by Charles H. Crawford
You've heard the headlines. Blind folks are increasingly more independent, more knowledgeable and able to get work because of access to computers. Right? In fact, it has virtually become a necessity to use a computer in almost every work environment and even at home. So it appears that we're in the race, but are we winning?
Certainly the cost of getting a powerful computer and linking it to the Internet has dropped significantly over the past decade. In short, many are winning the struggle to get online, get connected, and enjoy the instant access to information and entertainment that is waiting for everyone, from the dial-up modem users at the lower end of high-speed Internet service right on up to those who use cable modems or DSL connections that can move information at lightning speeds. The good news ends there. Here's the bad.
Getting access to computing is a costly proposition and it is not getting much better for the average blind person. If we are lucky enough to get the state or an employer to pay for our access technology then I suppose it does not matter all that much, but what about people who live on limited incomes and are not vocational rehabilitation clients or beneficiaries of outside resources that can make ownership of computers and access software possible? What about the people who have computers at work, but can't afford to have them at home?
While the benefits of technology are impressive, the fact remains that it costs money for assistive technology vendors to develop screen readers and other technologies. And guess who has to pay for it? Even worse, once we have gotten the resources together to buy what we need, we hear of a new operating system like Windows XP and we find that the upgrade costs associated with our speech or other assistive technologies are astronomical.
Here we are not talking about luxury goods. Increasingly the nation is moving to online access and at last count over half of all families had access to the net from home. This figure is likely to grow and the service industry along with it. Now add in gaining access to other technologies that are also becoming essential, must-have items if we are to be active participants in the real world -- things like talking sign receivers, specialized radios, closed circuit televisions, electronic canes, color identifiers, label readers, magnifiers, electronic book players, and so on. Are these items high-tech toys or independent living aids?
Fortunately our community has had pretty good advocacy over the years and we have reached a point where we can expect at least a minimal level of technology to make it into our hands. Much like the larger society, we are reaching the point where we must develop a clearer consensus about which technologies are going to be required for day-to-day living and what may be left to the realm of those who can afford it. Once that set of priorities is understood, then we will need to develop strategies that will not only address access to technology from a user point of view, but also the cost issues.
For now, I think I'll take an old fashioned walk, breath some fresh air, and maybe have a chat with some other humans without a computer, a chat room, an Internet map of where I am going, and a Palm Pilot to make appointments. You know what? I might even turn off the cell phone.