 In order to make the Web easier to navigate and read for seniors, people with slight disabilities and special education students, grants of an innovative IBM software application are being made to eligible nonprofit organizations and schools.
Entitled Web Adaptation Technology, this unique application, which is available in nine languages, enables people to customize the Web in ways that work best for them. The new technology, created by scientists at the IBM T.J. Watson Research Center:
World Community Grid is addressing global humanitarian issues, such as:
- Assists people with low vision by enabling them to magnify the contents on a Web page, change the color of the text and background, turn off animation and sharpen images to greatly improve readability;
- Allows selected words or text to be read aloud, using "a text to speech" feature;
- Samples the typing of people who have difficulty typing with accuracy (e.g., those with tremors, arthritis or recovering from a stroke) and detects the errors and automatically adjusts the keyboard sensitivity to accommodate their typing styles.
 Nonprofit organizations serving the elderly, people with disabilities, and developmentally disabled children and adults are eligible to receive a grant of Web Adaptation Technology. Grants already have been awarded to more than 60 organizations in 22 countries. The Hong Kong Society for the Blind became our first partner of the Web Adaptation Technology, which was first launched in Hong Kong in November 2006.
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