AccessSTEM

People without disabilities may have temporary and/or situational limitations that are similar to the limitations imposed by disabilities. For example, people who cannot access graphics due to computer system limitations are in a situation similar to that of students who are blind. A noisy environment that prohibits the use of audio features imposes constraints similar to those faced by students with hearing impairments. Those for whom English is a second language experience reading difficulties similar to those experienced by people with some types of learning disabilities.

A mobility impairment is a disability that affects movement ranging from gross motor skills, such as walking, to fine motor movement, involving manipulation of objects by hand.

For more information, consult Glossary of Disability-Related Terms and Mobility Impairments.

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability and applies to any program that receives federal financial support. Section 504 of the Act is aimed at making educational programs and facilities accessible to all students. Section 508 of the Act requires that electronic office equipment purchased through federal procurement meet disability access guidelines.

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008, a person with a disability is "any person who 1) has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities [including the operation of a major bodily function, caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working], 2) has a record of such an impairment, or 3) is regarded as hav

The Internet hosts a large quantity of websites and electronic discussion lists that contain information on issues of interest to individuals with mobility impairments, and their family members, friends, mentors, advocates, educators, employers, and coworkers. Topics addressed include universal design of living and work environments, current and proposed legislation, educational and employment accommodations, transition strategies, advances in technology, and support networks.

The Internet hosts a large quantity of websites and electronic discussion lists that contain information concerning issues of interest to individuals with brain injuries and their family members, friends, mentors, advocates, educators, employers, and coworkers. A collection of websites and discussion lists related to brain injuries can be found at Disability-Related Resources: Brain Injury.

Parents of youth with disabilities have unique opportunities to promote their successful transition to postsecondary education, employment, and full adult participation in society. Families can assist in the transition process by providing adolescents with direction in their exploration of interests, guidance in career and college planning, and encouragement as they pursue their dreams. Parents can provide the foundation for young people to become self-determined, to learn decision-making skills, and to gain access to resources.

A virtual keyboard is software that is used to emulate a standard keyboard. A picture of a keyboard is displayed on a computer screen and the user points and clicks on the pictures of keys to enter text. Switches activated in a wide variety of ways make use of the most appropriate muscles for the individual user. Virtual keyboards allow computer use by people with significant mobility impairments.

A speech impairment refers to an impaired ability to produce speech sounds and may range from mild to severe. It may include an articulation disorder, characterized by omissions or distortions of speech sounds; a fluency disorder, characterized by atypical flow, rhythm, and/or repetitions of sounds; or a voice disorder, characterized by abnormal pitch, volume, resonance, vocal quality, or duration.

A refreshable Braille display is hardware connected to a computer that echoes screen text on a box that has cells consisting of pins that move up and down to create Braille characters.

For information about adaptive technology, consult Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology or view the video by the same title.