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Re: Tips on totally blind testing for the low vision accessibility

for

From: Mohith BP
Date: May 2, 2017 10:10PM


Hi All,

Thank you for the response. I usually follow the methodology suggested
by Guy Hickling. Most of the times I usually worked directly with
design, development and content team.

Thanks & Regards,
Mohith B. P.

On 5/3/17, Tim Harshbarger < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
> When possible, I try to use this as an opportunity. I am totally blind. I
> have also worked with colleagues who are blind.
>
> Sometimes, I use my need for sighted assistance as a way to help train other
> people on accessibility. I might ask them a series of questions about a
> design diagram or walk them through how to test for color contrast. I get
> the help I need and the other person ends up more knowledgeable.
>
> AT one point, I use to print out copies of the designs and I would take
> those copies (along with highlighter pens) to meetings with the project
> team. I would hand out the highlighters and the copies. I would have them
> walk through the design and interactions and have them use pen, pencil, and
> highlighters to mark up the designs. For example, I would walk them through
> finding and marking the headings on the page along with a heading level. I
> might have them outline or highlight sections where they could use
> landmarks. I think that ended up being quite educational for the project
> teams when we could do that.
>
> I just mention it as an example of possibly how to turn a potential problem
> into an advantage--in case it might be useful.
>
> ----Original Message-----
> From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf
> Of Guy Hickling
> Sent: Tuesday, May 02, 2017 1:25 PM
> To: <EMAIL REMOVED>
> Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Tips on totally blind testing for the low
> visionaccessibility
>
> This is something I have been thinking about these last two or three weeks
> because I am training up a blind consultant. We are currently going through
> various common accessibility issues to work out which ones he can report on
> his own and which ones he can't.
>
> In answer to the original question, yes, many visual issues have to be left
> to sighted people. The most obvious one is probably colour contrast, which
> can only be tested by a sighted person and is very fiddly as well.
>
> But there are others where a sighted person could test, perhaps under his
> instruction, and briefly tell him what is wrong, then he takes notes and
> can provide the proper comments and recommendations in his audit report.
>
> We are dividing the issues up into three categories:
>
> - screen reader issues he can report solely on his own
> - ones that must be left for a sighted colleague
> - and a third category in between where he can report them with
> assistance from an assistant who is computer literate, but not one
> necessarily versed in accessibility.
>
> The third category comes about because he is based in the UK where (and I
> don't know if there is an equivalent in the States) he can get social
> funding for a paid support worker for a certain amount of hours each week.
> It is ideal work, of course, for a computer programming student or similar
> wanting the extra cash, though it isn't always possible to find someone
> like that. But some people in a similar position may be able to get help
> from family members or such.
>
> Quite soon we are going to be considering image alt texts. A sighted person
> could tell him what images a page has, where they are, and whether they are
> decorative or not. He can then listen to the alt texts, if any, in his
> screen reader and report them appropriately. We are also experimenting with
> browser debugging tools to see how easily he can get round them (they have
> rather complex interfaces).
> It's early days in this journey at the moment, but it seems to be working
> out well for him.
>
> Regards,
> Guy Hickling
> Accessibility Consultant
> http://www.enigmaticweb.com
> > > > > > > > >