• by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, March 3, 2015

With the Mobile World Congress in full swing in Barcelona, there has been a lot of proselytizing about the enormous benefits the spread of mobile connectivity will bring to the developing world: economic growth, education, health, and democratic government. But for its full potential to be realized, mobile technology has to be accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities like vision and hearing loss.

According to the World Health Organization, 328 million adults and 32 million children around the world -- or 5.1% of the total population -- suffer from disabling hearing loss. The vast majority of it is untreated, as world production of hearing aids currently supplies less than 10% of demand, with the majority of those not receiving treatment living in low-income countries.

Similarly, the WHO estimates 285 million people around the world suffer from disabling vision loss, including 39 million who are blind and 246 million who have impaired vision. Again, 90% of the world’s visually impaired population lives in low-income areas.

This week IBM unveiled a new tool, called the Mobile Accessibility Checker, to help developers create mobile apps accessible to people with disabilities and the elderly. Compatible with both iOS and Android, the MAC is an automated test that helps developers identify and address accessibility issues early in the development process, when remedying them is far less costly. It checks usability factors like color contrast, keyboard navigation and focus, button and font size, and recommends corrections where needed.

According to IBM, the tool will help app developers comply with industry standards as well as government regulations in countries with rules governing accessibility.

IBM is also collaborating with the SSB Bart Group to create a mobile accessibility management platform using the new tool, including an automated testing engine for native mobile apps as well as mobile Web content.