you would type. Tap the microphone button on the keyboard, say what you want to write, and your iOS device converts your words (and numbers and characters) into text. So it’s easy to type an email, note, or URL — without typing at all." (Accessibility - IOS - Apple) |
Apple iOS offers a few features to make their devices more accessible to people with hearing impairments such as hearing loss and deafness.
Great for people who communicate with sign language or by reading lips, FaceTime allows for simple, high quality video calls to any Apple device.
Closed Captions
"Watch movies, TV shows, and podcasts with closed captions. Just look for the CC icon to buy or rent captioned movies from the iTunes Store or find captioned podcasts in iTunes U. Download straight to your iOS device to watch on the go. iOS also supports open captions and subtitles. You can even customize captions with different styles and fonts." (Accessibility - IOS - Apple)
Mono Audio
"When you’re using headphones, you may miss some audio if you’re deaf or hard of hearing in one ear. That’s because stereo recordings usually have distinct left- and right-channel audio tracks. iOS can help by playing both audio channels in both ears, and letting you adjust the balance for greater volume in either ear, so you won’t miss a single note of a concerto or word of an audiobook." (Accessibility - IOS - Apple)
Bluetooth Connectivity for Hearing Aids
If you have a bluetooth-enabled hearing aid, iOS for iPad allows you to pair your hearing aid with your device for seamless integration.
For users with physical impairments that would not allow them to interact with the device as most of us do, iOS has some built-in features to make it easier for physically impaired people to use their iPads.
Switch Control "Built directly into iOS, Switch Control is a powerful accessibility technology for anyone with impaired physical and motor skills. Switch Control allows you to navigate sequentially through onscreen items and perform specific actions using a variety of Bluetooth-enabled switch hardware. Switch Control is customizable for both beginners and advanced users — you can simplify existing actions or create your own." (Accessibility - IOS - Apple) |
Assistive Touch "iOS devices are remarkably intuitive and easy to use. And AssistiveTouch lets you adapt the Multi-Touch screen of your iOS device to your unique physical needs. So if you have difficulty with some gestures, like pinch, you can make them accessible with just a tap of a finger. You can create your own gesture and even customize the layout of the AssistiveTouch menu. And if you have trouble pressing the Home button, you can activate it with an onscreen tap. Gestures like rotate and shake are available even when your iOS device is mounted on a wheelchair. And iOS devices also support a number of third‑party assistive devices that help you interact with your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch." (Accessibility - IOS - Apple) |
"Accessibility - IOS - Apple." Accessibility - IOS - Apple. Apple, n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2016.
Roblyer, MD. Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching Enhanced Pearson Etext Access Card. 7th ed. Nova Southeastern University: Pearson College Div, 2015. Web.