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Re: Guidelines are only half of the story: accessibility problems encountered by blind users on the web

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From: Morin, Gary (NIH/OD) [E]
Date: May 9, 2012 1:37PM

Speaking ONLY for myself, and I don't mean to be insulting or insensitive, but "accessibility" is not defined solely on whether only blind users and not other persons with disabilities can use the web or any other technology. I know that, for example, on Google's Accessibility listserv I was told bluntly that that is the definition of accessible and that any other group had to specify the term (i.e., accessible to Deaf persons, accessible to persons with dexterity impairments, etc.), as if by some majical decision the definition was restricted to only group of persons over another.

I write this because it concerns me that we're almost having to play against each other - i.e., my oppression, my disability, my lack of access is worse than yours - rather than what do we have to do collaboratively to ensure that technical is meaningfully accessible to each of us and to all of us.

Done for now with my two shekels worth of your time on my soapbox,

Gary