[access-uk] Re: Buying specialist technology without accessible instructions
- From: "Carol Pearson" <carol.pearson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2007 10:08:26 +0100
Spot on, Steve <Smiles>
Offer what you can and give me choice (or at least to say what I can manage to
read) and I'm well happy!
--
Carol
carol.pearson@xxxxxxxxxxxx
----- Original Message -----
From: Steve Nutt
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, October 18, 2007 9:51 AM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Buying specialist technology without accessible
instructions
Hi Jackie,
I totally agree with you here. But I can also see the other side. If you
offer something by default in an alternative format, what format do you offer
it in? If you give someone a tape, they may not have a tape recorder.
Unlikely, but I have come across it. If you give someone a CD player, they may
not have the machine to play it on. Give them a Daisy book, and again the same
applies. Give them Braille, and they may not be able to read it.
So while I fully agree with you, what alternative format do you give them by
default? And I stress by default. If I sell you a Colorino, I know you have a
computer, so I can Email you the instructions. But what would be the point in
my giving you large print by default, if I know you are totally blind? I would
ask someone what their format of choice would be and try to comply as best I
can. But the default access method worries me. If you give it to most, but
not all, blind people, then at least someone sighted may be able to read the
print in the family, as a stop gap, until they can request that alternative
format. So I favour the individual requesting the format of choice, then
hopefully, but not always admittedly, they get it.
All the best
Steve
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Jackie Cairns
Sent: 18 October 2007 09:41
To: Access UK Mailing List
Subject: [access-uk] Buying specialist technology without accessible
instructions
On the subject of buying specialist technology with inaccessible
instructions, I'll be very careful how I phrase this because it's something
I've beefed about for years, and it still goes on.
In my personal and humble opinion, wherever a company - no matter who that
retailer is - sells a product or service to someone with a visual impairment,
the instructions accompanying that item should be in an alternative format to
standard print. How can we have the DDA in this country if those who have
direct influence to ensure accessibility is met don't in fact comply?
We have invested a lot of money on access technology over the years, yet I
still find myself having to request materials in my preferred format.
Using the examples of both the Colorino and talking tape measure from
Caretec, neither has accessible instructions, even though I have sussed out how
to use them satisfactorily. But that isn't the point. If I could read the
instructions, I could surely see to use an ordinary measure and not need a
detector to tell me my colours?
That's where I'm coming from anyway, and I mean no disrespect to any retailer
or individual on the list. Most companies that deal with specialist equipment
do offer alternative formats, whether it be through intuitive help on the
device itself, or instructions and quick start references that accompany it.
But there is still an issue with this.
Jackie
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