Web Site Accessibility Blog

Israeli engineers have developed Maestro, a voice –only internet for searchers.

The articles mainly focuses on commuting as the primary application of the software, which I guess is the most “marketable� (read: profitable) application. But let’s not overlook the obvious. A completely hands free way to browse and search the internet and have search results and pages read back to the user. While there are similar systems in place, Maestro allows the user to customize search results, such as number of results returned, search methods and styles and the voice pitch settings. Such advanced search features can easily become standard assistive technology in helping disabled users gain greater access via search interface.

The developer’s greatest concern in this article is the safety of drivers using a hands-free internet while driving. Cell phone usage has caused many accidents, but they feel that a totally voice activated internet will help keep drivers from being distracted.

Yeah, right.

Blogging is growing in popularity, and the text-based medium provides easy access for those that rely on assistive technology. Feed readers and XML structured documents are providing open access to many publishing platforms. But are all blogs accessible? And how easy is it for low-vision users to start their own Blog?

The American Foundation for the Blind rated two blogging platforms and 4 popular blogs using JAWS screen reader and ALVA Braille display. The first step was rating the ability to download, install and set up two of the more popular blogging applications; Blogger and BlogLines.

As one can imagine, the ability to read a blog was significantly easier to accomplish. The setup and installation process of Blogger was stopped early with major accessibility problems, yet Bloglines had very minor issues.

Read the entire AFB Blog accessibility evaluation.
AFB’s guidelines for creating an accessible blog.

Having set-up and used a couple of blogging platforms, I can say that WordPress is one of the easier to set-up and run. I will leave the accessiblity experience for the set-up of WordPress for an upcoming post. However, I have to say that the semantic publishing platform and the standards-compliant programming were two of the main factors that influenced my choice.

LivePerson web site communication services are now Section 508 accessibility compliant. LivePerson allows people to connect from a web site via chat for customer service, tech support and product questions. LivePerson’s communication platform Timpani now meets all guidelines for accessibility.

Using JAWS 4 as the baseline product, Timpani is compatible with standard assistive technology hardware and has implemented numerous features; such as alt text in image prompts, no script alternatives, and explicit labels in the form fields. The chat windows will also work with specialty keyboards and Braille readers.

This is a good step in the right direction for allowing all users to access specialty communication services. LivePerson is an excellent way to answer consumer questions on a website, and now it is much more helpful, by allowing all users to access this helpful service.

IBM’s director for World Wide Accessibility Center, Frances West, asked members of the US Senate Subcommittee to “embrace the need for consistent or “harmonized” standards in information technology. “

The European Commission has indicated a willingness to enforce an accessibility compliance evaluation and even a third-party certification and licensing. West advocates private companies taking the initiative to recognize the need to address accessibility, especially in any product design process. Third party testing would only increase the development and production costs and lengthen the product cycles.

According to The Mature Market, where the article is published, the following statistics were given about the need for accessibility.

“In the U.S. alone, there are 54 million people with disabilities and 76 million aging baby boomers who need accessible technology. According to AARP, one in every four people will acquire a functional disability by age 50 and one in two people by age 65.�

While I do believe that companies should voluntarily address accessibility, many make the choice to simply ignore it. So what to do? Enforcement results in government intervention, legal problems and additional expenses and higher consumer costs. Yet there are companies that will not consider ALL of their users.

I’ve witnessed it personally when a company chooses to ignore accessibility – and the frustration is multiplied when they know that they will not only hinder people, but their possibility of gaining rankings in the search engines. For some companies, alt tags for images are “ugly.�

In my opinion, that’s just arrogant.

LOMAK, the Light Operated Mouse and Keyboard, was launched in Auckland New Zealand in May 2005 by an Auckland University of Technology Student and Lomak International Limited.

Typically, users with physical disabilities are able to input at two to eight words per minute on existing devices. LOMAK allows users to point a hand-held pointer or headband-worn device at a keyboard and select that character with the press of a central confirm key.
Users who have tested the LOMAK device have been able to increase input speeds because of the intuitive design. The unit is designed to be learned quickly and the founders are excited about the potential of the product.

LOMAK is a plug and play device that is compatible with both Mac and PC. The look of the new accessible keyboard is stylish and attractive, eliminating bulky devices. It also looks to have an element of portability, allowing users who are in the work force to bring this device to a worksite, customer visit or a presentation.

A great story about an affordable hands-free browsing alternative device for a child with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1. This disease severely limits the ability to move muscles movement, especially in his hands and fingers. The SmartNAV from NaturalPoint is an assistive technology that allows users to navigate websites by dwell-clicking and an on-screen keyboard with a top price of $399. This is comparable, and better - reading the testimonials on the Natural Point web site, to typical headset units that do not include those features, but still cost over $1,000 without software. The NaturalPoint SmartNav allows families to purchase his system without grants, fundraising or other extreme measures.

On Wednesday, May 11, 2005 Yahoo! Music debuted the New Stevie Wonder video “So What the Fuss?� The significance of this music video is that Stevie Wonder has used new technology to implement an alternate track for low-vision and blind users. Rapper Busta Rhymes narrates the alternate version of the video, providing an insightful and enjoyable mental picture of the video.

From the press release on the Y! Music site, Stevie comments that “Until now music videos have been very one dimensional for those who are blind or with low vision. Now all music video fans will be able to apply their vision to my video thanks to the descriptive technique.� The video will be able to offer the second version with the new technology which can air on all SAP-accessible TV channels.

While listening to the narration and the background music, Busta Rhymes places an astounding image in one’s mind. His vocal imagery was successful in creating this new technique, as the words and inflections were able to communicate the energy of both the video and the music.

However, the Yahoo! Music site is noticeable unfriendly to blind and low-vision users. No navigation buttons employ alt text, especially in the artist and song search function. Even worse, when selecting a video to view, Y! Music tests the media player connection and asks the user to press the “I see the video� button, which is a graphic button with no alt text. While I don’t expect Y!Music to change their entire video format for one accessible video, it was surprising to see the entire navigation focused on site cues, rather than textual cues for universal access. On a side note, Y! Music is also unable to play videos in a Mozilla browser other than Netscape 4.7x or 7.1, sorry FireFox.

Stevie Wonder has been one of the most talented musicians and innovators of our time. I think it was perfect that he would be the one to unveil an exciting idea and technology that would provide all fans a chance to enjoy a primarily visual medium.