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Facilitating Effective Use of Screen Readers for Computer Access
Original Recording Date :
Screen readers are assistive technology programs which enable people who are blind to access computers and mobile devices. Despite a vast array of assistive technology products available on the market, options for non-visual computer interfaces are limited, often with screen reading as a necessary component or sole means of access. To facilitate long-term use, it is imperative that direct interventions consider personal, environmental, and technological factors. This presentation will provide foundational information about assistive technology use and potential abandonment, screen reader functionality, digital accessibility guidelines, and specific factors to support efficient, long-term use of screen readers.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify three reasons for assistive technology abandonment
- Identify the three operating levels of a screen reader
- Give an example of how screen reader users’ unique backgrounds will affect their use of screen readers.
Research: Research on Assistive Technology can be found on the University at Buffalo Center for Assistive Technology’s Dissemination website.
Target Audience: Occupational therapists, physical therapists, and other rehab professionals, social workers, mental health practitioners, creative arts therapists, marriage and facility therapists, psychologists, addiction professionals, case managers, and other interested individuals.
Customer Service
We are happy to respond to any concerns or questions you may have. Please contact us at by email at sw-ce@buffalo.edu or by phone at 716-829-5841.
ADA Accommodations: If you require any support for your ADA needs in the United States, please contact us by email at least 3 weeks prior to the event by email at sw-ce@buffalo.edu or by phone at 716-829-5841.
Erin Brunelle, MS, OTR/L, ATP
Erin serves as the Director of Client Services with the University at Buffalo Center for Assistive Technology, overseeing all service provision and sponsored programs. She provides assistive technology services to clients referred by the New York State Commission for the Blind (NYSCB), Adult Career and Continuing Education Services-Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR), Accessibility Resources at UB, and through private pay services. She also manages the NYS Technology Related-Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities (TRAID) Program, and provides presentations and demonstrations of assistive technology within the community.
She holds a BA in Psychology, a BS/MS in Occupational Therapy from the University at Buffalo, and an Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) Certification through the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA). Erin is currently a PhD Candidate in Human Factors Engineering through UB’s Industrial and Systems Engineering Department. Erin has research interests in the areas of assistive technology and accessibility within the domains of work and education.
