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Research About Accessibility / Accessible Technology in Computing / Pages:  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8 

Opportunities and Forecast

The level of awareness of accessible technology is high, and 44% of computer users use some form of accessible technology today; however many of them are not using the full array of accessibility options/utilities or assistive technology products that would benefit them. Computer users do not recognize that accessible technology will benefit their computing experience and the use of accessible technology relies too much on computer users seeking it out.

The two primary factors that influence the use of accessible technology—computer experience and confidence—point to the need to make accessible technology easier to find and use. Computer users with and without difficulties/impairments approach their computers with the same goals—to be able to comfortably, efficiently, and successfully use their computers. When faced with barriers, such as difficulty typing or seeing the screen, computer users look for solutions that make it easier to type or read the computer screen.

Making accessible technology easier to find and use will result in computers that are easier, more convenient, and more comfortable for computer users with diverse needs and preferences to use. This will result in a growth in the accessible technology market.

This section presents three potential areas for growth in the accessible technology market and includes a forecast of growth in the market for accessible technology from 2003 to 2010.

Growth in the Accessible Technology Market

Growth in the overall use of accessible technology is likely to come from three areas:

1. Expanding use of accessible technology among current users of accessible technology (both accessibility options/utilities and assistive technology products).
2. Expanding use of accessible technology to a wider audience of computer users.
3. Increasing numbers of computer users likely to benefit from the use of accessible technology due to an increase in the general US population and an increase in computer use among individuals over the age of 65.

Figure 19 presents the total predicted growth in accessible technology users between 2003 and 2010. Currently, 57 million use some form of accessible technology. By 2010, the number of accessible technology users is expected to rise to 70 million.

However, for growth in the accessible technology market to be realized, considerable efforts need to be made to overcome the barriers currently faced by computer users who need accessible technology. Addressing these barriers will unlock the potential benefits of accessible technology to a wider audience of computer users. The three potential growth areas are discussed below.

Figure 19: Predicted Growth in Number of Accessible Technology Users from 2003 to 2010

[image: Chart showing: Predicted number of accessible technology users from 2003 to 2010: 2003: 57 million users, 2004: 60 million users, 2005: 63 million users, 2006: 65 million users, 2007: 67 million users, 2008: 68 million users, 2009: 69 million users, 2010: 70 million users. Base: US 18-64 year old computer users with difficulties/impairments. Source: Study commissioned by Microsoft, conducted by Forrester Research, Inc. 2004.]

Expanding the Use Among Current Users of Accessible Technology

Many computer users who are using accessibility options/utilities are not using the full selection of accessibility options/utilities that would benefit them. Individuals often stumble across one option while missing others. While most of the expansion in use will come from built-in accessibility options/utilities, this group of users may also buy assistive technology products.

Expanding the Use of Accessibility Options/Utilities Among Current Users of Accessible Technology

Expanding the use of accessibility options/utilities will not result in growth in the number of people using accessible technology, but it has the potential to dramatically increase the number of people using each type of built-in accessibility options/utilities. Consider what would happen if half of the 57 million users (28.5 million) began using additional accessibility options/utilities. In this scenario, the market measured by product use would grow more than if the remaining 22 million computer users who have mild or severe difficulties/impairments who are not yet using accessible technology started using accessible technology. Additionally, expanding use of accessibility options among current users could indirectly contribute to grassroots growth in the use of accessibility options/utilities because most people learn about accessibility options/utilities from friends or family. Expanding the amount and types of accessibility options/utilities a person uses increases the probability that they will influence someone else to start using accessible technology.

Expanding the Use of Assistive Technology Products Among Current Users of Accessible Technology

Most computer users who use assistive technology products also use accessibility options/utilities; therefore most of the growth in the number of people using accessible technology will occur for accessibility options/utilities. It is difficult to calculate growth in the assistive technology market in particular because growth in the use of accessibility options/utilities is much larger and masks any growth in the use of assistive technology products. However, while difficulty to measure, there are opportunities to expand use of assistive technology products among individuals with severe difficulties/impairments who are not using them yet as well as for some assistive technology products to be used by a wider audience.

Only 24% of computer users with severe difficulties/impairments currently use assistive technology products. Assistive technology products are often critical for many individuals, particularly for those with severe difficulties/impairments, to be able to use computers effectively. However, assistive technology products are under utilized. Individuals with severe difficulties/impairments need to be able to easily find an assistive technology product that will benefit them the most. A large number of users with severe difficulties/impairments (39%) do not even know that additional assistive technology products would enhance their computing experience. While assistive technology owners rely heavily on their friends and family when considering products, those who discovered their assistive technology products on their own are more than twice as likely to have bought the products themselves (60% versus 30%).

Many assistive technology users don't perceive their difficulty/impairment as a reason for using these products but rather are looking for solutions to make their computer easier and more comfortable to use. Potential users of assistive technology products are searching for products that will enhance their computing experience and functionality—products that will make it easier to type, use a mouse, or see the screen, for example. These potential users of assistive technology products are likely to overlook many products with these functions because the industry often markets these products toward people with disabilities and highlights the disability the products is designed to assist, rather than the functionality of the product.

There is also a potential for some assistive technology products (such as voice recognition software, screen magnifiers, and trackballs) to reach a wider audience beyond those with difficulties/impairments. If more computer users were made aware of the benefits assistive technology products offer and if assistive technology products were easier to find, these products could reach a larger market. However, very specialized products such as refreshable Braille displays and screen readers (for computer users who are blind) or sip-and-puff switches (for computer users with paralysis) are not likely to reach a wider audience. The following section discusses more about expanding the use of all forms of accessible technology to a wider audience of computer users.

Expanding the Use of Accessible Technology to a Wider Audience of Computer Users

Currently, only 44% (57 million) of computer users use accessible technology even though a wider audience of computer users can benefit from using accessible technology. Unfortunately, most computer users without difficulties/impairments do not yet recognize that accessible technology can be beneficial to their computing experience and are not likely to look for options and products that are categorized as products for people with disabilities. Accessibility options/utilities are often associated with and labeled for people with disabilities. Furthermore, lack of computer experience and confidence prevent many individuals from using accessible technology. These issues need to be addressed by the IT industry in order for the use of accessibility options/utilities to expand to a wider audience.

Specifically, built-in accessibility options/utilities need better labeling and placement in the product so they are not overlooked by the wide audience of computer users (57%) who are likely benefit from using them. Built-in accessibility options/utilities today rely on individuals identifying their impairment and seeking a solution for that impairment. Because most people with mild, occasional, and intermittent difficulties and impairments—and even many with severe difficulties and impairment—do not self-identify as having an impairment, many people who will likely benefit from accessible technology may not click on an option that calls out an impairment.

Increasing Number of Computer Users Likely to Benefit from the Use of Accessible Technology

The total number of computer users who are likely or very likely to benefit from the use of accessible technology will increase over the next few years due to an increase in the US population and an increase in computer use among individuals over the age of 65.

The US population is both expanding and changing its demographic profile—both of which will contribute to an increase in the total number of people using accessible technology. The population is expected to grow 1.1% per year over the next 6 years.¹³ Population dynamics are also changing over this time period, resulting in more people over the age of 65 relative to those under 65. In addition, computer use among people over the age of 65 will increase. This is noteworthy because a large percentage of people over the age of 65 have difficulties/impairments that make them likely to benefit from the use of accessible technology.

Many individuals over the age of 65 today did not begin to use computers during their working-age years and many of those who were exposed to computers at work did not see the personal benefit of using a computer at home until recently. In contrast, the majority of individuals under age 65 use computers at home and rely on them for day-to-day tasks. People who range from 55 to 64 years old today currently use computers in the workplace at a higher rate than people in their 60s and 70s did at earlier ages. They will continue to rely on computers as they age. People who currently range from 55 to 64 years old will continue to use computers in their 60s and 70s, and at the same time will develop new difficulties/impairments as part of the natural aging process. In 10 years, 2.5 times more adults who range from 65 to 74 will be using computers as there are today.¹⁴ This is a new trend for this generation. As Baby Boomers enter retirement, they will continue to use computers actively and will demand that the technology work around the difficulties/impairments that they will experience as they age. The growth in computer use by this demographic will play a particularly pivotal role in extending the reach of accessible technology.

Conclusion

Accessible technology has the potential to improve computer use for a wider audience because it makes computers easier to use. Targeting a wider market for accessible technology will benefit computer users and is critical to expanding the use of accessible technology. A key component of encouraging the use of accessible technology is to make it easier to find and highlight the functionality and benefits rather than the impairments they seek to ameliorate.

Making accessible technology easier to find and use is also essential to helping individuals with low levels of computer experience or confidence overcome these barriers. Currently, the use of accessible technology is concentrated among those with high levels of computer experience and confidence. Accessible technology must be made easier to find and use so that computer users with lower levels of computer experience and confidence will be encouraged to use it.

Computer experience and confidence will continue to spread naturally through the population as technology becomes further integrated into people's lives, but the IT industry can speed the process along by helping individuals recognize the ways in which accessible technology—both built-in accessibility options/utilities and assistive technology products—can enhance their computing experience.

Making accessible technology both easier to find and use is an opportunity for the IT industry to benefit and reach a wider audience and realize growth in the use of accessible technology.

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¹³ Current Population Report: Projections of the Numbers of Households and Families in the United States: 1995-2010.
¹⁴ See The Wide Range of Abilities and Its Impact on Computer Technology

(A Research Report Commissioned by Microsoft Corporation and Conducted by Forrester Research, Inc., in 2004)