The internet is constantly evolving and is also being used now more as a platform, similar to a computer desktop. This means that instead of using applications and saving your content on your hard drive, you work and save it online '"in the cloud". This type of computing is called "cloud computing" simply because the internet was very often depicted in computer network diagrams as a cloud.
This is a new model for computing as the software you are using is being run "in the cloud" through your web browser and is not installed on your computer. The content is also stored online as well. This way of working means that you have access to the application you are working with and your work wherever you are in the world as long as you have an internet connection. This sort of flexibility is ideal if you are on the move a lot of the time.
Many people are using "cloud" services without being aware of it and have been doing for some time. Some of the first "cloud" services were mail programs such as Yahoo! Mail and Hotmail (now called Outlook.com). The mail "client" was on the internet rather than installed on your computer. So the service was being offered "in the cloud".
Why should you use cloud computing?
Applications and reasonable storage is free and this is cheaper than purchasing an expensive Office Suite of software. This means a saving of several hundred pounds and the ability to share your documents over the internet easily. You can realistically purchase a cheaper computer with less storage capacity as you can store all of your data "in the cloud".
Google have a computer which they have brought onto the market for exactly this reason, to offer cheaper computing by exploiting 'the cloud'. It is called the Google Chromebook and offers a cheap laptop or netbook with Wifi capability and a 3G option. It is designed to be used with the internet and store your files online. Prices start at around £279.
A downside of this computer is that it does not allow a user to install any third party access technology on it. So if you use a particular screen reader or screen magnification program, it is not possible to install it. The Chrome Web Browser does have a free extension available called ChromeVox, which is built into the Chromebook. This is a screen reader, but is not as comprehensive as a paid for product. It would be important to try before you buy to ensure that the accessibility features provided in a Chromebook are comprehensive enough for the person who will be using it.
Risks with cloud computing
Responsibility for your data is in the hands of the provider and not in your hands. For some people this may be considered a concern and also a security issue. But this way of working has already been embraced by large companies such as Land Rover. You have to rely on your internet connection, if you are not online then you don't have access to your data or in some cases your applications as not all of them have an "offline" capability.
Popular cloud computing services
It is likely that you will already be using some cloud applications already. Some of the most popular applications include email applications such as Google GMail, Yahoo! Mail, Hotmail and office applications such as Google Docs. Many people use photo storage sites such as Flickr and document storage and sharing applications such as Dropbox. Some of us have been using cloud services such as YouTube and blogging sites for some time.
A fairly recent service that has been launched by Google is Google Drive. This repackages some of the current Google offerings like Gmail, Docs and Google+ with some other Google apps including discussions, search and sharing and viewing files. It provides a single place for all of your Google cloud services.
The other benefit to these services, as well as being free, is that as your data is not stored on one device you can get access to it via any device that is connected to the internet. With the increase in smartphone and tablet use over the last year, it is clear that many people access their information on the go and in some cases mobile devices, can be their main access to their information.
Accessibility of cloud applications
Because many of these cloud applications behave like desktop applications rather than web pages a screen reader needs to be told how to interact with them differently. Many cloud applications were not accessible for some time and some still aren't. However some designers have taken advantage of some new HTML (HyperText Markup Language) code that is out there making online applications accessible to screen readers and so the accessibility is improving bit by bit. Accessibility is very patchy and in some places non existent, especially in the newer cloud offerings but gradually companies are realising that if they want their services to be taken up by educational institutions, then they will have to improve their accessibility.
Recently Google announced that they had added keyboard shortcuts and support for screen readers to their word processor Google Docs and their calendar, Google Calendar. Since this work they have launched Google Drive which incorporates these products and provides some support for ChromeVox, NVDA and JAWS. Google Drive is yet to be tested by us, so the extent of the accessibility here is unclear at present. Google also say that the Google Drive phone app is accessible with the Android accessibility features in 4.0 (otherwise known as Ice-Cream Sandwich). However the Android accessibility features are currently limited.
Yahoo! Mail promises to be accessible to screen readers and also offers keyboard shortcuts to its main features.
Dropbox is a service which provides the ability to "drop" documents into a "box" on the Internet and then those documents are automatically accessible on any computer or device on which you have installed Dropbox. It is mostly accessible. However, there are some issues that a user would need assistance with, within the installation process if you are a keyboard user but not using a screenreader.
It is clear that cloud computing is on the increase and this way of working will be cheap and convenient as long as there is adequate internet support and good accessibility.
Further reading
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