I’ll say it again…you just can’t beat the accessibility features offered by Apple. I loved the simple touch screen interface offered from the onset and they just keep adding new tools for our students with physical disabilities through every upgrade. Yesterday’s release of iOS7 is like Christmas for our users with special needs…
With more than 200 changes in this upgrade, there is something for everybody who uses an iPad, iPod Touch or an iPhone. It includes a completely redesigned user interface and some exciting new accessibility supports our disabled students will love. Options specifically designed for those with limited abilities include the ability to adjust fonts system-wide, provide customized captioning and set user controls for switch access. This includes the option for gesture-based controls (including actions such as head movements) to operate the devices. Wow! What a difference these features will make for our more severely involved students who have seen iPads in their schools but have never been able to engage with them or use them to their fullest potential. This upgrade also offers expanded functionality for the already awesome accessibility features such as Zoom, VoiceOver, Speak Selection, Assistive Touch and Guided Access.
There is a wonderful ‘how to’ guide available from the folks at MakeUseOf. Ono of my favorite resource sites, they have created a downloadable guide to all the new iOS7 features.
The upgrade is available for iPhone 4 and newer, iPad 2 and newer, and the 5th generation iPod Touch. To download iOS 7 go to Settings > General > Software Update.
Note: You must have sufficient storage memory available or it will not install.
