A11y Attacks

Recently, with the purpose of helping developers reduce the needed effort to build highly secure software, researchers have proposed a number of vulnerable source code prediction models that are built on different kinds of features. Identifying security vulnerabilities along with differentiating non-vulnerable from a vulnerable code is not an easy task. Commonly, security vulnerabilities remain dormant until they are exploited. Software metrics have been widely used to predict and indicate several quality characteristics about software, but the question at hand is whether they can recognize vulnerable code from non-vulnerable ones. In this work, we conduct a study on static code metrics, their interdependency, and their relationship with security vulnerabilities in Android applications. The aim of the study is to understand: (i) the correlation between static software metrics; (ii) the ability of these metrics to predict security vulnerabilities, and (iii) which are the most informative and discriminative metrics that allow identifying vulnerable units of code.

Purpose. To determine whether service delivery system factors, including having a quality medical home, access to therapeutic services, or enrolment in early intervention/special education services, are associated with meeting children's needs for assistive technology (AT).Method. Data were analysed for children 0–17 years of age participating in the 2001 US National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs who required AT services (N = 18,372) and a subgroup of children needing assistive devices typically provided by rehabilitation professionals (N = 4429). AT needs included vision or hearing aids or care, communication or mobility devices, or other medical equipment. Unmet need was defined as not receiving all needed services. Estimates were generated of the per cent of children needing and having unmet needs for services. Associations between the medical home, therapy and education variables and having an unmet need for AT were assessed using logistic regression.Results. An estimated 49% of children with special health care needs require AT services. Twelve per cent require AT services typically provided by rehabilitation professionals. Of the latter group, 14% had unmet needs. The likelihood of having unmet AT needs was greater for children lacking a quality medical home (a.O.R. = 3.27 [95% C.I. = 2.29–4.66]) and/or those not receiving needed therapy services (a.O.R. = 3.52 [95% C.I. = 2.25–5.48]) than for children whose medical home and therapy service expectations were met. Enrolment in early intervention/special education was not associated with having unmet needs for AT.Conclusions. Promoting quality care within a complex service delivery system is critical to meeting the AT needs of children and their families. Changes in the structure and processes of care, including facilitating access to a quality medical home and needed therapy services would likely increase access to needed AT.

Associations Between Insurance Provider and Assistive Technology Use for Computer and Electronic Devices 1 Year After Tetraplegia: Findings From the Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems National Database

We present an information-merging technique for efficient computation of points-to information for C programs. Invalid use of pointers can lead to hard-to-find bugs and may expose security vulnerabilities. Thus, analyzing them is critical for software analysis as well as optimization. Pointer analysis is a key step during compilation, and the computed points-to information is useful for client analyses from varied domains such as bug finding, data-flow analysis, identifying security vulnerabilities, and parallelization, to name a few. Former research on pointer analysis has indicated that the main bottleneck towards scalability is large propagation of points-to information in the constraint graph. To reduce the propagation cost, we present a technique based on temporal similarity of points-to sets. The method tracks pointers whose dynamically changing points-to information remains equal for a while. Based on the optimism gained by observing the points-to sets over time, the analysis decides to merge the corresponding nodes. Using the notion of merge and split, we build a family of points-to analyses, and compare their relative precisions in the context of existing analyses. We illustrate the effectiveness of our approach using a suite of sixteen SPEC 2000 benchmarks and three large open-source programs, and show that the technique improves the analysis time over BDD and bitmap based Hybrid Cycle Detection, well-known Andersen's analysis, and Deep Propagation, affecting minimal precision (precision is 96.4% on an average). Specifically, it is faster than Deep Propagation by 45%.

The enhancement of technology is well-developed and assistive technology is one of the foremost that has been used significantly. Individuals with disabilities use assistive technology to perform the desired activity that would otherwise be difficult or impossible. Mobility devices such as walkers and wheelchairs, as well as hardware, software, and peripherals that assist people with disabilities in accessing computers or other information technologies, are examples of assistive technology. Learning disabilities are caused by genetic and neurobiological factors that affect brain functioning, influencing one or more cognitive processes related to learning. This paper discusses a comprehensive systematic literature review (SLR) of the assistive technology (AT) for children with learning disabilities with combination of Kitchenham and PRISMA approach. This paper discusses on the assistive technologies developed for children with learning disabilities according to its type, purposes, techniques used, and platform or delivery system used to host the developed assistive technologies for children with learning disabilities.

The systematic review investigates the effect of various educational technologies on the learning outcomes of diverse student populations, particularly focusing on assistive technology interventions for students with disabilities. The comprehensive analysis covers literature from 2012 to 2023. The study highlights the potential of AR and assistive technologies in fostering inclusive and engaging learning environments. Despite positive findings, the review emphasizes the imperative for further research to refine the implementation of these technologies and enhance their effectiveness. The systematic review of five databases provides crucial insights into the effectiveness of various assistive technologies. Mobile devices, iPads, and AR interventions emerge as frequently utilized tools. Research activity peaked in 2013 and 2018 and subsequently declined. Twelve studies focus on Autism Spectrum Disorder and emphasize the prioritization of ASD in assistive technology interventions. The research highlights the importance of adopting a holistic perspective on educational inclusion, emphasizing collaborative efforts among teachers, diverse teaching methods, and technology integration. Despite the promise shown by assistive technologies, the review acknowledges their limitations and advocates for ongoing research and innovation to refine their application across diverse educational contexts. The findings stress the importance of a nuanced interpretation of evidence, considering the challenges posed by the limited number of eligible studies. The review calls for careful consideration of future research directions to bolster the comprehensiveness and reliability of evidence synthesis in assistive technology interventions for students with disabilities.

In the implementation of conventional Assistive Technology (AT) resources, a challenge is the acceptance and use of these devices by their users. However, technological development brings to the context of people with low vision new possibilities for AT resources, the applications in smartphones and tablets. Given this new reality, the present study aimed to identify and describe applications that take on the role of AT used in reading and writing tasks performed by people with low vision with the aid of mobile devices. The study included 28 people with low vision, who are members of an existing group on the WhatsApp application. Data collection took place in the virtual space of this application, individually, utilizing semi-structured interviews. The data were transcribed and organized into two categories of analysis: applications used and functionality. The participants mentioned 36 applications, which functionally assume the function of electronic magnifiers; digitizers and OCR programs, text readers; object and color identifiers; icon enlargers and keyboard contrast changes; digital bookshelves; and applications that assume an AT function because they are inaccessible devices. The survey revealed the potential of these applications in solving reading and writing difficulties faced by people with low vision, suggesting more research, investments, dissemination, and education programs to increase their use.

Background Assistive Technology (AT) helps individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) to overcome limitations and enhance their social engagement by providing support in areas that would otherwise be difficult or unachievable. Objective The aim of this study is to determine the level of AT usage among individuals with MS and to address various questions related to the sociological implications of (non)use of AT devices, (un)awareness, and logistical barriers that prevent the full utilization of AT devices in the daily activities. Method 121 participants with previously diagnosed MS (26 AT users, 95 non-users), aged 18–65, were surveyed using a modified The Rapid Assistive Technology Assessment tool (rATA) covering: demographics, needs, supply, financing, satisfaction, and recommendations. Results Totally 21.5% of MS individuals used AT, dominantly mobility devices. Insecurity prevents desirable usage of AT devices. Affordability is a factor relevant for the device ownership. Both MS individuals and society lacked sufficient AT informedness. Conclusion Based on the results and current guidelines, it’s essential to improve policies, supplying, AT device enhancements, and education to fully utilize AT’s potential in people with MS.

Line-by-line spectroscopic simulations on graphics processing units

With the passage of federal laws, equal access to technology for all students has gained increased attention in the field of education. Although considering a continuum of assistive technology (AT) products and services for students with disabilities is a mandated practice, educators and related service professionals are faced with challenges of providing effective AT services due to lack of clear legal and practical guidelines and lack of training for the teachers to identify, obtain, and utilize ever-advancing AT. This chapter provides an overview of current AT utilization at schools and related service agencies. AT effectiveness, universal design for learning (UDL), service delivery models, recent trends in AT technologies, challenges in providing AT services for students with disabilities, and implications for preservice and in-service teachers are discussed.

Stimulated by regulations and standards as well as commercial imperatives, medical device manufacturers are striving to make medical devices safer by decreasing the potential for harmful use errors. Accordingly, manufacturers are observing and interviewing intended users about their interactions with devices en route to developing user interface requirements; applying human factors engineering (HFE) principles when designing user interfaces; and conducting formative and summative usability tests to improve and validate their devices’ interactive quality. This has represented significant work for manufacturers, particularly the majority who started with little HFE knowledge and experience. Today, the “awakening” to HFE in medical device development is essentially over—an established manufacturer who is just now discovering HFE has been out of touch. After all, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and AAMI conducted their first joint conference on HFE in 1995 when they previewed HFE expectations related to recent changes in quality system regulation (QSR). So, it has been 17 years since HFE entered the medical industry’s zeitgeist. HFE specialists working in the medical industry used to focus on making devices more usable (i.e., user friendly). Since the QSR change, use safety has become the primary focus, resulting in user interfaces that are less vulnerable to harmful use errors. It is rather obvious how HFE affects the safety of some medical devices. In the design of a surgical instrument, for example, HFE’s aim would be to reduce the chance of cutting anything other than the intended target. This goal could be accomplished by including a blade guard and a mechanical interlock that requires more than one deliberate action to enable cutting.

As mobile devices and applications continue to grow in popularity worldwide, so do the rise of cybersecurity attacks and threats to daily users of both Android and iOS devices on a widespread basis. These attacks not only target mobile devices at the application level but also at the Operating System (OS) device level and Application Programming Interface (API) level extending the Internet of Things (IoT). This paper will address the security vulnerabilities in Android Operating System at the intersection of APIs, device OS, and application-level vulnerabilities by identifying an intersection of commonalities to create mitigation strategies and best practices for securing mobile devices for organizations. The study recommends the adoption of processes of authentication on mobile devices and web-based log-ins as well as access control mechanisms that can mitigate the overlapping security challenges of APIs, mobile devices OS and applications using optimal resources to enhance security. This was achieved by analyzing the threats and vulnerabilities of API.KeywordsAPIsSecurity vulnerabilitiesMobile OSAndroidiOS

Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo analisar a aplicabilidade das tecnologias assistivas na inclusão de alunos autistas nas escolas, investigando como essas ferramentas contribuem para a melhoria da qualidade educacional e a participação efetiva desses alunos nas atividades escolares. A metodologia utilizada foi qualitativa e exploratória, com uma amostra composta por 18 profissionais da educação selecionados por conveniência. A coleta de dados foi realizada por meio de entrevistas em profundidade, e a análise dos dados foi feita utilizando a técnica da análise do discurso. Os resultados indicaram que as tecnologias assistivas, especialmente os dispositivos de Comunicação Alternativa e Aumentativa (CAA) e ferramentas de organização de atividades, têm um impacto positivo na comunicação, na redução da ansiedade e no desenvolvimento das habilidades sociais dos alunos autistas. No entanto, também foram identificados desafios relacionados à capacitação dos educadores, à infraestrutura escolar e à resistência de algumas famílias ao uso dessas tecnologias. A conclusão apontou que, embora as tecnologias assistivas sejam ferramentas eficazes, sua implementação bem-sucedida depende da formação adequada dos profissionais, da colaboração entre escola, família e especialistas, e da melhoria das condições de infraestrutura nas escolas, para garantir uma inclusão plena e efetiva dos alunos autistas.

With the increasing popularity and wide penetration of mobile smart devices, the advanced capabilities of mobile phones and tablets are being incorporated into assistive technologies. These technologies are crucial for assisting the elderly and people with disabilities in order for them to live independently. There are a myriad ways of designing and developing mobile assistive applications today, each comes with its pros and cons. In this paper we investigate the tradeoffs to be considered when trying to build a “one-size-fits-all” cross platform solution to the existing assistive technology. We outline the design decisions with respect to cross-platform issues, performance, development costs, maintenance overhead, and so on. These design and implementation decisions are the outcome of our two prototype implementations: (i) the development of a cross-mobile application that helps users effectively navigate the outdoor public transit system; and (ii) the development of an application that monitors a user's movement and detects certain abnormal behaviors such as falling. We also further investigate the system level concerns such as the performance and efficiency of data storage. We found that it is still challenging to develop a truly “one-size-fits-all” application with today's mobile techniques. However, this is an important first step towards platform independence of assistive technologies.

This study aims to test the construct validity and reliability of the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with assistive Technology 2.0 (QUEST)–device, an eight-item questionnaire for measuring satisfaction with assistive devices. We collected 250 questionnaires from 79 patients and 32 caregivers. One QUEST was completed for each assistive device. Five assistive device types were included. QUEST was tested with the Rasch analysis (Many-Facet Rating Scale Model: persons, items, and device type). Most patients were affected by neurological disabilities, and most questionnaires were about mobility devices. All items fitted the Rasch model (InfitMS range: 0.88–1.1; OutfitMS: 0.84–1.28). However, the ceiling effect of the questionnaire was large (15/111 participants totalled the maximum score), its targeting poor (respondents mean measure: 1.90 logits), and its reliability was 0.71. The device classes had different calibrations (range: −1.18 to 1.26 logits), and item 3 functioned differently in patients and caregivers. QUEST satisfaction measures have low reliability and weak construct validity. Lacking invariance, the QUEST total score is unsuitable for comparing the satisfaction levels of users of different device types. The differential item functioning suggests that the QUEST could also be problematic for comparing satisfaction in patients and caregivers.