Copiers for All

So what features might the new, accessible copiers and office equipment incorporate?

• Adjustable controls, including the ability to raise, lower or tilt them to accommodate people in wheelchairs; controls that more people can operate, such as larger buttons or visual displays; and, for machines that use keypad controls, the ability to customize keypads to fit users' needs.

• More flexible "time-out" features. Most copiers and faxes revert to their initial settings if users do not input data quickly. Allowing more time to input information is important for people with limited manual dexterity.

• Variable color or contrast on displays to accommodate people with vision impairments.

• Multiple coding of controls. For example, not only will a "start" button be green, it will signal its function with a raised dot (tactile) and a beep (auditory).

• Multiple feedback to users, such as keypads that beep when numbers are entered or provide synthesized voice confirmation of settings. Copiers might actually tell a user that he or she has selected "4 copies, 2 sided, collated and stapled."