SAP and Beit Issie Shapiro Introduce IssieBoard – An Adaptive iPad Keyboard for People with Disabilities
Source: eJewish Philanthropy
SAP Laboratories in Israel and The Beit Issie Shapiro Technology Consulting Center have developed IssieBoard – a new adaptive Hebrew keyboard app for children and adults with disabilities. Designed for the iOS operating system, IssieBoard will allow people with learning disabilities, visual impairments, developmental and intellectual disabilities to use all functions of a virtual iPad keyboard in Hebrew. The IssieBoard app is available for free download on the App Store.
The iPad has proven to be a powerful tool for inclusion of people with disabilities. Used in educational, therapeutic and recreational settings, this simple device has opened up a new world of communication and independence.
The IssieBoard app enables making personal adjustments to suit the needs of particular users. The background color can be altered as well as the color of different keys and letters, and the board can be divided into different color sections for better orientation. Another important assistive feature is an option to choose only the letters that form a certain word to appear on screen at a given time – this allows children to practice typing the word without visual distractions.