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Net Access: Disability-Related Websites
http://netguido.com/net-access-disability-related-websites-2/
What's technology for, but to make life easier? And for those living with a disability, one particular technology is making a tremendous difference: the personal computer. For some, having a specially adapted PC means they can access information and reach out and communicate in ways that otherwise would not be possible: Screen-reading software that allows PC users who are visually-impaired to hear what is on their monitors. Closed-captioned browsing of multimedia Web pages for users who are deaf. Sophisticated speech recognition technology that allows people who can't use a keyboard to speak commands into a microphone connected to the computer. These are just a few examples. Many organizations are working on standards and products that make computers and the 'Net more accessible to those who are disabled. The following websites can help you learn who they are and what they're doing.
Contributed on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:17:58 GMT.
Apple iPhone 3G (s) and OS 3 and a coffee maker
http://ability.myzen.co.uk/blog/?p=126
If like me you are a member of that elite group of nerds known as the twitterati - you would have noticed an almost cataclysmic event this week - Apple gave some talks and unveiled OS3 for iPhone and the iphone 3Gs. For days no-one has twittered about much else - when they started queueing at the shop, live text relay - not from the event but from those watching a feed of the event online, and best of all blow by blow accounts from those watching their iPhone upgrade by connecting to iTunes at the peak of demand. Ok I'm not going to just sit here and slag off my fellow twits and comment on the quality of information and the banality of my daily online life, instead lets look at what apple have put onto the iphone for people with a disability. First up lets be really positive, the fact that they have done anything at all is to be applauded, and reflects the fact that for many people with disabilities, phones are the platform of choice to bridge the digital divide. But what have they actually done?
Contributed on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:16:36 GMT.
10 Ways To Make Your Site Accessible Using Web Standards
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/06/18/10-ways-to-make-your-site-accessible-...
Without argument, one of the most important things to consider when creating a website is that it be accessible to everyone who wants to view it. Does your website play nice with screen readers? Can a user override your style sheet with a more accessible one and still see everything your website has to offer? Would another Web developer be embarrassed if they saw your code? If your website is standards-compliant, you could more confidently answer these questions. Let's take a look at 10 ways to improve the accessibility of your XHTML website by making it standards-compliant. We'll go the extra mile and include criteria that fall beyond the standards set by the W3C but which you should follow to make your website more accessible. Each section lists the criteria you need to meet, explains why you need to meet them and gives examples of what you should and shouldn't do.
Contributed on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:08:03 GMT.
Website accessibility is good for business
http://minttwist.wordpress.com/2009/06/17/accessible-web-design/
If 10% of a businesses potential customers have difficulty finding it's products or services, should that business address the problem or just carry on losing that money? Nowadays, website accessibility is crucial for maximising revenue. If you have not considered accessibility as part of your website design, you are excluding the 8% of the population with a disability of some kind, be it physical, visual or cognitive. Simply put, this is lost revenue. The spending power of the 10 million-plus disabled community in the UK was estimated to have been worth 50bn pounds sterling in 2005.
Contributed on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:06:47 GMT.
Fascinating Meeting at the Copyright Office
http://benetech.blogspot.com/2009/06/fascinating-meeting-at-copyright-office.html
Last Friday I spent almost two and a half hours in a wide-ranging conversation with Maria Pallante and Michele Woods of the Copyright Office (Michele's name updated, plus a summer law clerk attended). I came away with a much better understanding of the issues they are exploring and certainly did my part to articulate why I support the positions we have. [Long post alert!]. I would characterize the atmosphere as one of informed and intelligent skepticism on the part of the Copyright Office, with many questions exploring different positions. We discussed Chafee, especially in the context of the Amazon text-to-speech brouhaha, and the proposed international treaty that was tabled at the WIPO SCCR meeting in Geneva last month.
Contributed on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:05:57 GMT.
Accessibility and Common Sense
http://etcjournal.wordpress.com/2009/06/12/accessibility-and-common-sense/
Technology and technology guidelines are very important in implementing accessibility. Yet accessibility is not a technology issue - it is a common sense issue, both because it is logical and because making things as accessible as possible for as many people as possible becomes an obvious necessity once you "sense in common" with the other person, put yourself in his or her place.
Contributed on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:05:19 GMT.
Don't forget about Web Accessibility
http://eshopidea.com/dont-forget-about-web-accessibility.html
Being in a wheelchair, people sometimes are not able to do shopping in every retail store. Very often stores have a few steps outside the door or levels accessible by stairs. People with disabilities usually meet some difficulties. So why not to make the Internet easier for deaf, blind or otherwise disabled web-surfers to use? There are some insuperable reasons to make sure that your own website is accessible to people with disabilities. In some cases meeting accessibility compliance standards is a legal obligation. But in most cases (mainly ecommerce merchants) it is just a good idea.
Contributed on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:03:38 GMT.
Web Accessibility and the Law
http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/1167-Web-Accessibility-and-the-Law
The state of legal requirements and protections concerning the accessibility of websites is far from uniform. Many countries have some form of web accessibility laws in place, but the extent of those laws is radically variable. Furthermore, as many websites serve multiple countries, the question of jurisdiction can become a tricky aspect of accessibility law. It's well beyond the scope of this article to discuss the exact limits of web accessibility law around the globe, but I do aim to discuss the ramifications and philosophies of these laws for your web-based business.
Contributed on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:02:43 GMT.
Proposed WIPO Treaty On Visually Impaired Access Gets Deeper Look
http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/2009/05/29/proposed-wipo-treaty-on-visually-impai...
A treaty on copyright exceptions for visually impaired persons proposed last month at the World Intellectual Property Organization met with no immediate objections, according to participants, but how to treat the proposal and other limitations and exceptions in the future has led to a sharpening divergence among governments. [Editor's Note: WIPO Director General Francis Gurry explicitly told members during the meeting that WIPO neither opposes nor advocates any solution.] The WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) met from 25-29 May. Issues on the agenda includes limitations and exceptions to copyright, strengthening broadcasters' and cablecasters' rights and protection of audiovisual performances. The visually impaired treaty proposal was formally introduced by Brazil, Ecuador and Paraguay, and many members and nongovernmental groups made commented on it. None directly opposed the proposal, which heartened proponents, though doubts arose over developed countries' emphasis on a softer alternative approach, according to participants.
Contributed on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:01:49 GMT.
Group Of Countries To Back Proposal For WIPO Treaty On Blind Readers' Rights
http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/2009/05/25/group-of-countries-to-back-proposal-fo...
A group of Latin American and Caribbean countries have declared their intention to support discussion of a proposal to negotiate a World Intellectual Property Organization treaty ensuring an exception to copyright for visually impaired readers who lack access to protected reading materials. The WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) met from 25-29 May. Representatives from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Jamaica, Peru, Nicaragua, Paraguay and Uruguay, plus nongovernmental organisations met from 13-14 May in Montevideo to discuss a World Blind Union proposal for a treaty negotiation. The group agreed by consensus on the need to advance the proposal as a basis for negotiation, especially in light of the international convention on the rights of disabled persons that includes a right of non-discriminatory access. They were to communicate their position to their own governments, they said in a declaration.
Contributed on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:00:27 GMT.
Breaking down barriers for accessible IT
http://www.v3.co.uk/computing/analysis/2243766/breaking-barriers-4709810
While issues with e-voting systems for last week's European elections gave accessibility campaigners yet another cause for complaint, there is growing evidence that the needs of people with disabilities are being taken seriously. Last week's European elections were always going to be controversial the current fury over MPs' expenses claims saw to that. But elsewhere in the EU, it was the voting process itself that came under fire, with many arguing that new e-voting technology that is intended to empower citizens is actually alienating some. Many European countries gave their citizens the option to use e-voting systems in the election. For its supporters, e-voting is seen as a means of making it easier for citizens to engage with the political process. But according to European consumer lobby group ANEC, e-voting is not necessarily the inclusive means of engagement it first appears. Groups such as the elderly and those with visual impairments can be excluded from e-voting because their needs are not taken into account. As many as 10 per cent of voters could be excluded, says ANEC. Furthermore, ANEC looked at the web sites of seven political parties taking part in the elections and found that none openly complied with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, which provide a standard method for ensuring that all web users can access content.
Contributed on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:59:31 GMT.
Comment on Project GOALS Materials
Project GOALS (Gaining Online Accessible Learning through Self-study) is developing an Action Paper created to help university administrators to understand the importance of, and to promote web accessibility across their institutions and a set of Institutional Indicators which provide an outline of best practices for enterprise-wide web accessibility. These materials are in the final stages of development and ready for review. We are seeking comment on the Action Paper and the Institutional Indicators. We welcome any thoughts or comments you may have. If you are interested in evaluating these documents, please contact Heather Mariger or Cyndi Rowland .
Contributed on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:27:37 GMT.
Accessibility and You - my brownbag presentation at ebay/gumtree/paypal
http://www.wait-till-i.com/2009/06/05/accessibility-and-you-my-brownbag-presenta...
From the Wait Till I Come! Website: Today I am going to Richmond in South London to talk to the teams of Gumtree, Paypal, shopping.com and Skype (I think) about accessibility, open web development and a long QandA session in the afternoon. Here are my slides of the talk which will be recorded by them as a video.
Contributed on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:54:34 GMT.
Creation of Accessible Documents
http://www.bloorresearch.com/research/Market-Update/1041/Creation-of-Accessible-...
This is the first in a series of Market Updates on the creation of accessible documents. It concentrates on the creation of accessible PDF files from word processing and desktop publishing systems. Document creation is one of the major parts of personal productivity. An accessible electronic document is one that can be read easily by a person with a disability. The possible disabilities include various degrees of vision impairment, muscular-skeletal disorders (that limit the ability to use traditional controls such as a mouse), dyslexia, and learning difficulties. Documents in a language other than the native language of the speaker can be difficult to access, and with the internationalisation of the web this is becoming a more common problem. Some of the issues and solution to this problem are shared with access for the disabled so it will be considered in this report.
Contributed on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:53:41 GMT.
Using NVDA to Evaluate Web Accessibility
http://webaim.org/articles/nvda/
From WebAIM - Web Accessibility in Mind: This article is designed to help users who are new to NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA) - external link learn the basic controls for testing web content, and to serve as a reference for the occasional NVDA user. NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA) is a free and open source screen reader for the Microsoft Windows operating system. It supports over 20 languages and can run on any computer entirely from a USB drive with no installation. It is important to evaluate the accessibility of web content with a screen reader, but screen readers can be very complicated programs for the occasional user, so many people avoid them. This doesn't need to be the case. While screen readers are complicated, it is possible to test web content for accessibility without being a "power user."
Contributed on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:52:44 GMT.
WAVE in Spanish
http://wave.webaim.org/blog/wave-in-spanish/
From WebAIM - Web Accessibility in Mind: WebAIM is excited to announce the release of the Spanish version (first announced last year) of the WAVE web accessibility evaluation tool. This version also includes several updates, bug fixes, and a couple of new rules. The Center for Persons with Disabilities at Utah State University funded the translation of the WAVE web tool and Firefox toolbar into Spanish. Jon Whiting and Diogenes Hernandez, members of the WebAIM team, coordinated this project. We would like to give special thanks to Nestor Rojas who gave significant feedback and to all others who contributed to the beta version of the Spanish translation. This is a great success for WebAIM, and we would appreciate your help to expand WAVE even more. To do this, you can spread the word and translate into other languages. If you are able, please circulate this announcement to Spanish-language accessibility forums and discussion lists and to Spanish-speaking individuals. Also, if you would like to help us translate WAVE into another language, let us know.
Contributed on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:51:55 GMT.
50 government websites to be made disabled friendly
http://emagazineindia.com/archives/7464
Disabled rights groups have approached the IT ministry with a list of 50 government websites like that of the Indian Railways, Central Information Commission and Income Tax Department which they want to be made friendly for those with disabilities. "We have identified 50 organisations and departments in the government. We have sent a proposal to the IT ministry to make sites of these WCAG (web content accessibility guidelines) 2.0 compliant, thereby making them disabled friendly. The ministry has shown a very positive outlook on this," Javed Abidi, convener of the Disabled Rights Group, told IANS. According to Abidi, such a move would simplify the Internet interface for people with disabilities by making the websites compatible with the special software they use to access websites.
Contributed on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:50:52 GMT.
BBC Accessible Newsreader
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/ouch/2009/05/cbbc_accessible_newsreader.html
CBBC has just launched its Accessible Newsreader service - an alternative interface to the Newsround website. It's been created to help fill the gap in good quality content available on the web for older disabled children or teenager who use computers operated by switches. The CBBC team behind the Newsreader worked closely with industry experts and special needs schools to produce a greatly simplified interface, which is capable of being controlled by a single switch. Being able to do this kind of thing on a standard website using only a regular internet browser, rather than by downloading a dedicated piece of software, is an exciting development, according to Ian Hamilton, a senior designer in the CBBC Online team. Hopefully, it's something that'll be carried across to other sites, too.
Contributed on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:49:30 GMT.
California considers open digital textbooks
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/index.cfm?i=58861
In what could be a first-of-its-kind statewide initiative, California education leaders are working together to compile a list of free, open digital textbooks that meet state-approved standards and will be available to high school math and science classes this fall. At the request of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Secretary of Education Glen Thomas will work with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell and State Board of Education President Ted Mitchell to develop the list of standards-aligned, open educational resources. The advisory report is scheduled to be released by Aug. 10. Digital textbooks could be useful for students with disabilities, allowing them to access them in a manner that best suits their needs - but only if the materials are designed accessibly.
Contributed on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:48:30 GMT.
AOL/TopCoder Accessibility Developer Competition to Culminate at 2009 TopCoder Open
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090...
AOL today announced that the AOL/TopCoder Sensations Developer Challenge will culminate at the 2009 TopCoder Open (TCO) on Monday, June 1, Thursday, June 4, 2009 in Las Vegas, NV where the winning accessibility application developed by competition participants will be announced. AOL teamed with TopCoder, Inc., leader in online programming competitions, skills assessment and competitive software development, to encourage third party development of targeted value-add features for the disability community. Features developed will leverage core functionality surfaced through AOL application programming interfaces (APIs). "he Internet and our computer applications should be friendly, convenient and easy-to-use for all, including those with disabilities," commented Mike Paciello, Sensations Advisory Board panel member and founder of The Paciello Group, a software accessibility consultancy. "The partnership between AOL and TopCoder and the Sensations Developer Challenge bring exciting accessibility awareness to the developer community, where the issue has not been reached until now. We hope this initiative will educate developers to produce tools that improve the lives of all users." In January, AOL, in coordination with TopCoder, launched the Sensations challenge with the goal of having technological solutions developed by participants to enhance the accessibility of AOL products and services. In March, two submitted application concepts were selected as challenge finalists by the Sensations Advisory Board, Accessible Walking Directions for the blind and My Parents' Email Client for users with cognitive disabilities or little computer experience.
Contributed on Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:01:23 GMT.
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