Innovative IBM Web Browser Software Grants Enrich Communities

Vicki Hanson, a scientist at IBM's T. J. Watson Research Center and one of the champions of her company's Web Adaption Technology program, receives success stories continuously from seniors and students alike relating how IBM’s Web Adaption Technology, available in nine languages, has made their lives better–– from staying in touch with family members, planning trips and dinner menus, shopping, conversing in English–– to doing homework.

”One of the older adults involved in our Web project had a great story,” says Vicki. “A Florida woman, about 90 years old, told us that e-mail was so important because at her age she had lost most of her friends and all she had left was her family. She remains in contact with her family via e-mail. Our Web software enabled her to do that, she said with tears in her eyes to a TV camera.”

From an instructor at a Senior Center using our Web browser enhancement software: The software allowed them to bridge the language divide as well as the digital divide for one senior citizen. A recent immigrant, this person spoke very little, if any, English. He began attending his local senior center, but, due to the communication barriers, often sat quietly by himself reading and exchanging the occasional smile and wave. He began to express interest in the computers by going in and sitting at a table in the senior center computer lab. He had a stroke a couple of years previously and found it difficult to use the computer. Volunteers at the center set him up with the Web browser enhancement software. The mouse and content enlargement features allowed him to use the Internet. Using a Website to translate from English to Spanish and vice-versa, he was able to communicate more easily with the volunteers and find sites relevant to his interests.

From another instructor at a Senior Center: Having known nothing about computers, including how to even turn them on, one senior has grown in her computer knowledge and abilities immensely since the introduction of our Web browsing software. Once the adaptive software was installed on the senior center computers, she progressed rapidly in her Internet searching and e-mail abilities because, as she put it she “could see the darn screen better.” She researches trips on-line that the seniors will be taking with groups, she finds recipes, and she regularly logs onto and updates her family tree. She is thrilled to be able to show online pictures of newborn relatives and of her brother who died in WWII.

From yet another instructor at a Senior Center: E-mail is the most popular activity for seniors in using the Web browsing enhancement software at their center. This is a very important and cost effective tool for them; many of whom are immigrants who now have the opportunity to communicate with family members and other loved ones across the globe, on a regular basis. Some of these seniors have also been engaged in consumer product research. This activity has helped to bridge the digital divide for these seniors, who have limited buying power and previously were forced to buy goods and services within the constraints of their neighborhoods. The ability to browse the Web has given them access to the same options as the middle class who are able to comparison shop via the Web.

From an instructor at a Center using our Web browser enhancement software with disabled students: A mother attended one session with her 18-year-old son who has a cognitive disability and limited literacy skills. He and his mother learned to use the software and by the end of the session he was using the text-to-speech feature to read words and sentences on his favorite Web site.