[SC-CSTD] FW: [tech-vi Announce List] Latest accessibility features that make Amazon devices disable friendly

Tue Nov 15 23:11:32 UTC 2022

From: tech-vi at groups.io <tech-vi at groups.io> On Behalf Of David Goldfield
Sent: Saturday, November 12, 2022 3:26 AM
To: List <tech-vi at groups.io>
Subject: [tech-vi Announce List] Latest accessibility features that make Amazon devices disable friendly

Good e-Reader - Wednesday, November 2, 2022 at 5:40 PM

Latest accessibility features that make Amazon devices disable friendly

 <https://assets.goodereader.com/blog/uploads/images/2022/11/02102850/amazon-tap-to-alexa-feature-for-disabled.jpg> 

It has been a constant endeavor at Amazon to offer devices and services that has the widest appeal and application in society. That includes reaching out to those with different forms of disabilities so that they too are able to make the most of the latest Amazon devices. With around a billion people living throughout the world with different forms of disabilities, it makes a lot of business sense as well reaching out to them with the right kind of devices and features, besides of course making things easier for them as well. I discuss here four ways Amazon <https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/4-ways-amazon-is-making-alexa-and-its-devices-more-accessible>  has made Alexa or its devices more accessible instead of the usual voice commands, something that can be a boon for the disabled and help them be ‘connected, entertained, and independent.

Tap to Alexa

Think of Alexa and you will immediately have the idea of a digital voice assistant somewhere in the virtual world eagerly awaiting our next voice commands. While that is great and helps us in a myriad of ways, it isn’t so for those with speech disabilities or who are unable to speak at all. It’s here that Tap to Alexa makes sense and lets users invoke the digital assistant via touch. The feature is available on the Echo Show as well as select Fire tablet devices.

The feature can be accessed via a compatible Bluetooth switch that will let the user to use touch commands to reach out to Alexa. This way, the feature can complement the new Text-to-Speech feature where users can type something on their Fire tablet devices and have it read out aloud. This way, those with disabilities can reach out to the caregivers and attendants even if they are unable to speak out themselves. On the whole, Tap to Alexa can be a nice feature that those with speech disabilities can put to good use.

Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids (ASHA)

Amazon said several of its Fire TV devices are now compliant with Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids (ASHA). This makes Fire TV the first to be so featured. This also allows users the ability to connect compatible Bluetooth hearing aids directly, which makes the entire thing a lot more hassle-free.

Card with braille text

Amazon said the 2nd gen Echo Frame is bundled with a card with braille text containing information that serves as the Echo Frame user guide. This way, those with visual impairment will still be able to set up the smart speaker without external help. The guide includes information such as image-to-text translations of everything related to setting up and subsequent usage of the Echo Frame speaker. In short, the in-box braille card is so designed to allow those with visual disabilities to use the device to the fullest potential with their inability to see never coming in the way.

Reading Ruler

The Reading Ruler is a simple feature designed to help the reader to focus more on the particular portion of the text being read. It acts to highlight the particular line the user is reading which makes it easy for the reader to follow the content more effectively. The feature is available on the Kindle reading app and is just one of the several other accessibility features that the Kindle app provides for both readers and authors. Those include the ability to customize the font by altering the type as well as its size. Users can also set the font to bold, change the brightness of the screen, margin, and line spacing, change the background from light to dark, and so on.

https://goodereader.com/blog/kindle/latest-accessibility-features-that-make-amazon-devices-disable-friendly

     David Goldfield 

Assistive Technology Specialist

Feel free to visit my Web site

WWW.DavidGoldfield.info <http://WWW.DavidGoldfield.info> 

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