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Accessibility Keyboard and Assistive Technologies Introduction


People with disabilities use technology in a variety of ways. Here are some examples:

  • People with hand tremors cannot grip a mouse. They use the keyboard to navigate.
  • People with mobility disabilities use their voice to control the computer or mobile device.
  • People with mobility disabilities use eye tracking to move the screen cursor.
  • People with mobility disabilities use switch devices to operate the computer or mobile device.
  • People who are blind use screen readers, braille displays or speech recognition software.
  • People with low vision use screen magnification.
Six disabled people of color smile and pose in front of a concrete wall. Five people stand in the back, with the Black woman in the center holding up a chalkboard sign reading "disabled and here." A South Asian person in a wheelchair sits in front.
Photo by Chona Kasinger from Disabled and Here

The term assistive technologies is a broad term for all these tools. As developers, we do not need to code for a particular technology. We use standards methods to make sure that our solution is accessible for all.

In this module, you will learn the basics of keyboard and screen reader navigation.