E-mail List Archives
Thread: Question regarding accessible badges or widgets for Facebook and Twitter
Number of posts in this thread: 17 (In chronological order)
From: Debra Cerda
Date: Thu, Feb 19 2009 9:15AM
Subject: Question regarding accessible badges or widgets for Facebook and Twitter
No previous message | Next message →
Hi,
Several of our agency staff are volunteering their time with the 2009 Accessible Internet Rally (AIR) Interactive. Our team ("Ctrl Alt Delete or C.A.D.") is working with a wonderful local non-profit Anthropos Arts to improve the usability and accessibility of their web site. We've identified the goals of their web site are simply awareness, advocacy, and support. The objective of their web site is to share information about their organization and its programs with the community, and get people excited enough about their work support through donations. The challenge is that currently it's the executive director and founder who are the primary workhorses within this organization. We are encouraging them to use social media strategies to help them meet these goals.
It would be greatly appreciated if we could get some input and recommendations from members of the accessibility community on Facebook widgets, Twitter badges (follow me on...), and ease/difficulty of Paypal donate button, regarding their placement on a web page. Please email me directly at dcerda I am aware of the inherent accessibility issues with Facebook and Twitter themselves, especially after reading posts on these topics on Knowbility blogs at http://universallydesigned.net/
Anthropos Arts http://www.anthropos.org provides opportunities for educational, social, and personal growth to East Austin's under-served middle and high school students through free music education programs taught by professional musician-mentors from diverse genres.
Thank you for your time and support!
Sincerely,
Debra Cerda
Drinking Water Quality
Public Drinking Water Section
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
(512) 239-6045
PPlease consider whether it is necessary to print this e-mail
From: Randall Pope
Date: Thu, Feb 19 2009 9:50AM
Subject: Re: Question regarding accessible badges or widgets forFacebook and Twitter
← Previous message | Next message →
I also would like some tips and suggestions in building accessible widget
for Facebook and others. Surprisely, we have a good number of deaf-blind
using Facebook. Many thanks.
With Warm Regards,
Randall "Randy" Pope
American Association of the Deaf-Blind
Website: http://www.aadb.org
301 495-4402 VP/TTY
301 495-4403 Voice
301 495-4404 Fax
AIM: RandyAADB
Want to keep up with the latest news in the Deaf-Blind Community? Consider
subscribing to the monthly newsletter, "AADB Today" at http://aadb.org. It's
free and AADB membership is not required.
From: Jim Allan
Date: Thu, Feb 19 2009 10:35AM
Subject: Re: Question regarding accessible badges or widgets for Facebook and Twitter
← Previous message | Next message →
Got these from another list today (very timely!!):
We learn via E-Access Bulletin that there is a Facebook Accessibility
Application, a tool to make Facebook more accessible to the blind.
http://fastlink.headstar.com/pp2
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102466418673&;e=001UMzKEtdONzuzux6RWvB-ZM9qno6H6IE
LnqZ3o2m9YSdz0w8fYL07lYoXsRKQR66Qr785ec3tV5rgOSEPxioc5k85goiWg52wLuTpieMOMWS
g31HOrYUzMdbn-VashoHF>
There is, according to Fred's Head Companion, a more accessible interface
for Twitter, the "free social networking and micro-blogging service."
http://www.accessibletwitter.com/
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102466418673&;e=001UMzKEtdONzt8uZGozGu9LvFr_kHoiDn
kcSS7nWC7i1FR2oj1EIuR84SHy9hI86l2yuJUVtWhmAO9aPmuwy-UXiW5aWN6fIknypanNOLpzxu
jBaxETTRr1b7Ae5VitSCh>
Speaking of Twitter, Jawter is a set of scripts for the JAWS Screen Reader
that allow you to interact with Twitter, the insanely popular micro-blogging
social networking site
- without the need for any external software. In essence, Jawter turns your
screen reader into a Twitter client.
http://randylaptop.com/2009/02/08/jawter-2/
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102466418673&;e=001UMzKEtdONzv985c87UrRKe4qDwVFZ3d
wp5sCIqYtGD5ZxdWmYjDYEOEy_DYzmzNJNwAJlurl_tLRhz2Eh3i1_8ScXM7wJSUb5MaTQWkb27R
rLCnKGE9dS8KaNwEKQcC-vioD-jqrKlIxyfolsVTp8A==>
And there is a podcast on Blind Cool Tech concerning this script package you
can listen to. Download it here:
http://media.libsyn.com/media/bct/bct1319Jawter.mp3
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102466418673&;e=001UMzKEtdONzsOn20UJD3g35Xj9-T8Zcs
x8WZeZloO7BNd9CzJTVNh1cvBz78IkoAv7mBFzWP7RN3vz-ycCHrHEtGTVj5rkoPMOSQRRU7oN4Z
DlghLMn9dUUYULfZkEWMKL0bfhqKxrbdXY_mXcE9J0IzsjIUJul5p>
From: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
[mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Debra Cerda
Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 10:14 AM
To: Discussion list for web and software accessibilityissues; <WebAIM
Discussion List
Subject: [Accessibility_sig] Question regarding accessible badges or widgets
for Facebook and Twitter
Hi,
Several of our agency staff are volunteering their time with the 2009
Accessible Internet Rally (AIR) Interactive. Our team ("Ctrl Alt Delete or
C.A.D.") is working with a wonderful local non-profit Anthropos Arts to
improve the usability and accessibility of their web site. We've identified
the goals of their web site are simply awareness, advocacy, and support. The
objective of their web site is to share information about their organization
and its programs with the community, and get people excited enough about
their work support through donations. The challenge is that currently it's
the executive director and founder who are the primary workhorses within
this organization. We are encouraging them to use social media strategies to
help them meet these goals.
It would be greatly appreciated if we could get some input and
recommendations from members of the accessibility community on Facebook
widgets, Twitter badges (follow me on...), and ease/difficulty of Paypal
donate button, regarding their placement on a web page. Please email me
directly at dcerda I am aware of the inherent accessibility issues with
Facebook and Twitter themselves, especially after reading posts on these
topics on Knowbility blogs at http://universallydesigned.net/
Anthropos Arts http://www.anthropos.org provides opportunities for
educational, social, and personal growth to East Austin's under-served
middle and high school students through free music education programs taught
by professional musician-mentors from diverse genres.
Thank you for your time and support!
Sincerely,
Debra Cerda
Drinking Water Quality
Public Drinking Water Section
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
(512) 239-6045
P Please consider whether it is necessary to print this e-mail
From: John E. Brandt
Date: Thu, Feb 19 2009 12:30PM
Subject: Re: Question regarding accessible badges or widgets for Facebook and Twitter
← Previous message | Next message →
I see someone already beat me to the answer regarding Accessible Twitter and
Accessible Facebook. I've put the info on my blog
http://www.jebswebs.net/blog/ - the Accessible Facebook appears to be a work
in progress and I still can't find an actual application that can be used.
The Twitter link is: http://www.accessibletwitter.com/ and though usable now
is still being developed. BTW, one comment on Twitter from an screen reader
user questioned why the need as apparently the plain ole Twitter site was
pretty accessible.
All that said, this is still a great question. We might broaden it to
include all social networking systems including ones that you "build"
yourself like NING and KickApps. My testing of both of these leaves me
wondering if there are any out there that are accessible.
BTW, I am experimenting with NING right now and it's accessibility problems
do not seem as severe as KickApps. So, I will work with NING for now.
I also have to mention at this point the caveat that you can create the most
accessible web application in the world and it only takes one user to add
inaccessible content to create an accessibility problem.
Lastly, it is my understanding that JavaScript and Flash and even AIR can be
made accessible, but that needs to be done early in the development cycle.
We need to get our message to the developer community.
~j
John E. Brandt
Web Design, Development, Consultation
Augusta, Maine USA
www.jebswebs.com
= EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
207-622-7937
From: Patrick Burke
Date: Thu, Feb 19 2009 12:55PM
Subject: Re: Question regarding accessible badges or widgets for Facebook and Twitter
← Previous message | Next message →
A few comments below.
At 11:26 AM 2/19/2009, John E. Brandt wrote:
>I see someone already beat me to the answer regarding Accessible Twitter and
>Accessible Facebook. I've put the info on my blog
>http://www.jebswebs.net/blog/ - the Accessible Facebook appears to be a work
>in progress and I still can't find an actual application that can be used.
Yes, this is one of the Project:Possibility projects for student
programmers. They have another session scheduled here at UCLA in
early April. Unless other teams are working on it there probably
won't be much progress till then.
>The Twitter link is: http://www.accessibletwitter.com/ and though usable now
>is still being developed. BTW, one comment on Twitter from an screen reader
>user questioned why the need as apparently the plain ole Twitter site was
>pretty accessible.
The main Twitter site works fine for simple purposes. However, the
occasional changes to the Twitter web interface (Twinterface?) add or
break accessibility without rhyme or reason. So one "upgrade" broke
the keyboard access to the Reply button. The latest changes switched
from tables to lists for displaying tweets (I thought the tables
version was more efficient).
Presumably the API is (somewhat) more stable, so designing an
accessible app to use the API makes good sense.
>Patrick
--
Patrick J. Burke
Coordinator
UCLA Disabilities &
Computing Program
Phone: 310 206-6004
E-mail: burke <at> ucla. edu
From: Jennifer Sutton
Date: Thu, Feb 19 2009 1:15PM
Subject: Re: Question regarding accessible badges or widgets for Facebook and Twitter
← Previous message | Next message →
Hello:
To add to Jim's collection, I've installed Greasemonkey, and I am
enjoying TwitterFocus with Firefox.
Thanks to Gez Lemon for this addition to the options for making
Twitter accessible. Go to this page to learn more:
http://juicystudio.com/article/twitter-focus.php
Best,
Jennifer
At 09:30 AM 2/19/2009, you wrote:
>Got these from another list today (very timely!!):
>
>We learn via E-Access Bulletin that there is a Facebook Accessibility
>Application, a tool to make Facebook more accessible to the blind.
>http://fastlink.headstar.com/pp2
><http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102466418673&;e=001UMzKEtdONzuzux6RWvB-ZM9qno6H6IE
>LnqZ3o2m9YSdz0w8fYL07lYoXsRKQR66Qr785ec3tV5rgOSEPxioc5k85goiWg52wLuTpieMOMWS
>g31HOrYUzMdbn-VashoHF>
>
>There is, according to Fred's Head Companion, a more accessible interface
>for Twitter, the "free social networking and micro-blogging service."
>http://www.accessibletwitter.com/
><http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102466418673&;e=001UMzKEtdONzt8uZGozGu9LvFr_kHoiDn
>kcSS7nWC7i1FR2oj1EIuR84SHy9hI86l2yuJUVtWhmAO9aPmuwy-UXiW5aWN6fIknypanNOLpzxu
>jBaxETTRr1b7Ae5VitSCh>
>
>Speaking of Twitter, Jawter is a set of scripts for the JAWS Screen Reader
>that allow you to interact with Twitter, the insanely popular micro-blogging
>social networking site
>- without the need for any external software. In essence, Jawter turns your
>screen reader into a Twitter client.
>http://randylaptop.com/2009/02/08/jawter-2/
><http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102466418673&;e=001UMzKEtdONzv985c87UrRKe4qDwVFZ3d
>wp5sCIqYtGD5ZxdWmYjDYEOEy_DYzmzNJNwAJlurl_tLRhz2Eh3i1_8ScXM7wJSUb5MaTQWkb27R
>rLCnKGE9dS8KaNwEKQcC-vioD-jqrKlIxyfolsVTp8A==>
>And there is a podcast on Blind Cool Tech concerning this script package you
>can listen to. Download it here:
>http://media.libsyn.com/media/bct/bct1319Jawter.mp3
><http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102466418673&;e=001UMzKEtdONzsOn20UJD3g35Xj9-T8Zcs
>x8WZeZloO7BNd9CzJTVNh1cvBz78IkoAv7mBFzWP7RN3vz-ycCHrHEtGTVj5rkoPMOSQRRU7oN4Z
>DlghLMn9dUUYULfZkEWMKL0bfhqKxrbdXY_mXcE9J0IzsjIUJul5p>
>
>
>
>
>
>From: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
>[mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Debra Cerda
>Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 10:14 AM
>To: Discussion list for web and software accessibilityissues; <WebAIM
>Discussion List
>Subject: [Accessibility_sig] Question regarding accessible badges or widgets
>for Facebook and Twitter
>
>
>
>Hi,
>
>Several of our agency staff are volunteering their time with the 2009
>Accessible Internet Rally (AIR) Interactive. Our team ("Ctrl Alt Delete or
>C.A.D.") is working with a wonderful local non-profit Anthropos Arts to
>improve the usability and accessibility of their web site. We've identified
>the goals of their web site are simply awareness, advocacy, and support. The
>objective of their web site is to share information about their organization
>and its programs with the community, and get people excited enough about
>their work support through donations. The challenge is that currently it's
>the executive director and founder who are the primary workhorses within
>this organization. We are encouraging them to use social media strategies to
>help them meet these goals.
>
>
>
>It would be greatly appreciated if we could get some input and
>recommendations from members of the accessibility community on Facebook
>widgets, Twitter badges (follow me on...), and ease/difficulty of Paypal
>donate button, regarding their placement on a web page. Please email me
>directly at dcerda I am aware of the inherent accessibility issues with
>Facebook and Twitter themselves, especially after reading posts on these
>topics on Knowbility blogs at http://universallydesigned.net/
>
>
>
>Anthropos Arts http://www.anthropos.org provides opportunities for
>educational, social, and personal growth to East Austin's under-served
>middle and high school students through free music education programs taught
>by professional musician-mentors from diverse genres.
>
>
>
>Thank you for your time and support!
>
>
>
>Sincerely,
>
>
>
>
>
>Debra Cerda
>Drinking Water Quality
>Public Drinking Water Section
>Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
>
>(512) 239-6045
>
>
>
>P Please consider whether it is necessary to print this e-mail
>
>
From: Debra Cerda
Date: Wed, Feb 25 2009 2:15PM
Subject: Re: Question regarding accessible badges or widgetsfor Facebook and Twitter
← Previous message | Next message →
Hi,
Thank you everyone for your responses, my apologies for not being more clear. I appreciate the additional information on the accessible twitter and FB. However, I'm on the content side of it, wanting to include a "Follow me on twitter" badge or link. Or a "Tweet the Facts" much like on the bottom of Charity: Water's http://www.charitywater.org/twestival/index.html , which appears to fail accessibility testing. Friend Feed was also recommended if we wanted to aggregate the non-profits FB and Twitter to their front page, but I also don't know how well that would meet accessibility requirements. Again, we want to help the non profit use social media tools to promote their mission, but need the content on their website to be accessible.
Sincerely,
Debra
>>> "John E. Brandt" < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > 2/19/2009 1:26 PM >>>
I see someone already beat me to the answer regarding Accessible Twitter and
Accessible Facebook. I've put the info on my blog
http://www.jebswebs.net/blog/ - the Accessible Facebook appears to be a work
in progress and I still can't find an actual application that can be used.
The Twitter link is: http://www.accessibletwitter.com/ and though usable now
is still being developed. BTW, one comment on Twitter from an screen reader
user questioned why the need as apparently the plain ole Twitter site was
pretty accessible.
All that said, this is still a great question. We might broaden it to
include all social networking systems including ones that you "build"
yourself like NING and KickApps. My testing of both of these leaves me
wondering if there are any out there that are accessible.
BTW, I am experimenting with NING right now and it's accessibility problems
do not seem as severe as KickApps. So, I will work with NING for now.
I also have to mention at this point the caveat that you can create the most
accessible web application in the world and it only takes one user to add
inaccessible content to create an accessibility problem.
Lastly, it is my understanding that JavaScript and Flash and even AIR can be
made accessible, but that needs to be done early in the development cycle.
We need to get our message to the developer community.
~j
John E. Brandt
Web Design, Development, Consultation
Augusta, Maine USA
www.jebswebs.com
= EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
207-622-7937
From: Randi
Date: Wed, Feb 25 2009 3:20PM
Subject: Re: Question regarding accessible badges or widgetsfor Facebook and Twitter
← Previous message | Next message →
Hi all,
I just joined this list and the forum at webaim after stumbling across
webaim and emailing the webmaster. I'm in no way a web develper
yet...I've been blind for ten months now; it was hugely unexpected. I
was an avid web user before and am teaching myself VoiceOver and
Apple, having been a PC user before. I've just been lurking here, not
understanding much LOL.
The Facebook thing caught my attention however. I didn't use Facebook
before and actually have a friend coming over Monday to set me up
there. Am I hearing correctly that Facebook is not accessible? Or is
it simply the widgets and the so called follow me thing? I'm going to
be disappointed if I can't use it since I'm hoping to get back in
touch with friends.
I don't know if a newly blind chic is welcome to post and ask
questions here. I'm very interested in web advocacy since I have
experience in the web both sited and blind. I also am interested in
starting a forum for the blind and visually impaired since I haven't
found any cool ones.
If this list is just for experienced web developers, let me know and
I'll go back to lurking until I start my own site.
Sincerely,
Randi O.
On 2/25/09, Debra Cerda < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
> Hi,
> Thank you everyone for your responses, my apologies for not being more
> clear. I appreciate the additional information on the accessible twitter and
> FB. However, I'm on the content side of it, wanting to include a "Follow me
> on twitter" badge or link. Or a "Tweet the Facts" much like on the bottom of
> Charity: Water's http://www.charitywater.org/twestival/index.html , which
> appears to fail accessibility testing. Friend Feed was also recommended if
> we wanted to aggregate the non-profits FB and Twitter to their front page,
> but I also don't know how well that would meet accessibility requirements.
> Again, we want to help the non profit use social media tools to promote
> their mission, but need the content on their website to be accessible.
>
> Sincerely,
> Debra
>
>>>> "John E. Brandt" < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > 2/19/2009 1:26 PM >>>
> I see someone already beat me to the answer regarding Accessible Twitter and
> Accessible Facebook. I've put the info on my blog
> http://www.jebswebs.net/blog/ - the Accessible Facebook appears to be a work
> in progress and I still can't find an actual application that can be used.
> The Twitter link is: http://www.accessibletwitter.com/ and though usable now
> is still being developed. BTW, one comment on Twitter from an screen reader
> user questioned why the need as apparently the plain ole Twitter site was
> pretty accessible.
>
> All that said, this is still a great question. We might broaden it to
> include all social networking systems including ones that you "build"
> yourself like NING and KickApps. My testing of both of these leaves me
> wondering if there are any out there that are accessible.
>
> BTW, I am experimenting with NING right now and it's accessibility problems
> do not seem as severe as KickApps. So, I will work with NING for now.
>
> I also have to mention at this point the caveat that you can create the most
> accessible web application in the world and it only takes one user to add
> inaccessible content to create an accessibility problem.
>
> Lastly, it is my understanding that JavaScript and Flash and even AIR can be
> made accessible, but that needs to be done early in the development cycle.
> We need to get our message to the developer community.
>
> ~j
>
> John E. Brandt
> Web Design, Development, Consultation
> Augusta, Maine USA
> www.jebswebs.com
> = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
> 207-622-7937
>
>
>
From: Webb, KerryA
Date: Wed, Feb 25 2009 4:00PM
Subject: Re: Question regarding accessible badges or widgetsforFacebook and Twitter
← Previous message | Next message →
>
> I don't know if a newly blind chic is welcome to post and ask
> questions here. I'm very interested in web advocacy since I have
> experience in the web both sited and blind. I also am interested in
> starting a forum for the blind and visually impaired since I haven't
> found any cool ones.
>
As far as I'm concerned, blind users should always be welcome on lists
like this.
> If this list is just for experienced web developers, let me know and
> I'll go back to lurking until I start my own site.
>
We were all budding web developers once.
Please stay.
Kerry
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
This email, and any attachments, may be confidential and also privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender and delete all copies of this transmission along with any attachments immediately. You should not copy or use it for any purpose, nor disclose its contents to any other person.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Randi
Date: Wed, Feb 25 2009 4:10PM
Subject: Re: Question regarding accessible badges or widgetsforFacebook and Twitter
← Previous message | Next message →
Oh wow Kerry thank you for the welcome. I must say, I'm finding all
this very interesting, though its all very much greek haha. I dabbled
with basic html and web design back in the day so all this is way over
my head. I'm fascinated to hear you all talk about making sites
accessible though. It warms my heart. If I can ever help by looking at
a site or anything, please let me know.
Randi
On 2/25/09, Webb, KerryA < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
>>
>> I don't know if a newly blind chic is welcome to post and ask
>> questions here. I'm very interested in web advocacy since I have
>> experience in the web both sited and blind. I also am interested in
>> starting a forum for the blind and visually impaired since I haven't
>> found any cool ones.
>>
>
> As far as I'm concerned, blind users should always be welcome on lists
> like this.
>
>> If this list is just for experienced web developers, let me know and
>> I'll go back to lurking until I start my own site.
>>
>
> We were all budding web developers once.
>
> Please stay.
>
> Kerry
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> This email, and any attachments, may be confidential and also privileged. If
> you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender and delete all
> copies of this transmission along with any attachments immediately. You
> should not copy or use it for any purpose, nor disclose its contents to any
> other person.
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
From: Debra Cerda
Date: Wed, Feb 25 2009 4:25PM
Subject: Re: Question regarding accessible badges or widgetsforFacebook and Twitter
← Previous message | Next message →
Hi, Randi!
I would recommend that you read Desiree's post about her experience with Facebook at this blogpost http://universallydesigned.net/uncategorized/facebook-the-good-bad-and-the-ugly/
As a sighted user who's also had some usability issues with Facebook, I would recommend your friend set it up and show you how to ignore applications requests that are difficult to manage.
Sincerely,
Debra
>>> Randi < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > 2/25/2009 4:11 PM >>>
Hi all,
I just joined this list and the forum at webaim after stumbling across
webaim and emailing the webmaster. I'm in no way a web develper
yet...I've been blind for ten months now; it was hugely unexpected. I
was an avid web user before and am teaching myself VoiceOver and
Apple, having been a PC user before. I've just been lurking here, not
understanding much LOL.
The Facebook thing caught my attention however. I didn't use Facebook
before and actually have a friend coming over Monday to set me up
there. Am I hearing correctly that Facebook is not accessible? Or is
it simply the widgets and the so called follow me thing? I'm going to
be disappointed if I can't use it since I'm hoping to get back in
touch with friends.
I don't know if a newly blind chic is welcome to post and ask
questions here. I'm very interested in web advocacy since I have
experience in the web both sited and blind. I also am interested in
starting a forum for the blind and visually impaired since I haven't
found any cool ones.
If this list is just for experienced web developers, let me know and
I'll go back to lurking until I start my own site.
Sincerely,
Randi O.
On 2/25/09, Debra Cerda < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
> Hi,
> Thank you everyone for your responses, my apologies for not being more
> clear. I appreciate the additional information on the accessible twitter and
> FB. However, I'm on the content side of it, wanting to include a "Follow me
> on twitter" badge or link. Or a "Tweet the Facts" much like on the bottom of
> Charity: Water's http://www.charitywater.org/twestival/index.html , which
> appears to fail accessibility testing. Friend Feed was also recommended if
> we wanted to aggregate the non-profits FB and Twitter to their front page,
> but I also don't know how well that would meet accessibility requirements.
> Again, we want to help the non profit use social media tools to promote
> their mission, but need the content on their website to be accessible.
>
> Sincerely,
> Debra
>
>>>> "John E. Brandt" < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > 2/19/2009 1:26 PM >>>
> I see someone already beat me to the answer regarding Accessible Twitter and
> Accessible Facebook. I've put the info on my blog
> http://www.jebswebs.net/blog/ - the Accessible Facebook appears to be a work
> in progress and I still can't find an actual application that can be used.
> The Twitter link is: http://www.accessibletwitter.com/ and though usable now
> is still being developed. BTW, one comment on Twitter from an screen reader
> user questioned why the need as apparently the plain ole Twitter site was
> pretty accessible.
>
> All that said, this is still a great question. We might broaden it to
> include all social networking systems including ones that you "build"
> yourself like NING and KickApps. My testing of both of these leaves me
> wondering if there are any out there that are accessible.
>
> BTW, I am experimenting with NING right now and it's accessibility problems
> do not seem as severe as KickApps. So, I will work with NING for now.
>
> I also have to mention at this point the caveat that you can create the most
> accessible web application in the world and it only takes one user to add
> inaccessible content to create an accessibility problem.
>
> Lastly, it is my understanding that JavaScript and Flash and even AIR can be
> made accessible, but that needs to be done early in the development cycle.
> We need to get our message to the developer community.
>
> ~j
>
> John E. Brandt
> Web Design, Development, Consultation
> Augusta, Maine USA
> www.jebswebs.com
> = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
> 207-622-7937
>
>
>
From: Mackenzie, Hamish
Date: Wed, Feb 25 2009 4:40PM
Subject: Re: Question regarding accessible badgesor widgetsforFacebook and Twitter
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Hi Randi
I am totally blind as well but am a Jaws user on windows and whilst the
Facebook site can be a bit daunting to start with it is far easier to
use the mobile Facebook site as it is much more simplified, and then in
stages if you wish you can move onto the much more complex full site.
The url for the mobile site is
Http://m.facebook.com
I have only tinkered with the Mac so am not sure how it will all work in
Safari but good luck.
Cheers
Hamish
From: Randi
Date: Wed, Feb 25 2009 5:45PM
Subject: Re: Question regarding accessible badgesor widgetsforFacebook and Twitter
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Oh thank you both. I'll be sure to have my friend check out both
links. I'm sorry, was it Haimish? I couldn't make out your name and
haven't figured out how to make voiceover spell stuff for me. I'm glad
to find another blind user here. Do you know of any good forums where
people talk about their screenreaders? I'm teaching myself this stuff
and am not finding much about voiceover and safari.
Thanks again,
Randi
On 2/25/09, Mackenzie, Hamish < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
> Hi Randi
>
> I am totally blind as well but am a Jaws user on windows and whilst the
> Facebook site can be a bit daunting to start with it is far easier to
> use the mobile Facebook site as it is much more simplified, and then in
> stages if you wish you can move onto the much more complex full site.
> The url for the mobile site is
>
> Http://m.facebook.com
>
> I have only tinkered with the Mac so am not sure how it will all work in
> Safari but good luck.
>
> Cheers
>
> Hamish
>
>
From: Steve Green
Date: Wed, Feb 25 2009 6:05PM
Subject: Re: Question regarding accessible badgesorwidgetsforFacebook and Twitter
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The best forum for you is probably Macvisionaries -
http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries/
Be aware that some of the people on that forum are extremely biased, and I
have seen some absolutely vile abuse when someone dared to suggest that
Voiceover lacks a lot of important features that are present in JAWS for
Windows. In fact Voiceover is indeed limited compared with JAWS, but some
Mac users just don't want to acknowledge the fact that sometimes Windows
applications are best.
Steve
From: Randi
Date: Wed, Feb 25 2009 7:35PM
Subject: Re: Question regarding accessible badgesorwidgetsforFacebook and Twitter
← Previous message | Next message →
Ok thank you Steve. I admit, the main reason I bought the Mac was the
ability to teach myself rather than wait on a list for training. I
also didn't want to deal with a PC crashing all the time like was my
previous experience. When I could see to whack it, it was fine LOL.
I'll check it out and turn my sensitivities off. Thanks for the heads
up.
Randi
On 2/25/09, Steve Green < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
> The best forum for you is probably Macvisionaries -
> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries/
>
> Be aware that some of the people on that forum are extremely biased, and I
> have seen some absolutely vile abuse when someone dared to suggest that
> Voiceover lacks a lot of important features that are present in JAWS for
> Windows. In fact Voiceover is indeed limited compared with JAWS, but some
> Mac users just don't want to acknowledge the fact that sometimes Windows
> applications are best.
>
> Steve
>
>
>
>
From: John E. Brandt
Date: Wed, Feb 25 2009 7:55PM
Subject: Re: Question regarding accessible badgesor widgetsforFacebook and Twitter
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Randi,
I also send my welcome to you.
I blogged about VoiceOver a few months ago, but that blog program died and I
switched to WordPress. I have all of the old content, but have not put it
back up yet.
In any case, we had Mike Shebanek from Apple come to Maine last fall and do
a workshop on the accessibility features of the Mac OS X. I entitled my blog
"I have drunk the Kool-Aid" as I found myself very impressed with the things
that Apple had accomplished. It's still not perfect, but I think Apple does
get the idea of Universal Design which assures that usability is important
in the design process. I will go find the original post and report it. In
the meantime, check out this website
http://www.apple.com/accessibility/voiceover/ (if you haven't already)
which describes VoiceOver in greater detail. Make sure to go to the
Downloads page where they have "the manual." You obviously have Mac OS X but
make sure you have the latest version Leopard as it has the "Alex" voice
which my blind friends tells me is the best. I can also put you in contact
with some other Mac people who are blind.
Welcome again and I will send you the link to my blog when it gets updated.
~j
John E. Brandt
Web Design, Development, Consultation
Augusta, Maine USA
www.jebswebs.com
= EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
207-622-7937
From: Randi
Date: Thu, Feb 26 2009 12:05PM
Subject: Re: Question regarding accessible badgesor widgetsforFacebook and Twitter
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Hi there wow I am so overwhelmed haha. I only got the macbook 2 months
ago and have been serching furiously for help. I've been to the Apple
site quite a number of times, and the info is good, but before I knew
how to get to the back button I had a hard time navigating LOL.
Somewhere in my reading I discovered the tutorial already on my
computer. That taught me more, but I was dying to actually talk to
people. Someone here recommended a google group and I joined it
yesterday and have been flooded with other blind mac users. WOW. I
have Alex. He's awesome. I thought I was going nuts because I sore I
heard him breathe......I ended up reading a review of voicover and it
said they made him breathe to sound more real. He reads super fast and
is actually more understandable that way. My sited friends are
shocked. My talking ipod has a female voice and she sounds like she's
on valium compaired to Alex hahaha. I starred your email with the blog
links. I'm getting so many links it'll take an evening to go and
bookmark them all.
I've heard that the PC readers are better, but for someone like me who
doesn't want to wait to be taught, I knew apple would be great as far
as self teaching. I'll learn the pc stuff down the road too. I like to
be well rounded. I think I have Leopard....not sure? Sometime I hear
Alex say "software update" or something, but I never know if I'm
supposed to so eomething hahaha. Sorry to ramble, I know this isn't
the board for that, I'm just so thrilled at all the resource I'm
getting since joining this group. Woot!
Randi
On 2/25/09, John E. Brandt < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
> Randi,
>
> I also send my welcome to you.
>
> I blogged about VoiceOver a few months ago, but that blog program died and I
> switched to WordPress. I have all of the old content, but have not put it
> back up yet.
>
> In any case, we had Mike Shebanek from Apple come to Maine last fall and do
> a workshop on the accessibility features of the Mac OS X. I entitled my blog
> "I have drunk the Kool-Aid" as I found myself very impressed with the things
> that Apple had accomplished. It's still not perfect, but I think Apple does
> get the idea of Universal Design which assures that usability is important
> in the design process. I will go find the original post and report it. In
> the meantime, check out this website
> http://www.apple.com/accessibility/voiceover/ (if you haven't already)
> which describes VoiceOver in greater detail. Make sure to go to the
> Downloads page where they have "the manual." You obviously have Mac OS X but
> make sure you have the latest version Leopard as it has the "Alex" voice
> which my blind friends tells me is the best. I can also put you in contact
> with some other Mac people who are blind.
>
> Welcome again and I will send you the link to my blog when it gets updated.
>
> ~j
>
> John E. Brandt
> Web Design, Development, Consultation
> Augusta, Maine USA
> www.jebswebs.com
> = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
> 207-622-7937
>
>