Designing human-computer interfaces for quadriplegic people

Abstract

Computer and system manufacturers often say that designing applications for users with disabilities is not cost-effective. Most computer systems are designed for users who are not disabled; therefore, systems that address disabled users need special interfaces in order to be accessible. In this paper we present a method for developing human-computer interfaces for quadriplegic people in modern programming environments, provided that they can perform single-switch signals. Using a scanning technique, "single-switch" users can sequentially highlight items that are laid out spatially on screen and then select an item by activating a switch when the target item is highlighted.