[access-uk] Re: Website preferences

This would match my experience of people who use a certain Access technology solution which sits on top of and shields people from the operating system. There soon comes a time when they want to do something slightly outside the product's box. By this time, they have paid a lot of money and are being ,limited in their access by the access technology solution. 

Iain
-----Original Message----- From: Colin Fowler 
Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2011 9:39 AM
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Website preferences


Hi Bim,

I think that the answer is simple, in just the same manner that a motorist
wouldn't purchase a car that wouldn't reverse customers of access technology
shouldn't be sold technology that can't access web pages that comply with
BS8878. If web designers and content producers are doing the most to meet
these guidelines then there should be a similar standard for the access
technology manufacturers to meet.

Once again you get what you pay for in life, the trouble is that certain
solutions to access technology are sold to people who haven't ever
experienced access technology before, they aren't necessarily able to get an
impartial and independent view to what access technology they should be
choosing, and before they know where they are they have purchased access
technology that isn't able to progress at perhaps the same speed as their
own PC intellect. So they end up with access technology that can't access
webpages and then the argument is raised such as you have in your original
post.

Perhaps what we should be doing is asking WHICH to do an impartial review on
access technology?

Colin Fowler

that
----- Original Message ----- From: "Egan, Bim" <Bim.Egan@xxxxxxxxxxx> 
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2011 9:24 AM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Website preferences



Hi Ian and Colin,

We have always held the view that inclusion is what blind and partially
sighted people want, but this has been challenged recently.  Someone
asked the not unreasonable question, "How do you know, have you asked?"
The honest answer to that was that we hadn't.  We've held the view on
the basis of general moves in accessibility, views of VI people we know
as well as our personal views.  The question now is to see whether we
were right or wrong.

I'll fill in a bit more background here.  There are screen reading
systems that can't cope with modern web site techniques, and people,
often those who are new to blindness and new to computers, who find the
volumes of information difficult to deal with.   What's the answer for
these people?

Thanks,

Bim

-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Colin Fowler
Sent: 09 March 2011 09:16
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Website preferences

No, it is very disappointing that the technical lead for the RNIB's web
accessibility team is allowing doubt about web accessibility to
influence
and ask such questions.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Iain Lackie" <ilackie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2011 9:08 AM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Website preferences



surely the answer is obviously C. Design should be inclusive and I

think

we have seen too many examples of "special" sites not having all the
facilities of the main site or not being properly maintained. I can't

even

see why the question is being asked.

Iain
-----Original Message----- From: Egan, Bim 
Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2011 7:29 AM
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Website preferences


Hi,

Apologies if you see this on other lists ...

My name's Bim Egan, I'm the technical lead for RNIB's web access team.
Web designers sometimes look to RNIB for guidance on what

sight-impaired

people need to make a site accessible.  Though we have no power to
insist that they take our advice, we want to make sure that what we

say

is right for  you and others .

Could you help us please, by saying which of the following three

options

(A, B or C) would be more likely to suit your needs?

A.  a text-only site, mirroring the main site with all its features;

or


B.  A separate, simplified site made easier for sight-impaired people,
but with the risk of missing out on some of the features on the main
site; or

Option C: If it's possible, one website that is accessible for

everyone,

sighted and unsighted.

Option B could mean extra cost for web designers, which they may not
like to incur.  On the other hand some people who work entirely from

the

keyboard tell us that Options A and C can mean far too many key

strokes

for them.

Question:  Would it be a good idea for RNIB, as policy, to encourage
designers of the more popular or important sites  for independent
living, (grocery sites for example) to produce an option B version?

Thank you.

Bim



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