WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

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Re: Accessible Applications

for

From: Travis Smith
Date: May 12, 2008 2:20PM


Hi,

I read your list, and the only one that I use is Blackboard. Well, that is my reader uses it for me. I am a student at the community college in Lafayette La, and my school uses blackboard. A large part of the program is accessible sort of. I mean I can navigate it ok. I can read links and headers and things like that. However, a large problem is that the forms that are used to submit assignments, e-mails, discussion board responses is not readable by screen readers. This is a real problem as I am taking two online classes this semester and that is how I am supposed to submit assignments. I have sent an e-mail to the company, and never received a response, and the problem has slipped my mind, but I will have to get after them about this because I have another online class next semester. If you have any further questions about blackboard, feel free to contact me @ <EMAIL REMOVED>

-----Original Message-----
From: <EMAIL REMOVED> [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Kara Zirkle
Sent: Monday, May 12, 2008 2:01 PM
To: <EMAIL REMOVED> ; <EMAIL REMOVED> ; <EMAIL REMOVED> ; <EMAIL REMOVED> ; <EMAIL REMOVED> ; <EMAIL REMOVED> ; <EMAIL REMOVED> ; <EMAIL REMOVED> ; <EMAIL REMOVED> ; Korey J Singleton
Subject: [WebAIM] Accessible Applications

Is anyone using any of the following applications or products and if so
could you please give me some input on whether or not they are
accessible to individuals with disabilities or meet Section 508
Compliance? Also, if anyone has done research on similar applications
and chose not to go with one of the following applications what
application did you go with that was more accessible?

Applications such as:

Adobe Breeze; Townhall; Blackboard; Respondus; CMS' Droople, Paperthin,
Commonspot and Figleaf; Luminous; Hawkeye software assets tracking;
Email applications GoogleApps, Microsoft Live or Exchange Labs; various
Blog Platforms (ex. Wordpress); various Survey Software; Banner and
other Sunguard applications; SkillPort; iTunes U Podcasting; Accordent
Capture; SharePoint 2007; Microsoft VISTA; ILLiad (interlibrary loan
management system); VuFind; Basecamp; GMPLS (generalized multiprotocol
label switching); AppWorx; and Touchnet software

Also, has anyone contacted vendors directly asking for changes to be
made in response to accessibility if contract language wasn't originally
in the picture? Can anyone make any suggestions about this?

Thanks,

--
Kara Zirkle
IT Accessibility Coordinator
Assistive Technology Initiative
Thompson Hall RM 114 Mail Stop: 6A11
Fairfax Campus
4400 University Drive
Fairfax, VA 22030
Phone: 703-993-9815
Fax: 703-993-4743
http://www.gmu.edu/accessibility/ati/home.html