Original subtitles

Hi, nice to see you again.

Earlier we discussed the concept of accessibility.

Now, we'll explore the various assistive technologies that can empower anyone

with disability.

The term assistive technology, or AT for short, is used to describe any products,

equipment, and systems that enhance learning, working, and

daily living for people with disabilities.

In this video, we'll examine several kinds of assistive technologies, including

color modification, voice control, screen readers, and alternative text.

Then we'll explore a few design considerations to

keep in mind when designing for accessibility.

Let's get started.

First, it's important to call out that there are lots of people who don't

identify as having a disability but still use assistive technologies.

That's because ATs make our lives easier and help provide a better user experience.

When we think of assistive technology, we might think of computers,

tablets, and smartphones.

But AT covers a wide range of devices,

like prosthetics, pointing devices, electric wheelchairs,

power lifts, eye gaze and head trackers, and a whole lot more.

AT can also encompass something as low tech as a pencil holder.

Not only does a pencil holder keep your pencil from rolling away,

it also makes pencils easier to grip, which can be essential for

people with certain motor disabilities.

Understanding how people with disabilities use your product is a critical

part of the UX design process.

First up, let's examine color modification.

Color modification, like high contrast mode or dark mode on a device,

increases the contrast of colors on a screen.

Black text on a white background, or

white text on a dark background are both examples of high contrast.

High contrast makes the interface easier to see for people with low vision.

Color modification also helps anyone who might experience eye strain when

viewing screens in the dark or midday, when the sun is creating an intense glare.

Lots of people use it just because it's easier on the eyes.

Next, let's go through voice control and switch devices.

Both of these help people with limited dexterity and

can serve as an alternative to a keyboard or mouse.

Voice control allows users to navigate and interact with the buttons and

screens on their devices using only their voice.

Lots of devices have settings with this feature.

A switch is an assistive technology device

that replaces the need to use a computer keyboard or a mouse.

Switch devices can allow users to control technology like a computer or smartphone.

There are a lot of different kinds of switch devices,

but they all help people with limited motor ability use technology more easily.

Next up, screen readers.

Screen readers are one of the most common assistive technologies for

people with limited vision.

The software works on mobile and web devices and

reads out loud any on screen text.

Screen readers also read any interactive elements, like buttons, along

with non visible text, like the button names, and any alternative text for images.

Alternative text, or alt text, helps translate a visual user

interface into a text-based user interface.

It essentially uses words to describe any meaningful image for

someone who isn't able to see the image.

Alt text is also super helpful for those with low bandwidth connections, too.

If your device is unable to maintain a connection to the internet,

it may struggle to load a big file or image.

Alt text is useful for context when an image fails to load.

As I said before,

you don't need to have a disability to benefit from assistive technology.

Speech to text is a great example.

With speech to text, a user composes text by speaking into their phone or computer.

The voice recording is automatically converted into text.

A lot of people find it much easier to text by talking to their device,

because it offers a hands-free experience and

reduces the amount of mental energy needed to type.

Let me show you.

[SOUND] Here I am using the speech to text feature on my mobile device.

Pretty cool?

There are tons of design considerations to take into account in order to

meet the needs of all users.

Later when we build wireframes, we'll go through exactly how to incorporate

accessibility into your designs.

Alright, that's it for now.

You've learned the common UX terms and frameworks,

what user-centered design means, the tools that UX designers use, and

how UX designers work across platforms.

Plus, you've gained a deeper understanding of inclusive design and

equity-focused design.

You practiced thinking like a designer,

which is a core skill you'll continue to build on throughout this program.