Ability @ Work Archives
What to do when the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Impacts Case Settlements:
The Benefits of an Accessibility-Focused Case Evaluation
A White Paper by Michael Fiore
One of the likely unintended consequences of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is that Special Need Trusts (SNT’s) may be impacted due to settlement criteria that can be based on past, present, and future medical needs.
Teleseminars on Disability, Diversity, and the Changing Workforce. One hour of learning that can change the way that you think.
Tech Update: Read an article about the implications of 32-bit and 64-bit processors for Assistive Technology Solutions.
Looking for qualified candidates with disabilities?
A Job Board for job seekers with disabilities and the businesses looking to hire them.
Optical Character Recognition
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is a process of scanning printed pages as images on a flatbed scanner and then recognizing information as text, using OCR software. OCR software possesses tools to acquire images from a scanner and recognize the text
This benefits individuals who have problems reading paper-based information due to Dyslexia, visual impairment, physical limitations for turning pages or learning difficulties. A range of computer tools can be used to access the material with greater ease once the pages are scanned into the computer.
For example, scanned information may be displayed on the screen in a way that suits the users’ needs. Additionally, it is possible to change the font color and background in a number of combinations. This can be particularly useful for someone with a visual or visual perceptual difficulty, such as color blindness.
Synthesized Speech
Scanned information can also be read aloud by the computer using synthesized speech. This benefits people who have visual difficulties or reading and writing difficulties, as they are able to hear the text being spoken. Some computer programs allow the user to pause, rewind and fast forward the speech, giving them more control over the information they are reading.
Using OCR Effectively
Though it has limitations, OCR can be a great way to make information more accessible. While scanning information, care should be taken to ensure that the source document is clear and that font size and style are not too small or unusual. Fonts that tend to work well are Arial, Verdana and Courier. Font styles can be changed even after being scanned into the computer. Scanning of handwritten text should be avoided, as most OCR programs are not able to recognize different kinds of handwriting styles.
