Technology can help put more people to work The technology industry is one of the few in which hiring continues in a down economy. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities hovers around 50 percent. Using technology, more companies could hire people with disabilities, allowing them to lead productive and self-supporting lives. Companies such as Probity Medical Transcription in Lower Allen Township, Cumberland County, regularly hire people with disabilities to fulfill medical transcription and document management needs. Probity’s website is very user friendly to those with disabilities. A few upgrades to your company’s website would make it more accessible to those with disabilities. How do you know if your Web site is accessible to those with disabilities? A few hints:
- You can install site readers so that disabled employeescan interact with the Web site.
- A good content management system will allow a non-technical person to navigate the Web site more proficiently.
- There are two components to a good Web site: design and back-end programming. A Web site designer can use colors and combinations of colors that are most beneficial to people with disabilities. The font size can be changed to make reading easier and text enlargers can be added. Back-end programming affects all of the information that would be translated with the software. Flash content is not recommended. For users with auditory disabilities, Web site "oral" information can be compiled in a PDF document so it can be read.
- Physical disabilities also must be taken into account. For example, can the user move the mouse to the exact location for a dropdown menu?