- DEVELOPING ACCESSIBLE PRODUCTS
o Sign Language Translation – Microsoft Research Asia in collaboration with Chinese Science Academy and Peiching Union University has developed a prototype which that translates sign language into spoken language— and spoken language into sign language — in real time. This revolutionary technique will enable hearing-impaired individuals to communicate with effectively by simply using their sign language.
o Microsoft Seeing AI – Seeing AI is aimed at helping people who are visually-impaired to understand more about who and what is around them. A research project, Seeing AI, combines image recognition and natural language processing to describe a person’s surroundings, read text, answer questions and even identify emotions on people’s faces.. Seeing AI can be used through smartphone app or smart glass app and can help people to achieve more.
o Microsoft 3D-soundscape – A navigational headset build in collaboration of a charitable trust named ‘Gods Guides’ which works like satellite navigation for pedestrians. The pedestrians wearing this headset receives sounds in ears continuously which tells them about the present location. Using the headsets, visually-impaired individuals can make the picture of area in their mind so that they can easily walk on the roads without any stick or partner.
o Windows and Office- Creating technologies that are accessible by design, Microsoft enable everyone to personalize their PCs to make them more comfortable and easier to use. A group of utilities and services clubbed in ‘Ease of Access’ center, which help users to interact with technologies seamlessly. Other accessible features of windows include magnifier, narrator, high contrast, closed captions, keyboard, and mouse that can address range of learning preferences as well as difficulties and impairments.
o Kinect for Xbox 360: Interactive entertainment is enjoyed by nearly all people – including people with disabilities. A number of game titles for Kinect for Xbox 360 can be played by users with physical or sensory impairments by using the built-in speech recognition and enhanced skeletal tracking experience.
- Accessible Technology for Everyone —of all ages and abilities
o Microsoft OneNote – An enabler in the Special Needs Classroom, OneNote provides users with option to read content using text-to-speech (Immersive Reading Mode) or dictate using speech-to-text. By doing listening assignments using the immersive reader tool of OneNote, differently-abled people can improve their ability to hear, process and implement the instruction/read text. This not only helps them deal with the given assignment at their pace and choice of time but also gives them exposure to adapt to a variety of voice instructions. Users can also personalize the text by changing the font size, letter and word spacing for a comfortable learning experience.
o Microsoft Accessibility Learning Sessions – Aimed at building awareness of accessibility amongst special educators and computer instructors who work with students with varied disabilities, so that they can in turn, optimize the use of technology in their teaching, thus making it far easier for their students to see, hear and use technology. In addition, Microsoft also provides accessibility guides, curriculum resources, teacher training workshops, and inspiring videos, to help students with disabilities learn with technology.
o Microsoft Initiatives including ‘Code For Honor’ and ‘Microsoft App Fests’ promote apps development that are accessible and address needs of those with disabilities.
o The company’s disability Employee Resource Group (ERG) was formed in 2009 with an aim to enable employees to reach their full potential through inclusion, representation, and access to accommodations. The ERG represents employees with conditions such as hearing loss, blindness, visual impairments, ADD, mobility disabilities, and dyslexia. This group works with Microsoft initiatives to improve products for accessibility and support experiences for customers with disabilities who have accessibility questions. It also works on other elements such as sponsoring activities at an annual internal company event known as the Ability Summit that focuses on the engineering side of accessibility as well as the societal and social sides of disability in the workplace, community and home.
Microsoft Accessibility Website provides in-depth information about the company’s efforts in this area and here is the link to Microsoft India’s video on Empowering for Inclusion.
