When Technology Works for Visual Impairment

Assistive technology has been a great help to people with disabilities, including those visually impaired. With the advent of smartphones, there are now many phone features that can help the visually impaired to be more independent and access information more easily. In this blog post, we will explore some of the assistive technology phone features that can help people with visual impairment, including features from the iPhone and Android phones.

VoiceOver (iPhone) VoiceOver is a feature that comes with all iPhones that helps the visually impaired navigate their phone. When VoiceOver is turned on, the phone will speak out loud everything that is displayed on the screen. This includes text, buttons, and menus. Users can then use gestures to control their phone, such as swiping and tapping.

In addition, VoiceOver can also read aloud books, web pages, and other text documents, making it easier to read and learn. Each person can also adjust the speed and pitch of the voice to their liking.

Zoom (iPhone and Android) Zoom is a feature that allows users to zoom in on their screen to make text and images bigger. This can be especially helpful for those who have difficulty seeing small text or images. (and yes, fellow GenX'ers, this is helpful for those of us using reading glasses). On iPhones, users can triple-tap the screen to turn on Zoom. On Android phones, users can go to the Accessibility menu to turn on Magnification.

Siri (iPhone) Siri is a virtual assistant that comes with all iPhones. Users can use Siri to make calls, send texts, set reminders, and perform other tasks without needing to navigate their phone. They can simply speak to Siri and Siri performs the task for them. This can be especially helpful for those who have difficulty with fine motor skills or who are not yet proficient at using a touch screen.

TalkBack (Android) TalkBack is an accessibility feature that comes with all Android phones. It works similarly to VoiceOver on iPhones, in that it will speak out loud everything that is displayed on the screen. Users can then use gestures to control their phone, such as swiping and tapping.

In addition, TalkBack can also read aloud books, web pages, and other text documents, making it easier for those with visibility issues to read and learn. Each person can also adjust the speed and pitch of the voice to their liking.

Magnification (Android) Magnification is a feature that allows users to zoom in on their screen to make text and images bigger. This can be especially helpful for those who have difficulty seeing small text or images. On Android phones, users can go to the Accessibility menu to turn on Magnification.

There are many assistive technology phone features that can help the visually impaired to be more independent and access information more easily. These features include VoiceOver and Siri on iPhones, and TalkBack and Magnification on Android phones. In a separate post, I'll address some specific applications that can be used at work and in school.

In addition to visually impaired users, parents and caregivers should explore these features and see which ones work best for those under their care. With the help of these features, people of all abilities can have similar opportunities to use and enjoy information to live their life.