[bcab] Re: Samaritans - Earmail access

Hi,

 

I am still not 100% sure of the state of the email system - there is a
Braille manual on its use, which I will hopefully get a look at.

 

Andrew.

 

________________________________

From: bcab-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bcab-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of George Bell
Sent: 28 September 2006 20:58
To: bcab@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [bcab] Re: Samaritans - Earmail access

 

Let's be a shade more constructive here.

 

The Samaritans motives are absolutely admirable.  But sad that the DDA
has tripped them up.

 

So how can the accessibility problems be overcome?

 

George.

 

________________________________

From: bcab-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bcab-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Graham Page
Sent: 28 September 2006 20:35
To: bcab@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [bcab] Re: Samaritans - Earmail access

could they be prosecuted under the DDA or would that fail because it is
an organisation of volunteers?

 

while you may not want to fully go down that road if you could help it,
the threat may get them to do something about it.

 

cheers

 

graham 

        ----- Original Message ----- 

        From: Anne Rigby <mailto:anne.rigby@xxxxxxxxxx>  

        To: bcab@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 

        Sent: Thursday, September 28, 2006 12:35 PM

        Subject: [bcab] Re: Samaritans - Earmail access

         

        Hello, all,

         

        In an attempt to clarify this, I used to be a Samaritan
volunteer.

         

        The e-mail system they use is designed to keep e-mails
annonymous, so that any branch of Samaritans can collect e-mails and
respond to them.  It's a system which, I believe, was designed for them
specifically.  While I was a volunteer, I, and other blind volunteers,
tried to get them to make the system screen reader accessible, but
without any success.  Unless things have changed recently, you still
can't access the Samaritans' e-mail system with a screen reader at all.

         

        Hope this helps.

         

        Anne

                -----Original Message-----
                From: bcab-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:bcab-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Graham Page
                Sent: 27 September 2006 23:27
                To: bcab@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
                Subject: [bcab] Re: Samaritans - Earmail access

                not really no.  they are generally volunteers and though
of course some people will be paid within the organisation, many are
volunteers and I believe this volunteering goes beyond purely those
dealing with calls from the public.

                 

                In terms of my own question, however, I did a search for
earmail and came up with the following link

                 

                http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/4/prweb369733.htm

                 

                it suggests that earmail is a system where a user can
send and receive mail using a preexisting email account and a telephone.
Unless you have to administer a server then, accessibility should not be
an issue.  However, I would have thought that any reply would be in the
form of an attached voice message.  the idea of emailing the Samaritan
with a plea for help and getting back a voice message when you expect a
written reply  to this sounds a bit odd so maybe there is something else
called earmail.

                 

                Regards

                 

                Graham

                 

                More likely access by a visually impaired person or
anyone else wasn't even considered.

                        ----- Original Message ----- 

                        From: John M Hull
<mailto:j.m.hull@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>  

                        To: bcab@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 

                        Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 9:03 PM

                        Subject: [bcab] Re: Samaritans - Earmail access

                         

                        ...moreover, one would expect such an
organisation that specialises in councelling people in crisis would be
particularly sensitive to accessibility, don't you think?

                        John

                         

                        -----Original Message-----
                        From: bcab-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:bcab-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Graham Page
                        Sent: 27 September 2006 20:36
                        To: bcab@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
                        Subject: [bcab] Re: Samaritans - Earmail access

                         

                        no, but I am definitely curious.  why would an
organisation so short of cash use a specialist email system that must
have cost a load to implement when they can get perfectly good email
clients that would be secure enough for their needs for free?

                         

                        just wondering what else it may do that's so
special.

                         

                        Cheers

                         

                        Graham

                                ----- Original Message ----- 

                                From: Andrew Hodgson
<mailto:andrew@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>  

                                To: bcab@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 

                                Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 2:21
PM

                                Subject: [bcab] Samaritans - Earmail
access

                                 

                                Hi,
                                
                                I am just wondering whether anyone here
has had experience of using the Earmail system found at the Samaritans?
This is some sort of specialist email system, and a user is having some
trouble reading past messages on the system.
                                
                                She is using JFW 7.
                                
                                Any info please let me know.
                                
                                Thanks.
                                Andrew. 

                                
                                
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