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Photocopiers have changed drastically over the past ten years, now being able to perform many more tasks than just duplicating hard copies of documents. These improvements in the photocopier technology mean that many photocopiers use a built in hard drive so they function in a different way as compared to some older photocopiers. Although impressive, these changes sometimes cause a few problems with accessibility for disabled users, especially as small touch screens have replaced the old large and easily recognisable buttons. Photocopiers can perform many more functions and therefore need a screen to display all the options but this change meant that some people found them hard to access. However, a few photocopier manufacturers have now come up with ways to improve the accessibility of photocopiers.

Voice guidance kits are now available for visually impaired users which often work by having a small speaker attached to the side of photocopiers and  using speech-output software to communicate with a user. The number pad is used to go through various functions, with the speech output guiding the user. Braille label kits are also provided for some devices, making tactile buttons recognisable.

Touch screens can also be a problem as they are designed to be viewed from above and sometimes do not have very high contrasts making them difficult to access by wheelchair users and people with low vision. This problem has again been addressed by some photocopier manufacturers by lowering the LED panel and increasing the intensity of screen brightness. The majority of photocopiers can now be networked with software such as Remote Operator's software kit, installed on the photocopiers, which enables user to access from a laptop or desktop PC, where the contrast and size of the information can be changed to make it more easily readable.

A number of measures have been taken to improve accessibility of photocopiers. Technology in photocopiers and their capabilities have improved vastly in the past ten years and should now be accessible to everyone. A few photocopier manufacturers have taken measures to improve accessibility for disabled users which should mean that more people will be able to take advantage of these new features and access them much more easily.

Source: http://www.canoncopiers.co.uk/photocopier-news/general-news/accessibility-of-photocopiers.html