Mia
Technology is continuously developing, and it provides convenience and efficiency in various areas. An example of this is digital court reporting. A once time-consuming job of manually transcribing court reports can now be completed faster using speech-to-text technology, which converts court recordings into text. Staff can then proofread the converted text to ensure accuracy, which is still quicker than usual. The use of technology in the mobile industry also plays a massive role in making them accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities.
Intending to allow inclusion and avoid discrimination against the disabled, the government passed laws covering this. It encompasses all organizations, like schools, hospitals, and other businesses, and yes, that also includes the mobile industry. The Americans with Disabilities Act pushes accessibility to various providers, including those in the mobile field.
There are currently various features that mobile devices and applications offer for the convenience of disabled users. Some of them are the following:
- Screen reader that converts text to speech
- Application that converts speech to text
- Feature to zoom screen for better visibility
- Speed dial for calling and one-touch key for answering calls
- Vibration mode
- Brightness adjustment
People with disabilities worldwide use mobile devices, although there are still more non-disabled users than the latter. Also, many of them use basic phones compared to smartphones. Some of these individuals think that smartphones are expensive, which prevents them from getting one. They also feel that data and broadband services are costly.
The good news is that there are now more affordable models of smartphones that cater to users with all budgets. It is also true with the cost of data and broadband service. However, the competition in the mobile industry is stiff, which is why providers are looking for ways to make them stand out, including the use of accessibility features.
Besides the law mandating the inclusion of people with disabilities in all areas, the benefits of accessibility will also push companies in the mobile industry to incorporate it in their products and services. One of these benefits is the growth of their customer base. Besides their regular users, they will also support the disabled, which will increase the number of their customers. In line with this, customers will be satisfied with the efficiency that these features bring.
Having a positive reputation helps mobile providers to attract more clients and also keep their existing ones. Offering accessibility features for people with disabilities is a great way to improve their brand. This benefit will encourage mobile companies to be accessible.
These features can help people with disabilities in different areas, such as learning. For example, students with visual impairment can use mobile apps or mobile devices with the built-in feature of converting text files to audio so that they can listen to them. The same goes for employees. It’s also vital for their day-to-day life, like communicating with loved ones.
Accessibility benefits both the users and the companies, so those in the mobile industry must be encouraged to find ways to adapt it continuously.
