by Lance H. Hegland
"The power of the
Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability
is an essential aspect." -- Tim Berners-Lee,
W3C Director and inventor of the World Wide Web.
In many areas of our lives, we may face hurdles because of the disabilities
we experience. Often, we turn to technology for solutions. But what
if the technology by the nature of its design creates new barriers?
A fantastic modern-day example is the Internet.
The Internet is becoming
more and more integrated into our educational, work and recreational
lives. Practically everything has an electronic counterpart; an "e-" alternative. As more people and organizations
embrace these often tantalizingly cost-effective, sensually stimulating,
and instantly gratifying tools, pressure increases for others in society
to "jump on the bandwagon" or risk being left behind. These
tools include e-mail, websites, e-news, instant messengers, chat
rooms, e-groups, virtual meetings/conferences, and on and on. But,
are they universally accessible?
Because these tools
are highly visual, sometimes incorporating audio aspects, they
can create barriers for users experiencing visual and/or hearing
impairments. Furthermore, the use of visual and audio content can
be overwhelming–causing confusion about information navigation
or use. Unfortunately, I naturally assumed e-content was accessible
to everyone– it is cutting-edge technology after all! I was sure
there was some "magic" behind the scenes or an easy "plug-in" to
make everything accessible. Whoa, was I surprised and embarrassed when
I received e-mails from colleagues! Turns out the portable document
format (PDF) files I had created in Adobe Acrobat weren't so portable
after all– the text could not be interpreted by screen-readers!
So, does the problem lie within the technology, the way I created
the files, the programs used to open the files or what?!? Probably
a combination. But, there are some steps we as designers, creators
and users can take to bridge this digital divide.
One approach for technology users is through accessibility-specific
Internet-browsers. For example, IBM recently announced the release
of Home Page Reader ($150), a talking Web browser designed to help
businesses meet the needs of employees and customers who have visual
impairments. Other leading products include Connect Outloud ($249),
MAGic ($400-$700) and JAWS ($1,000-$1,300) from Freedom Scientific.
JAWS provides speech technology that works with the computer's operating
system to access popular software applications and the Internet. Connect
Outloud is a tool offering Braille and speech output to the web and
gives the user the ability to send and receive e-mail. MAGic helps
those with low vision to view information on their computer screen
with magnification up to 16 times, while also hearing it through their
speech synthesizer. Sadly, I have found little information regarding
adaptive technology transforming audio content for users experiencing
hearing impairment; though some webcasts are transcribed. While these
existing programs are quite powerful, if electronic content is poorly
designed, the barriers will still remain.
Content designers and
developers should be mindful of a few easy steps toward accessibility,
such as those suggested by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) in its "Quick
Tips Reference Card" www.w3.org/WAI/quicktips.
The World Wide Web Consortium was created in October 1994 to lead
the World Wide Web to its full potential by developing common protocols
that promote its evolution. Their commitment to lead the Web to its
full potential includes promoting a high degree of usability for
people with disabilities. Their Web Accessibility Initiative, in
coordination with organizations around the world, pursues accessibility
of the Web through five primary areas: technology, guidelines, tools,
education and research. They are an excellent resource.
For information about
adaptable software, please visit:
IBM
Accessibility Center Website
Freedom
Scientific Website Information regarding universal design
for e-content can be found via the World Wide Web.
Consortium
Web Accessibility Initiative Website
Happy browsing!
