INTHEBLACK August 2022 - Magazine - Page 58
WORK SMART
// T E C H TA L K
Above: Tobii Dynavox’s PCEye is an
eye-tracking device that helps people
with limited mobility to use Windows
computers.
Above: accessiBe uses artificial intelligence to check and improve
the accessibility of your website against numerous criteria.
ACCESSIBILITY
FOR AN INCLUSIVE
WORKPLACE
Inclusive workplaces produce more engaged, loyal and innovative
employees. Disability inclusion is vital, yet workers with disabilities
are far more likely to feel excluded at work. A number of apps and
devices can help make the lives of people with disabilities easier.
STORY GLENN REES
W
orkers with disabilities don’t have
it easy. Apart from their everyday
challenges, they are 60 per cent
more likely than other employees to feel
excluded in the workplace, according to the
Accenture research report, Enabling Change.
Just getting a job in the first place can be a
challenge. Federal government figures show
that working-age Australians with disabilities
are twice as likely as others to be unemployed.
Yet people with disabilities represent a
potential talent pool of more than 1.1 million
people in Australia alone. Further, the
Accenture report has found that organisations
led by executives focused on disability
engagement grew profits 4.1 times faster
than their peers.
This finding confirms other studies that
show that “employees in more inclusive
58 ITB August 2022
cultures are more loyal, innovative,
aspirational and engaged”, says Dominic
King, senior principal at Accenture Research.
“Disability inclusion – and inclusion more
generally – is not philanthropy,” King adds.
“It’s not a form of ‘greenwashing’. It simply
makes good business sense.”
To that end, Enabling Change identifies
eight actions – from providing flexible
working options to training – that
organisations can adopt to help engage
workers with disabilities. Thankfully, many
assistance technologies can also make the
working lives of people with disabilities
easier and more productive.
BUILT-IN ASSISTANCE FEATURES
Many assistance tools are built into popular
software, including recent versions of
Above: Windows’ built-in accessibility
tools include a screen reader, Narrator.
Microsoft 365, Windows, Google’s Android
and Apple’s macOS and iOS. Browse through
the settings and accessibility options of
these products and you’ll find:
• screen readers or support for these
apps, which read out what’s on screen
for the vision-impaired
• voice commands and dictation for
writing messages and documents for
those with restricted mobility or vision
• settings to adjust the font size and
colours, a text magnifier and other
features
• keyboard shortcuts for those who have
difficulty using a mouse
• notifications that can be set to appear
prominently rather than playing an alert
sound
• focus assistance tools that make
reading easier or reduce distractions
for those with learning difficulties
OTHER ASSISTANCE TOOLS
There’s also a wide variety of devices and
other tools that can help people with
disabilities at work.
Specialist earbuds and headphones:
Bone-conduction headphones such as