Linked-in is similar and is completely accessible - it's more
proffessionally focused than the current trend of social networking
sites like face-book but it does work.
Adrian Higginbotham
Accessibility content manager
British Educational Communications and Technology Agency - BECTA
Tel: Direct dial 024 7679 7333 - Becta switchboard 02476-416994.
Email: Adrian.Higginbotham@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Web: http://www.becta.org.uk/
BECTA, Millburn Hill Road, Science Park, Coventry, CV4 7JJ
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Damon
Sent: 10 June 2007 18:34
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: facebook.com - an amazing, yet partially
inaccessible, tool for blind people
Facebook isn't a chat website. And I don't have enough hours in the day
to sit and relay chat with strangers, sadly.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Christopher Hallsworth" <chrishallsworth@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, June 10, 2007 4:50 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: facebook.com - an amazing, yet partially
inaccessible, tool for blind people
Oh I see what you mean now. There is another possibility; how about
irc?
You could use an Irc client like Mirc and connect to a general purpose
Irc channel where most but not all sighted people are on it. Hope that
helps.
On Sun, 10 Jun 2007 16:15:43 +0100, "Karen Burgess"
<karen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> said:
hi chris
only one problem with this, majority of zone members are blind
people,
thus
not giving you access to the mainstream sites that others use.
kaz
----- Original Message -----
From: "Christopher Hallsworth" <chrishallsworth@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, June 10, 2007 4:08 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: facebook.com - an amazing, yet partially
inaccessible, tool for blind people
>I personally think we're better with an alternative yet very
accessible
> service, Zone BBS. There are no graphical verification thingies,
you
> can
> do everything that it has to offer without sighted assistance, and,
> well, it's just another choice for those like you and me who can't
> socialize very well. You can sign up at http://www.zonebbs.com.
Hope
> that helps.
> On Sun, 10 Jun 2007 15:49:39 +0100, "Damon"
<damon.rose@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> said:
>> HI all.
>>
>> Are there any Facebook members among you?
>>
>> It's a really amazing social networking site. I got myself on it
last
>> week - but had to ask someone to help me with the verification
graphic
>> in
>> order that I can setup an account.
>>
>> Now that I'm in, it's quite good. It only currently gives limited
>> accessibility for visually impaired people though.
>>
>> Various important things you can do, such as Add Friends, send
email,
>> have conversations on the groups you choose to be part of, are all
>> inacccessible now because they have recently added verification
>> graphics
>> for these things too.
>>
>> Interestingly, if you are in the US or Canada you can get rid of
the
>> verification graphics by giving it your mobile phone number to
verify
>> you
>> are a real human being and not just a spammer. But it doesn't work
>> with
>> UK phones yet. I am thinking of calling up a mate in the US and
asking
>> if
>> she'll allow me to use her mobile number - though not entirely
sure
>> this
>> waves all verification graphics away. If anyone has any insight
into
>> this
>> I'd appreciate hearing from you.
>>
>> In the meantime, you can add to your list of friends by sitting
back
>> and
>> waiting for them to add you. And you can post on peoples' walls.
The
>> key
>> to social networking is to build those networks as they are
important
>> from friendships, business and finding like-minded people. Oh and
you
>> can
>> also, of course, look for partners if that's your thing. But it's
a
>> way
>> of opening up networks, letting your friends see your mates
friends
>> and
>> business acquaintances.
>>
>> You can also create and join networks. So, using a valid email
address
>> at
>> the company I work for, I'm now a member of their Network. I also
>> belong
>> to the London network. All these things are accessible.
>>
>> I think this tool could be amazingly useful to blind people,
>> especially
>> as we find it so hard to network when at big conferences and at
>> parties.
>>
>> I believe visually impaired people are lobbying Facebook to have
an
>> audio
>> alternative to the captcha graphic put in place. I'm going to get
more
>> details about this.
>>
>> I urge you to check it out.
>>
>> www.facebook.com
>>
>> The other thing to mention is that, interestingly, everyone in my
>> office
>> has become a member of Facebook and are networking like mad. So,
the
>> fact
>> that I can't leaves me at a disadvantage. There is currently only
semi
>> access for me but I have chosen to jump on board because it's
better
>> to
>> be partially in than out in my circumstances.
>>
>> Get an account. Get looking round. It's a fascinating site. The
longer
>> you're on it, the more friends you collect, the more you get it.
>>
>> ...Damon
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
> Christopher Hallsworth
> E-mail: chrishallsworth@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Skype name chrishallsworth7266
>
> ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:-
> ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe]
> ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to:
> ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> ** and in the Subject line type
> ** unsubscribe
> ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the
> ** immediately-following link:-
> ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq]
> ** or send a message, to
> ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq
>
>
>
> --
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.5.472 / Virus Database: 269.8.11/837 - Release Date:
> 06/06/2007
> 14:03
>
** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe]
** If this link doesn't work then send a message to:
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
** and in the Subject line type
** unsubscribe
** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the
** immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq]
** or send a message, to
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq
Christopher Hallsworth
E-mail: chrishallsworth@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Skype name chrishallsworth7266
** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe]
** If this link doesn't work then send a message to:
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
** and in the Subject line type
** unsubscribe
** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the
** immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq]
** or send a message, to
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq
** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe]
** If this link doesn't work then send a message to:
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
** and in the Subject line type
** unsubscribe
** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the
** immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq]
** or send a message, to
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq
** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe]
** If this link doesn't work then send a message to:
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
** and in the Subject line type
** unsubscribe
** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the
** immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq]
** or send a message, to
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq
