In the world of accessibility, input devices mean the world, allowing disabled people to interact more effectively with computers, websites, or virtually any digital platform.
The most commonly used input devices include keyboards, mice, touch screens, touchpads, styluses, and even game controllers for specialized applications. Various user groups, including people with paraplegia and others with poor mobility, use them.
Exploring Adaptive Technologies and Inclusive Digital Accessibility
Apart from input devices, other adaptive technologies, such as screen readers, switch controls, and Braille input devices, are widely used by users with disabilities.
Keep reading to learn more about input devices, what they mean, the types of input devices available, the rollout of digital accessibility, Accessibly’s commitment to inclusive design, and much more.
By Definition: Input Devices
In short, input devices are any device that allows users to interact with technology. They can include everything from screen reader-compatible keyboards to voice control interfaces and hands-free operation for those with physical limitations, visual impairments, and cognitive disabilities.
Specialized Input Devices for Enhanced Navigation and Accessibility
At a basic level, the most common types of input devices/specialized input devices are pointing devices such as keyboards and mice, which are used as navigational controls across websites and mobile applications. Other input devices include trackballs, trackpads, similar alternative pointing devices, styluses, and digital pens for precision input, primarily with graphics-intensive applications.
Assistive Input Devices for Better Accessibility
One widely used input device for people who are hard of hearing is a microphone or voice recognition software application that digitizes spoken commands. Those with poor mobility, like quadriplegics and paraplegics, also use eye-tracking devices that allow for user control via movement, encouraging scurrying across the computer screen with only a quick eye movement.
Common Accessibility Challenges
Here are three common accessibility challenges disabled users face with standard input devices:
Limited Dexterity
Often, different devices like mice with scroll wheels and left/right side buttons perplex limited mobility users, making precision clicking difficult. As a result, users could have difficulty navigating a page or clicking on the wrong website elements, rendering their use of input devices worthless. A crucial component is making them as useful as possible in the first place.
Users with limited dexterity can also struggle with other devices using click-and-drag functions and anyone’s ability to perform swiping and pinch gestures on a smartphone screen.
Whether a computer device, scanner device, Bluetooth device, or any other commonly found device in schools and workplaces, there’s always the opportunity to address accessibility head-on.
No Feedback
Those with poor vision and total blindness may have difficulty locating keys on a standard keyboard. Many input devices provide neither tactile feedback nor physical key markers with contrast between keycaps and lettering, making it difficult to type and locate buttons.
Individuals with poor vision or total blindness, using a standard computer input device can be challenging, as many lack tactile feedback or clear contrast between printed text and keycaps. To navigate software and perform specific tasks efficiently, alternative systems integrate sensors that detect object placement, acceleration, and speed, allowing users to interact with devices in a more accessible form.
Some assistive technologies rely on USB connections to transmit data, ensuring that input is accurately processed for seamless interaction. These innovations improve the connection between users and their computers, making it easier to complete daily digital tasks with greater independence.
Besides keyboard functions, the visually impaired could have difficulty tracking mouse cursor movements on a screen. There are 220 eye conditions, from glaucoma to macular degeneration. Icons and buttons on websites and mobile applications could be hard to distinguish, especially for those with color blindness, retinitis pigmentosa, and similar conditions that make it hard to discern between colors.
Cognitive Impairments
Individuals suffering from any number of cognitive disorders making it difficult to follow instructions, like dyslexia and ADHD, could find navigational elements overwhelming. For example, small text on a web page can be challenging to read. Likewise, cluttered interfaces with excessive pop-ups pose challenges.
Several input devices exist to help the cognitively impaired, such as adaptive mice (with proper use of trackballs rather than overuse of risk for minimal strain), as well as one-handed keyboards and keypads with larger keys and tactile functions. Even an on-screen numeric keypad is on the table, which uses a series of virtual keys on a digital display to do everything from adjusting color contrast to adjusting text size.
Lastly, let’s not forget about voice recognition software. The most popular ones are Dragon Naturally Speaking and Google Voice Typing, which allow users to employ voice commands to navigate the software, web pages, and mobile applications.
Innovative Input Solutions
Over the past decade, many technological advancements have made it easy for individuals with disabilities to interact with their content with voice commands or eye glances.
These include eye-tracking technology, voice recognition software, brain-computer interfaces, and adaptive wearables.
Eye Tracking Technology
Especially useful for the mobility-impaired, input devices like eye-tracking technologies allow users to control devices and input data with only their eye movement, unlike traditional input devices like specialized keyboards. Anyone suffering from spinal cord injuries, paraplegia, quadriplegia, or lateral sclerosis could benefit.
One of the most popular eye-tracking systems is Tobii Dynavox, which allows users to navigate screens simply by looking at the element, one of the most sophisticated output devices out there.
Voice Recognition Software
Today, voice assistants like Google Assistant and Apple Siri go beyond the ability to input text or turn the lights on and off. Users can browse the web and do everything on screen without touching a mouse. Separately, innovative software like Dragon Naturally Speaking does an excellent job of dictating and putting words on the screen rather than having to type on almost any computer system.
Brain-Computer Interfaces
Arguably, the most popular brain-computer interface companies are Neuralink and BrainGate, which go even further by interpreting your neural activity and transmitting it into digital commands. Rather than using the eyes like eye-tracking technology or the voice for voice recognition software, brain computers, and Pace use your actual neurological activity and brain to move several keys, such as elements on the screen. No pointing sticks here!
It’ll go even further over the next few years, allowing users to control connected robotic limbs. You only have to think about where you want your limbs to go.
Adaptive Wearables
Lastly, do not forget about input devices like adaptive wearables, which allow individuals with poor mobility to gain greater control over technology.
Examples include smart gloves and gesture-based controllers, which can help those with Parkinson’s and similar diseases use touchscreen input devices and tap their fingers on a screen to reach the desired output.
All in all, eye-tracking technology, voice recognition software, brain-computer interfaces, and adaptive wearables with no physical cables are innovative input solutions to watch in the years to come.
Accessibly’s Role
If you want to optimize the use of accessible input devices on websites and mobile applications, look no further than Accessibly.
Accessibly is one of the leading web accessibility widgets that allow all websites and platforms to increase ADA and WCAG compliance through a simple user interface.
For example, it offers exceptional keyboard device navigation support, where individuals with disabilities can better navigate websites using a series of quick taps on a keyboard, not requiring high dexterity with a mouse. Using commands like Tab, Shift + Tab, Enter, and Spacebar is much easier than toggling your scroll wheel every 30 seconds.
Improve Accessibility with Logical Navigation & Customizable Plans
Other key enhancements include creating a logical tab order and applying focus indicators to show what you’re currently focused on.
Plus, you can start with a free 7-day trial with instant access to all features. Accessibly offers two plans—Premium for $25 a month and Enterprise for $75 a month. The latter includes all the features of the Premium plan, including enterprise-level dedicated support for websites with over 50,000 monthly visitors (preferred), advanced customization options, and a lot more.
They’re also dedicated platforms for Shopify and WordPress. At $25 a month, site owners and web developers can customize colors and enjoy in-depth analytics that let you know how accessibility efforts are going.
What are you waiting for? Get started with the Accessibly app and optimize the use of input devices and output devices for individuals with disabilities today.
