The Internet has created an opportunity to provide enormous amounts of information to its 35 million users. In its overwhelmingly fast growth, however, the information superhighway is running the risk of overlooking electronic and information technology that can make the Internet accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities. Accessibility problems have increased dramatically with newer developments in hardware and software.
Some innovations actually impede access for many.
Consultants from the Job Accommodation Network, an accommodation information service, have looked at a variety of solutions to these problems. In particular, accessible alternatives for blindness, deafness, mobility impairments, low vision, and learning disabilities have been researched. Several different devices other than the standard keyboard and mouse and traditional video monitor and printer can now be used to communicate with a personal computer. The combination of on-screen keyboards with eye, mouth, or head controlled devices in addition to switches, touch screens, and pointer systems such as lightpens also help individuals access their computer. In addition, the combination of screen readers with speech synthesizers and Braille displays for alternative output can make the Internet fully accessible to users who are blind.