1 of 22

Affordably Supporting AT in Small,� Rural and Tribal Schools��.�CSUN 2024��Gregg Vanderheiden Ph.D.�Crystal Marte HCIM�University of Maryland�and Raising the Floor - Us ��

2 of 22

Barriers to Assistive Technologies in Small Rural and Tribal Schools

Size of the schools and staff
Limited awareness of AT
Lack of resources at the school
Lack of resources in area
Competing priorities

3 of 22

Elements of a solution need to include:

Low Cost – No Cost
No support requirements
No need for expertise – technical or disability
Able to support AT from recommenders � – if available
Able to explore if time and interest
Able to help if not
Way to support students if they can achieve themselves

4 of 22

Low Digital Affinity� the invisible barrier across all

15

5 of 22

Digital Affinity

≠ IQ

5

16

“There are people who are �blazingly brighter than me �– who can’t use their technology…

…but I can”�

Not Digital illiteracy either

>>>>>> Digital Affinity

Let's start with digital affinity

A number of years ago I coined the term TQ (technology quotient) to represent a person’s ability to learn and understand technology. [CLICK]

It is different than IQ. [CLICK]

[CLICK] I know people who are blazingly brighter than I am, who can't use their technology. But I can – even if it is new to me.

Am I smarter than them ? No.

Is it because they are digitally illiterate? [CLICK] No. They just struggle with technology – even though they excel, and are leaders in their fields.

So low digital affinity is not low IQ

and it is not low digital literacy either. These people are bright and accomplished – leaders and experts in their field. They just don’t get technology.

6 of 22

Digital Literacy – is a skill��Digital Affinity - is a Talent

Like singing
Or athletics
Or artists ��

Some are naturals

Some are OK

Some just can’t do it at all

17

Digital literacy is a skill

But digital affinity is a talent. { CLICK }

Some have it and some don't. And practice doesn’t give you talent. And trying harder doesn’t give you talent.

Think of singing - Some people are soloists. Some are ok but would not make a living at it. A

a small number are literally tone deaf and will not be able to sing solo if the practiced every day.

Think of athletes - some are naturals. – Some are good but again could not make a living at it. A smaller number could never do it even if they practice every day

The same with digital affinity. Some of us are naturals and everything is rather obvious to us. Some people are ok and get along. Some can't learn or understand technology if they tried every day. What percent? We as a field do not have numbers—we haven’t actually looked at it much. But it turns out that it is much higher than we thought . Or our interfaces are much harder than we thought. Probably both.

7 of 22

What comes naturally to us techies…

Is hard for others –
and out of reach for still others

�And what about the last 5% ( that’s still 1 in 20)

Low digital affinity more prevalent than expected

“I can use this one because I could yesterday”
“How do I find my resume”
Reverting to marker and red pen
“I am afraid I will break it”

18

Take the people here at this conference. I would assume everyone here as a both a high IQ and very high Digital Affinity. In the top 10 %.

Yet how many of us sometimes struggle with our computers – or with a new software program (or even an update to an old one). � So if we in the top 10% have trouble. Imagine the bottom 10 %. Or the bottom 5 %. But 95% is pretty good – yes?

Most of us would think we are successful if we design things the work for 90 or 95% of the population. But that would still leave 1 in 10 or 1 in 20 people unable to use our software and devices.

And what we discovered from our work these past few years – is that many more people have much more trouble using computers than we realized. And it was true in a job center, a community college, and a research university.

For example”

At a job center – we saw a person standing a ways back behind person who was using one of the computers.

They stood there for 20 minutes – waiting – even though there were 15 identical computers in 15 identical cubicles down the wall. After 20 min they left and came back a couple hours later – when the machine was free. When asked why they waited so long to use that particular computer they replied “Because I know how to use this one”. When told they were all identical, he said - well maybe but I know I can use this one because I did yesterday.

We asked librarians what computer problems they were asked most to help out with – they replied –

people who come in with their resume or form on a USB, plug it into the computer, and have no idea how to find the document.

The teacher who gave up and went back to paper and red pen and highlighter']

Students at a community college and even a research university who when they sit down to a computer to do what we would think of as ordinary things

– are afraid of breaking it.

Interestingly - When asking students which features they thought would be most helpful for their fellow students who had trouble using computers – we also got suggestions for faculty who did not seem to know how to use their computers.

Let me provide some more examples in context.

8 of 22

An Open Source-Tool��for Windows and Mac

9 of 22

1. Makes computers simpler…� � - Easier to find key features� - Easier and faster to use them

10 of 22

Link to Video demonstrating Morphic

For Video demonstrating Morphic – Click here

11 of 22

Assistive Technology on Demand (AToD)��Lets your AT follow you to any computer� � Schools, libraries, companies with hoteling� Rural, Reservations, low resource communities� and , with COVID-19, homes with <1 computer/pers� and prisons

12 of 22

Link to Video of AT-on-Demand

For Video demonstrating AT-on-Demand – Click here

13 of 22

List of assistive technologies we are in the process of onboarding

Auto Hotkey*
Build-A-Board*
Camera Mouse*
ClaroRead*
ClaroRead SE*
Click-N-Type*
Comfort On-screen KBd *
Communicator 5*
Cowriter*
Dolphin Screen Reader*
Dragger *
Dragon Naturally Speaking
Duxbury Braille Translator*
Dwell Buddy
Dwell Clicker 2
Equatio*
Free Virtual Keyboard*
Fusion (JAWS + ZT)*
Ghotit
Grid 3

Immersive Reader
Inspiration (Win)
Interact-AS
JAWS*
JSAY
Kurzweil 1000
Kurzweil 3000
MAGic*
MatchWare MindView
Mind Express by Jabla
Mindjet MindManager
Mouse & Caret Buddy
Mytsoft
Natural Reader
Notetaking Express
NVDA*
On-screen keyboard portable
OnScreen On-screen Virtual Kbd
OnScreen with CrossScanner
OnScreenKeys
Open Book

Orbit Notes
Purple P3*
REACH (on screen keyboard)
Read & Write*
ReadIt Software
SmartClick
SmartNAV
Smyle Mouse*
SofType*
Sonocent-->Glean (PC)
Sound like, spell & write
Staggered Speech
SuperNova Magnifier*
SuperNova Magnifier & Speech*
TalkType
Windows On Screen Keyboard
WordQ
WYNN Reader
X-Mouse Button
Zoomtext*

14 of 22

Finally, I can use the computer at any library.

Before, only the computer in the resource room had AT.

Morphic now put the AT onto any computer I want to use.

Morphic.org

Meet Sarah

She wants to use any computer in the library - not just the few set up with assistive technology.

"For the first time I can use any computer in the library, participate in all library programs, use the stacks, and sit with my friends - just like anyone else."

Many people with disabilities like Sarah can only use the computers in a special area of the library. And even those computers often don't have the right assistive software, or it is not set up properly. Then Sarah has to find staff who can help her adjust settings or software before she can use it.

Now, with Morphic installed on all the library's computers, Sarah can use any computer in the library. Morphic will set it up by installing any assistive software she needs, along with all her settings. And because her friends use many of Morphic's other features, she doesn't feel different using it.

15 of 22

Now, my AT follows me to each loaner I get.

Morphic instantly installs my AT and settings on each computer the college loans me.

Morphic.org

Meet Josh

The computers available for use at the college were not set up to meet his needs.

Ί knew I was smart enough to finish college, but the technology was getting in my way until Morphic arrived.”

Josh can't afford his own computer, so he uses laptops loaned out in the library. He would benefit from special settings and software that address his learning disabilities. But he can't set up each laptop at school to meet his needs, nor restore it to standard when he is finished.

This year Morphic was added to the computers at Josh's college. "Whenever I use a college computer (desktop or laptop), Morphic instantly installs all my assistive software and settings so it is ready for me to use. When I am done with it, it is reset to standard. All the computers now act like they are my computer."

16 of 22

��Let’s one try all the different AT for Access� � - To learn� - To try with students� - To let them try out� - To explore with students when no expert is available�

AT “Learn and Try” Tool

17 of 22

Still in Development – but Some Key Features

List of all the AT available in the tool (see previous list)
For each AT in the list

Name of AT
Next AT Name

The ability to store multiple setups/configs for each AT
The ability to save setup to the student's Morphic Account

The Student can then download both the AT and your setup to…

their computer at home (if they have one)
any computer at library or school or anywhere else Morphic is installed

All Free (though commercial AT would need to be purchased after trial

Desc

10s

Video

Install

Uninstall

Configs

Desc

10s

Video

Install

Uninstall

Configs

18 of 22

Looking back at our requirements list…

Low Cost – No Cost
No support requirements
No need for expertise – technical or disability
Able to support AT from recommenders � – if available
Able to explore if time and interest
Able to help if not
Way to support students if they can achieve themselves

19 of 22

Questions on Morphic �and �AT-on-Demand ?��https://morphic.org

This work was funded by � - Grant H421A150006 from the Rehabilitation Services Administration, U.S. Dept. of Education;� - in cooperation with the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research� at the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. �It also draws on work funded by the European 7^th Framework grants n° 289016 and 610510, and by the Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation, and the Canadian Foundation for Innovation�The opinions herein are those of the author and not necessarily those of the funding agencies.

Morphic.org

20 of 22

Future of Interface Workshop

(Workshop logo that looks like overlapping boxes)

Future of interface workshop �February 15–16, 2023��Brought to you by Raising the Floor, the Trace R&D Center, and the University of Maryland��Hosted by Vinton Cerf and Gregg Vanderheiden

(Picture of Vinton Cerf, and Gregg Vanderheiden, both older white gentleman with gray hair and beards, bald on top, wearing dark suit jackets and tie��A conference bringing together, technology, visionaries, and Creatives to explore what interfaces might look like in 20 years – and how to make them accessible��A virtual event

21 of 22

Future of Interface Accessibility

https://futureofinterface.org

22 of 22

Fireside Chat on Future Research ��Thursday 2:20

https://futureofinterface.org