[real-eyes] Re: Correspondence With Apple About Accessibility
- From: "Andrea Breier" <abreier@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <real-eyes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2011 23:04:40 -0500
I would guess that because of vo being a part of the operating system and
simple instructions of how to incorporate vo with any produced app, The
blind community are steadily switching to apple products. I don't know the
actual numbers, but I would think it would boost sales for the developers.
Certainly they all do not have to take vo into consideration, but there are
so many developers submitting apps to the apps store, our choices for
accessibility are growing every day. I do not buy apps that I do not
already know work with vo. And if I have trouble I can contact the
developer directly and every time I have received a courteous response. If
I don't I can contact apple and get a prompt refund. So really you can't
lose.
Hugs, AJ
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without conditions, act with purpose, listen with your heart, and laugh
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Mitchell D. Lynn" <mlynn@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <real-eyes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, September 26, 2011 6:23 PM
Subject: [real-eyes] Re: Correspondence With Apple About Accessibility
>I agree it would be nice if apps were labeled as VO-friendly, but I fail to
> see any reason why developers should be required to make their apps
> accessible to VO.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: real-eyes-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:real-eyes-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> On Behalf Of Sarah Jevnikar
> Sent: Monday, September 26, 2011 1:05 PM
> To: real-eyes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [real-eyes] Re: Correspondence With Apple About Accessibility
>
> I agree. And developers are variable in their efforts to make their apps
> accessible. Hopefully something from Apple will have enough teeth to
> produce
> results.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: real-eyes-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:real-eyes-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> On Behalf Of Kimberly A. Morrow, PhD
> Sent: September 26, 2011 2:03 PM
> To: 'real-eyes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'
> Subject: [real-eyes] Re: Correspondence With Apple About Accessibility
>
> I really appreciated this article. If anything, the Itunes Store needs to
> indicate whether or not an app is accessible via voice over. I cannot
> count
> the number of times I have purchased an app, only to discover that I
> cannot
> use it. This alone would go a long way.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Kimberly A. Morrow, PhD
> Communications Specialist
> Unity
> Message of Hope Ministry
> 1901 NW Blue Parkway
> Unity Village, MO 64065
> Toll Free: 866-421-3066
> Local: 816-251-3588
> M-F, 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (CT)
>
>
> www.unity.org
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: real-eyes-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:real-eyes-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> On Behalf Of Claudia
> Sent: Monday, September 26, 2011 12:37 PM
> To: real-eyes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [real-eyes] Correspondence With Apple About Accessibility
>
> This is just a little something I thought you'd like to see how the NFB is
> working with Apple and I think it also shows that the NFB is really
> tackling
> issues that are relevant to what is going on in the world today.
>
> Everette Bacon
> >>> "Curtis Chong" <curtischong@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> <mailto:curtischong%40earthlink.net>> 9/25/2011 10:12 AM >>>
> Greetings:
>
> On September 10, 2011, I sent an email to Apple regarding Resolution
> 2011-03, passed at this year's National Federation of the Blind
> Convention.
> As you may know, Resolution 2011-03 expresses disappointment with Apple
> for
> permitting applications to be released which contains controls that are
> not
> accessible to VoiceOver users and calls upon Apple to work with the
> National
> Federation of the Blind to develop a set of requirements for
> accessibility.
>
> The key word here is "requirements." There is little doubt that Apple has
> done an excellent job of educating and encouraging app developers to
> incorporate accessibility features into their software. Apple is also
> making
> a change, to be released with iOS 5, which allows the end user to apply
> custom labels to user interface elements so that VoiceOver can identify
> them. It is also evident that many app developers are responding
> affirmatively to Apple's efforts and are voluntarily incorporating
> accessibility features into their software. There is, however, some
> disagreement about whether or not it is appropriate to impose requirements
> of any form which compel app developers to do the right thing. What the
> resolution says is that Apple is clearly not shy about imposing other
> requirements before permitting apps to be released. Why not negotiate with
> the blind to come up with a set of requirements for accessibility?
>
> In any case, here is the chain of correspondence, presented in
> chronological
> order, for your information.
>
> Yours sincerely,
>
> Curtis Chong, President
> National Federation of the Blind in Computer Science
>
> From: Curtis Chong
> Sent: Saturday, September 10, 2011 10:30 AM
> To: Chris Becherer; Sarah Herrlinger
> Subject: NFB Resolution Regarding the Lack of Accessibility Requirements
> in
> Apple Products
>
> Dear Chris and Sarah:
>
> On July 7, 2011, at its 71st annual convention, the National Federation of
> the Blind adopted Resolution 2011-03 (copy attached). In summary, this
> resolution express its "frustration and deep disappointment with Apple for
> allowing the release of applications that contain icons, buttons, and
> other
> controls that cannot be identified by the blind user of VoiceOver, thereby
> rendering them nonvisually inaccessible."
>
> This is a follow up to my correspondence with the two of you earlier this
> year in which I indicated that this issue would be considered by the
> National Federation of the Blind at its national convention. As you see,
> the
> convention did consider this issue, and did decide to pass the attached
> resolution.
>
> I sincerely hope that Apple will consider the points raised in the
> attached
> resolution and take meaningful action to address the concerns it raises.
>
> Thank you kindly for your attention to this matter.
>
> Yours sincerely,
>
> Curtis Chong, President
> National Federation of the Blind in Computer Science
>
> Resolution 2011-03
> Regarding the Lack of Accessibility Requirements in Apple Products
>
> WHEREAS, Apple has made VoiceOver, a free and powerful screen access
> program, an integral part of many of its products, including the Apple
> Macintosh, the iPhone, the iPod Touch, Apple TV, and the iPad; and
>
> WHEREAS, VoiceOver has the potential of offering unprecedented nonvisual
> access to thousands, if not tens of thousands, of applications that are
> today available for these platforms; and
>
> WHEREAS, through presentations at developer conferences, specific guidance
> issued through programming guides, and application programming interfaces
> that are simple to implement, Apple has made it relatively easy for
> application developers to incorporate basic accessibility features in
> their
> programs for VoiceOver users; and
>
> WHEREAS, Apple has clearly stated its desire to provide accessible
> products
> to blind people and has even received an award from the National
> Federation
> of the Blind for its work in making its products accessible to the blind;
> and
>
> WHEREAS, despite Apple's efforts to encourage accessibility by such
> examples
> as publishing a wealth of information providing clear and unambiguous
> guidance to application developers to help them make their software
> accessible to VoiceOver users, too many applications are still not
> accessible to the blind because of buttons that are not properly labeled,
> icons whose meanings cannot be understood, and images of text which
> VoiceOver cannot interpret; and
>
> WHEREAS, one example of an application with controls that are not
> accessible
> to the blind is the AT&T Navigator, which contains several screens with
> buttons that VoiceOver identifies only as "Button"; and
>
> WHEREAS, labeling buttons, menus, checkboxes, and other controls so that
> VoiceOver can identify them is neither a technological impossibility nor
> an
> unreasonably costly effort, and even the most visually intensive
> application
> should have menus, buttons, and other controls that can be operated
> nonvisually; and
>
> WHEREAS, Apple is not shy about placing requirements and prohibitions on
> application developers: for example, developers who use their applications
> to sell products must turn over a percentage of their sales to Apple, and
> application developers cannot display an application-specific desktop; and
>
> WHEREAS, regrettably Apple does not require application developers to make
> their applications accessible to users of its VoiceOver program; and
>
> WHEREAS, accessibility to all users of Apple products should be as
> important
> as the other criteria on which Apple bases its decisions to accept or
> reject
> applications: Now, therefore,
>
> BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
> assembled this seventh day of July, 2011, in the city of Orlando, Florida,
> that this organization express its frustration and deep disappointment
> with
> Apple for allowing the release of applications that contain icons,
> buttons,
> and other controls that cannot be identified by the blind user of
> VoiceOver,
> thereby rendering them nonvisually inaccessible; and
>
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urge Apple, in the strongest
> possible terms, to work with the National Federation of the Blind to
> create
> and enforce a set of requirements for accessibility that will, at a
> minimum,
> compel application developers to label buttons, menus, icons, selection
> lists, checkboxes, and other controls so that VoiceOver users can identify
> and operate them.
>
> From: Sarah Herrlinger
> Sent: Friday, September 23, 2011 12:22 PM
> To: Curtis Chong
> Cc: Chris Becherer
> Subject: Re: NFB Resolution Regarding the Lack of Accessibility
> Requirements
> in Apple Products
>
> Dear Curtis,
>
> Apologies for the delayed response -- I've been on vacation for the last 2
> weeks.
>
> Thank you very much for sending this on. As always, we greatly appreciate
> the NFB's feedback and will continue to share this with both the App Store
> and the Accessibility teams.
>
> We'd like to reiterate some of the previous points made as well as to
> bring
> you up to speed on some recent additions:
>
> 1) The iOS SDK has the basic foundation for making apps
> VoiceOver-compatible
> built directly into the source code.
> 2) Late last year, we sent out an article to every registered iOS
> developer
> on the ease and value of making apps VoiceOver compatible including links
> to
> the Accessibility Programming Guide.
> 3) For the last three Apple Worldwide Developers Conferences, we've run
> multiple sessions and follow-up labs on making applications VoiceOver
> compatible for both the Mac and iOS devices that have been very well
> attended.
> 4) Since then, our Developer Relations team has worked one on one with
> developers to continually educate them on the importance of accessibility
> and provide tips, documentation, links to videos, code examples and
> examples
> of other developers who have had great success with making their apps
> accessible all in an effort to make it as easy as possible for them to
> ensure their apps are compatible with VoiceOver.
> 5) We've added a new VoiceOver feature in our upcoming release of iOS 5
> that
> allows users to apply custom labels to UI elements in their favorite
> third-party apps. This way, even if the developer has not labeled their
> buttons in a VoiceOver-compatible way, users have the ability to do this
> directly. This won't slow our efforts encouraging developers to build
> compatible apps using all the strategies outlined above, but we think it
> will be a really useful feature for VoiceOver users.
>
> We will continue to invest time and resources into educating our developer
> community about accessibility in general, and specifically messaging what
> they can do to ensure their apps are compatible with VoiceOver.
>
> Thank you again for your continued support,
>
> Sarah
>
> From: Curtis Chong
> Sent: Saturday, September 24, 2011 5:41 PM
> To: Sarah Herrlinger
> Cc: Chris Becherer
> Subject: RE: NFB Resolution Regarding the Lack of Accessibility
> Requirements
> in Apple Products
>
> Dear Sarah:
>
> Thank you for your September 23, 2011 response to my email. I very much
> appreciate your willingness to keep our lines of communication open.
>
> In your response, you mention some very encouraging aspects of Apple's
> efforts to promote accessibility and VoiceOver compatibility, among them:
>
> 1. that the iOS SDK has the basic foundation for making apps
> VoiceOver-compatible built directly into the source code;
>
> 2. that late last year, you sent out an article to every registered iOS
> developer on the ease and value of making apps VoiceOver compatible
> including links to the Accessibility Programming Guide;
>
> 3. that during the last three Apple Worldwide Developers Conferences, you
> ran multiple sessions and follow-up labs on making applications VoiceOver
> compatible for both the Mac and iOS devices--sessions that were very well
> attended; and
>
> 4. that since then, your Developer Relations team has worked one on one
> with
> developers to continually educate them on the importance of accessibility
> and provide tips, documentation, links to videos, code examples and
> examples
> of other developers who have had great success with making their apps
> accessible--all in an effort to make it as easy as possible for them to
> ensure their apps are compatible with VoiceOver.
>
> I hope that you understand that we in the National Federation of the Blind
> in Computer Science have no doubt whatsoever as to your commitment to
> accessibility by the blind to Apple products. In this context, we (like
> you) are particularly encouraged by the new VoiceOver feature in your
> upcoming release of iOS 5 that will allow users to "apply custom labels to
> UI elements in their favorite third-party apps." As you say, this will
> make
> it possible for users to label many buttons and controls for themselves,
> thereby alleviating some accessibility problems.
>
> As I have been saying all along, Apple is doing a very good job of
> "encouraging" app developers to do the right thing. Our views diverge when
> the question of accessibility requirements is raised. If you will go back
> to
> the resolution adopted by the National Federation of the Blind at its
> 2011 Convention, the last Resolve reads:
>
> "BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urge Apple, in the
> strongest
> possible terms, to work with the National Federation of the Blind to
> create
> and enforce a set of requirements for accessibility that will, at a
> minimum,
> compel application developers to label buttons, menus, icons, selection
> lists, checkboxes, and other controls so that VoiceOver users can identify
> and operate them."
>
> Like you, we believe in the power of education and encouragement--when
> they
> produce the desired result. However, we believe that there are some
> instances where encouragement alone is not enough. Some things simply must
> be required if they are to be implemented. This is why Apple and the
> National Federation of the Blind need to enter into discussions so that we
> can come to an agreement as to what extent requirements need to be applied
> to the question of accessibility and compatibility with VoiceOver.
>
> Again, thank you for keeping the lines of communication open and for the
> encouraging news about upcoming changes in iOS 5 and VoiceOver. I hope
> that
> I have helped you to gain a better understanding of our perspective on
> this
> entire question of accessibility.
>
> Yours sincerely,
>
> Curtis Chong, President
> National Federation of the Blind in Computer Science
>
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