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Re: DIAS Software Heads Up (AEGIS), from CSUN conference

for

From: John Martyn DoItBlind.com
Date: Mar 5, 2012 11:36AM

This is really helpful information, especially to a web and application
accessibility developer such as myself. Of course, I am dedicated to mostly
blind users and what a screen reader tells them. I want to get more into the
print disabled territory and this could help.
John Martyn

-----Original Message-----
From: <EMAIL REMOVED>
[mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Ryan Hemphill
Sent: Monday, March 05, 2012 10:00 AM
To: WebAIM Discussion List; Ryan Hemphill
Subject: [WebAIM] DIAS Software Heads Up (AEGIS), from CSUN conference

Hey everyone,

I went to a presentation at CSUN regarding the work that AEGIS is currently
doing and it was completely shocking.

They just created a product called DIAS and it does 2 things that you
absolutely need for a11y at your company. Here's why...


1. They created complete documented profiles of most of the major blind
and vision impaired user types. There may be more, but I didn't get a
chance to test the software myself.
2. For each profile they provided simulations of how that person would
be using YOUR web software and what it would be like to them.


This is quite possibly the most important software I will be able to get my
hands on, period. Think about this. If you are having any troubles at all
getting your dev teams and management to understand the depth of
accessibility issues, these 2 things will hammer the points home like a
sledgehammer for a finishing nail.

The glaucoma simulation, for example, can give several levels of the
symptoms (light to severe). I have never seen the affects of glaucoma on
eyesight - the focal area of the eye in the severe version of the simulation
(eye focus is the mouse) was so bad that the person literally could not see
a radius of at least 300+ pixels. You would literally need to pick out the
button that you were trying to roll over with your mouse out of the edge of
your vision. Absolutely mind-blowing.


I haven't been able to find the download for this thing, but AEGIS said they
are going to release it, so I hope to track it down soon. I will let you
know as soon as I have it in hand where you can download it.


In the meanwhile, I hope that I have done a good job of describing this
thing. Feel free to forward it to anyone interested. When you get your
hands on this thing, I am certain you will see the same potential I have.
If you find it before I do, let me know immediately.



Thanks,



Ryan Hemphill.


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