VoiceOver supports users with vision impairments by providing an oral description of the screen. Users who may struggle or be unable to see the display will likely benefit through the use of a screen reader. VoiceOver is not a static tool but rather tracks the users cursor movements and describes it in real time allowing users to navigate the screen even if they can't see it. VoiceOver continues to see improvements over time including the ability to recognize image descriptors, text within images,
Zoom is a feature that allows users to magnify the screen. Once the Zoom function is turned on in the Accessibility section of the Settings App (under General), users can quickly magnify a screen using a variety of gestures. Engage the Zoom feature by double tapping three fingers on the iPad screen. Addition features include:
having the choice of zooming either the entire screen window which can be dragged around much like a magnifying glass or rather like a handheld magnifier for students with visual impairments
a filter that can be applied to the zoom window; filters include inverted (white on black), grayscale, grayscale inverted or low light
a visual controller which can be used like a joystick to control the movement of the zoom window
smart typing in screen zoom mode where the zoom switches to window zoom mode when text is being entered. The window will enlarge the text but not affect the keyboard
setting the zoom level (up to 15.0 times)
The magnifier function effectively turns the mobile device into a handheld magnifier. For ease of handling, the iPhone or iPod would be more effective. However, in terms of display size, the iPad has the clear advantage. Once enabled, there is also the added option of turning on auto-brightness which will change the contrast and brightness level automatically according to the light available.
This section allows users to customize the manner in which the screen is displayed such as inverting colours, applying colour filters to assist those who are colour blind, automatically dim or brighten the screen based on the surrounding ambient light, and reduce white point (intensity of bright colours). Variations of these features are also available on iOS versions 10 and below but they are not grouped in a folder called Display Accommodations.
The speech section activates various speech functions designed to support those who have difficulty seeing and therefore may rely more on spoken text instead. The speech section comprises of several tools which include:
Speak selection: when enabled, selected text can be read out loud as an option.
Speak screen: when enabled, swiping down from the top of the page will play the contents of the screen. Futhermore, a control panel will appear allowing users to easily play, pause, go back or forwards, or change the speed of the spoken text.
Typing Feedback (iOS10+): turning on this feature allows users to hear aloud what they are typing. Users have the option of toggling characters, character hints, words, auto-text or holding to speak predicted words
Speak Auto-text: auto-corrections and auto-capitalizations are automatically read out loud when enabled.
In iOS10+, the voice setting has been moved to this section allowing users to select the voice used for spoken text. For many voices, there is also the option of downloading an enhanced voice (may require additional files to be downloaded onto the iPad).
Enabling this feature automatically adjusts the size of the text displayed on the screen (supported Apps only). Text size can be manually adjusted
When enabled, the text on the iPad will be displayed in bold. A restart of the iPad is required before this feature can be implemented.
Turning on button shapes automatically applies a shape to buttons on the iPad.
Three different adjustments can be made to the contrast level on the iPad:
Reduce transparency: some backgrounds can have the contrast improved to improve legibility
Darken colours
Reduce white point (iOS9 and earlier only): the intensity of bright colours will be reduced
When activated, the iPad will minimize the motion between transitions.
When enabled, radio buttons that turn items on or off will have an additional line in the green on button, or a circle in the white off button.
Switch control is the ability to control the iPad using a switch. Although there are many forms of switches, the premise is the same regardless of the type. Switches essentially turn things on and off much like a light switch turns a light on or off depending on its position. Switches come in many shapes and sizes and can be activated by different parts of the body including finger, hand, foot, or head. Essentially, whichever part of the body has the greatest mobility is the one that will be used to activate the switch. It is possible for users to control the computer using a single switch but it is also possible to integrate multiple switches which often makes the process easier. The built-in camera also functions as a switch and can be utilized by turning the head to the right or left.
In order for switches to be used with an iPad, a switch controller must act as an intermediary between the switch and the iPad. The switch box is typically paired to the iPad through Bluetooth and switches are plugged into the controller using a 3.5mm jack similar to the audio jack found on a pair of headphones. The switch controller determines the signal that is interpreted by the iPad (typically as the equivalent of a keyboard press). Some switches are wired and use a lightning plug that inserts into the iPad.
Switch control is the software end of things that is required to translate the switch press and turn it into an action. Switch Control on the iPad is a complex process and requires vigorous training. For a complete guide on using Switch Control, consult Apple's quick start guide. Alternatively, AbleNet has written a comprehensive manual that can be downloaded in PDF format.
AssistiveTouch is designed to support users who may have difficulties using the iPad traditionally due to mobility difficulties. AssistiveTouch inserts a button on the iPad screen that assigns commands to different onscreen buttons. For example, users who may not be able to triple click the home button can set up a shortcut in AssistiveTouch that does the same thing. Both the gestures and their placement can be customized.
Touch accommodations changes the way that the iPad responds to touches depending on the nature of the user's disability. Items that can be configured include increasing the duration for which a touch is held, ignoring repeated touches (for users with shaky hands), and Tap Assistance which is designed for users who may touch the screen at an initial spot but then their finger drags to a different place before a selection can be made. In this instance, the touch screen can be configured to recognize only the initial location or the final touch location (in the event that the initial target area is difficult to reach and the user needs to drag their finger over there after touching another spot on the screen).
The home button setting allows modification of how quickly the home button must be depressed or held to activate Siri. This section will also turn off home button activation of Siri as well if desired.
For users with fine or gross motor impairments, using a keyboard may present particular difficulties. In addition to specific supports for users who prefer or need to use a keyboard, there is also the option to use speech to text technology to input text. Dictation settings are found in two locations: as a tab under Keyboard in System Preferences as well as in Accessibility.
Dictation by default relies on an external server hosted by Apple to process speech into text. As such, an internet connection is required in order for this processing to occur. Users should also be aware that anything that is spoken can potentially be compromised and may not be secure. For users who may require dictation at times when internet is not available, an offline option is available called enhanced dictation.
Dictation can be activated through the microphone symbol on the on-screen keyboard. While dictating, it is also possible to insert punctuation by saying the name of the punctuation desired. Dictation works in a variety of languages and is changed by altering the language in System Preferences.
Siri is Apple's artificial intelligence assistant similar to Cortana on Microsoft, Google Assistant or Alexa on Amazon's Echo. Siri is integrated into many Apple services on many devices including the iPhone, iPad and Apple TV. Although the Siri engine is similar to that on the Mac, the one advantage of Siri on an iPad is the ability to summon Siri by voice through the activation phrase, "hey Siri" (requires iOS device to be plugged into a power source).
Siri can support users with limited mobility by replacing typing with voice interaction. Users can ask Siri almost limitless questions and ask Siri to perform a variety of functions including opening an App, searching for a file, setting a timer or completing a mathematical equation. A sample list of Siri commands can be found here.
In iOS11, Siri can be configured in the accessibility menu with the following adjustments:
the operating system now recognizes typed commands for those unable to properly articulate
toggle voice feedback (always on, off when mute is enabled, on only when activated using the 'hey siri' voice command)
Not all users have the physical abilities to use a keyboard. MacOS provides an on-screen keyboard that can be used with a mouse, trackpad or with alternate access systems such as EyeGaze or a Camera Mouse. The on-screen keyboard is highly versatile and customizable. Additional configuration includes adding audio feedback, pulling up the keyboard with a hot corner shortcut, or dwell options to prevent accidental entering of a key.
The physical keyboard can also be optimized for user preferences. Some users may be able to utilize a keyboard but may get inconsistent results due to conditions that result in hand shakiness, inability to target a key accurately or behaviours that result in the key being pushed down too long. All of these behaviours can result in erratic text output which can be corrected by modifying the response of the keyboard in the Keyboard section of the Accessibility features. These options include:
Sticky keys (ability to press multiple keys without having to hold down one key while pushing another)
Slow keys adjusts the period of time a key must be depressed in order for it to be recognized by the computer. Setting a longer time means that a longer keypress is less likely to be misinterpreted as a repeated keystroke.
Show lowercase (iOS10+): the iPad keyboard has traditionally not distinguished between lower and uppercase letters
The mouse and trackpad can also be adapted for users with physical disabilities. Mouse movement can be emulated using key strokes (using the numerical keyboard pad). The mouse can also be adjusted in its double click speed and spring-loading delay (opens a folder automatically after a specified time when the cursor is hovering over it). Similar to both the trackpad and the mouse, the scrolling speed can be set using a slider bar. The trackpad has the additional option of enabling scrolling with inertia which means that a long scroll bar will continue scrolling after a swipe up or down has been initiated much like a car continues to roll after the foot is taken off the gas pedal. Additional mouse and trackpad options are also available in their respective sections in System Preferences.
This feature is designed to undo commands but for users with shaky hands, it is possible to turn it off.
Users who have compatible bluetooth enabled hearing aids may be able to pair their iPads allowing increased clarity.
Audio preferences on an iPad can be tweaked to support users with hearing impairments. Options include:
presenting a visual alert (flashing the screen) to indicate an alert instead of the use of a sound
playing stereo as mono (the sound is the same instead of having separate right and left tracks)
adjusting the audio volume balance between the left and right channels.
The captions feature provides written support for users who may have hearing impairments. Turning on this option will allow supported media to display subtitles. There are additional options to customize the appearance of the subtitles from three preset styles or the ability to create a customized appearance.
Audio descriptions are automatically played when available.
Guided access is the ability to lock a user into a specific app as well as restricting additional features such as the use of buttons or screen touch. Guided access can be set to expire after a set amount of time or to be manually disabled.
Various accessibility features can be quickly enabled without going into the Settings app simply by triple clicking the home button quickly. More than one feature can be attached to the menu.
iPadOS15 simulator coming soon