Well, its finally happening.
Amazon is working to make an
accessible Kindle book reader
for blind users. Its not happening overnight, but is projected to be out by summer 2010.
This is indeed good news. Those of us in the blind community have seen the potential that was there ever since Amazon announced text-to-speech capabilities in the latest version of this affordable, digital book reader. Granted, there were no usable menus which were being read and the web interface wasn’t accessible, but the books could be made to play for blind users with some sighted assistance.
Having accessibility built-in seems to be a new concept and it shook up the Author’s Guild to think that there might be ways of reading their works in this fashion without them getting a slice of revenue for audio formats of their book. When they protested, Amazon backed off and allowed publishers to say whether their works can be played on the current text-to-speech solution, further crippling possible access by blind users.
However, this is all set to change as what Amazon is working on is more of a functioning screen reader that wil handle menus and such, giving unprecedented access to blind users on the Kindle.
This product should serve Amazon well, because there was a recent announcement where two colleges said they would not be able to use the Kindle as a platform for digital textbooks, because the current Kindle was inaccessible to blind and visually impaired students. The colleges paired with the
National Federation of the Blind
To say that this inaccessibility discriminated against these students by not allowing them access to course material. This would be a big hurdle for Amazon to overcome and allow a broader rollout as an accessible digital textbook reader at college campuses across America.
I’m anxious to see what grows from this project and am subscribed to their email list for updates. If you’d also like to stay informed on progress on this front, sign up by email at
blind-interest@amazon.com
I don’t know if it will happen, but I’ve requested a review unit of the accessible Kindle. If I can get one, I’ll share my thoughts here on Access Ability. Stay tuned.
Showing posts with label Accessibility. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Accessibility. Show all posts
Monday, December 07, 2009
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Apple gives iPhone accessibility for the blind and does it the right way
In case you missed the groundbreaking news this week, the Apple Corporation has pounded the table and slammed its fist down, announcing heretofore unimagined accessibility for blind people to the iPhone and its popular touchscreen display. I’ve ragged on Apple enough in previous postings about not including accessibility for the blind amongst the many features that it offered on this chic and trendy device, so I feel obligated to give my props to the home of the Mighty Mac for doing it right.
Not only does Apple include accessibility to the iPhone with the upgrade to the 3.0 operating system, but they do it for free. It is built-into the software. That means that there is no additional “accessibility charge,” a price blind people have been subjected to in the past to gain access to information that sighted folks get for the original price of a product. This fee has come in the form of screen readers and service maintenance agreements that hit wallets that are very often already strained. So, a tip of the hat to Apple for not only providing accessibility, but just making it part of doing business.
I have heard that somebody questioned whether the Nokia N82, which is the phone I and several of my friends are using, has become obsolete with the advent of an accessible iPhone. I don't buy that. I think the N82 is a greatly accessible phone, in my own experience the most accessible phone I’ve ever had, and its already bought and paid for. There are aspects of it that nothing on the market can touch, at least not yet, so it is not obsolete. However, it is expensive in itself, just under $300 at best pricing, and also requires an expensive, third party screen reader for nearly $300 to be accessible. With a screen reader, at best prices, one will spend close to $600 and up to $900 from vendors to get an N82 with a screen reader on it.
Now, along comes Apple offering an iPhone for $199 with a built in screen reader. What Apple has done here is put pressure on the market to, not only ante up, but to matche their raise.
As they say, only time will tell. Let’s see what happens. It is indeed an interesting time to be a blind person and experience the wonders of advancing technology.
With all that said, below I offer a roundup of some of the writings on the web about the iPhone’s accessibility.
Here’s the official Apple iPhone Accessibility page where they spell out the use of Voice Over:
http://www.apple.com/accessibility/iphone/vision.html
Also, here’s the Apple guide on how to use different features on your iPhone.
http://www.apple.com/iphone/how-to/#basics.introduction
Here’s the Serotek blog where Mike Calvo shares his thoughts on Apple doing it right. Also, make sure to read the first comment on that post
http://blog.serotek.com/2009/06/why-is-it-that-apple-always-seems-to.html
Here’s the Ranger Station’s Post announcing the news. Ranger 1138 is a knowledgeable and experienced “dude in the assistive technology industry” whose insight I truly appreciate and trust.
http://therangerstation.blogspot.com/2009/06/voiceover-comes-to-iphones.html
Here is the Fred’s Head article from the American Printing House for the Blind. It is drawing its information from Apple, but seems to add some personal thoughts as well. The writer of this blog is a savvy writer named Mike McCarty and I personally dig his thoughts on technology and seemingly endless resources of information related to blindness and low vision.
http://www.fredshead.info/2009/06/true-accessibility-for-blind-and.html
And, finally, here’s Darrell Shandrow’s Blind Access Journal post, where he’s collected a few people’s reactions—some in awe and others basically taking a "wait and see" stance, as it sounds like his first couple of commenters are as well.
http://blog.blindaccessjournal.com/2009/06/apple-announces-iphone-accessibility.html
Like I said, only time will tell what evolves from Apple’s investment in accessibility.
Update 06/11/09
Here’s one more post from Mark Taylor’s Candleshore blog. It is not the original work of the blogger, but contains commentary from one person on an email list. However, these are the thoughtful reflections of a person, whom Mark leaves unidentified, but pledges is “one of the most respected names in the field of assistive technology for the visually impaired.” The comments are a good starting point for a discussion of what the pros and cons are of the iPhone versus other tactile smart phones.
http://mark.candleshoreblog.com/2009/06/11/the-accessible-iphone-3g-s-for-the-blind-and-low-vision-a-reality-check
Not only does Apple include accessibility to the iPhone with the upgrade to the 3.0 operating system, but they do it for free. It is built-into the software. That means that there is no additional “accessibility charge,” a price blind people have been subjected to in the past to gain access to information that sighted folks get for the original price of a product. This fee has come in the form of screen readers and service maintenance agreements that hit wallets that are very often already strained. So, a tip of the hat to Apple for not only providing accessibility, but just making it part of doing business.
I have heard that somebody questioned whether the Nokia N82, which is the phone I and several of my friends are using, has become obsolete with the advent of an accessible iPhone. I don't buy that. I think the N82 is a greatly accessible phone, in my own experience the most accessible phone I’ve ever had, and its already bought and paid for. There are aspects of it that nothing on the market can touch, at least not yet, so it is not obsolete. However, it is expensive in itself, just under $300 at best pricing, and also requires an expensive, third party screen reader for nearly $300 to be accessible. With a screen reader, at best prices, one will spend close to $600 and up to $900 from vendors to get an N82 with a screen reader on it.
Now, along comes Apple offering an iPhone for $199 with a built in screen reader. What Apple has done here is put pressure on the market to, not only ante up, but to matche their raise.
As they say, only time will tell. Let’s see what happens. It is indeed an interesting time to be a blind person and experience the wonders of advancing technology.
With all that said, below I offer a roundup of some of the writings on the web about the iPhone’s accessibility.
Here’s the official Apple iPhone Accessibility page where they spell out the use of Voice Over:
http://www.apple.com/accessibility/iphone/vision.html
Also, here’s the Apple guide on how to use different features on your iPhone.
http://www.apple.com/iphone/how-to/#basics.introduction
Here’s the Serotek blog where Mike Calvo shares his thoughts on Apple doing it right. Also, make sure to read the first comment on that post
http://blog.serotek.com/2009/06/why-is-it-that-apple-always-seems-to.html
Here’s the Ranger Station’s Post announcing the news. Ranger 1138 is a knowledgeable and experienced “dude in the assistive technology industry” whose insight I truly appreciate and trust.
http://therangerstation.blogspot.com/2009/06/voiceover-comes-to-iphones.html
Here is the Fred’s Head article from the American Printing House for the Blind. It is drawing its information from Apple, but seems to add some personal thoughts as well. The writer of this blog is a savvy writer named Mike McCarty and I personally dig his thoughts on technology and seemingly endless resources of information related to blindness and low vision.
http://www.fredshead.info/2009/06/true-accessibility-for-blind-and.html
And, finally, here’s Darrell Shandrow’s Blind Access Journal post, where he’s collected a few people’s reactions—some in awe and others basically taking a "wait and see" stance, as it sounds like his first couple of commenters are as well.
http://blog.blindaccessjournal.com/2009/06/apple-announces-iphone-accessibility.html
Like I said, only time will tell what evolves from Apple’s investment in accessibility.
Update 06/11/09
Here’s one more post from Mark Taylor’s Candleshore blog. It is not the original work of the blogger, but contains commentary from one person on an email list. However, these are the thoughtful reflections of a person, whom Mark leaves unidentified, but pledges is “one of the most respected names in the field of assistive technology for the visually impaired.” The comments are a good starting point for a discussion of what the pros and cons are of the iPhone versus other tactile smart phones.
http://mark.candleshoreblog.com/2009/06/11/the-accessible-iphone-3g-s-for-the-blind-and-low-vision-a-reality-check
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Latest edition of Disability 411 podcast now posted
Its been a while, but I’m back.
The latest edition of the
Disability 411 podcast
is now available.
It features yours truly as the guest interviewer and the interviewee is
Stephen Kerr,
A disc jockey and Assistant Program Director at
KKMJ, Magic 95,
In Austin, TX.
The reason for the interview is the technology evolution across the radio industry regarding the adoption of tuchscreen computer programs to operate radio stations. You see, Stephen is blind, and the introduction of this type of technology could easily stop his career in its tracks if not for insightful adaptation. Check out the interview and see how Stephen has managed to stay abreast of the changes in his long-time profession and the accessibility he has implemented.
And, if you’d rather read the interview, rather than listen to the podcast, Beth, as always, has the
Episode transcript
Available as well.
The latest edition of the
Disability 411 podcast
is now available.
It features yours truly as the guest interviewer and the interviewee is
Stephen Kerr,
A disc jockey and Assistant Program Director at
KKMJ, Magic 95,
In Austin, TX.
The reason for the interview is the technology evolution across the radio industry regarding the adoption of tuchscreen computer programs to operate radio stations. You see, Stephen is blind, and the introduction of this type of technology could easily stop his career in its tracks if not for insightful adaptation. Check out the interview and see how Stephen has managed to stay abreast of the changes in his long-time profession and the accessibility he has implemented.
And, if you’d rather read the interview, rather than listen to the podcast, Beth, as always, has the
Episode transcript
Available as well.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Call to advocacy for accessible information
I just received the following in an email from The Victor Reader Stream Newswire and felt it needed to be shared. It is a call for users and providers to raise your voice and be heard by contacting your country's representative to the WIPO. Hurry, though, as they will meet in ten days!
******
Message from the DAISY Consortium...
Dear DAISY Members and Friends,
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) will be considering a copyright treaty proposed by the World Blind Union (WBU) at the WIPO November 3 Standing Committee Meeting. The treaty, called "WIPO Treaty for Improved Access for Blind, Visually Impaired and other Reading Disabled Persons" is available online at:
http://www.keionline.org/misc-docs/tvi/tvi_en.html
We are asking all of you to contact your country's representative who will
be attending the WIPO Standing Committee meeting and advocate in favor of this draft treaty. We need you to act now, because the meeting will take place in ten days.
Information and links to supporting documents are provided immediately below in this email. We also offer some guidance on who to contact in your country and some assistance finding the right person.
On the front page of the DAISY Website under "Recent News" is the link to an article that provides further detail. It also contains links to the draft treaty in HTML, DAISY 2.02, and in DAISY 3. DAISY home page:
http://www.daisy.org
Direct link to the news entry:
http://www.daisy.org/news/news_detail.shtml?NewsId=458
The WIPO Standing Committee will be meeting November 3-7, 2008 and the WBU proposed treaty is the first substantive item on the agenda. The agenda can be found at:
http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/doc_details.jsp?doc_id=108373
DAISY Members and Friends should send their email letter in support of the proposed treaty to the department/minister that is going to represent their government in the SCCR/WIPO meeting. This information can normally be found within the department of foreign affairs and education in your country. If anybody has difficulties finding their SCCR representative we have provided names of those who attended the last meeting. This can be found at:
http://www.keionline.org/misc-docs/tvi/wipo_delegates_sccr16.html#toc17
If you are unable to find the name of the representative in your country at the link provided above, please contact Judit Rius Sanjuan
judit.rius@keionline.org
and/or Thiru Balasubramaniam
thiru@keionline.org
The treaty proposal put forward by the WBU is an extremely important document which addresses information access on an international level. We suggest you familiarize yourself with the proposal, and ask that each of you contact the government representative in your country who will attend the SCCR/WIPO meeting. Background and talking points are available at:
http://www.keionline.org/misc-docs/tvi/tvi_memo_en.html
Best
George Kerscher, Secretary General, DAISY Consortium
George Kerscher Ph.D.
Access to information is a fundamental human right in our Information Age.
Senior Officer, Accessible Information
Recording For the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D)
http://www.rfbd.org
Secretary General, DAISY Consortium
http://www.daisy.org
Co-chair Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), a division of the W3C
http://www.w3c.org/wai
Board Representative to the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF)
http://www.idpf.org
******
Message from the DAISY Consortium...
Dear DAISY Members and Friends,
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) will be considering a copyright treaty proposed by the World Blind Union (WBU) at the WIPO November 3 Standing Committee Meeting. The treaty, called "WIPO Treaty for Improved Access for Blind, Visually Impaired and other Reading Disabled Persons" is available online at:
http://www.keionline.org/misc-docs/tvi/tvi_en.html
We are asking all of you to contact your country's representative who will
be attending the WIPO Standing Committee meeting and advocate in favor of this draft treaty. We need you to act now, because the meeting will take place in ten days.
Information and links to supporting documents are provided immediately below in this email. We also offer some guidance on who to contact in your country and some assistance finding the right person.
On the front page of the DAISY Website under "Recent News" is the link to an article that provides further detail. It also contains links to the draft treaty in HTML, DAISY 2.02, and in DAISY 3. DAISY home page:
http://www.daisy.org
Direct link to the news entry:
http://www.daisy.org/news/news_detail.shtml?NewsId=458
The WIPO Standing Committee will be meeting November 3-7, 2008 and the WBU proposed treaty is the first substantive item on the agenda. The agenda can be found at:
http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/doc_details.jsp?doc_id=108373
DAISY Members and Friends should send their email letter in support of the proposed treaty to the department/minister that is going to represent their government in the SCCR/WIPO meeting. This information can normally be found within the department of foreign affairs and education in your country. If anybody has difficulties finding their SCCR representative we have provided names of those who attended the last meeting. This can be found at:
http://www.keionline.org/misc-docs/tvi/wipo_delegates_sccr16.html#toc17
If you are unable to find the name of the representative in your country at the link provided above, please contact Judit Rius Sanjuan
judit.rius@keionline.org
and/or Thiru Balasubramaniam
thiru@keionline.org
The treaty proposal put forward by the WBU is an extremely important document which addresses information access on an international level. We suggest you familiarize yourself with the proposal, and ask that each of you contact the government representative in your country who will attend the SCCR/WIPO meeting. Background and talking points are available at:
http://www.keionline.org/misc-docs/tvi/tvi_memo_en.html
Best
George Kerscher, Secretary General, DAISY Consortium
George Kerscher Ph.D.
Access to information is a fundamental human right in our Information Age.
Senior Officer, Accessible Information
Recording For the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D)
http://www.rfbd.org
Secretary General, DAISY Consortium
http://www.daisy.org
Co-chair Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), a division of the W3C
http://www.w3c.org/wai
Board Representative to the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF)
http://www.idpf.org
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Updated: Xerox includes accessibility on copiers via USB port
If you’ve read any of my previous posts concerning the iPhone, then you probably understand that I believe that this device has helped touchscreens to grow in popularity and this type of input method will, undoubtedly, continue to proliferate in the future technology and electronics landscape. But, that popularity is something that has to be taken in stride, especially when accessibility is not a consideration, such as with the iPhone.
However, touchscreens and their visual display predecessors are not new for operating office machines. If you’ve ever worked around any of the high end office copiers that are out there, you can understand just how inaccessible these can be. Even when I still had sightnearly 15 years ago, there were visual displays on copy machines that one had to be able to see by viewing from a vantage point of standing with one’s head above the machine. Operating a machine with this type of display would pose problems for people with myriad visual disabilities, as well as anybody who uses a wheelchair.
Peter Abrahams has written a great article, with a good discussion of relevant issues, on how
Xerox has implemented USB accessibility
On an assorted selection of their copier products.
The key to accessibility lies in the Xerox Copier Assistant™, software that runs on a compatible Windows machine and connects to the Xerox machine via a built-in USB port. The software allows for providing accessibility to people who have various disabilities, of which Abrahams provides a good overview of as well. Input is allowed via mouse, keyboard, or with the proper combination, voice command.
This article offers a good examination of touchscreens and lists how they provide a superior user experience. Additionally, Abrahams lists how they make good business sense, but balances this all out with how they have been inaccessible in the past. He wraps up by looking at the under-promotion Xerox is giving this landmark achievement and offers some tips to help make the most of what they have done.
Hat’s off to Xerox. You rock.
(Thanks to T. Reid at
Reid My Mind
For the initial information about this news.)
Update: 05/28/08
Thanks to an anonymous commenter, I am reminded that, back in March and July of 2006, the American Foundation of the Blind’s great bimonthly magazine
Access World
Discussed this problem in two articles and offered an accessibility review of some conventional brands of office copiers. While these articles are two years old, I believe the information is still relevant and appropriate to share in this post, so here they are:
March 2006
July 2006
I personally recall reading those articles and don't know why it didn't dawn on me before to include them in this post originally. I appreciate the useful feedback.
However, touchscreens and their visual display predecessors are not new for operating office machines. If you’ve ever worked around any of the high end office copiers that are out there, you can understand just how inaccessible these can be. Even when I still had sightnearly 15 years ago, there were visual displays on copy machines that one had to be able to see by viewing from a vantage point of standing with one’s head above the machine. Operating a machine with this type of display would pose problems for people with myriad visual disabilities, as well as anybody who uses a wheelchair.
Peter Abrahams has written a great article, with a good discussion of relevant issues, on how
Xerox has implemented USB accessibility
On an assorted selection of their copier products.
The key to accessibility lies in the Xerox Copier Assistant™, software that runs on a compatible Windows machine and connects to the Xerox machine via a built-in USB port. The software allows for providing accessibility to people who have various disabilities, of which Abrahams provides a good overview of as well. Input is allowed via mouse, keyboard, or with the proper combination, voice command.
This article offers a good examination of touchscreens and lists how they provide a superior user experience. Additionally, Abrahams lists how they make good business sense, but balances this all out with how they have been inaccessible in the past. He wraps up by looking at the under-promotion Xerox is giving this landmark achievement and offers some tips to help make the most of what they have done.
Hat’s off to Xerox. You rock.
(Thanks to T. Reid at
Reid My Mind
For the initial information about this news.)
Update: 05/28/08
Thanks to an anonymous commenter, I am reminded that, back in March and July of 2006, the American Foundation of the Blind’s great bimonthly magazine
Access World
Discussed this problem in two articles and offered an accessibility review of some conventional brands of office copiers. While these articles are two years old, I believe the information is still relevant and appropriate to share in this post, so here they are:
March 2006
July 2006
I personally recall reading those articles and don't know why it didn't dawn on me before to include them in this post originally. I appreciate the useful feedback.
Monday, May 05, 2008
ATHEN seeking survey input about Information Technology and accessibility
The information below is initially targeted to those of you who work in the DSO at postsecondary institutions, but will also involve other departments on your campus. It is interdepartmental, but the results will be most impacting to your department, so it is up to you to do the legwork and bring the other departments onboard.
The Access Technology Higher Education Network
(ATHEN) is conducting a survey regarding higher education institutions' practices, procedures, and policies for addressing information technology accessibility needs of students.
The deadline for participating in the survey is Friday, May 16.
Results will be published in the upcoming ATHEN e-Journal, and will be announced first in a pre-conference session at the AHEAD Conference 0n July 14 in Reno, NV. The session is titled "Creating Intersections that Connect Students with Disabilities and High-Tech Careers". This is an all-dayCapacity Building Institute, and there will be plenty of opportunities to discuss the implications of the survey results.
For details of the ATHEN survey, its six component sections, and which departmental official they are seeking to complete each section, click the link above to go to the ATHEN blog site.
However, if you are already familiar with who is best suited to complete each section on your campus, then the survey is located at:
http://www.athenpro.org/survey/
The Access Technology Higher Education Network
(ATHEN) is conducting a survey regarding higher education institutions' practices, procedures, and policies for addressing information technology accessibility needs of students.
The deadline for participating in the survey is Friday, May 16.
Results will be published in the upcoming ATHEN e-Journal, and will be announced first in a pre-conference session at the AHEAD Conference 0n July 14 in Reno, NV. The session is titled "Creating Intersections that Connect Students with Disabilities and High-Tech Careers". This is an all-dayCapacity Building Institute, and there will be plenty of opportunities to discuss the implications of the survey results.
For details of the ATHEN survey, its six component sections, and which departmental official they are seeking to complete each section, click the link above to go to the ATHEN blog site.
However, if you are already familiar with who is best suited to complete each section on your campus, then the survey is located at:
http://www.athenpro.org/survey/
Friday, March 07, 2008
More information about Abilene Christian University and possible accessibility of iPhone/iPod Touch
This is an update to the post I originally wrote last week about
Abilene Christian University
(ACU) giving iPhone and iPod Touch players to incoming freshmen. Due to the new information I have to share, I’m writing this as a separate post.
Just to let you know, I still have not received a reply to the email I sent to Lynne Bruton, ACU’s media contact person, in which I inquired how the university planned to address the accessibility concerns for any freshman students who are unable to use the Apple products due to a physical disability.
Perhaps the reason I have not heard from her is that Ms. Bruton Does not consider a blog traditional media. One would believe that a university that is so quick to embrace technology such as the Apple devices would similarly acknowledge a blog as new media as well. Even if the university does not want to acknowledge this blog, one would at least expect that they would want to address a concern as legitimate as a question about the accessibility of the university’s implementation of a required technology .
After all, when the school has
developed nearly two dozen applications
for use on the iPhone and iPod Touch that will need to be used by both students and faculty alike, the device becomes an integral and mandatory part of participating in the university’s programs. It would seem obvious that accessibility for everybody would be an important concern. However, my query about the university’s plans to address these needs continues to go unanswered.
All is not lost, though. There was a big announcement on the Apple technology front which may be of interest to the administrators at ACU. Apple chief Steve Jobs held a press conference yesterday to announce the release of the beta of the
Apple Software Development Kit,
or SDK, which will allow third-party (a.k.a. non-Apple) software developers to create software applications that will run on the iPhone and iPod Touch. This means that somebody with a concern about accessibility might already be creating the applications that will allow access to the Apple devices for those who are physically unable to use the touchscreen.
The full version of the SDK won’t be released until June. This means that users won’t be able to access any of the programs developers have created until then. Let’s see…June is just two months before August, when fall classes traditionally begin. That timeline might work for ACU to get some accessibility modules in place for the Apple products. Then again, it also might not.
To further spur innovation in this area, Kleiner Perkins, a well-established venture capital firm in the Silicon Valley, has set up a
$100 million fund
to invest in new companies who are seeking to develop iPhone applications.
Are you listening, ACU?
Note: I sincerely promise that I am not on a quest to bash Abilene Christian University. I had sought input from the university to offer their plan on addressing accessibility concerns with the Apple products. I am just asking for a reply. Anybody in authority at ACU may feel free to
contact me.
Abilene Christian University
(ACU) giving iPhone and iPod Touch players to incoming freshmen. Due to the new information I have to share, I’m writing this as a separate post.
Just to let you know, I still have not received a reply to the email I sent to Lynne Bruton, ACU’s media contact person, in which I inquired how the university planned to address the accessibility concerns for any freshman students who are unable to use the Apple products due to a physical disability.
Perhaps the reason I have not heard from her is that Ms. Bruton Does not consider a blog traditional media. One would believe that a university that is so quick to embrace technology such as the Apple devices would similarly acknowledge a blog as new media as well. Even if the university does not want to acknowledge this blog, one would at least expect that they would want to address a concern as legitimate as a question about the accessibility of the university’s implementation of a required technology .
After all, when the school has
developed nearly two dozen applications
for use on the iPhone and iPod Touch that will need to be used by both students and faculty alike, the device becomes an integral and mandatory part of participating in the university’s programs. It would seem obvious that accessibility for everybody would be an important concern. However, my query about the university’s plans to address these needs continues to go unanswered.
All is not lost, though. There was a big announcement on the Apple technology front which may be of interest to the administrators at ACU. Apple chief Steve Jobs held a press conference yesterday to announce the release of the beta of the
Apple Software Development Kit,
or SDK, which will allow third-party (a.k.a. non-Apple) software developers to create software applications that will run on the iPhone and iPod Touch. This means that somebody with a concern about accessibility might already be creating the applications that will allow access to the Apple devices for those who are physically unable to use the touchscreen.
The full version of the SDK won’t be released until June. This means that users won’t be able to access any of the programs developers have created until then. Let’s see…June is just two months before August, when fall classes traditionally begin. That timeline might work for ACU to get some accessibility modules in place for the Apple products. Then again, it also might not.
To further spur innovation in this area, Kleiner Perkins, a well-established venture capital firm in the Silicon Valley, has set up a
$100 million fund
to invest in new companies who are seeking to develop iPhone applications.
Are you listening, ACU?
Note: I sincerely promise that I am not on a quest to bash Abilene Christian University. I had sought input from the university to offer their plan on addressing accessibility concerns with the Apple products. I am just asking for a reply. Anybody in authority at ACU may feel free to
contact me.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Innovations of iPhone should lead to greater overall web accessibility
In June of last year, I wrote a post here about the
inaccessibility of Apple’s iPhone.
My biggest gripe still today about the product is that being that the iPhone uses a touchscreen, the trendy and coveted geek toy is inaccessible to anybody who has a disability and is unable to touch the screen. That includes people who are blind or have a motor impairment that limits the manual dexterity required to accomplish that task.
This leads me into an article I just came across by web development author Christopher Schmitt, wherein he states the case that
iPhone specific web development is misguided.
In this well proposed presentation, Schmitt states that there are implications for web surfing that the iPhone has forever change, and, as such, its competitors will certainly follow suit just to stay competitive. The primary point is the fact that
Web sites no longer need to design their sites specifically for a mobile device.
Schmitt argues that developers need not design web content which will only be maximized on the iPhone, but optimized for all. The crux of his presentation is centered around accessibility, not just as being the right thing to do as a good corporate citizen, but as a sound business model. Simple economics dictate that making a web site which is accessible to all makes it open to the widest audience possible. Makes sense, doesn’t it?
Schmitt writes:
“Apple recently sold its first million iPhones. Yet, there are an estimated 37 million Americans with sensory and physical disability between the ages of 16 to 64.”
“If only ten percent of these 37 million people with disabilities surf the Web on an assistive technology, their numbers are 300% greater than every iPhone sold.”
However, I think the most sensible and emphatic plea for making accessibility a priority for web developers can be discerned from Schmitt’s conclusion:
“If your Web site is geared to run on assistive technologies like screen readers, hand wands , eye tracking, voice recognition, or braille displays, the odds are that you’ve opened your site up to more of an audience than the iPhone crowd.”
Again, I sincerely believe that makes perfect sense, both business-wise and doing the right thing-wise.
In light of the argument Schmitt makes, perhaps I need to not be too hard on the iPhone. While the iPhone may still be inaccessible, there are prospects that this may one day evolve with insightful use of third party applications. And, the inaccessibility of the iPhone itself may be offset by the opening of doors for greater web accessibility as a whole due to the innovation that the device has brought to the mobile phone market.
inaccessibility of Apple’s iPhone.
My biggest gripe still today about the product is that being that the iPhone uses a touchscreen, the trendy and coveted geek toy is inaccessible to anybody who has a disability and is unable to touch the screen. That includes people who are blind or have a motor impairment that limits the manual dexterity required to accomplish that task.
This leads me into an article I just came across by web development author Christopher Schmitt, wherein he states the case that
iPhone specific web development is misguided.
In this well proposed presentation, Schmitt states that there are implications for web surfing that the iPhone has forever change, and, as such, its competitors will certainly follow suit just to stay competitive. The primary point is the fact that
Web sites no longer need to design their sites specifically for a mobile device.
Schmitt argues that developers need not design web content which will only be maximized on the iPhone, but optimized for all. The crux of his presentation is centered around accessibility, not just as being the right thing to do as a good corporate citizen, but as a sound business model. Simple economics dictate that making a web site which is accessible to all makes it open to the widest audience possible. Makes sense, doesn’t it?
Schmitt writes:
“Apple recently sold its first million iPhones. Yet, there are an estimated 37 million Americans with sensory and physical disability between the ages of 16 to 64.”
“If only ten percent of these 37 million people with disabilities surf the Web on an assistive technology, their numbers are 300% greater than every iPhone sold.”
However, I think the most sensible and emphatic plea for making accessibility a priority for web developers can be discerned from Schmitt’s conclusion:
“If your Web site is geared to run on assistive technologies like screen readers, hand wands , eye tracking, voice recognition, or braille displays, the odds are that you’ve opened your site up to more of an audience than the iPhone crowd.”
Again, I sincerely believe that makes perfect sense, both business-wise and doing the right thing-wise.
In light of the argument Schmitt makes, perhaps I need to not be too hard on the iPhone. While the iPhone may still be inaccessible, there are prospects that this may one day evolve with insightful use of third party applications. And, the inaccessibility of the iPhone itself may be offset by the opening of doors for greater web accessibility as a whole due to the innovation that the device has brought to the mobile phone market.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Updated: New KNFB Reader promises another advance in portable OCR abilities
**See end of this post for an available audio interview.
In October, 2006, I finally got the chance to get my hands on a KNFB Reader and take it for a test drive. The KNFB Reader is the breakthrough in portable OCR scanning that unhooked that assistive technology task from a computer. It joined a PDA running Kurzweil OCR software with a digital camera to input the graphical image as the document being scanned. This concept was landmark in that it allowed blind and visually impaired people the ability to be anywhere and scan work documents, restaurant menus, and any other document with text in standard fonts.
At that time, while I marveled at the concept of having the ability to virtually scan any document at any location, I was also struck with both the unit’s somewhat slow speed and bulkiness. I felt that the processing speed should have been quicker and also, because it was a camera paired with a personal data assistant, it was a little bulky to make it what I felt was truly portable.
It seems like I wasn’t the only one who felt this way, at least about the size concern. The latest evolution of this product is here. The new
KNFB Reader
Is about to be released and it runs on a Nokia N82 mobile phone with a built-in digital camera.
Now, that really makes some sense. Today’s smart phones are virtually running a small computer already to execute all the semi-computing tasks anyhow, which the market demands, and this is what the latest incarnation of the tool is using to run the Kurzweil software. And, of course, the camera was already built-in, so there is no need to use two digital devices to do one job.
According to the press release linked above, which is basically just announcing today’s press conference of the KNFB Reader’s advanced enhancements, the camera is implied to also be faster than its predecessor. At least that’s what I take from the words of the President of the National Federation of the Blind (the NFB in KNFB).
And, According to the below paragraph (also from the press release,) which outlines the accessibility features of the software, I’m also going to take it that the program works as a screen reader for the phone.
“Blind users will have access to all of the functions featured in the most advanced cell phones on the market including video and music playback, GPS, wireless communications, photography, e-mail, text messaging, calendar and task functions, and more. The combination Reader and cell phone weighs 4.2 ounces and can store thousands of printed pages with easily obtainable extra memory. Users can transfer files to computers or Braille notetakers in seconds.”
This all sounds wonderful, but I want to know what this will cost and when it will be available. I’ve check both the press release and the official
KNFB Reader web site,
For more information. However, I have not found any specifics about when this dreamy piece of assistive technology will be available, nor what the price will be.
Hopefully, the unit’s price will not be stratospheric ($3,500) like its predecessor. This is especially applicable when the
Mobile Speaks screen reader
For smart phones, including two Nokia models, Is available commercially through AT&T for only $89. Yes, the AT&T offering doesn't include the OCR capabilities, but it gives everything else. Given that blind consumers have something to compare it to, that makes the price tag for the OCR software stand out and may make some wonder how much that is truly worth. If the access to the phone's features can be had for only $89, that makes it imperative for the KNFB Reader to be priced somewhat competetively.
I feel certain more will be revealed in coming days. Check back here soon for updates.
***
Update 01-28-08 7:15 pm
Okay, here is the updated information on pricing and shipping.
Celia Black, Director Marketing Communications for the KNFB Reader, read my post and sent me the following information for the new KNFB Reader.
“The retail price of the knfbReader Mobile software is $1595 US. The NOKIA N82 sold separately, ranges between $530 and $600.”
She provided the following web sources to check for pricing the phones:
http://www.egizmo.com/servlet/the-910/Nokia-N82-5.0-MP/Detail
http://www.mobilecityonline.com/wireless/store/productdetail.asp?productid=22925&refid=GG-N82&gclid=CNztrJGDmpECFQI2sgod5mfFOw
She also informs me that the new KNFB Reader will begin shipping on Feb. 15, 2008. There is
authorized dealer information
on the KNFB web site.
Additionally, according to
The Ranger Station
one vendor is selling an all set up, ready to use mobile phone with the KNFB software and either the TALKS or Mobile Speaks screen reader, which will run a cool $2,495.
***
Update 02/01/08
The Blind Bargains web site
has an audio interview available, with James Gashel, Vice President of marketing for KNFB Reading Technologies. Mr. Gashel discusses the changes that have been made, as well as what may lie ahead for future versions of the technology.
In October, 2006, I finally got the chance to get my hands on a KNFB Reader and take it for a test drive. The KNFB Reader is the breakthrough in portable OCR scanning that unhooked that assistive technology task from a computer. It joined a PDA running Kurzweil OCR software with a digital camera to input the graphical image as the document being scanned. This concept was landmark in that it allowed blind and visually impaired people the ability to be anywhere and scan work documents, restaurant menus, and any other document with text in standard fonts.
At that time, while I marveled at the concept of having the ability to virtually scan any document at any location, I was also struck with both the unit’s somewhat slow speed and bulkiness. I felt that the processing speed should have been quicker and also, because it was a camera paired with a personal data assistant, it was a little bulky to make it what I felt was truly portable.
It seems like I wasn’t the only one who felt this way, at least about the size concern. The latest evolution of this product is here. The new
KNFB Reader
Is about to be released and it runs on a Nokia N82 mobile phone with a built-in digital camera.
Now, that really makes some sense. Today’s smart phones are virtually running a small computer already to execute all the semi-computing tasks anyhow, which the market demands, and this is what the latest incarnation of the tool is using to run the Kurzweil software. And, of course, the camera was already built-in, so there is no need to use two digital devices to do one job.
According to the press release linked above, which is basically just announcing today’s press conference of the KNFB Reader’s advanced enhancements, the camera is implied to also be faster than its predecessor. At least that’s what I take from the words of the President of the National Federation of the Blind (the NFB in KNFB).
And, According to the below paragraph (also from the press release,) which outlines the accessibility features of the software, I’m also going to take it that the program works as a screen reader for the phone.
“Blind users will have access to all of the functions featured in the most advanced cell phones on the market including video and music playback, GPS, wireless communications, photography, e-mail, text messaging, calendar and task functions, and more. The combination Reader and cell phone weighs 4.2 ounces and can store thousands of printed pages with easily obtainable extra memory. Users can transfer files to computers or Braille notetakers in seconds.”
This all sounds wonderful, but I want to know what this will cost and when it will be available. I’ve check both the press release and the official
KNFB Reader web site,
For more information. However, I have not found any specifics about when this dreamy piece of assistive technology will be available, nor what the price will be.
Hopefully, the unit’s price will not be stratospheric ($3,500) like its predecessor. This is especially applicable when the
Mobile Speaks screen reader
For smart phones, including two Nokia models, Is available commercially through AT&T for only $89. Yes, the AT&T offering doesn't include the OCR capabilities, but it gives everything else. Given that blind consumers have something to compare it to, that makes the price tag for the OCR software stand out and may make some wonder how much that is truly worth. If the access to the phone's features can be had for only $89, that makes it imperative for the KNFB Reader to be priced somewhat competetively.
I feel certain more will be revealed in coming days. Check back here soon for updates.
***
Update 01-28-08 7:15 pm
Okay, here is the updated information on pricing and shipping.
Celia Black, Director Marketing Communications for the KNFB Reader, read my post and sent me the following information for the new KNFB Reader.
“The retail price of the knfbReader Mobile software is $1595 US. The NOKIA N82 sold separately, ranges between $530 and $600.”
She provided the following web sources to check for pricing the phones:
http://www.egizmo.com/servlet/the-910/Nokia-N82-5.0-MP/Detail
http://www.mobilecityonline.com/wireless/store/productdetail.asp?productid=22925&refid=GG-N82&gclid=CNztrJGDmpECFQI2sgod5mfFOw
She also informs me that the new KNFB Reader will begin shipping on Feb. 15, 2008. There is
authorized dealer information
on the KNFB web site.
Additionally, according to
The Ranger Station
one vendor is selling an all set up, ready to use mobile phone with the KNFB software and either the TALKS or Mobile Speaks screen reader, which will run a cool $2,495.
***
Update 02/01/08
The Blind Bargains web site
has an audio interview available, with James Gashel, Vice President of marketing for KNFB Reading Technologies. Mr. Gashel discusses the changes that have been made, as well as what may lie ahead for future versions of the technology.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Texas Tech students seek accessibility
A group of Lubbock students is pursuing an interesting and worthwhile project at Texas Tech University.
The group of four students is proposing that the university make some specific building modifications to make the
Texas Tech campus more accessible
to students with disabilities. The students are emphasizing that one particular building, Holden Hall, be made more accessible. The well presented proposal cites the Americans with Disabilities Act as its support for the merit of such an undertaking.
Not being versed in the particular accessability concerns of the Texas Tech campus, I can not personally comment on the issues raised by the students. However, if the concerns are legitimate, which I will lean towards the students for being accurate, there are some definite needs on the Texas Tech campus.
The students have made a good faith effort to present their case. I wish them well in this pursuit and look forward to seeing the outcome of their work.
The group of four students is proposing that the university make some specific building modifications to make the
Texas Tech campus more accessible
to students with disabilities. The students are emphasizing that one particular building, Holden Hall, be made more accessible. The well presented proposal cites the Americans with Disabilities Act as its support for the merit of such an undertaking.
Not being versed in the particular accessability concerns of the Texas Tech campus, I can not personally comment on the issues raised by the students. However, if the concerns are legitimate, which I will lean towards the students for being accurate, there are some definite needs on the Texas Tech campus.
The students have made a good faith effort to present their case. I wish them well in this pursuit and look forward to seeing the outcome of their work.
Friday, June 29, 2007
iPhone may be cool, but lacks accessibility
Today is June 29, the day of the highly-touted release of the Apple iPhone.
A lot of the hype is about the
iPhone’s touch screen,
which is being promoted as the beginning wave of coming technology.
As for that wave of coming technologies, I certainly hope not. While the iPhone may look sleek, cool, and all of those other promotional buzz words, it lacks basic accessibility for those who are unable to see the touch pad.
Maybe the new
Hitachi brain interface
is the key to giving access to the blind. While I suggest this a bit feceitiously, this interface is actually a pretty cool innovation which has great potential for applications in assistive technology.
A recent request in the Houston Chronicle wanted readers to write one of the newspaper’s business reporters and tell whether you would be standing in line to get one of these new Apple play-pretty’s today.
Here is what I wrote:
I was reading Dwight’s Techblog and saw that you were inquiring whether people were going to stand in line to get an iPhone.
I will not be and will tell you why.
I am totally blind and the iPhone’s touch screen, while packing all the reputed Apple coolness, is just a blank technological slate to somebody who can’t see it.
I use a computer at home with a screen reading program and it reads text great in many forms such as web pages, emails, word documents, and many other applications. I do things on my computer by the keyboard and without using the mouse or monitor that many sighted folks have no idea how to do, even when they're looking at the monitor with mouse in hand.
The reason I explain about the computer and screen reader is that I also have a screen reader on my Nokia 6620 cell phone that reads the screen to me, including the various folders and their contents, the display screen of the number I am dialing, and also reads aloud the caller ID. This software even reads text messages. While I don't text, I do have blind friends who text using their 6620 and later model Nokia phones and this software. While my 6620 is over two years old, it is still functioning well and giving me what I need.
In essence, the iPhone would give me less functionality than the old analog cell phones I used to use before the technology advanced to where I could use a screen reader. On those old phones, I could at least feel the buttons, figure out the number I wanted to dial, and hit send. From what I’m reading, with the iPhone, I couldn’t even feel the number buttons to dial somebody, rendering it totally useless to me.
So, as I’ve explained, the IPhone has nothing that gives me the access I have on my Nokia and would be about as useful as a stone for me. One day, there may be a screen reader that works for the iPhone. Really, though, why would I want the iPhone? For coolness? I’m 45 years old and my idea of being cool is spending time with my wife and 5-year old son. Give me the practical functionality of my Nokia and I’m happy.
I know this might have been more than you were asking for, but cell phone users come in many forms. Blind folks use them too, but we need access to the information we are using. I figured I would share a side of the cell phone consumer picture most people don’t even think about.
(I did receive a prompt reply from the reporter, in which he acknowledged my thoughts and said he had never even thought about people who couldn’t see the touch pad.)
A lot of the hype is about the
iPhone’s touch screen,
which is being promoted as the beginning wave of coming technology.
As for that wave of coming technologies, I certainly hope not. While the iPhone may look sleek, cool, and all of those other promotional buzz words, it lacks basic accessibility for those who are unable to see the touch pad.
Maybe the new
Hitachi brain interface
is the key to giving access to the blind. While I suggest this a bit feceitiously, this interface is actually a pretty cool innovation which has great potential for applications in assistive technology.
A recent request in the Houston Chronicle wanted readers to write one of the newspaper’s business reporters and tell whether you would be standing in line to get one of these new Apple play-pretty’s today.
Here is what I wrote:
I was reading Dwight’s Techblog and saw that you were inquiring whether people were going to stand in line to get an iPhone.
I will not be and will tell you why.
I am totally blind and the iPhone’s touch screen, while packing all the reputed Apple coolness, is just a blank technological slate to somebody who can’t see it.
I use a computer at home with a screen reading program and it reads text great in many forms such as web pages, emails, word documents, and many other applications. I do things on my computer by the keyboard and without using the mouse or monitor that many sighted folks have no idea how to do, even when they're looking at the monitor with mouse in hand.
The reason I explain about the computer and screen reader is that I also have a screen reader on my Nokia 6620 cell phone that reads the screen to me, including the various folders and their contents, the display screen of the number I am dialing, and also reads aloud the caller ID. This software even reads text messages. While I don't text, I do have blind friends who text using their 6620 and later model Nokia phones and this software. While my 6620 is over two years old, it is still functioning well and giving me what I need.
In essence, the iPhone would give me less functionality than the old analog cell phones I used to use before the technology advanced to where I could use a screen reader. On those old phones, I could at least feel the buttons, figure out the number I wanted to dial, and hit send. From what I’m reading, with the iPhone, I couldn’t even feel the number buttons to dial somebody, rendering it totally useless to me.
So, as I’ve explained, the IPhone has nothing that gives me the access I have on my Nokia and would be about as useful as a stone for me. One day, there may be a screen reader that works for the iPhone. Really, though, why would I want the iPhone? For coolness? I’m 45 years old and my idea of being cool is spending time with my wife and 5-year old son. Give me the practical functionality of my Nokia and I’m happy.
I know this might have been more than you were asking for, but cell phone users come in many forms. Blind folks use them too, but we need access to the information we are using. I figured I would share a side of the cell phone consumer picture most people don’t even think about.
(I did receive a prompt reply from the reporter, in which he acknowledged my thoughts and said he had never even thought about people who couldn’t see the touch pad.)
Monday, February 05, 2007
Two more web resources
Today, I want to tell you about two websites that offer rich resources for disability support service. They are useful to bookmark and come back to when needed.
First, I offer
Accessibility Resources,
A virtual compendium of anything related to accessibility. The site is a blog created by the
Virtual Private Library.
There is more information here about accessibility resources than I’ve seen collected in any one location anywhere else.
Secondly, there is
Assistive Technology for hearing impaired students,
A pretty good compilation of resources specific to the needs of deaf and hearing impaired students. It is the latest post to Special Education and Technology, a fairly new blog that appears promising.
These are just more resources to be aware of. Information is power, so check these sites out and consider yourself recharged for the day.
First, I offer
Accessibility Resources,
A virtual compendium of anything related to accessibility. The site is a blog created by the
Virtual Private Library.
There is more information here about accessibility resources than I’ve seen collected in any one location anywhere else.
Secondly, there is
Assistive Technology for hearing impaired students,
A pretty good compilation of resources specific to the needs of deaf and hearing impaired students. It is the latest post to Special Education and Technology, a fairly new blog that appears promising.
These are just more resources to be aware of. Information is power, so check these sites out and consider yourself recharged for the day.
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