title: Tablet and Smartphone Accessibility Features in the Low Vision Rehabilitation.
abstract: Tablet and smartphone use is rapidly increasing in developed countries. With this upsurge in popularity, the devices themselves are becoming more user-friendly for all consumers, including the visually impaired. Traditionally, visually impaired patients have received optical rehabilitation in the forms of microscopes, stand magnifiers, handheld magnifiers, telemicroscopes, and electronic magnification such as closed circuit televisions (CCTVs). In addition to the optical and financial limitations of traditional devices, patients do not always view them as being socially acceptable. For this reason, devices are often underutilised by patients due to lack of use in public forums or when among peers. By incorporating smartphones and tablets into a patient's low vision rehabilitation, in addition to traditional devices, one provides versatile and mainstream options, which may also be less expensive. This article explains exactly what the accessibility features of tablets and smartphones are for the blind and visually impaired, how to access them, and provides an introduction on usage of the features.
authors.affiliation: Spectrios Institute for Vision RehabilitationWheaton, IllinoisUSA; The Chicago Lighthouse for People who are Blind or Visually ImpairedChicago, IllinoisUSA; Illinois College of OptometryChicago, IllinoisUSA.
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Irvine
authors.affiliation: Spectrios Institute for Vision RehabilitationWheaton, IllinoisUSA; The Chicago Lighthouse for People who are Blind or Visually ImpairedChicago, IllinoisUSA; Illinois College of OptometryChicago, IllinoisUSA.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zemke
authors.affiliation: Spectrios Institute for Vision Rehabilitation Wheaton, Illinois USA.
authors.forename: Gregg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pusateri
authors.affiliation: Spectrios Institute for Vision Rehabilitation Wheaton, Illinois USA.
authors.forename: Leah
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gerlach
authors.affiliation: Spectrios Institute for Vision RehabilitationWheaton, IllinoisUSA; Illinois College of OptometryChicago, IllinoisUSA.
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Loyola University Medical Center Maywood, Illinois USA.
authors.forename: Walter M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Jay
keywords: Adaptive technology; low vision; rehabilitation; visual impairment