Hard of hearing A person with a mild to moderate hearing impairment may be considered hard of hearing. If an individual has a substantial vision and hearing loss, the individual may be considered deaf-blind. For example, an individual who is very hard of hearing in addition to being blind would not benefit from an audio description of Web-based video, but may be able to access a text description of the video through refreshable braille output. An individual who is deaf, has very limited vision, and does not read braille, might access the content of Web-based audio through reading captions that are greatly enlarged. Mobility and Dexterity Paralysis and paresis Paralysis involves partial or complete loss of muscular control and often sensation in part of the body.
Paresis involves slight to extensive weakness in part of the body.
Either condition may be accompanied by pain which can further impede movement. Individuals with paralysis or paresis may have difficulty using a mouse or keyboard. They may need longer response times when dealing with interactive forms on Web sites. If an individual's muscles are tense and contracted, or if an individual has problems with coordination, or involuntary movements, it may affect their ability to select keys on the keyboard or targets on a Web page. If an individual's vocal chords are affected by a physical disability, he or she may have difficulty producing speech that is recognizable by some voice recognition software.