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From: Nancy Johnson
Date: Wed, Oct 19 2011 11:09AM
Subject: mobile apps/ mobile websites and accessibility/ resources --
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Hi,

Can you point me to good resources to find out about accessibility and
mobile technoloby.

I understand that apple has worked with NSF for visual impaired users,
but what about the Android? What about mobility impaired users, and
hearing impaired users, and cognitive impairments such as dyslexia
(naturally speaking)

Please forgive if this has come up before as I have been under
deadline and missed many threads recently.

Thanks,

Nancy

From: catherine
Date: Wed, Oct 19 2011 11:24AM
Subject: Re: mobile apps/ mobile websites and accessibility/ resources --
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Hi,

The following might be of interest to you :

http://snow.idrc.ocad.ca/node/149 (check out the link to the Mobile
Accessibility website in particular)

Also, Henny Swan has written an interesting article on guidelines for
accessibility on mobiles :

http://www.iheni.com/mobile-accessibility-guidelines/

Best regards,

--
Catherine Roy
http://www.catherine-roy.net


On 19/10/2011 1:07 PM, Nancy Johnson wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Can you point me to good resources to find out about accessibility and
> mobile technoloby.
>
> I understand that apple has worked with NSF for visual impaired users,
> but what about the Android? What about mobility impaired users, and
> hearing impaired users, and cognitive impairments such as dyslexia
> (naturally speaking)
>
> Please forgive if this has come up before as I have been under
> deadline and missed many threads recently.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Nancy
>

From: Giovanni Duarte
Date: Wed, Oct 19 2011 11:30AM
Subject: Re: mobile apps/ mobile websites and accessibility/ resources --
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Nancy,
I may suggest reviewing these resources:
- Google's eyes free project:
http://eyes-free.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/documentation/android_access/index
.html
- Screen reader http://www.codefactory.es/en/
- Ideal group: http://ideal-group.org/sj131264/

I am not sure how much information you need but this is a good start. Are
you looking for accessible apps?

Thanks,
Giovanni

From: Paul Adam
Date: Wed, Oct 19 2011 11:36AM
Subject: Re: mobile apps/ mobile websites and accessibility/ resources --
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Apple:
http://www.apple.com/accessibility/iphone/vision.html
http://developer.apple.com/technologies/ios/accessibility.html
http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/UserExperience/Conceptual/iPhoneAccessibility/Introduction/Introduction.html

Android:
http://eyes-free.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/documentation/android_access/index.html
http://developer.android.com/guide/practices/design/accessibility.html

Me :)
http://pauljadam.com/presentations/accessu2011/index.html

Basically to sum it up, Android accessibility sucks, they have some
apparent improvements with "Ice Cream Sandwich" lol love that name ;) I
think with the version they announced yesterday you can actually touch the
screen and hear the elements spoken, iOS has done this since 3.0.

iOS 5 blows any mobile device out of the water when it comes to
accessibility and usability. Apple has a mobile accessibility solution for
each disability type you mention in iOS 5.

All Android may support, with many limitations, is visual and hearing
disabilities. Apple takes care of mobility and cognitive impairments. Just
the pure simplicity and minimalism of the iOS operating system is wonderful
for cognitive accessibility. Assistive Touch is new which allows you to
control the touch screen with a joystick or single button switch, though I
have not seen a live demonstration of this cool new feature with an actual
alternative input device. Other recent additions are LED flash alerts so you
can see the phone ring if you're deaf. Custom vibration patterns so deaf and
blind users can know who is calling or texting them without pulling the
phone out of their pocket. And Siri voice control which even works for deaf
users since it presents the spoken output of Siri as text also.

What I love is how all these accessibility features in the iPhone also make
everyone's lives easier as well.

If you compare the accessibility information provide by Apple vs. Google
you'll see that Apple really cares about this and they present it
beautifully, even including deaf and blind users in their promotional
videos. http://www.apple.com/accessibility/iphone/vision.html

Good luck!

On Wed, Oct 19, 2011 at 1:07 PM, Nancy Johnson < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:

> Hi,
>
> Can you point me to good resources to find out about accessibility and
> mobile technoloby.
>
> I understand that apple has worked with NSF for visual impaired users,
> but what about the Android? What about mobility impaired users, and
> hearing impaired users, and cognitive impairments such as dyslexia
> (naturally speaking)
>
> Please forgive if this has come up before as I have been under
> deadline and missed many threads recently.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Nancy
>

From: deborah.kaplan
Date: Wed, Oct 19 2011 11:48AM
Subject: Re: mobile apps/ mobile websites and accessibility/ resources --
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Paul said: "Apple takes care of mobility and cognitive
impairments."

Is this true? I haven't had a chance to look at the new phone
with Siri yet, but I haven't seen anything implying you can use
the phone completely hands-free, or even close to completely
hands-free. Aside from tap-to-talk, Siri still seems to need
hands for after-dictation choices. It's hard to tell without
actually having a device to test with, because there's also no
documentation apparently available for Siri, which I have to say
does not count as an accessibility win from my perspective.

I particularly have strong feelings about this because I still
don't have a mobile device because there still hasn't been one
created I can even use, so if it's true that iOS 5 has something
approaching hands-free use, that is excellent. But it's not
something Apple is even bragging about on their website, so I
have my doubts. (They also don't answer e-mails to their
accessibility address asking about this.)

-Deborah

From: Paul Adam
Date: Wed, Oct 19 2011 11:57AM
Subject: Re: mobile apps/ mobile websites and accessibility/ resources --
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Assistive Touch is new in iOS 5.
http://www.apple.com/accessibility/iphone/physical.html

Physical & Motor Skills

The revolutionary iPhone delivers a variety of innovative features that make
it more accessible to those with impaired physical and motor skills.
AssistiveTouch

Built-in AssistiveTouch lets you enter Multi-Touch gestures using one finger
or a stylus (sold separately). It also supports the use of adaptive input
devices, like headsets and switches, so you can experience the full
capability of iPhone.
You can use Siri with a bluetooth or wired headset and with VoiceOver. I
would imagine this would also work with an alternative input device using
Assistive Touch. I would love to test this out! I need to find some sort of
bluetooth enabled alternative input device. Any ideas WebAIM? Haven't really
searched yet.

I'd love to see them promote Assistive Touch more on their site, no cool
pics yet like with VoiceOver, FaceTime, and Siri.

A use case for Assistive Touch could be for someone who uses a power
wheelchair to control their iDevice with limited hand movements. Sorry I
don't have much more info to share, hope Apple improves on
their promotion of this new feature.

On Wed, Oct 19, 2011 at 1:45 PM, < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:

> Paul said: "Apple takes care of mobility and cognitive
> impairments."
>
> Is this true? I haven't had a chance to look at the new phone
> with Siri yet, but I haven't seen anything implying you can use
> the phone completely hands-free, or even close to completely
> hands-free. Aside from tap-to-talk, Siri still seems to need
> hands for after-dictation choices. It's hard to tell without
> actually having a device to test with, because there's also no
> documentation apparently available for Siri, which I have to say
> does not count as an accessibility win from my perspective.
>
> I particularly have strong feelings about this because I still
> don't have a mobile device because there still hasn't been one
> created I can even use, so if it's true that iOS 5 has something
> approaching hands-free use, that is excellent. But it's not
> something Apple is even bragging about on their website, so I
> have my doubts. (They also don't answer e-mails to their
> accessibility address asking about this.)
>
> -Deborah
>

From: Richards, Jan
Date: Wed, Oct 19 2011 1:18PM
Subject: Re: mobile apps/ mobile websites and accessibility/ resources
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Hi,

Interesting discussion about mobile access...

We are actually part of an open-source project called "Tecla Access" that enables switch access to Android mobile devices (http://scyp.idrc.ocad.ca/projects/tekla).

The system has two parts:
(1) a free, open-source Tecla App (https://market.android.com/details?id=ca.idi.tekla) that provides a scanning onscreen keyboard for text entry and navigation; and
(2) a hardware Tecla Shield that communicates ability switch inputs to the mobile device via Bluetooth. This unit can be built from the open-source plans on the site or purchased.

Cheers,
Jan


(MR) JAN RICHARDS
PROJECT MANAGER
INCLUSIVE DESIGN RESEARCH CENTRE (IDRC)

T 416 977 6000 x3957
F 416 977 9844
E  = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =

Twitter @OCAD
Facebook www.facebook.com/OCADUniversity 

OCAD UNIVERSITY
100 McCaul Street, Toronto, Canada  M5T 1W1
www.ocadu.ca

From: Jennison Mark Asuncion
Date: Wed, Oct 19 2011 5:27PM
Subject: Re: mobile apps/ mobile websites and accessibility/ resources
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Hello,

Just thought I'd point folks who are LinkedIn members interested in this
subject area to the Mobile and Handheld Technology Accessibility Forum
LinkedIn Group
http://www.linkedin.com/e/vgh/2484780

Jennison
--
Jennison Mark Asuncion
Co-Director, Adaptech Research Network <www.adaptech.org>
LinkedIn at <www.linkedin.com/in/jennison>

From: McKeithan, Thomas
Date: Thu, Oct 20 2011 7:27AM
Subject: Re: mobile apps/ mobile websites and accessibility/ resources
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Thanks for sharing this information.

Respectfully,
Thomas Lee McKeithan II
Accessibility Program Manager
National Industries for the Blind
1310 Braddock Place
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703)310-0586 Direct
(202)276-6437 Cell
= EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =


"Believing is achieving, for if I believe, I can and I will achieve."