An app for all abilities
"Assistive technology" is a term for devices, software, and equipment that support people with disabilities—anything from eyeglasses to wheelchairs to text-to-voice software. Assistive technology helps give everyone equal access.
In Bloomberg Connects, assistive technology can take the form of device settings, tools, and external technology to which a person connects their device.
In this topic, assistive technologies are grouped by the primary ability that they support or augment.
Tip: Remember that accessibility tools can serve many different needs across ability categories and that each person builds their toolkit in a unique way. People might use more than one assistive technology at a time, and they might use different tools in different situations.
Vision
Thoughtful, scalable design can make digital experiences more accessible to people with low or no vision. This section summarizes the main ways in which the Connects app can adapt to meet different visual needs.
- Screen reader support
- Alt text for images
- Linear presentation of maps
- Text scaling
- Screen orientation
- Color and contrast
Screen reader support
People who have impaired vision, or who have permanent or temporary difficulty reading, might use a software program called a “screen reader” to read on-screen elements aloud.
Common mobile screen readers include VoiceOver (iOS) and TalkBack (Android). On-screen elements include buttons and other controls, text, headings, input fields, and specific content types like images, alt text, and logos. People can connect a screen reader to a braille display to read the content instead of listening to it. This is especially useful for people who are both deaf and blind.
Principles
- People who use screen readers can use all the same content and features as people who don't use screen readers.
- Assistive technology follows a clear, logical, and predictable path through the app, called the focus order. This lets the software announce and activate the app’s features.
Watch a short demonstration of using VoiceOver on an item screen in the app:
Alt text for all images
Alternative text (alt text) helps people who can’t see an image understand the purpose, context, and key visual information through words. Alt text does not appear in the app but is read out loud by a screen reader.
Principles
- We designed each type of image in the app with its alt text in mind. The three types of images are: functional, decorative, and informative.
- Functional images (like the navigation tab icons) and decorative images (like the Wi-Fi icon on the “Unable to load this screen” message) are the same in every guide. The app already handles how screen readers treat them.
- Informative images include most of the images that you add to your CMS for use in your guide. Because you own these images, you are responsible for providing helpful alt text so all visitors can enjoy your content. For complete details on creating alt text for your images, see Image alt text.
Linear presentation of maps
When the Connects app detects a screen reader, it shows maps in a linear, text-based format by default.
Principles
- A linear, text-based version of the map is easier to navigate via a screen reader.
- The map defaults to the linear map version when a screen reader is detected.
- Both versions of the map are available for everyone via an icon at the top of the screen.
Text scaling
People can change the size of the text on their device to make it more comfortable to read.
Principles
- Text scaling is supported to maximum legible sizes.
- Enlarged text is readable and generally does not truncate.
- Visitors control their preferred text size in their device settings (iOS, Android).
- Visitors control the text size for closed captions and subtitles separately, in their device settings (iOS, Android).
Screen orientation
People can choose to hold their phone in portrait or landscape orientation, depending on what's comfortable and practical for the content they're accessing and any other relevant needs or considerations.
Principles
- Landscape and portrait orientation are supported on every screen.
- The app works the same way in both orientations.
- Visitors do not need to rotate their device to match a given orientation.
Color and contrast
Sufficient color contrast makes onscreen elements as legible as possible.
Principles
- Higher contrast between the foreground and background colors makes it easier to distinguish characters and symbols.
- Sufficient contrast between the color of text and its background color ensures legibility.
- Color is not used as the only indicator of information.
Hearing
Providing text-based alternatives to video and audio content makes them more accessible to people with a permanent, temporary, or circumstantial inability to listen to or understand audio.
Audio and video transcripts
Transcripts make content accessible to a wider audience of people who cannot, or choose not to, listen to the audio.
Principle
- All audio and video files support transcripts, so people can read the text while they listen, or instead of listening.
For complete details on creating transcripts for your audio and video files, see Audio transcripts and Video transcripts.
Video captions and subtitles
Captions and subtitles are two types of synchronized text that can be overlaid on a video to make the audio content more accessible.
Captions convey both dialogue and non-speech sounds (like laughter, music, and sound effects). They are for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Subtitles convey only the spoken dialogue. They are for people who can hear but don't understand the spoken language, and for people who prefer to watch a video on mute.
Principles
- All videos support real-time closed captions and subtitles from uploaded VTT files, so people can turn them on when they need them. Closed captions are preferred over open or "burned in" captions to allow for this flexibility.
- In a guide, the availability of captions or subtitles is indicated using the standard “CC” icon on the video player.
For complete details on creating captions and subtitles for your video files, see Video captions and subtitles.
Motor control and dexterity
Some people do not operate mobile apps using touchscreen devices. Instead, they use an external controller, like a keyboard or switch control.
External controller
People who have certain motor or dexterity impairments, or who need physical keys, might benefit from an external controller.
Principles
- Intuitive navigation and interaction are available for people who use external controllers.
- People using external controllers can interact with content and features to the same extent as people who use the touchscreen.
- Assistive technology follows a clear, logical, and predictable path through the app, called the focus order. This lets the software activate the app’s features.
