MONTREAL – Bell has unveiled new products and support services to help make mobile communications more accessible for customers with speech, cognitive, physical, hearing and vision related disabilities.
The products include screen readers and hearing aid compatibility, video conferencing, assisted messaging and voice calling services, all designed to help customers take full advantage of their smart devices. They include:
– Doro 824 and Doro 824C smartphones
Tailored to customers with moderate visual, cognitive and physical needs, the Android powered Doro 824 is a smartphone featuring easy tap targets and icons, large text, bright colours, hearing aid compatibility, and a dedicated emergency button.
The fully customizable Doro 824C is the most complete smartphone available for blind customers, including all the features of the Doro 824 plus dedicated accessibility apps and a tactile keypad overlay. The Doro 824 and Doro 824C are available for $49.99 and $249.99 respectively on a two year term with applicable rate plan.
– Mobile Accessibility app
The Mobile Accessibility app is a screen reader application that integrates with the Android operating system to enable blind and low vision customers to better navigate their devices.
The Mobile Accessibility app is available at no charge to Bell customers with an Android device via the Accessibility Services Centre at Bell.ca/Accessibility.
– Tecla
Developed by Canadian startup Komodo OpenLab, Tecla (pictured) is a portable and hands free device that enables customers with physical upper body limitations to easily use Android or iOS smartphones and tablets without touching the screen.
With Tecla, customers have a solution to get online, make calls, send messages, read books and more through assistive switches such as buttons, sip and puff controllers, head arrays, joysticks or wheelchair driving controls. The Tecla Kit, which includes a mount, is available to new and existing Bell customers at the subsidized price of $200.
The CRTC approved funding for a number of these initiatives from Bell's deferral account. To develop its new accessibility products, Bell said that it worked closely with members from Alliance for Equality for Blind Canadians, Canadian Association of the Deaf – Association des Sourds du Canada, Canadian Association of Retired Persons, Canadian Hard of Hearing Association, La Confédération des organismes de personnes handicapées du Québec, and Neil Squire Society.
"Nearly 14% of Canadians 15 and older live with a disability and often face barriers that limit accessibility to the many benefits of mobile technology," said Bell Mobility president Blaik Kirby, in the news release. "Bell is helping break down these barriers with our leading lineup of accessible products tailored to meet the needs of all our customers."
