Mobile Assistive Technologies and how they're used

Arguably, the greatest area of rapid development in modern computing is happening in the mobile space. Many accessibility professionals are clear about desktop browsers, but less familiar with mobile devices. In this presentation, Joe Ortenzi will outline the landscape of mobile devices in use in Australia and how the various operating systems from the major manufacturers handle assistive technologies. Although the field is, in some ways, being led by Apple's iOS; Android, Blackberry, and Microsoft are all working hard to find ways to accommodate users with AT needs. The presentation will centre around what is currently being used for screen reading & voice interaction on mobile operating systems, which will include Apple iOS 4's built-in VoiceOver, as well as iOS5 & Siri, but also what is popular now on Android and other systems. The result will be a snapshot of what is both common & unique across current mobile operating systems.