Talk:Accessibility

Hi. I have an XO B2 machine here for trial. I also have a physical disability and use a mouth stick. I'm finding huge hurdles to get anywhere without sticky keys. Can anyone tell me a) if the sticky keys functions are installed and if so b) how I can get them turned on?

If they are not included. a) how can I get them and install/run them so I can use the machine and b) how can we make sure these functions are included and easily accessible in the release?

Secondly. The wiki says that B2 machines should have a working resistive touch pad that works - the two outer pads. These ones don't respond to stylus on my mouthstick. As I cannot use my hands this is also proving an access problem.

Is this likely a software update issue? I'm trying to get my way around the system with the access hurdles to find out what v system it has and to get some help if it needs updating.

Some dialog would be good with someone working on accessibility issues.

Dave

The good news: The XO's X Window system has stickykeys built in (among other accessibility features), and I have gotten it working in emulation. The bad news: I have only managed to do this via a command-line executable. I don't think the OLPC team has gotten to the point where this is user-configurable—I understand they are still working out a configuration system—but it wouldn't be too hard. In the meantime, here is what I did:

1. Download the accessx source code here.
2. Build it on a Linux machine with a compiler (I used my Ubuntu 7.10 box).
3. Copy the "ax" executable to the XO (I copied it to a website, then downloaded it via wget).
4. Open the Developer Console on the XO.
5. chmod the "ax" program to make it executable, then run "./ax +stickykeys -stickytwokeydisable".

It shouldn't be too hard to port the executable's functionality to a Python activity, and perhaps I'll give this a try if someone thinks this would be useful before the OLPC team implements their own solution.

Regarding the mousing surface: When I was talking to an XO demoer several months ago, he said that the central touch pad is the only part of the pad surface that can be used to move the mouse. The left and right pads are intended to act like a graphics tablet for drawing activities, but there aren't any activities that use them yet. I'm not sure why. —Joe 00:11, 29 October 2007 (EDT)

Keyboard -Dave

Hi Dave, Did anyone answer your questions? If so, what did they tell you?

Tanya September 25, 2007 8 PM

Augmentative and Alternative Communication

I am a speech pathologist in the U.S. and I'm very interested in the XO as a communication device for children with severe speech disabilities. I'm glad that there is already work on text-to-speech modules. Some software to enable graphical representation of language (since many children without speech are also unable to read) is the next step. This program might be a starting place: [1]. The CVS has the source that the developer claims will run (sortof) on Linux now. I'm not sure where to start, though. I've got some interest at my university already.

Physical access is going to be an issue. I hope the XO2 has a touch-screen.

Gobo Fraggle 12:23, 28 October 2007 (EDT)