Even Grounds Accessibility Blog

How Do Blind People Use the iPhone?

Tom — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 02:12:05 +0000

There is more and more talk about the accessibility of iPhones and iPads. For blind and visually impaired people, it is one of the most accessible devices. But have you wondered how they can access it when all it has is a touch screen?

iPhone App Helps the Blind See

Tom — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 20:28:32 +0000

Last year I had a post discussing if blind people can see. At the moment, the answer was no, but there are some devices which can help a lot. Little did I know...

What Kills Accessibility?

Julius — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 00:33:29 +0000

This is a very interesting and powerful question asked by my friend when we were having dinner a few nights ago. We had a good and long talk about it, and I’d like to share the points we raised in our talk.

We focused on the issues that can really prevent a user from accessing information on a web site.

Help Promoting Braille Literacy

Tom — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 11:58:47 +0000

Help promoting Braille literacy while taking a Caribbean cruise!

The following announcement is from the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia:

The Wonder Years: Seminars@Hadley

Tom — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 20:51:47 +0000

Last December, I have shared my reflection about Stevie Wonder when he became the UN Messenger of Peace. If you liked my reflection, or you are a fan of Stevie Wonder, you maybe very interested in an online Seminar of the Hadley School for the Blind. Their guest is Ted Hull, the tutor of Stevie Wonder throughout Stevie's teenage years.

Electronic Mobility Devices for Persons Who are Blind or Visually Impaired

Julius — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 21:23:58 +0000

The long white cane has been a symbol of blind persons around the world. This simple device has helped millions of blind persons find their way towards the place they want to go to.

It has also inspired a number of electronic mobility devices for blind individuals. Taking the concept of the white cane, developers of assistive technologies have made these electronic devices to enhance the traveling experience of persons who are blind. Most of these devices should be used in conjunction with the cane or other mobility aids.

How Do Blind People Tell the Time?

Julius — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 23:47:33 +0000

One second is all it takes to know what time it is. That is, if you can see your watch or clock. On the other hand, if you are blind, have low vision, or are deaf blind, it would be a very different situation. You may even think of resorting to the help of others in doing this vital task due to the disability you have.

There are, however, a number of assistive technologies you can use to independently know the time. Below we talk about some of the most common time-related devices and software for blind and visually impaired persons.

LinkedIn Becoming Less Accessible?

Tom — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:46:37 +0000

LinkedIn used to be one of those social networking sites which I have highly recommended to people with disabilities, as it was one of the most accessible ones. Visiting the site for a couple of minutes one can tell that it was designed, with accessibility in mind. Maybe not anymore?

An Invitation to Subscribe to the Even Grounds Web Accessibility Channel in YouTube

Tom — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 03:43:58 +0000

We’ve just created a web accessibility channel in YouTube. We’d like to invite you all to check out our videos, subscribe to the channel, and add us up as your friend.

Assistive Technologies for People with Epilepsy

Tom — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 10:20:19 +0000

Let us find out what epilepsy is and what are the technologies that can help people avoid or minimize the problems brought by its effects.

What is Epilepsy?

Epilepsy refers to a group of disorders that causes disturbances in the brain’s electrical signaling.

Pulses of energy travel in the brain at a certain rate. During an epileptic seizure, these pulses of energy travel much faster for a specific period of time. Epilepsy may be caused by abnormalities in the brain, illness, and brain damage.

Simple Steps to Help More People Enjoy Your Software

Tom — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:40:44 +0000

When you’ve developed a software, it’s definitely rewarding to know that many people are finding it useful and benefiting from it. And you certainly have made your own way to ensure that your software would be enjoyed by as many persons as possible.

You can nonetheless reach an even larger set of users by ensuring that your software has these basic yet very helpful features.

VOCAs: Assistive Technology for People with Speech Impairments

Tom — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 13:48:52 +0000

“More important than the right to speech is the right to speak.” The world renowned British theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking knows this exactly to be true. Having been robbed of his ability to speak to a motor neuron disease, Stephen Hawking had to struggle with crude communication systems just to be able to tell his wants and needs…until he discovered VOCAs.

If it had not been for VOCAs, Stephen Hawking’s insights into the nature of space and time would not have been known. This assistive technology has allowed him to communicate, write and publish his works, and give lectures to live audiences around the world in spite of losing his ability to speak.

In this post we will explore what VOCAs are and how these instruments give people an ability that most of us take for granted.

A Day of a Person With Quadriplegia

Tom — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:22:58 +0000

Tied up with an invisible chain -- you’d probably think this to yourself if you suddenly found out that you can’t walk, move, lift your arms, or even just curl your fingers.

This could easily be anyone’s reaction if they’ve had a spinal cord injury and is left paralyzed from the neck down. But this doesn’t have to be so. For the many people living with quadriplegia, life doesn’t have to slip away from them even if it had slipped away from their limbs.

This is exactly what our friend will show us as he invites us to a day in his life. We will see the daily challenges that he has to face and how assistive technology and adaptive tools are helping him to overcome them.

Why Is It Good For The Economy To Hire People With Disabilities?

Tom — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 21:40:19 +0000

It is considered good economic practice to include as many people inn the workforce as possible. The more people that are participating and contributing to the economy, the more productivity gains and economic returns we can expect for the community.

While people with disabilities have the capacity to positively contribute to the development of a country’s economy and social capital, many of them are not given this opportunity due to many barriers. One of these is the employers’ perception of costs and benefits of accommodating and employing people with disabilities.

Although there may be situations where accommodations have to be made to address the needs of people with disabilities, there are numerous ways companies can support people with disabilities with no extra cost. And the costs to accommodate them, if there are any, outweigh the contributions that people with disabilities can give to the economy.

A Most Unlikely But Excellent Resource Demonstrating Accessibility

Tom — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 15:55:18 +0000

A few nights ago, I was looking for something interesting on TV. I came upon this cooking show. I wasn’t particularly fond of this kind of program, but I have to admit I was interested to see the finished dish.

So I watched it for a few more minutes and an idea struck me.

Wonder what that idea is? No, I didn’t realize that I wanted to be a cook. On the other hand, I had a thought that cooking shows, of all programs, demonstrate a basic principle of accessibility.

Web Accessibility in Japan

Tom — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 13:57:35 +0000

Japan is one of the most technologically advanced and accessible countries in the world. Most major cities have the infrastructure to support accessibility for people with disabilities. In Japan there are elevators in almost every train station, busses with passenger lifts, and electronic signboards. There is also Braille everywhere--on the sidewalk, signboards, money, and even on beer cans.

Japan is also starting to build infrastructure for making information--particularly digital information--accessible to people with disabilities. This is best shown through the standards and policies that Japan has instituted to make its sites accessible.

Assistive Technologies for Persons with Dyslexia

Tom — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:36:46 +0000

Imagine spending a day without reading, spelling, or writing. Sounds impossible, right? This just proves how important these activities are to our lives.

That’s why when you face difficulties in any of these tasks, your daily life would be greatly affected. But there is still a way to rise above this situation. And this is done by understanding this condition and identifying the technologies you can use to cope with it.

How Do Deaf Blind People Communicate?

Tom — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:31:40 +0000

In an earlier post, I have written about how a deaf blind person does her daily tasks with the help of assistive technology. Let us now focus more on the communication devices that deaf blind people use to connect with other people and exchange information with the world around them.

There are many ways for deaf blind people to communicate. The methods that they use vary with the degree or combination of their vision and hearing loss, their background, and education. And with the recent advancements in assistive technology, deaf blind people are now finding more ways to connect with other people, whether they are sitting side-by-side or kilometers apart.

Getting Help and Returning the Favor: How You Can Work with Persons with Disabilities to Make Your Site Accessible

Tom — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 13:39:33 +0000

While working with people on the accessibility of their site, I noticed one common concern. It’s very difficult to see for yourself what the problem is.

When people try to examine the accessibility of their site, they usually go “Hey, this seems easy to navigate. I can quickly find the stuff I need. What’s wrong with my site?”

Of course you can always ask a consultant to find out the site’s accessibility problems. But your web site is your baby, and before hiring one, you want to know for yourself what needs to be improved.

In reality, the only true way to be able to know the accessibility problems of something is to see it through the perspective of a person with a disability. Trying to use a site through the perspective of persons with disabilities can indeed help you better understand their needs. But there’s an even better way, and you can do this by...

What Can a Musical Genius Teach Us About Accessibility?

Tom — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 16:08:33 +0000

I was listening to Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony last Sunday. And as I enjoyed the beautiful melodies, I remembered a radio documentary I heard several years ago about this man of music.

A huge part of that documentary focused on how Beethoven was still able to compose music at a time when he was completely deaf. And you know what? Beethoven’s techniques were not only interesting, but they also present something important we can all learn.

Accessibility News Service

Tom — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 13:13:38 +0000

One of the best resources on accessibility news on the net is http://www.accessibilitynewsinternational.com. I've been reading it for quite a while now, I thought I would share it with you.

Web Accessibility Benefits Persons with Disabilities and ... Who Else?

Tom — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 15:42:14 +0000

Who are the people that come to mind when you work on the accessibility of your site? Your answer would definitely be persons with disabilities, right? True enough, if your web site is accessible, this huge and loyal group of readers and potential customers would visit you often.

This however doesn’t end there. I invite you to read on and get to know another important group of people who can benefit from web accessibility.

The Challenges of Deaf Blind Internet Users

admin — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 12:27:35 +0000

Without your eyesight and sense of hearing, you may think you’d be unable to browse the Internet, let alone use the computer.

Our friend Ruby has however proven that a day of a deaf blind person can include these activities. Yet although deaf blind persons like Ruby have the assistive technologies they need in surfing the Net, they still find difficulty in accessing certain web sites.

Here, Ruby joins us one more time and shows us the challenges faced by deaf blind persons as they use the Internet.

How People With Autism Use the Computer

Tom — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 12:55:56 +0000

Autism has been mistakenly described as a disorder that traps the person and the mind in a solitary world. We now know that this is not true. While autism can give rise to problems in social interaction, communication, and cognitive and motor difficulties, there’s so much that assistive technology can do to help people with autism live functional lives.

Computers are one of the most adaptable assistive technology devices available for people with autism. Contrary to what many people think, computers are perfect for people with autism because of the predictability of its responses and its capability to conduct communication through symbols and synthesized speech.

There are several adaptive computer hardware and software available which could help people with autism use the computer more effectively.

A Workbook to Help You Make Your Site More Accessible

Tom — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 13:18:34 +0000

For popular request, I put a workbook together which gives you easy to follow instructions to make your web site much more accessible to people with disabilities. Very often people ask me what can they do to make a site more accessible. Usually I find that their concern is that accessibility is too complex or overwhelming.

Hands-Free Computing: A Look at Voice Recognition Systems

Tom — Mon, 31 May 2010 23:19:52 +0000

We’ve all become so familiar with the rhythmic clacking of our keyboard and the clicking of the mouse. These sounds have accompanied us as we rushed to finish that report and as we leisurely browsed our favorite social networks.

Things however would be a lot different if you couldn’t use your hands to type or click. But you nonetheless would still want to use your computer, right? So how would you be able to do this without your hands?

One of the best possible answers to this is to use a voice recognition system. Here, we’ll look at what this technology is, how it works, and what its applications are.

Sign Language Used in Technology

Tom — Fri, 28 May 2010 13:30:34 +0000

We all know that sign language is used by people who are deaf and hard of hearing to communicate with other persons. But while this form of communication is essential to this group, only a small percentage of hearing people know this language.

To address this issue, developers of technologies have created ways to use sign language in software and similar products. Below we offer a glimpse of some of these assistive technologies. You may be surprised by how innovative these products are.

The Challenges of People with Cognitive Disabilities Using the Internet

Tom — Thu, 27 May 2010 13:32:54 +0000

“Provide good content” is what many people say in order to increase your site rankings and convert your readers to customers. So you work to create the most informative and interesting articles out there.

But you must know that there are people whose comprehension is different from yours. What’s basic and simple to you may be too complex to others. How can you be sure that everyone would understand your content?

Here, we give you the answer by discussing the challenges faced by Internet users with cognitive disabilities. Joining us is Tristan, our friend who shared with us A Day in the Life of a Person with a Cognitive Disability. For each challenge below, we provide a solution to help people such as Tristan as they use your web site.

What is Internet Addiction and How Do You Overcome it?

Tom — Wed, 26 May 2010 21:42:48 +0000

It starts with a few harmless minutes of surfing the World Wide Web. You eventually become engrossed in surfing the Net and begin to do it more frequently. And if this is not managed and controlled at once, it may turn into a harmful habit that can affect your work or studies, social life, and even your health.

This disorder known as Internet addiction can affect anyone of us who uses the computer and the World Wide Web. We believe it is therefore important to identify its causes and symptoms, and the ways to treat this addiction.

4 Easy Steps to Make Your Site More Usable to Older People

Tom — Tue, 25 May 2010 02:40:51 +0000

When you find a huge population of Internet users, you definitely want to target them and make them want to visit your site. And one of the major groups that many web developers are aiming to target is that of the aging population.

More and more senior citizens are using the Internet at a regular basis. And no matter what your niche is, you can be sure that there will always be older people who would find your site and would want to read what you have in store.

This is more than enough reason to make your site more usable and accessible to the aging population. So to help you get started, here are 4 easy steps to make your site usable and accessible to older people.

Google Fixed the Accessibility Problem

Tom — Sat, 22 May 2010 02:14:07 +0000

Earlier I posted about how Google made its front page inaccessible to many people with disabilities. In the meantime, the problem got resolved, but this is not the end of story.

Just to recap, what happened was ten seconds after opening the Google front page, a sound started playing. It made it next to impossible for blind people to navigate the page with their screen reader. When you hear music, it is hard to understand your screen reader.

First of all, I would like to express my appreciation to Google that they have resolved this issue. However, there are still some things to talk about here.

Google Slaps People with Disabilities in the Face

Tom — Fri, 21 May 2010 19:21:05 +0000

Note: several hours after I wrote this post, Google fixed the accessibility problem. However, this is not a happy end. You can read my reflections about it.

How funny, if you go to Google, you can play the Pacman game from the main page. But it is not that much fun for all people.

Just picture this situation: blind people, who use their computer with a screen reader start hearing some sound, and later a siren after about ten seconds. Guess what happens, this is what they will have to listen to, instead of their screen readers reading the page to them. Or, at least, hopefully they will hear it well enough to navigate away.

The Challenges of Internet Users with Low or limited Vision

Tom — Wed, 19 May 2010 23:36:54 +0000

Once or twice while surfing the Net, you may have felt your eyesight become blurred or find it hard to focus on the screen. This is normally not a problem as you can always rest for a while to regain your perfect vision. But try to imagine yourself having limited vision all the time. What do you think are the challenges you may face as you browse web pages? How can they be solved?

The answers to these questions as well as additional related information are what we’ll focus on in this post. As you may know, we’re running a series about the challenges of Internet users with disabilities. This is the third installment in that series of posts.

Our friend Marvin will help us in identifying the common problems faced by low vision individuals. You may remember Marvin as that guy who shared with us A Day of a Low Vision Person. Let’s see what he’s been up to lately.

How Can the Computer be Harmful to You?

Tom — Mon, 17 May 2010 11:54:02 +0000

In most of our articles, we discuss the importance of making technologies accessible. While doing so, we talk a lot about compensating for all types of disabilities.

However, we’d also like you to know that there is a lot you can do to avoid long-term health issues which would later require you to use technologies for people with disabilities.

Below we discuss these computer-related health issues and how you can minimize and avoid their negative effects.

Can Blind People See?

Tom — Sat, 15 May 2010 20:09:37 +0000

Before you think I went totally crazy, let me explain where this question is coming from. Recently I was checking this blog's traffics statistics, and I found that somebody asked this same question in Google, which led to this blog: "Can blind people see?". First, I thought it is just some nonsense, they can't. That's why they are blind. but the more I thought about it, maybe for some reason somebody asked this question in all sincerity, so let me answer it.

When somebody is blind, there are whole lot of things which are given for many, but the lack of sight takes it away. By default, blind people are not able to enjoy many things which eye-sight provides. They cannot enjoy a harmony of colors, cannot explore the environment farther than their arms' reach, they cannot read regular print books, etc. However, as these things are very important to function in life, many technologies were developed to compensate for the lack of site. Here I will discuss some, and will provide links for additional reading.

The Importance of Adding Captions to Your Facebook Photos

Tom — Fri, 14 May 2010 13:19:15 +0000

Recently, a friend of mine told me that he was at this party and was talking to a group of people. They were talking about the pictures they uploaded in Facebook, and my friend asked if everyone has seen his profile picture.

Most of the group agreed and said nice things about the picture. But my friend suddenly realized that there was one person who couldn’t get what they were talking about. That person is blind so she couldn’t see the photo. After a short awkward pause, my friend started to explain what the photo was about. Although his blind friend appreciated his efforts, my friend admitted the situation made him feel quite ashamed.

What would you do if you were in this situation? You’d most probably feel awkward too. But with a bit more attention to your Facebook pictures, you can avoid these situations and ensure that everyone can enjoy your photos. This is done simply by adding captions to your Facebook pictures.

Show Your Facebook Friends Your Support for Web Accessibility

Tom — Wed, 12 May 2010 20:40:01 +0000

I just want to kindly invite you to check out our Facebook page and add it to the pages you like.

By simply clicking on the “Like” link, you’ll be able to:

Do Blind People Use a Special Keyboard?

Tom — Tue, 11 May 2010 13:53:44 +0000

This is one of the most common question asked by sighted people when they meet or hear about blind computer users. Here, I’ll not only answer this question, but I’ll discuss where it may have come from. I’ll also add in some interesting facts along the way.

What Do We Mean by Accessibility?

Tom — Sun, 09 May 2010 23:39:18 +0000

Recently I have received several comments about the fact that I use the word "accessibility" on this site and it seems to be very technical. Some people expressed that they are really not sure what it is. So, in this post, I would like to shed some light on this concept.

The Challenges of Deaf Internet Users

Tom — Sun, 09 May 2010 14:19:51 +0000

This is the second post in a series about the challenges of persons with disabilities in using the Internet. Previously, we talked about the challenges blind people are facing when trying to access web sites.

Here, we’ll focus on a disability group which most people think doesn’t have any problems surfing the Net. I’m talking about persons who are deaf and hard of hearing. Many people think that since deaf people can see the contents of a web page, they wouldn’t have problems accessing any site.

Let’s find out if that is true. Our friend Peter, who shared with us A Day of a Deaf Person, joins us in this post.

How Do Blind People Read a Web Page?

Tom — Sat, 08 May 2010 13:32:20 +0000

We all know by now that blind people love accessible web sites. But what most people are wondering about is how exactly do blind people surf the Net in the first place. Do they browse web sites like sighted people? Do they have different techniques?

Here, we’ll explain in detail how blind persons read and navigate web pages. Helping us out in this discussion is Ed. Ed is totally blind and is currently learning how to read web pages. Today he wants to visit a few web sites, but first, there is something he needs to run in his computer.

Rosa Parks Is Not Done Teaching Us

Tom — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 13:44:01 +0000

What if I told you that Rosa Parks was just making a fuss about sitting at the front of the bus? Didn't the bus take her where she wanted to go anyway? Couldn't black kids walk to school when the school bus wasn't available to them? They all made it, right? So why did Rosa parks still become a symbol of the Civil Rights Movement? The answer is simple, because it is not enough just to get there. It is also important that we should not be discriminated against based on anything, we should have equal rights in a democracy.

Fifty-five years later, believe it or not, we are dealing with the same thing. Instead of African-Americans, we are discriminating against people with disabilities. Namely, there is no such legislation that would require web sites to be accessible equally to all people, including those with disabilities. One out of six people in the United States in average is cut off from lots of information because the designers did not put any effort into making it accessible to all. Fifty-five years after Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus, we still have hidden discrimination in our society, because we lack the understanding of what people's needs are. We believe in the existence of equality so much that we fail to reevaluate our situation and neglect to see that something is going wrong, or if anything is getting out of hand.

How Blind People Identify Color

Tom — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 22:28:01 +0000

It’s so easy for us to rely on colors to enjoy our activities and do our tasks, that we often take this ability for granted. But without this basic ability, you would find that the simplest of tasks can become very difficult.

There are, however, techniques and devices that can help you if you can’t recognize colors. Below we look at the most common ones and discuss their strong points and issues.

Do I Have to Learn Programming to Make My Site Accessible?

Tom — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 15:31:57 +0000

“Web accessibility? Sounds like a technical thing! I think I have to learn programming for it, right?”

Well, the answer to this relies on a few factors. Here we will take a Look at each one to help you figure out the answer for yourself.

Blogging Against Disablism Day 2010

Tom — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 16:21:09 +0000

Last year I have participated in the Blogging Against Disablism Day. It is a day on May 1st, when bloggers blog about their thoughts on disability discrimination. This year, I will participate again.

Why Is Braille on Drive-Through ATMs?

Tom — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 16:34:11 +0000

Have you wondered why is there Braille on a drive-through ATM machine? Blind people, after all, won't drive there to use it.

The answer is not legislation, even though in general ATMs have to be accessible to people with disabilities. The solution is cost effectiveness.

Receive A Free Web Accessibility Review And Hundreds of Links to Your Site

Tom — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 18:12:26 +0000

Throughout recent discussions with the blog readers, I found that small business owners or bloggers would love to make their web sites accessible to people with disabilities, but they don't have the finances. Today, I am starting a contest, where you can win a free accessibility review of your site every month. I would like to help these people by providing a free review of their web site. I would like to achieve two things with this initiative. Help one person a month to make a more accessible web site, as well as contribute to a more accessible internet to people with disabilities.

Here is how it works:

I will reward people who contribute to this web site by leaving comments on the different posts.

Web Accessibility: A Good Personal Development Strategy

Tom — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 01:05:33 +0000

Your web site is not the only one that will benefit from web accessibility.

Yes it’s true that accessibility can improve a site’s compliance with international standards and its search engine rankings. However, practicing web accessibility can also cause improvements in you as a person.

Here, I’ll discuss how making your web site accessible can actually help you develop your personality.

Web Accessibility in New Zealand

Tom — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 02:30:30 +0000

Hearing the name New Zealand may often conjure up thoughts of beautiful scenery and highly developed cities. However, New Zealand is also a country of equal opportunity and equal access. And this is best shown by its efforts to make the World Wide Web accessible to everyone including persons with disabilities.

Here, we will take a look at how New Zealand works to improve the accessibility of its web sites. We will talk about legislation and standards made by the New Zealand government to ensure that its sites are as accessible and as visitor-friendly as its top destinations.

The Challenges of Blind Internet Users

Tom — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 16:42:31 +0000

This is the first post in a series focusing on the challenges of persons with disabilities in using the Internet.

If you have read several of my posts, you’d know by now that blind people can indeed browse the Internet. If this is your first time here in Even Grounds, you can check out our post about how blind people use the computer. Remember to return to this post after reading that article.

Below we will talk about some of the issues faced by blind people as they browse specific websites. I’ve also included possible solutions you can take to make sure your site wouldn’t have these accessibility-related problems.

Joining us in this discussion is Lisa, the lady we met in the post entitled A Day Through the Eyes of a Blind Woman.

A Magazine Commentary on Accessible Porn: Literally, a “Touchy” Subject

Tom — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:25:41 +0000

You probably saw this coming around, didn’t you? Accessible web sites, movies, videos, and now, pornography!

We here at Even Grounds strongly believe in making entertainment accessible, and yes, this includes forms of entertainment that may be a bit “excitingly erotic”, if we may say so.

How to Caption Videos in YouTube

Tom — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 22:46:31 +0000

You’ve uploaded an awesome video to YouTube. You found a very good opportunity to talk about it in a conference, and you are happy because most of the people like it too. But you notice a particular group who couldn’t quite agree with you.

You find out that the group consisted of persons who are deaf and hard of hearing. Thinking for a few minutes, you realized that although deaf people could see the video, they can’t hear the audio, which incidentally plays a major part in the video’s excellence.

What are you going to do then? Well, if you truly value your efforts and would like everyone to enjoy what you did, you would provide captions for your video.

Captions in your YouTube video are very helpful to your viewers. This feature enables persons with hearing impairments to understand the spoken parts of your video. Captions also help hearing people who prefer reading content instead of listening to it, and those who wish to learn a new language.

Here are the steps in captioning your videos in YouTube. You may be surprised that this seemingly complex task only involves common web browsing procedures, not to mention it would also greatly enhance the accessibility of your video content.

NVDA: A Free Alternative to Screen Readers

Tom — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 20:32:29 +0000

It’s amazing how a software application can change the lives of people who are blind or have visual impairments. But this is exactly what screen readers do. These programs provide blind and visually impaired people a way to use a commodity which sighted people often take for granted – the computer.

Yet as useful and life-changing as they are, screen readers can be very very costly. If you want to purchase one of the screen readers in the market, you should be ready to spend hundreds even thousands of dollars. But there, however, is a free alternative screen reader known as NVDA. Let us take a look at what NVDA is and what makes it unique from other screen readers.

When Should You Provide Transcription?

Tom — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 12:23:38 +0000

In Benefits of Audio Transcription to Accessibility, I told you about the advantages of providing text transcripts of your site’s audio content. Now, let us take a look at when you should actually create text transcripts for your audio files. This also applies to video content in your site.

How Accessible is the iPad to Persons With Disabilities?

Tom — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 15:00:58 +0000

Just recently, Apple has released the iPad. The iPad is a mobile tablet computer that has wi-fi, 3G, media player, and other featured applications. Since its release, a lot of people have wanted to get their hands on this new device. People with disabilities, one of Apple’s most loyal markets, of course want to join in the fun too. The first question that comes into mind though, is iPad accessibility.

But how accessible is the iPad for persons with disabilities anyway? Below we take a look at what the iPad has in store for specific disability groups when it comes to accessibility.

Web Accessibility in Korea

Tom — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 21:47:00 +0000

The Asian region is certainly becoming a driving force in promoting web accessibility in its countries and around the world. A nation that best exemplifies this is Korea. Apart from being a developed country whose economy is one of the largest in Asia, Korea has also made significant progress in terms of providing web access to its disabled communities.

Here, we will take a look at Korea’s web accessibility guidelines, and the groups in Korea that advocate web accessibility. We will also look at the Korean laws and regulations focused on web accessibility.

A Day in the Life of a Person with a Cognitive Disability

Tom — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 23:53:18 +0000

Talk to someone about disabilities and I can assure you that normally, that person would at once think of wheelchair users or blind people. But although these are major disability groups, there is also one group which is less recognized yet is as equally significant as the ones mentioned above.

This group consists of persons with cognitive disabilities. People who have this type of disabilities have limitations in their ability to perceive, recognize, understand, and/or respond to information.

Here, we will provide you with a close look at someone who has this disability, the challenges he faces, and how he uses technology to lead a productive and independent life.

Web Accessibility Fears and Ways to Conquer Them

Tom — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 21:32:47 +0000

In The Fear of Making Web Sites Accessible, I asked you what held you back from improving your site’s accessibility. I received many excellent responses in the comment section, and I do hope you can check it out if you haven’t done so.

Here, I’ve compiled five fears which I’ve heard from people over the months and have included the ways to overcome them. You may or may not have these fears, but I can assure you that you’ll find something of interest in the discussions below.

Learning About Web Accessibility Through Everyday Tasks

admin — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 01:54:17 +0000

A few days ago, I was observing the tasks and chores my friends and I were doing. I wasn’t particularly thinking of accessibility at that time, but an interesting thought came to me.

Web accessibility has many similarities with the activities we carry out from time to time.

Below I’d like to share some of the analysis I’ve come up and hopefully provide you with a different look at making your website accessible.

A Day of A Deaf Blind Person

Tom — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:55:45 +0000

Having a disability can truly affect many aspects of a person’s life. But try to ask yourself this: What if you had, not one, but two disabilities? You may probably think to yourself, “I’d most likely just stay at home and have someone to take care of me 24/7.”

You are not the only one having this opinion, as many people would think of the same thing. But let us read on and find out if this would really be the case.

When Sound is not an Option: A review of Vibrating Devices for Deaf People

Tom — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:47:35 +0000

In most electronic devices today, sound is included as a primary or secondary feature. This provides a good deal of convenience for users as it enables them to be aware of certain events without looking at the device.

However, sound may not be that useful for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. So to solve this issue, providers of electronic devices have thought of an ingenious feature that can be used when sound is not a good option. This feature incorporates vibration which is activated during specific events.

A Day of A Deaf Person

Tom — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:02:48 +0000

Imagine yourself without the ability to hear, not even the slightest sound. How would you carry out your daily tasks and activities? What would you do to complete them properly?

We’ll try to answer these questions and much more by following a person with a hearing disability for one day. We will focus on how he uses technology in his daily life.

Closed-Circuit Televisions

Tom — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:31:04 +0000

It is interesting to know that a particular technology can serve more than one purpose. Take for instance the concept of closed-circuit televisions. Originally designed for surveillance and industrial processes, closed-circuit televisions or CCTVs have been proven to be useful for people with visual impairments.

Here, we will focus on how CCTVs can help visually impaired persons in carrying out daily reading tasks.

A Day Through The Eyes of A Low Vision Person: Part 2

Tom — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:19:30 +0000

In part 1, we saw how Marvin, a guy with low vision, starts his day, goes to school and does the typical tasks of a student. We saw how he uses technologies to help him do the stuff he would otherwise find very difficult due to his low vision.

Let’s now follow him as he continues his day at the university.

How Screen Magnification Systems Work

Tom — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:22:29 +0000

Being comfortable in looking at the screen is very important when using the computer. For people with perfect vision, this does not pose a concern. But for people with limited or low vision, it may be difficult to see images and regular text on the screen.

An application known as a screen reader can provide the needed solution for people with visual impairments. Here, we will take a look at what a screen magnifier is, and how it helps persons with low vision.

A Day of A Low Vision Person

Tom — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:01:02 +0000

Through the last three weeks, we followed Lisa, who is a blind woman, and examined how she uses technology to help her. Today, we will start talking about people with low vision.

When talking about sight-related disabilities, most people would quickly think of blind individuals. There is, however, another similar disability, and it involves limited or low vision. A low vision individual does not have perfect eyesight, but at the same time, he cannot be considered as totally blind.

We’ll find out more about this disability by following a person having this visual impairment. Here, we will take a look at the disability-related issues he encounters and how he uses mainstream and assistive technologies to solve these issues.

What Is A Braille Display And How It Is Used

Tom — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 13:43:53 +0000

Reading your electronic documents using your hands instead of your eyes may sound almost impossible. However, this is actually what many blind persons do. This is done through a device known as a Braille display.

Braille displays are hardware that enable users to read in Braille the text displayed on the computer screen. Using this device, blind people can navigate through the computer’s desktop, create and edit documents, and browse the Internet.

A Day Through The Eyes of a Blind Woman: Part 3

Tom — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 13:50:00 +0000

In part 2, we followed Lisa, a blind woman and examined what kind of challenges she faces using everyday technologies, such as the computer, a mobile phone, the internet, or just reading the menu in a restaurant. In this part, we will see how Lisa does her groceries, reads the mail, or watches movies.

How Blind People Identify Paper Money

Tom — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 13:17:23 +0000

Before you pay for a movie ticket or for a new pair of shoes, you would always make sure you’re handing the seller the right amount. This is really simple, you just have to give a quick look at your money, take out the right amount, and that's it.

But for people who cannot see, this becomes a difficult task. Here, we will talk about the problem faced by blind people, and discuss the possible solutions for this issue.

Is Braille Still Useful Today?

Tom — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:39:14 +0000

We just looked at what is Braille, and how it is used in modern technologies. Now, let's see if Braille is in practice a good idea, or worth using for blind people.

Recently, we have seen a significant decline in Braille literacy among blind people in the U.S, and also in some other countries. At the same time, we have seen instances wherein blind people attain success in education and employment. This led to the belief that blind persons can now do without Braille.

Let us find out if Braille is indeed something which the blind can live without.

Using Braille in Modern Technologies

Tom — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 16:05:50 +0000

After taking a look at what Braille is, let us find out its current status and the interesting innovations related to this reading and writing system for the blind.

What is Braille And How It Was Created

Tom — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:10:05 +0000

The widely accepted definition of Braille is that it is a touch reading and writing system for the blind and visually impaired. This may be clear and straightforward enough. But looking past this definition, we will find that Braille offers so much more than just a way for blind people to read and write. We will also see that behind this system lies a story of hope, perseverance, and ingenuity.

A Day Through The Eyes of a Blind Woman: Part 2

Tom — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 13:11:51 +0000

In part 1, we followed Lisa, a blind woman and examined what kind of challenges she faces using everyday technologies, such as a coffee maker, an alarm clock or a microwave. In this part, we will follow Lisa to work and see how she uses her computer, her mobile phone, or how she orders from a restaurant.

A Brutal Murder Attempt of ORCA

Tom — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:12:39 +0000

After the Oracle's acquisition of Sun, one of the first decisions to make was to fire Willie Walker, the ORCA project lead. ORCA is a Linux based screen reader, which became very famous and popular among visually impaired people. Sun had a strong commitment to support ORCA in so many ways to offer screen reader users another option, a wider choice of operating systems.

While it is practically possible to use Linux with screen readers, in the past it had been very difficult, many people used a terminal solution and accessed their Linux machine through another computer. ORCA made it possible to directly use a Linux machine, and eventually got it to a point where visually impaired people could use it as their primary system.

Electronic Textbooks Must Be Available in California by 2020

Tom — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:45:10 +0000

According to recent legislation, companies that sell textbooks in California must make digital versions of the books available by 2020. Senator Elaine Alquist, the author of the law claims that it will significantly reduce costs for students.

I'm mostly scratching my head: what's the point here? And don't get me wrong, I appreciate the effort, but there's really nothing more to it.

Call Center Employs 1000 Blind People in Moscow

Tom — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 19:32:03 +0000

Just recently I read an article about a call center in Moscow which employs 1000 blind and visually impaired people.

I am a proponent of fully integrating disabled people into regular environment, thus making them fully participate in society. However, this is not always an immediate possibility, so let's see what this story really has between the lines.

A Day Through the Eyes of a Blind Woman

Tom — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:16:42 +0000

Let's look at an ordinary day with the eyes of a blind person. There is so much to take for granted which is not given to others, for example, because they can't see. What happens with people who are totally blind? All of a sudden, many things are done very differently. Sometimes, accessible technologies will solve the problem. This includes any technology which can be used equally well by those who can see and those who can't. In other cases, special technologies need to be used to achieve the same that others do just by using their sight. This is technology which is specifically developed for blind people.

Let's follow a blind person through a whole work day. For the sake of the example, we will call her Lisa.

We will examine how technology helps Lisa throughout her whole day. We will not discuss anything else, but instances, where information technology can help her. We won't look at any other issues she might be facing. There are many more challenges we could talk about, but in order to overcome those, information technology itself will not solve the problem. In this post, I will only demonstrate how much information technology can make a difference.

Web Accessibility Seminar in Manila, Philippines

Tom — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:22:47 +0000

Right after the web accessibility workshop in Malaysia, we conducted another web accessibility seminar, this time in the Philippines. This event was a joint effort of Even Grounds and ATRIEV Computer School for the Blind.

Accessibility in the Philippines is gradually being recognized by more and more groups in the country. Through events such as this, we aim to further establish web accessibility as a standard and help present and future web developers create more accessible websites.

Da Vinci's Ginevra de' Benci at The National Gallery of Art

Tom — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 22:30:19 +0000

A couple of weeks ago I have explored the possibilities of making visual art accessible. Since then I put much more thought into it, and today I wanted to see how the National Gallery of Art does it. With the family we went to the Gallery, and looked at Leonardo da Vinci's Ginevra de' Benci. Following the link to the title you will find the painting, which opens in a new window.

The First Web Accessibility Workshop in Sabah, Malaysia

Tom — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 01:38:19 +0000

We have just finished conducting the first web accessibility workshop in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. This is the third web accessibility workshop Even Grounds has conducted in the country. It was a very good experience for us, and we are hoping that more individuals in Malaysia are now aware of the importance of web accessibility.

Can Visual Art Be Made Accessible?

Tom — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 01:16:32 +0000

Whether it is a simple drawing of a tree or an intricate painting of a forest, visual art definitely mesmerizes all of us. And through the power of the Internet, we can now access paintings, drawings, and other forms of visual art more easily.

But here’s a thought: How can you appreciate visual art if you cannot see it? Would there still be a way for you to enjoy what others are seeing?

Developers' Corner

Tom — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:21:04 +0000

For the request of site visitors, Even Grounds will host a new series, called Developers' corner. Until now we have targeted two audiences.

People who are making accessibility decisions in their organization
People, who have never heard about accessibility and disabilities, but they would like to understand it better, either for their own education, or for making a difference in people's lives, hopefully both. We are trying to help with the blog.

From now on, we will actively reach out to developers and help them design accessible web sites, web applications and software.

Ordering from a Restaurant without a Menu

Tom — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 04:12:13 +0000

Imagine yourself going to your favorite restaurant. You like the ambience and you immediately find a comfortable spot for your own. Everything is going well until you receive the menu but you can’t read it. Think about it. What would you do? Would you ask the waiter about the available meals? Would you get frustrated and just look for another restaurant?

This is actually a common scenario for blind people. Oftentimes, they would go to a restaurant and they do not get a menu they can read.

Why Should You Follow Me on Twitter?

Tom — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 16:32:43 +0000

Almost a year ago, I started actively using twitter. I wanted to use another channel to provide people with accessibility related information. In this post I would like to share with you what you are getting if you decide to follow me, @tbabinszki

Win a $20 Gift Card Just By Tweeting a Message

Tom — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:10:09 +0000

Even Grounds is in the holiday spirit. We would like to give you a $20 gift card. Recently, our WCAG 2.0 tutorial was posted.

How Can You Promote Accessibility in Your Organization?

Tom — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 03:24:26 +0000

Similar to most types of tasks, supporting and implementing accessibility in a company could be done successfully if all the group’s members would carry out their own responsibilities.

In this post, we will take a look at what each member of an organization or company can do to improve the accessibility of information, products, or services.

Accessible Web Conferences

Tom — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:00:32 +0000

Web conferences provide a convenient option of participating in an event while people are not physically present in the venue. But this technology is more than an option to persons with disabilities. Web conferences present a valuable means for persons with disabilities to join events they might otherwise not be able to attend due to their impairments.

It is therefore a good idea to make sure that the web conferences you would create would be accessible to this group of Internet users. Similarly, if you are acquiring the services of web conference providers, you should also see to it that the service you would get is accessible for persons with disabilities.

Here are some of the major features an accessible web conference should have, and three accessible conferencing solutions to get you started.

Encontro Internacional de Tecnologia: Sao Paulo, Brazil

Tom — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 23:42:02 +0000

Greetings from Brazil. I'm currently attending the Encontro Internacional de Tecnologia conference. This conference explores how to obtain and promote assistive technology in Brazil. I was invited to speak about assistive technologies, where I discussed the relation of assistive technologies and accessible mainstream technologies.

Stevie Wonder Becomes UN Messenger of Peace: a personal reflection

Tom — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:59:23 +0000

On this international day of Persons with Disabilities, Stevie Wonder was named to be a UN Messenger of Peace. So, let this be an unusual post celebrating this event, instead of tearing this event apart, I would like to share a couple of personal memories I have about Stevie.

Accessibility in the Philippines

Julius — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 03:15:45 +0000

We are getting ready to teach an accessibility course in the Philippines. To provide more information about the country, read the situation about accessibility. As a developing Asian country, the Philippines realizes the importance of accessibility to its disabled citizen. In this blog post, we will take a look at the present situation of accessibility in this country.

Limitations of Web Accessibility

Tom — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:14:31 +0000

Many documents have been written about web accessibility. This is only appropriate as web accessibility covers a considerably large amount of topics. However, similar to any principle, web accessibility also has its set of limitations.

Here, we will try to point out those limitations in order for you to better understand web. Accessibility. It is important to note though that experts are presently working on these issues to address or improve them.

Blind People Want to Play, Too

Tom — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:05:01 +0000

Alexander Stern filed a lawsuit against Sony because according to ADA the company does not make games more accessible. And before we shrug this off by saying that they can't make blind people see anyway, let's look at some of the implications.

Will Section 508 Be Taken More Seriously?

Tom — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 02:32:09 +0000

Just recently, the National Federation of the Blind filed the third Section 508 related complaint in a row. Will this change how seriously Section 508 compliance will be taken?

Accessibility Is Not Only for the Technically Knowledgeable

Tom — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:39:59 +0000

It is true that in order to make technology accessible, you may need to perform
complex procedures and modifications to the technology. But this doesn’t mean that
you can’t do anything if you don’t know how to perform the required standard
procedures and tasks. Even if you do not have much technical knowledge, you can
still help a lot in making technology accessible.

Petition to Google to Develop Accessible Sites

Tom — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 05:32:59 +0000

Just recently, Mike Gifford (@mgifford) started a petition to google for developing more accessible sites. Gifford is asking google to create standards compliant, accessible sites, to set an example as google code and design is often copied by developers. But let's see what happened behind the scenes.

Accessibility Conference Reviews

Tom — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:59:51 +0000

Have you ever found yourself in one of the following situations?

You wanted to go to a conference, but you weren't sure which is the best one?
You went to a conference and liked it so much that you want to tell people about it?
You went to a conference and found out that it was not worth the budget you have devoted to it?
You went to a conference which was great but something else would have benefited you more?

The new accessibility conference reviews should help you make a better informed decision next time before you decide on a trip.

Accessible Experts: Victor Tsaran The Yahoo! Accessibility Manager

Tom — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 20:50:54 +0000

I recently spoke with Victor Tsaran, who works as the accessibility manager at Yahoo!. I asked him about how he started to work with the company, what accessibility means to him personally and what Yahoo! does to ensure the accessibility of their products. Below, you can read what Victor says about the current Yahoo! accessibility work, and his testimony on how accessibility makes a difference in his own life.

Accessibility Camp DC

Tom — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 02:38:20 +0000

Recently I have been to so many conferences thinking that it wasn't worth going that the Accessibility Camp DC was really refreshing. It was a one day event in Washington DC, and hopefully it is the first of its kind.

What Can You Do to Make A Document More Accessible for People with Disabilities?

Tom — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 01:57:18 +0000

I receive documents of all formats on a daily basis. In many cases, these documents could easily be made much more accessible for people with disabilities with very little effort. I put together a checklist you could run through when you are done editing your document. See how much of a difference you can make in a matter of minutes. Better yet, once you get used to doing it, it will become second nature.

President Obama Keeps Another Promise for People with Disabilities

Tom — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 23:54:39 +0000

Earlier this year I wrote about President Obama's plans for people with disabilities. Today he announced another major step fulfilling his promise.

How to Continue Using The Computer When You Are Losing Your Vision

Tom — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:43:57 +0000

I have worked with many people who started losing their vision but still wanted to be able to use the computer. It is not to say that it is an easy task, but it is definitely possible to go through this challenge, and keep using the computer. Actually, the computer can be great to perform tasks which you were able to do with perfect vision.

1000 Subscribers On The Accessibility Tips And Tricks Newsletter

Tom — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 22:30:50 +0000

1000 Subscribers On The Accessibility Tips And Tricks Newsletter

I have started my Accessibility Tips and Tricks newsletter about a year ago. Today, I just would like to stop for a moment and thank my subscribers, as this week the 1000th reader has signed up.

I have designed these tips to be not longer than what you can display on a screen in an email message. Every other week, my users receive a short tip on making technology accessible to people with disabilities in their own lives, in their own environment.

The Fear of Making Web Sites Accessible

Tom — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 02:34:55 +0000

When I browse the web, more often than not I find sites which are not very accessible, or not accessible at all, for that matter. When I start a conversation with the site owner about it, without an exception they all agree that sites should be accessible for people with disabilities. That's when I don't hesitate to throw in a couple of ideas on how to achieve accessibility.

Accessible Experts: Dennis Lembree Talks About Accessible Twitter

Tom — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:55:34 +0000

In this blog I have talked about Accessible Twitter several times. In one of the posts, I have examined if mainstream sites or accessible solutions should be used, where I used Accessible Twitter as an example. After writing this post, I have contacted Dennis Lembree to shar his views. Read why and how Dennis decided to create Accessible Twitter.

A New Series: Accessible Experts

Tom — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:15:41 +0000

A new series on the Even Grounds blog, called Accessible Experts will introduce key players in the accessibility and disability industry. These people have greatly contributed to making technology accessible for people with disabilities, and made a tangible impact on their lives.

Airlines Exclude People with Disabilities from Obtaining Information and Entertainment Services

Tom — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 16:30:46 +0000

A recent international flight prompted me to explore the accessibility of information and technology on airlines. On international flights, it is common practice to have flight attendants who speak several languages to accommodate people who do not speak the local language. But who accommodates people with disabilities who need to have the same information?

The Obama Administration Will Sign The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Tom — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 22:41:59 +0000

As it was planned President Barack Obama declared his administration's intent to sign the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities today. The actual signing will take place in New York at the end of July.

President Barack Obama Plans To Sign UN Convention

Tom — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 17:58:30 +0000

On July 24, President Barack Obama plans to announce signing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. With this, the United States would be number 141 signing the Convention.

Resources In The City Of Alexandria For People With Disabilities

Tom — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:58:34 +0000

The Alexandria Commission
of Persons with Disabilities

is planning to release a list of products, services and resources which might help people with disabilities in the city of Alexandria, VA. I am tasked with doing this research.

One Year After The Accessibility Course In South East Asia

Tom — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:32:26 +0000

It was a year ago that I taught an accessibility course in South East Asia. Nine blind and visually impaired computer experts and teachers participated. We based the course on WCAG 2.0, which was not yet official at the time. Students who graduated the course has made a great progress towards promoting accessibility in the region. Here I will outline what happened in the last year after the course. If you are not familiar with the project, read the paper I have presented at the CSUN conference in March, 2009.

Captioning And Subtitles

Tom — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:12:00 +0000

There are many multimedia products which hearing impaired people are not able to use by default because of the sound content. These could be videos, or audio recordings. In order to make these materials accessible to them, it is necessary to provide a textual alternative for audio information.

How Does Audio Description Work?

Tom — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:45:52 +0000

Audio description is used by those who cannot see what happens on the screen. Videos normally provide more information than what can be percieved through sound. Audio description is used to communicate this information.

The Difficulties Of Finding An Accessible Movie

Tom — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:22:20 +0000

Up until recently, I thought that "let's watch a movie" could be an easy-to-implement, innocent idea. It still is, if the group you suggest it to can hear, can see, climb the steps and does not have a dietary restriction. But what happens, if certain members of a group lack all of the above, and you want to make sure that all are invited, all can enjoy it, and all have a good time. Now, this requires some planning.

Blog Review: The Obama Administration And Disabilities

Tom — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:00:58 +0000

Recently I came across Mark Miller's blog, Special Needs Truth '08 in which he closely followes the Obama Administrations policies and achievements in connection with people with disabilities.

Digital TV Transition And Its Impact On People With Disabilities

Tom — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:14:00 +0000

Television has undergone a historic shift. From June 12th, 2009, onward, all television programs in the United States are being broadcast digitally. Do you have satellite or cable television? Do you have a television that has a built-in digital tuner? Then, for you, June 12th, 2009, was a day just like the one before it and after it.

Mainstream Sites Or Accessible Solutions

Tom — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:54:39 +0000

Recently I wrote about Accessible Twitter and an accessible CAPTCHA solution. Both solutions were developed because a mainstream application is not accessible for people with disabilities, so people stepped up to come up with a quick solution. In case of Twitter, a site was developed to provide people with disabilities with a more accessible browsing experience. In case of the CAPTCHA, a solution was developed because many web sites offer an image verification system which is not accessible. The question is if it is a good idea to approach accessibility from the back door with such solutions.

The New iPhone 3G S Provides More Support For People With Disabilities

Tom — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 01:52:02 +0000

On June 8, 2009 Apple has announced the new, iPhone 3G S it's newest iPhone. Instead of reviewing the features, I will discuss why is it a great advancement in the field of accessibility. Apple has implemented many accessibility features into it, which might become a large breakthrough for people to access mainstream, off the shelf products, without having to use extra assistive technologies.

Human Aided Accessible CAPTCHA: Solona

Tom — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 06:00:00 +0000

Just recently I have come across a new solution to make CAPTCHA accessible, called Solona. The idea is that where you find a CAPTCHA on a site you cannot solve, you copy your screen into a picture file, send it to Solona, and they will solve the image for you instantly.

How Can You Help When A Friend Or Family Member Becomes Disabled

Tom — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:21:06 +0000

How Can You Help When Somebody Becomes Disabled In Your Environment?

You can often hear that due to an accident or illness, somebody becomes disabled. The most frequent question I get from people is that somebody just recently became disabled in their family or circle of friends and they would like to help, but they are not sure how. Either because they don't know what is the best thing to do, or they have an idea, but it appears to be very expensive.

How Do People With Cognitive Disabilities Use The Computer

Tom — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:13:04 +0000

One of the most frequently overlooked disabilities is cognitive disability. Often times, it is not even listed when talking about disabilities, and legislation does not cover it as other kinds of disabilities. Nevertheless, many people have cognitive disabilities, and the lack of accessibility makes it extremely difficult for them to use the computers.

How Do People Use The Computer Without Hands

Tom — Fri, 29 May 2009 13:52:02 +0000

There are people who have very limited ability to move their hands, or they cannot use their hands at all. Fortunately, computers are available to them as well. The combination of built in operating system functionality, voice recognition systems and switches among other assistive solutions can help them interact with their computer.

How Do Deaf Blind People Use The Computer

Tom — Tue, 26 May 2009 13:41:08 +0000

Things get more complex when a person has more than one disability. Let's examine what happens when a person is both deaf and blind. The major difficulty in this case is that while blind people are mostly compensated by technology through sound, deaf blind people cannot take advantage of these solutions.

The easiest way for deaf blind people to interact with technology is by touch. All visual and audible information should be converted into tactile information.

How Do Deaf People Use The Phone

Tom — Thu, 21 May 2009 13:41:21 +0000

After looking at how deaf people use the computer, let's see how can they use the telephone. Since the telephone originally is intended to rely on voice, it is much more complicated than using the computer.

How Do Deaf People Use The Computer

Tom — Mon, 18 May 2009 15:59:29 +0000

The use of computers for deaf people is much easier than it is for blind people. Much less accommodations are needed, and every day tasks are mostly available without any assistive technologies. Certain problems, however, do exist, which should be taken into consideration.

How Do Visually Impaired People Use The Computer

Tom — Fri, 15 May 2009 12:00:00 +0000

After examining how blind people use the computer let's see how people with limited vision do the same. For the sake of this post, we define visual impairment as the condition where the person is able to read or see anything on the screen, but not considered to have perfect vision. In some cases, the term "visually impaired" applies to people with all visual limitations, including blindness.

How Do Blind People Use Mobile Phones

Tom — Tue, 12 May 2009 17:21:36 +0000

For totally blind people in many ways, the use of cellular phones, especially the latest ones is somewhat similar to the use of computers. The biggest similarity is that most phones are difficult to be used without assistive technologies, or at least built-in accessibility functionalities. A more complex mobile phone requires some kind of a screen reader or a voice recognition system to function well for people who are totally blind.

How Do Blind People Use The Computer

Tom — Mon, 11 May 2009 17:09:57 +0000

For related information, also see how people with different disabilities use the computer.

Also, don't forget to download our free web accessibility workbook

People who are totally blind are absolutely not able to interact with the computer without assistive technologies. In order to overcome this barrier, they mostly use screen reader software and Braille displays.

In simple terms, a screen reader system speaks all the information in a human voice which comes on the screen as well as the text which is typed on the keyboard. A Braille display makes the same information appear on a Braille line which blind people can read with their fingers. You can also read more about how Braille displays work.

Sound Is Not Always Helpful For People Who Are Blind

Tom — Fri, 01 May 2009 11:39:01 +0000

Blogging Against Disablism Day

Probably you have encountered situations where you open a site, or activate a link and you hear something through the speaker. This sound can be just background noise, or information you were looking for. It is a commonly known fact that people who are blind make use information which is in the form of sound. But is it always helpful?

Twitter Operated By Brain Signals Only

Tom — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 15:15:44 +0000

At the University of Wisconsin, Adam Wilson tested an application which allows people to control Twitter with their brain signals. The user just needs to think of the letter and it is typed into Twitter. Adam Wilson put together pieces of technology which existed individually, and yet, it is a great invention for many reasons.

Blogging Against Disablism

Tom — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:54:01 +0000

I have just come across a very popular blog, which posted its initiative for the fourth year. The Diary of a Goldfish invites bloggers to blog about disability discrimination in order to "... raise awareness of inequality, promote equality ...". Bloggers are requested to post their pieces on May 1, 2009 which will be the fourth disablism day. I will certainly contribute an article that day. So far over 100 people committed to it.

English Braille Catholic Bible is Available For The First Time

Tom — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:56:40 +0000

For the first time, people who prefer reading Braille over any other alternatives, can read the Catholic Bible in Grade II English Braille. If I haven't dealt with this issue for years, I would have a hard time believing that it was not available before. But it is true. Many people did not have the luxury of reading the Bible of their choice in the format of their first preference.

CancelBubble, Web Content That Matters

Tom — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:20:45 +0000

Just recently I have come across a web site, cancelBubble, which actually featured one of my articles. This site is for web designers and web developers. It is a combination of social bookmarking, reference library, etc. The main goal of the site is to inform web designers about all issues which matter today. The content is put together by the users. For a more thorough description, read how the owner, Matt Hickerson describes his site.

Authors Guild Discourages Using Text-To-Speech On The Kindle 2

Tom — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:46:59 +0000

In February, 2009 Amazon released Kindle 2, its new electronic book reader. The device was able to use text-to-speech to read books aloud. Due to pressure from the Author's Guild, Amazon allows authors to disable this functionality, thus taking away information from millions of people who live with a disability.

The Braille Silver Dollar Is Released

Tom — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:57:53 +0000

Today, the US Mint released a silver Dollar with readable Braille on it. This is the first coin which contains Braille that people can read with their fingers.

Accessibility or Standards Compliance?

Tom — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 21:00:20 +0000

People often ask me what is more important, creating web sites which are fully accessible for people with disabilities, or ones which comply with local or national standards. There is a point to doing both, but probably a combination of the two works best.

Accessible Yahoo! widgets

Tom — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 06:00:00 +0000

A couple of days ago I have attended a presentation by Yahoo! discussing their User Interface Library, which contains a large number of widgets. This library has been very accessible over the years, but there is even more to come.

ATRIEV Needs Your Support

Tom — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 07:00:00 +0000

Adaptive Technology for Rehabilitation, Integration and Empowerment of the Visually Impaired (ATRIEV), is an organization in the Philippines doing wonderful service for blind and visually impaired people. I got to know them in connection with a course which I taught in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in June, 2008. I had several participants from ATRIEV, and I had a chance to learn about their services.

Accessible And Attractive Signs

Tom — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 07:00:00 +0000

I always keep telling people that in order to make something accessible, it is not necessary to compromise on the quality. Today I just saw another evidence for this. I went to FastSigns in Alexandria. Kirby showed me a couple of really impressive things.

WCAG 2.0 In Other Languages

Tom — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 19:08:40 +0000

Today the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative has announced that several authorized WCAG 2.0 translations are being developed. You can review the currently available translations.

A Nice CAPTCHA Solution

Tom — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 07:00:00 +0000

It has been a heated debate how to make sure that only humans can register on web pages, without permitting automated systems to do the same. A solution, called CAPTCHA was developed, but often times it is not accessible. If you are not familiar with this problem, read my article about it. There are many great solutions, I just came across one which I would like to share.

Accessible Twitter

Tom — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 19:40:06 +0000

These days we hear a lot about the accessibility of social networking sites. Some seem to be very accessible, like LinkedIn, some are making progress these days, like Facebook, and others are just not too usable for people with disabilities at all.

First Post

Tom — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 07:00:00 +0000

Over the last several years I was trying to stick out of the crowd by not writing a blog. I thought just because many people do it, I don't have to.

And finally, I gave in, I found a reason to write one. Or, a reason found me?