There Is No Disability On The Internet

Alan Carter has designed an inexpensive software initiative named "Skipper" for the Linux operating system that aims to enable severely physically disabled people with many different conditions to make full use of computer applications that normally require good mouse and keyboard control.In this introductory article, Carter discusses what Skipper can and cannot do and why a programme like Skipper is helpful for people with severe physical disabilities who want to communicate online.

There Is No Disability On The Internet

"One of the best things about the Internet is what it doesn't transmit. You can't tell by looking at an email if it was written by a black person, a white one, an old one, a young one, a male one, a female one - or any other personal details. All that matters is what the writer has to say. And because email makes it possible to converse with people in different timezones by storing your messages until you want to read them, it also makes it impossible to tell if the writer typed quickly or slowly, or even used a keyboard at all."

The GUI Problem

Graphical user interfaces (GUIs) require a mouse to be carefully positioned in order to make selections, this is a challenging task for people with even a slight hand tremor. Skipper address these issues by using sensors that detect movement and help interpret and translate them to the computer.

Access Is Cheap

With inexpensive used computer equipment and good quality, free software available now, access to the world wide web is becoming a possibility for people with limited budgets.

Think Ability - Not Disability

According to Carter, Skipper can be configured in an infinite number of ways to meet the needs of the user. It comes with over 40 ready-made configurations with detailed instructions on how to set up new ones. "People with very minimal movements can find scanning menus helpful, but people with involuntary movements need to avoid time dependent controls. People with impact brain injuries often have poor vision, and need larger controls. Some people benefit from being able to change their menus quickly and efficiently, while others can become confused by too much movement...."

What Skipper Doesn't Do

Carter doesn't really discuss limitations of Skipper as much as he emphasises the need for patient and positive thinking while learning to use this programme. "An important tip is that people with movement impairing conditions usually like saying 'Yes' much more than they like saying "No". This can make communication difficult sometimes, because if something is wrong, it can take a while to find out what it is and sort it out. Of course, the Skipper user can only make progress when there are no problems left, so again patience and imagination are needed."

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