[accessibleimage] Re: Please support web access to visual verification systems

I will happily sign this but I will also send this along to a friend of mine
who is working on image analysis software to solve this specific problem.
His thesis is that the problem is less the Turing tests themselves but,
rather, the lack of innovation or will by the screen reader manufacturers to
even try to create an intelligent agent that can figure out the text in
these somewhat obfuscated graphics.  His work has shown a 95-97% level of
accuracy with these bitmaps and, once they have it converted to a to a plug
in for IE, they'll announce and make it available to people who want it. 

After fighting the document accessibility and screen reader innovation wars
for six years, I left FS to work on more future oriented projects.  I truly
believe that the major screen reader companies have given up trying to do
any real innovation and are ignoring problems like these graphics and
complaining that they present problems that cannot be solved.  I think that
the "impossible" excuse has been worn out so badly that its use is nearly
laughable.  One screen reader company has an overwhelming dominant position
so doesn't need to innovate to make money and the others are too small to
have the dollars or the ability to take risks on moving the art forward.
The result is that we blinks are screwed until something changes in the
approach by the established companies or a new player comes along and, to
break into the market, must do something radically new and exciting to
distinguish themselves and offer a reason for users, agencies, governments
etc. to switch.

I think we're seeing the start of the trend to the new companies pushing the
innovation bar up.  Serotek with Freedom Box System Access and Code Factory
with Mobile Speak Pocket are doing some extremely interesting things and
taking a lot of risks by playing against the establishment players.  It's
yet to be seen if they can cause a tectonic shift in the AT landscape
though.

Sorry for rambling, this is one of my real hot button issues though.

Enjoy,
cdh  

-----Original Message-----
From: accessibleimage-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:accessibleimage-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Tina E
Sent: Sunday, January 15, 2006 6:41 AM
To: accessibleimage@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [accessibleimage] Please support web access to visual verification
systems

Dear list members, friends, and colleagues:

Though this web accessibility issue might not be directly related to 
the main topic(s) of the list, I would ask those of you who are 
willing, to please sign the petition whose URL is below, concerning 
web pages that contain inaccessible graphical word verification 
systems, also known as CAPTCHA.  These systems are becoming more 
widely implemented, in order to validate that a human is filling out 
the given form to obtain services or information.  This is typically 
done by having the user look at a graphic or picture on the screen, 
and then copy the exact text by typing it into an edit box.  Unless an 
accessible alternative means of verification is provided, blind 
computer users are essentially denied independent access to any 
information or service which is provided, once this correct string of 
characters would be entered.  Since sighted people aren't necessarily 
always present and readily available to assist and read the text, this 
graphical word verification scheme, (CAPTCHA), is proving to be a 
significant and  ever-growing information barrier to a variety of web 
services.  This petition specifically addresses Google, and some of 
the services they offer, GMail for instance, which require 
verification by means of visual examination of a word presented in a 
picture, a task which is currently impossible for screen-reading 
software for the blind.

The petition is entitled:

"Google Word Verification Accessibility"

It is hosted on the web by PetitionOnline.com, a free online petition
service, at the following URL:

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/captcha/

More Background:

Access to an increasing number of services for blind or deaf-blind 
people is severely hampered by websites that use the graphical word 
verification (CAPTCHA) system, without providing another alternative 
independent and timely means of verification.  Such websites include, 
but are certainly not limited to, popular services such as 
YahooGroups, Blogger, Yahoo Email, etc.

A handful of websites have a work-around, such as automated 
verification via Email, or a feature to play a sound file containing 
the characters to be typed instead, for those who are unable to read 
the picture.  Microsoft's Passport system, for example, provides an 
alternative using information presented in a (sometimes rather 
garbled!) sound file.  Though this is not the best implementation of a 
solution, (particularly for those with both limited hearing and 
vision), it is preferable to various widely-used sites that have no 
realistically independent means of getting around having to see the 
word pictured in the graphic, in order to type those characters in the 
edit box.

Following is some additional information that the author of this 
petition, Darrell Shandrow, has provided to me:

*** Begin quote ***

Numerous companies offer their services in a way that already provides 
accessible alternatives to their visual verification systems, by way 
of an audio playback of the characters to be entered.  Examples of 
such companies include:

AOL's Instant Messenger
http://www.aim.com

PayPal
http://www.paypal.com

and SpamArrest
http://www.spamarrest.com.

Others, such as 0Spam
http://www.0spam.com

offer e-mail confirmation that only requires an active e-mail address, 
a quite accessible and screen-reader-friendly alternative solution.

Sadly, many companies, including EarthLink's anti-spam features, 
Google and Yahoo, offer no way to independently pass their visual 
verification tests to gain access to their services.

*** End quote ***


I, Tina, wholeheartedly agree with the spirit of this petition, and I 
hope that you will choose to join me in my support for equal access 
for all web users.  If you can spare a moment, please take a look, and 
please consider signing it yourself.

When you go to the petition link noted above, a form will come up, and 
all you need to do is fill in your name and Email address, for 
purposes of confirmation and verification by the system.  Then, choose 
one of the three following Email privacy options: whether you would 
like to keep your Email address private, or only visible to the author 
of the petition, or if you would like your Email address clickable by 
the public as a Sendmail link.  The automatic default is to keep your 
Email address private, so do not change any of the radio buttons if 
you'd like to keep it this way.

Comments are of course optional, but can be placed in the edit box 
provided, if you'd like.

Click, or otherwise activate, the "submit" button, and you're done

Again, here's the link to place your name on the petition, asking 
Google to implement an accessible solution for graphical word 
verification, Captcha:

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/captcha/

Thank you so very kindly, for your active support of this critical 
issue, for computer users with any sort of print-reading disability.

Very sincerely,
Tina Ektermanis
Greeley, Colorado, USA
tina-e@xxxxxxxxx

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