A.T. ANYWHERE

"AT anywhere" means a person who needs an assistive technology in order to use computers would be able to use the particular AT they need on any public or shared-use computer (e.g., at school or library) that they encounter and need to use. Without it, they are denied the access to the computers that are provided to everyone else – which puts them at a severe disadvantage

In the past this type of equal access has not been possible.

It was/is not safe to allow users to install any software they want/need on public computers – so installation of their AT has been blocked. And since it is not technically possible to install a copy of every different assistive technology that any user might need, on every computer at a location – their use of these “public” computers has not been possible.

However, the situation has changed.

It is now possible to have a person’s assistive technology automatically installed on a computer when they sit down at the computer – and automatically removed when they are done. And it can be done with open-source software available to any person or organization for free.

Therefore, because:

Computers are now critical to all aspects of life,
including education, employment, healthcare, community engagement, etc. – such that one cannot succeed in school or independent (or semi-independent) living without computer access.

And computers are not usable by many people without assistive technologies (AT)
and without access they are at a severe and unfair disadvantage in all of the above aspects of life (education, employment, etc.)

And we as a society provide public-use computers for everyone else,

• in classrooms, labs, libraries, government services
• because we think it is important to make computers available to everyone,

...but we have not (been able to) for people who need AT;

And we have "lived with" this inequality in the past because we had no solution.

• because it was not safe to allow users to install software they wanted (needed) on public computers
• because it was not technically possible to install every AT (that a user may need) on every computer in a public space

But since these barriers are no longer true.

• There is now free and open-source code that allows the automatic installation of any AT that a user needs on any computer they need to use (and the AT disappears when they are done), and the solution leaves IT dept in complete control;

And this new capability to have AT anywhere is freely available and does not require the use of any proprietary product

• It is all implementable using open-source code that anyone, any company, any organization is free to implement without restriction or cost.
• there is already one organization* that is providing a version of this capability that is permanently free, and secure with complete privacy and no sharing of user data so it is safe and affordable for all users and organizations.

We the undersigned believe:

1. That assistive technologies (AT) have and will continue to play a key role in ensuring that users whose needs are not met by standard or inclusive design are not left behind and have access to the technologies they need for education, employment, participation, and daily living; and
2. That people who need AT in order to use computers should have access to public and shared-use computers that is equal to that of everyone else, now that it is possible; and
3. That we as a society should now work toward a new level for accessibility of places that provide 'public or shared-use computers' – a level where any user who needs an assistive technology is able to use their assistive technology to access any of the computers available for everyone else, in any and all of the locations where the computers are provided for everyone else.
   • Note: This does not require that a location (e.g., a library) buy all AT for all users – just that they allow people to use (a safe, locally stored copy of) of any AT that the user, or location, has a license or permission to use, on any of the public-use computers there.

^* A version of AT Anywhere called AT-on-Demand is available free from nonprofit Raising the Floor and is free to all users and organizations. It is secure, and private, with no sharing of data or other monetization (supported by grants, gifts, and user contributions).