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Video killed the access wait

• By Paul Crichton
• 1 Dec 06, 07:57 PM

"You want me to point my web cam where?"

Though web cams can have a slightly dodgy reputation, a new service has been launched to give computer accessibility assessments quickly, cheaply and online via a video link to your office on your broadband pc.

is a charity that has been delivering impartial accessibility advice to disabled IT users for 20 years, in order to help them seek the best solutions to their work or leisure needs.

It can be costly and take time to send access assessors all round the country, so they've developed a that allows them to do it with their clients. Virtually, as it were - ooh missus. Sorry it's the web cam putting me off - who'd have thought they'd find a useful practical purpose for them?

The assessor will be able to see how you use your computer and could come up with instant accessibility solutions for you to implement there and then with a few changes to your settings. Or it could lead to them advising you try new equipment or software to help.

Many companies already have telephone support but does the extra video info gleaned from the user help the assessor to help his/her client any better?

David Banes, the Operations Director at AbilityNet, says that, "A web cam provides a significant advantage over telephone support. For instance, we could be using the web cam with someone that has a tremor in their hands. We can then see how this impacts on different areas of the keyboard, which guides us in tuning that keyboard, adding a keyguard and ultimately looking at an alternative access device."

It does have a downfall, however. The fact they're not there in person means they can't just hand you a gizmo and get you to try it out. They have thought of this, though, as the virtual assessment goes hand-in-hand with a loan scheme. You can borrow kit from AbilityNet so that you can try before you buy and make sure everyone's on the right road before spending money.

This also forms part of the assessment service. By seeing how the client uses kit, the assessor helps the user get to grips with it, and can change settings as needed when seeing it in use.

Could this virtual assessment approach be the best most cost effective way round reaching all disabled people in the UK? Will other businesses and charities take this idea on? And could it bring the cost of equipment and services down generally across the board? Usually travel and overnight costs are passed on to the purchasers of quipment and services. In a market that provides already rather expensive gear, this could be what your average access ICT punter needs.

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