[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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