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Advocates for Disabled Wary of Open Source
http://searchcio.techtarget.com/originalContent/0,289142,sid19_gci1154992,00.html
Beleaguered Massachusetts CIO Peter Quinn has resigned, but the controversy surrounding his decision to adopt OpenDocument formats won't end with his departure. State officials haven't indicated they plan to amend Quinn's plan to adopt OpenFormat standards by Jan. 1, 2007 -- a deadline that has advocates for people with disabilities worried. At a December State House forum focused on the future of electronic document management, advocates forcefully reminded state officials, industry executives and academia that the move could jeopardize jobs unless care is taken to make the new technology usable for everyone. Speaking from the audience during a question-and-answer period, Brian Charlson, vice president of computer training at the Carroll Center for the Blind in Newton, Mass., said he and others with visual impairments rely on the adaptive technologies developed over the years to work with Microsoft products. Their jobs depend upon it. With 70% unemployment among the disabled, "the thought of change that could affect that in any way is frightening," Charlson told the panel. Microsoft products have only gradually become user-friendly for people with disabilities, as third-party vendors have generated a suite of tools that cater to the visual and motor-impaired user. While the representatives do not doubt that new formats can be made user-friendly, they worry that these modifications will take considerable time and money. While this articles somewhat overstates the case for using Microsoft as the only accessibility option, it does highlight the need and value of universal design, regardless of the source. Some additional perspectives on this issue can be found in these articles: Massachusetts' CIO Defends Move To Opendocument and Top National Advocate For The Disabled Sets Terms For Endorsement Of Opendocument Format.
Contributed on Mon, 23 Jan 2006 20:16:16 GMT.
The Accessibility Hat Trick: Getting Abbreviations Right
http://www.alistapart.com/articles/hattrick
AAA-level compliance is the ideal of accessibility, the bonus-round of accessible design: AAA-level compliant pages meet the needs of every group of users. AAA is achievable, but requires preparation and forethought. To create a forward-looking, fully AAA-compliant site, we need to execute a sort of hat trick: XHTML 1.0 and 2.0-compliant markup, a generous breadth of backwards compatibility, and real universal accessibility. The WCAG Priority 3 checkpoints (and the WCAG 2.0 Level 3 Success Criteria) are clear enough in terms of purpose and implementation, but abbreviations and acronyms stand out as one of the trickier areas of AAA to implement well. In order to meet our three-part goal of standards compliance, backwards compatibility, and full accessibility, we need to give this aspect of our content a bit of thought.
Contributed on Thu, 19 Jan 2006 22:29:30 GMT.
BCS Disability Charity And RNIB Offer Website Access Accreditation
http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2005/12/14/213371/BCSdisabilitycharityand...
A scheme that accredits websites as usable by people with disabilities has been launched by BCS charity AbilityNet and the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB). The See it Right with UseAbility scheme involves human testers with a variety of disabilities rather than just automated testing. Organisations that act on all the AbilityNet said organisations with sites inaccessible to disabled people are in effect turning away 15% of their potential UK customers - eight million people - with a total spending power of 50 pounds bn a year. They also risk being taken to court. In addition, research by the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) has shown that sites that are difficult for disabled people to access also turn off non-disabled visitors.
Contributed on Thu, 19 Jan 2006 22:28:35 GMT.
Kansas Launches Enhanced Web Portal at www.Kansas.gov
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&ne...
Locating state of Kansas government information and services online has become even easier. The state's official Web site has been renamed, redesigned, and reorganized to improve citizen and business access to government information. For access to more than 250 online services and 780,000 thousand pages of content, point your Web browser to www.Kansas.gov. "Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for people to get information about the services our state offers," said Governor Kathleen Sebelius. "It's important we continue working to make it simpler for Kansans and potential business partners or future Kansans to get the information they need. Kansas.gov is a great step in that direction." The state Web site continues to put a strong emphasis on accessibility and usability. The Kansas State School for the Blind recently tested the new site. "The new Kansas.gov Web site not only looks nice, but it has also made some major advances in the areas of accessibility and cross-platform compatibility over the previous site," said Bradley Hook, education technician for the Kansas State School for the Blind. "The new Kansas.gov site is an excellent example of how to approach accessible Web design, and we can only hope more state agencies will follow the lead of the Kansas.gov team."
Contributed on Thu, 19 Jan 2006 22:27:27 GMT.
Greasemonkey User Script to Manage Access Keys
http://juicystudio.com/article/greasemonkey-user-script-to-manage-access-keys.php
From Juicy Studio: Oh no, not another post about access keys? I'm afraid it is, but this is a nifty Greasemonkey script that not only exposes access keys used on the website you're visiting, but you can edit them to suit your preferences.
Contributed on Thu, 19 Jan 2006 22:26:43 GMT.
Accessify: A Star Site
http://accessify.com/2006/01/accessify-star-site.php
From the Accessify Weblog: If you'll excuse the self-congratulatory trumpet blowing, Accessify has been named by Practical Web Design as a Star Site in the Online Tools section, where the magazine had this to say: Not a legit word, but Accessify is certainly a useful site. From its Tools and Wizards page you can access five free accessibility tools, some of which are available for download, plus even more general web developer tools. Accessify.com has a busy forum where you can get feedback on your site accessibility. It also links you to other great accessibility resources with features, reviews, tutorials and wizards.
Contributed on Wed, 18 Jan 2006 23:56:11 GMT.
Rosy Outlook For Gadgets For Elderly
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4608920.stm
Talk of the latest gadgets tends to be about sleek, shiny gizmos with little buttons and copious functions. But the big growth area for consumer electronics may lie with something less flashy than the latest music player from Apple or mobile from Motorola. Instead, the future may lie in devices that care for an aging population, used to living on their own and with money to spend. The issue is particular pressing in the US, where there are currently 36 million Americans over the age of 65. More pressingly, the generation of baby boomers coming, with 5,500 of them turning 65 every day. "Our entire healthcare system is broken," said Russell Bodoff, Executive Director of the Center for Aging Services Technologies in Washington DC. "But aging is like a tidal wave 10 years out. We believe this is going to overwhelm our healthcare," he told a session at the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. His organisation looks at how technology can be harnessed to aid the elderly.
Contributed on Wed, 18 Jan 2006 23:55:11 GMT.
Designing For The Web
http://www.digital-web.com/articles/designing_for_the_web/
In the last two articles we looked at the basic tenets of the design practice, the principles and elements of design. We stepped back a bit from any one medium to investigate the more universal concepts of design in general, and how these axioms are often derivative of other art forms. We tried to establish a solid foundation of design terms and techniques that were independent of any one implementation. Now it is time to turn our attention to the Web. Within any given medium there are unique constraints that can affect the way designers make use of the principles and elements of design. These constraints can be based on a variety of different things including materials, technology, processes and standards in the industry. The Web is no different. Designing for a Web-based environment enacts a set of unique issues that need to be considered before implementation can be successful. Good usability information with some information on accessibility.
Contributed on Wed, 18 Jan 2006 23:54:20 GMT.
For Disability Rights Meeting, UN Will Print First Direct-To-Braille Documents
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=17140&
In time for negotiations for an international agreement on the rights of persons with disabilities, the United Nations will be able for the first time to produce materials directly in Braille thanks to the donation today of a state-of-the-art printer by a US-based non-governmental organization (NGO) for the blind. At a Headquarters press event this morning, Dr. Harold Snider, Executive Director of the Services for the Visually Impaired, delivered a Thiel Beta X printer to Ambassador Don MacKay of New Zealand, the Chairman of the Ad-Hoc General Assembly Committee on a Convention on the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities, which is meeting at the UN from 16 January to 3 February.
Contributed on Wed, 18 Jan 2006 23:53:21 GMT.
Does Your Website Overstate Its Accessibility?
http://www.out-law.com/page-6529
Website accessibility statements are mostly inaccurate and accessibility logos frequently appear on sites that don't deserve them, according to a study of 500 financial and e-commerce websites. Operators may not realise their failings - and risk losing users' trust. The research was conducted by Professor Helen Petrie of accessibility and usability firm Designed for All. Her team studied 500 websites: 250 UK or UK-oriented e-commerce sites and 250 financial sites based in the UK, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the US. Of the 500 sites, 40 (8%) had an accessibility statement or logo. However, when 20 of these sites were inspected further, only six were found to be accurately stating their accessibility.
Contributed on Wed, 18 Jan 2006 23:52:36 GMT.
Google Mulls Online Book Future
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4598478.stm
Google has suggested it may consider setting up an online book store. Google CEO Eric Schmidt told reporters at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas that this would depend on permission from copyright holders. The web giant has been electronically scanning thousands of volumes and has put some online. But its plans to create an index to all the world's books have run into opposition from publishers and authors. E-books and digital media can be very useful for students with disabilities, allowing them to access the material in a variety of ways, making it easier to find a format that best works for them.
Contributed on Wed, 18 Jan 2006 23:51:52 GMT.
Corda Gets Text Technology Patent
http://www.fcw.com//article91777-12-27-05-Web
Corda Technologies has been issued a patent for a method of generating textual descriptions of online charts and graphs, a key component of Corda's products, for people with visual impairments. The company specializes in creating charts, maps and other visual information on the Web. Its products also feature the ability translate those graphics into text, which can then be read by a text-to-speech application. That capability can be part of an agency's compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, which requires agencies to make information technology accessible to people with disabilities.
Contributed on Tue, 17 Jan 2006 22:07:34 GMT.
User-Defined Access Keys (ASP Version)
http://juicystudio.com/article/user-defined-access-keys-aspversion.php
From Juicy Studio: I posted a server-side solution to allow users to define their own access keys using a PHP class. This is a classic ASP version of the same class, including an example of how to use the class.
Contributed on Tue, 17 Jan 2006 22:06:57 GMT.
@media 2006, London, 15th-16th June
http://accessify.com/2006/01/media-2006-london-15th-16th-june.php
From the Accessify Weblog: The @media conference returns in 2006 after an incredibly successful conference in 2005. This time there are more presentations and panels, spread across two tracks, and more speakers, including Eric Meyer, Dan Cederholm, Dave Shea, Andy Clarke, Jon Hicks, Molly Holzschlag, Tantekelik, Jeremy Keith, Andy Budd, Roger Johansson, Veerle Pieters, Cameron Moll, Stuart Langridge, Simon Willison, Ian Lloyd, PPK, Patrick Griffiths, Gez Lemon, Patrick Lauke and Robin Christopherson. That'll do for now, won't it? More to be announced soon. To be held at the prestigious QEII conference centre in middle of Westminster, London, this time around @media promises to be an even more lavish affair. Read Juicy Studio's Gez Lemon's comments on the conference.
Contributed on Tue, 17 Jan 2006 22:03:26 GMT.
Vision Australia Web Accessibility Workshops - Canberra / Melbourne / February 2006
http://accessify.com/2006/01/vision-australia-web-accessibility.php
From the Accessify Weblog: These one-day workshops run by Vision Australia, are targeted at web-development team leaders, corporate communications professionals and business managers, along with content authors, web programmers and designers and web contract managers. They provide a thorough overview of accessibility issues and how to address them. It covers the World Wide Web Consortium's Content Accessibility Guidelines and their implementation and a consideration of assessment tools and techniques. A basic knowledge of HTML is assumed for the standard workshops but not for the less technical ones.
Contributed on Tue, 17 Jan 2006 22:02:26 GMT.
How to Make the Web more Accessible
http://www.accessibilityblog.com/2005/12/21/how-to-make-the-web-more-accessible/
From Matt Bailey 's Accessibility Outlook Blog: A partnership between the BBC and AbilityNet, a computing and disability charity, created My Web, My Way. The site offers users many ways to make the web more accessible by using their current PC or Mac and multiple operating systems. By listing shortcuts, systems settings, browser settings and helpful information, users are able to increase their accessibility by simply using the features available in most operating systems.
Contributed on Tue, 17 Jan 2006 22:01:34 GMT.
Google Celebrates Louis Braille
http://www.accessibilityblog.com/2006/01/04/google-celebrates-louis-braille/
From Matt Bailey 's Accessibility Outlook Blog: January 4, 1809 was the birthdate of Louis Braille, and congrats to Google for celebrating the birthday of this accessibility pioneer.
Contributed on Tue, 17 Jan 2006 22:01:01 GMT.
Startling Article on Diabetes
http://www.accessibilityblog.com/2006/01/10/startling-article-on-diabetes/
I never realized diabetes was on epidemic levels until reading this article from the New York Times, here re-printed at The Amherst Times. The story focuses on the growing numbers of diabetes patients in the New York hospitals, and the different ailments and afflictions that are the results of this disease. The estimates are as high as one in 8 adult New Yorkers have diabetes, which is about 800,000 people. Diabetes is growing in new cases and fatalities in the city, while other major diseases are in decline. One of the major issues in Accessibility is low-vision, of which diabetes is a significant contributing factor. Dr. Daniel Lorber, an endocrinologist in Queens stated the problem succinctly: "At a time when we are trying to shift health care out of hospitals, with diabetics you don't have a choice," he said. "Nursing homes are going to be crammed to the gills with amputees in rehab. Kidney dialysis centers will multiply like rabbits. We will have a tremendous amount of people not blind but with low vision. And we have lousy facilities in this country for low-vision problems. These people will not be able to function in society without significant aid."
Contributed on Tue, 17 Jan 2006 22:00:35 GMT.
Handheld for Blind and Low-vision Users
http://www.accessibilityblog.com/2006/01/10/handheld-for-blind-and-low-vision-users/
From Matt Bailey 's Accessibility Outlook Blog: VisuaAid has released a Mainstream handheld for blind and low-vision users. Called Maestro, the device is a compact, palm-like handheld that offers text-to-speech technology and tactile keyboard membrane over the touch screen, eliminating the use for a stylus. The handheld is build in the HP iPaq Pocket PC platform and VisuaAid claims it is "the most compact and affordable digital assistant to the visually impaired." While looking impressively smooth and compact, it also offers Bluetooth and the ability to use a wireless keyboard (Braille and standard) and additional third-party applications.
Contributed on Tue, 17 Jan 2006 21:58:44 GMT.
Five Steps To A Better Website In The New Year
http://www.alttags.org/archives/2006/01/08/48/
The New Year is the perfect time to bring a fresh perspective to your website. Whether you're planning a major site redesign in the coming year, or you've just finished one in the old year, there are a number of things you can do to improve the quality of your site. Includes a section on accessibility.
Contributed on Fri, 13 Jan 2006 02:13:56 GMT.
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