Here is a list of the different kinds of disabilities and what we can
do to assist people that have such disabilities:
- Low Vision
- Support larger fonts and graphics (icons) or a
screen magnifier.
- Use clearer fonts, i.e. provide the ability to replace for instance
a handwriting font by Helvetica.
- Enlarge contrast between foreground and background.
- Remove or avoid distracting background patterns/images.
- Color Blindness
Do not use color as the only way to express information.
- Blindness
To assist blind people in accessing OpenOffice.org we have to provide
alternatives to the graphical user interface. These can be
- Speech output uses speech synthesis to give a textual
representation of everything visible on the screen.
- Braille display
- Hard of Hearing / Deafness
- Closed captioning for providing textual representation of
spoken information.
- Visible representation of audio signals.
- Mobility Impairments
Caused by diseases like Parkin-son's disease or multiple sclerosis
or physical injuries resulting loss of limbs there is a wide
variety of mobility impairments. People can be assisted by:
- Alternative pointing devices like foot operated mice or eye
trackers.
- On screen keyboard that is operated with the mouse or
alternative pointing device.
- Speech recognition.
- Sticky keys provide functionality similar to shift locking for
keys like control and alternate. This enables the user to operate
the keyboard with a single finger.
- Cognitive Impairments or Learning Disabilities
Make the (G)UI clear and easy to understand. Provide help files
and documentation (training?).
- Seizure Disorders
Make flashing, rotating, or moving displays adjustable or provide
a switch to disable them.
See these lists of the different types of disabilities and assistive technology from the Gnome Accessibility Project for
more details.