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Re: Resize text buttons

for

From: Cliff Tyllick
Date: Jan 12, 2009 10:30AM

Akram, I don't think any of us is suggesting that we should not worry about people with disabilities. Each of us in this forum is working diligently to ensure that our Web sites are easy for everyone to use.

We're discussing these two general issues:

1. Should each Web site reproduce functions that improve accessibility but are already present in every computer's operating system, every browser, or both? (For example, should every one of us come up with our own text resize button?)

2. Should each Web site have its own extended explanation of how to use the features that are built in to each operating system and browser? (Should we all do as the BBC has done?)

As for the first issue, if I spend time reproducing something you already have, then I will have to spend less time reviewing the content that is unique to my Web site. As a result, I will be less able to make sure that content is fully accessible. Also, whatever I develop to reproduce the features already built into your operating system and browser is not likely to be as useful as those features. For example, the resize button on the BBC's site doesn't change the font size by very much. I don't know how they decided how big is "big enough," but their biggest option is not big enough for me to read without my glasses unless I get uncomfortably close to the screen. But a simple feature that is in every browser and operating system I know of lets me read any Web page that is properly coded. All I have to do is press "Control-Shift-+" until the text gets big enough to work for me. (You can also press "Control-Hyphen" to make the text smaller.)

And as for the second issue, I really don't think you want me to explain how each operating system and browser works. It would take me a very long time to develop and verify each explanation needed. By the time I finished that project, there would be many new versions of operating systems and browsers available. Yes, it is very important to have that information available, but you need the people who developed and tested your system and software to explain how its features work, because they at least know how it is supposed to work.

You are important to us. But I can best help you by focusing on making my agency's Web site accessible (we have a long way to go), not by creating my own version of a solution to a problem that has already been solved.

Thanks for participating in this discussion!

Cliff

>>> M Akram Danish < <EMAIL REMOVED> > 1/11/2009 10:17 AM >>>
I am deaf and I used glasses, not blind though

I can see well and when I have to overview the page I don't need to resize the text, but when i start reading any lengthy content I prefer larger text, when I didn't know how to change the size from browser menu, resize button was helpful. But yes there might NOT be so many such people so why worry about them?

and according to your Government Persons with Disabilities are of just 2.4% , only only 2.4%.......... .......................

Akram