Mobile phones are now used extensively within the workplace to enhance the ability to be contacted especially if travelling out of the office for work. Mobile phones can also be used for increased safety whilst working so contact can be maintained with the office when doing home or client and customer visits, or when travelling over long distances. For people that are blind or vision impaired, using a standard mobile phone to read or write text messages, search for contacts or use other phone features may be restricted.
Workplace solutions and adjustments
A range of mobile phones are now available that are compatible with either screen magnification or screen reading software. Screen magnification software can increase the size of letters on the screen, whereas the screen reading software will ‘speak’ the information, including numbers dialled. Features, accessibility and costs vary between phones and available software therefore research is advised prior to purchase to ensure it will meet both immediate and future needs, depending on whether levels of vision are stable or deteriorating. Phones are purchased separately to the software.
Some mobile phones now have features such as:
- voice over in thirty languages which works with all applications
- typing with voice over
- screen reading with voice over
- support for wireless Braille displays and international Braille tables
- zoom and magnify
- enhanced rotor which changes the way voice over moves over the web page
- optional mono audio
- support for closed captioning which supports the playback of open captions, closed captions and sub titles
- white text on black screen for higher contrast
- large font sized keys and high contrast screens
- phones with inbuilt talking functions with no screens for users that are totally blind.
The links below provide further information on phone and other product usage for the blind or vision impaired:
References
Apple Inc. 2011, iPhone 4 Accessibility, Apple Inc., California, viewed 11 March 2011, http://www.apple.com/iphone/features/accessibility.html.
Independent Living Centres Australia Inc. 2011, Motorola Motophone M3, Independent Living Centres Australia Inc., Sydney, viewed 11 March 2011, http://www.ilcaustralia.org/search4.asp?State=WA&MC=61&MinC=20&Item=7596&page=5.
Vision Australia 2010, Mobile phone recommendations for people who are blind or vision impaired, Vision Australia, Enfield, viewed 11 March 2011, http://www.visionaustralia.org.au/info.aspx?page=1502.