Software coming later this year will include Assistive Access, which will allow users to “distill apps and experiences to their essential features in order to lighten cognitive load,” the technology giant said this week.
The new functionality means that individuals with disabilities or those supporting them will be able to pare down the home screen or options within an app. For example, users could set the camera on their device to simply display a button that says “take photo” rather than showing options for photo, video and other settings.
Assistive Access also allows apps to be displayed with high contrast buttons and large text labels and gives users the choice of a grid-based or row-based layout.
“The intellectual and developmental disability community is bursting with creativity, but technology often poses physical, visual or knowledge barriers for these individuals,” said Katy Schmid, senior director of national program initiatives at The Arc of the United States. “To have a feature that provides a cognitively accessible experience on iPhone or iPad — that means more open doors to education, employment, safety and autonomy. It means broadening worlds and expanding potential.”
Source: Disabilityscoop