Handicapped Specifications

      A specific election official control panel is used to control the entrance of each new voter to a machine.  The visually impaired will be supplied with headphones and a special control panel consisting of the following commands: forward candidate, back candidate, vote select, read aloud candidate name.  If the voter votes for a certain candidate, that candidate name will be read along with either the word "selected" or the words "not selected."  By this means, a visually impaired voter can scroll through, decide on, and confirm all possible vote and question selections.

      The EVMS accessibility capabilities relate to both visually impaired voters and voters with physical limitations.  The system pays attention to direct ballot reading to visually impaired voters and permits them to make selections on a standard Braille keypad.  For physically disabled voters, the selection mechanism can be placed on a table that is low enough to be reached from a wheelchair.  When using tables for voting, the election officials need to pay attention to layout.  Attention to details of the system usability permit the voter to achieve navigation throughout the ballot.  Color is not used solely to convey meaning.  The user has control of selecting voting preferences, but is prevented from selecting more than the large number of candidates.  Font size is fixed, but a magnifying glass is provided to make it easier to view the text if a person forgot their glasses.

      Audio Headset