[gui-talk] Blind Americans demand Web access; Target fights back (fwd)

[George and Pamela Dominguez]

That's interesting.  I never knew of companies that required their sighted
employees to use keyboard commands instead of the mouse.  That sort-of makes
me smile, because it comes closer to levelling the playing field, so to
speak.  I wonder why they did that.  Pam.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net>
To: "NFBnet GUI Talk Mailing List" <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2007 4:57 PM
Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Blind Americans demand Web access; Target fights
back (fwd)


> Good afternoon again everyone,
>
>     You can use the Num pad to activate the left and right mouse buttons,
> with both Window-Eyes and Jaws, but doing so is far less efficient than
> using keystrokes; particularly for a blind person hence the concern with
> Target. Let me also do some myth busting as I know several sighted
> individuals who work for companies in our area who are required to use
> keyboard commands rather than the mouse. And it doesn't matter whether
> you're blind or sighted. It's company policy. These individuals would also
> be at a loss if they tried accessing the Target Web site and similar sites
> and applications that are mouse-driven exclusively.
>
> Peter Donahue
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "George and Pamela Dominguez" <geodom at optonline.net>
> To: "NFBnet GUI Talk Mailing List" <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2007 3:22 PM
> Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Blind Americans demand Web access; Target fights
> back (fwd)
>
>
> You can sort-of use the numberpad for the mouse, but I don't know how you
> fully go where you need to, that way.  When you use the numberpad, you get
> snatches of what's there, all jumbled up together, so I don't know how you
> really work with that.  Pam.
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Arliedog" <ddlmh50 at insightbb.com>
> To: "NFBnet GUI Talk Mailing List" <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2007 3:50 PM
> Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Blind Americans demand Web access; Target fights
> back (fwd)
>
>
> > With Window Eyes you use the number pad to do the same functions as
using
> > the physical mouse.  I just went to the target web site and had no
> problems.
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: <slerythema at insightbb.com>
> > To: "NFBnet GUI Talk Mailing List" <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>
> > Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2007 2:13 PM
> > Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Blind Americans demand Web access; Target fights
> > back (fwd)
> >
> >
> > > Please explain your comment.  I am at a total loss as to how totally
> blind
> > > people use a mouse.
> > >
> > > Cindy
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: Arliedog <ddlmh50 at insightbb.com>
> > > Date: Tuesday, January 9, 2007 14:34
> > > Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Blind Americans demand Web access; Target
fights
> > > back (fwd)
> > > To: NFBnet GUI Talk Mailing List <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>
> > >
> > >> So the NFB thinks that blind people can't use a mouse?  WRONG!!!
> > >> ----- Original Message ----- 
> > >> From: "David Andrews" <dandrews at visi.com>
> > >> To: <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>; <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>;
> > >> <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>;
> > >> <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>; <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>; <nabs-
> > >> l at nfbnet.org>;
> > >> <promotion-technology at nfbnet.org>; <nfb-science at nfbnet.org>
> > >> Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2007 12:33 PM
> > >> Subject: [gui-talk] Blind Americans demand Web access; Target
> > >> fights back
> > >> (fwd)
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> >
> > >> >>
> > >> >>This story appeared on Network World at
> > >> >>http://www.networkworld.com/news/2007/010508-target.html
> > >> >>
> > >> >>Blind Americans demand Web access; Target fights back
> > >> >>Court battle expected to heat up in coming months
> > >> >>By Jon Brodkin, Network World, 01/05/07
> > >> >>Retailer Target's refusal to make its Web site more accessible
> > >> to the
> > >> >>blind
> > >> >>has fueled a high-profile court battle that is causing many
> > >> companies to
> > >> >>quietly upgrade their Web sites in the hopes of avoiding negative
> > >> >>publicity
> > >> >>and legal liability.
> > >> >>The case will unfold over the next several months, but a
> > >> federal judge
> > >> >>has
> > >> >>already dismissed Target's claim that Americans with
> > >> Disabilities Act
> > >> >>prohibitions against discrimination do not apply to commercial Web
> > >> >>sites.
> > >> >>This ruling, and other advocacy efforts on behalf of the
> > >> blind, has
> > >> >>caused a
> > >> >>number of "major e-tailers" to upgrade their sites to make them
> > >> >>compatible
> > >> >>with software the blind use to access the Internet, says Paul
> > >> Rosenfeld,>>senior vice president of federal accessibility
> > >> solutions at the SSB BART
> > >> >>Group in San Francisco, a consulting firm founded by
> > >> technologists with
> > >> >>disabilities.
> > >> >>These online retailers contacted SSB BART to assist in that
> > >> upgrade, but
> > >> >>Rosenfeld says he can't identify the companies because they
> > >> wish to
> > >> >>remain
> > >> >>anonymous.
> > >> >>"This Target case, it's been a wake-up call for e-tailers,"
> > >> Rosenfeld>>says.
> > >> >>Before the case, advocacy groups for the blind would often ask
> > >> companies>>to
> > >> >>upgrade their Web sites and not receive immediate results, he says.
> > >> >>Retailers typically don't make those upgrades right away
> > >> "unless there's
> > >> >>litigious action or some need for risk management," he says.
> > >> >>There are 1.3 million legally blind Americans, and nearly 9
> > >> million more
> > >> >>who
> > >> >>are visually impaired, according to the American Foundation
> > >> for the
> > >> >>Blind.
> > >> >>Click to see: A Web site as a sighted user sees it.
> > >> >>  Targeting Target
> > >> >>A class action lawsuit filed by the National Federation of the
Blind
> > >> >>(NFB)
> > >> >>accused Target.com of lacking alt-text for many graphics,
preventing
> > >> >>blind
> > >> >>customers from browsing products and looking for Target locations.
> > >> >>Moreover, Target.com requires that all transactions be
> > >> performed with a
> > >> >>mouse, the NFB said, a barrier that prevents blind people from
> > >> >>purchasing
> > >> >>products online. While a blind person can use a keyboard, just
> > >> as a
> > >> >>sighted
> > >> >>person can type without looking at the keys, a blind person
> > >> cannot use a
> > >> >>mouse because it requires the ability to see the mouse cursor
> > >> on the
> > >> >>screen.
> > >> >>Accessible Web design allows the blind to navigate sites using
> > >> just Tab,
> > >> >>Shift-Tab, and Enter.
> > >> >>The Target lawsuit is unique because most companies, when told
> > >> by blind
> > >> >>people that their Web sites are inaccessible, are willing to
> > >> make the
> > >> >>necessary upgrades, says John Pare, spokesman for the National
> > >> >>Federation of
> > >> >>the Blind. They may not make the change instantly, but
> > >> companies at
> > >> >>least
> > >> >>begin the process of fixing the problems. Legal action is a
> > >> last resort
> > >> >>for
> > >> >>the NFB, he says.
> > >> >>"We really work to resolve it locally," he says. "The only company,
> > >> >>certainly in the last several years, that has said just plain
> > >> 'no' is
> > >> >>Target."
> > >> >>Target's refusal surprised the NFB, because the retailer is
> > >> losing out
> > >> >>on
> > >> >>money blind people are willing to spend, and the lawsuit may
> > >> damage the
> > >> >>company's public image. "We're just completely shocked," Pare says.
> > >> >>When contacted by Network World, Target reiterated a statement the
> > >> >>company
> > >> >>originally issued in October, which reads as follows:
> > >> "Target.com is
> > >> >>committed to providing an online experience that is accessible
> > >> to all of
> > >> >>our
> > >> >>guests. Despite the lawsuit brought forward by the National
> > >> Federation>>of
> > >> >>the Blind (NFB), we have always and will continue to implement new
> > >> >>technologies to our Web site. We are in the process of making
online
> > >> >>enhancements that will benefit all of our guests, including
> > >> those with
> > >> >>disabilities. These enhancements will occur regardless of the
> > >> outcome of
> > >> >>this lawsuit."
> > >> >>In court, Target argued that its Web site is not a "place of public
> > >> >>accommodation" the way a brick-and-mortar store is, and that
> > >> the site is
> > >> >>therefore not governed by the Americans with Disabilities Act
> > >> (ADA). A
> > >> >>U.S.
> > >> >>District Court judge in California rejected the argument,
> > >> saying that
> > >> >>restricting the ADA's discrimination provisions to physical
> > >> locations>>"would
> > >> >>contradict the plain language of the statute."
> > >> >>More than three years ago, New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer
> > >> >>argued
> > >> >>that the ADA requires commercial Web sites to be accessible, while
> > >> >>investigating Priceline.com and Ramada.com. The companies
> > >> agreed to pay
> > >> >>fines totaling $77,500 and implement a variety of upgrades to
> > >> help the
> > >> >>blind
> > >> >>navigate their Web sites.
> > >> >>Despite that agreement, the Target court ruling was the first to
> > >> >>directly
> > >> >>state that the ADA applies to private Web sites, advocates for
> > >> the blind
> > >> >>say. The court has not yet addressed the practical question of
> > >> how to
> > >> >>define
> > >> >>accessibility, Pare says. A court date is scheduled for April to
> > >> >>determine
> > >> >>whether the suit against Target can go forward as a class action.
> > >> >>"This is not going to happen quickly," Pare says.
> > >> >>Tracy Andrews, a 43-year-old resident of Cheshire, Conn., who
> > >> has been
> > >> >>legally blind since she was a child, says she often encounters
> > >> >>difficulty
> > >> >>when searching the Web but is surprised Target has opted to
> > >> fight the
> > >> >>lawsuit.
> > >> >>"I think in the long run, if Web sites can make themselves more
> > >> >>accessible
> > >> >>it's going to be to their advantage," Andrews says. "To fight
> > >> it is only
> > >> >>being a stick in the mud. The tide is moving, you might as
> > >> well go along
> > >> >>with it."
> > >> >>State and federal government Web sites are already required to be
> > >> >>accessible
> > >> >>to the blind due to the ADA and other laws, says Judy Brewer,
> > >> director>>of
> > >> >>the Web Accessibility Initiative at W3C in Cambridge, the
> > >> World Wide Web
> > >> >>Consortium, an international standards organization.
> > >> >>Although the legal requirements for private companies are not
> > >> as clear,
> > >> >>many
> > >> >>commercial Web sites have already made the switch to accessibility.
> > >> >>Amazon.com and Wal-Mart have Web sites that are in good shape, Pare
> > >> >>says.
> > >> >>Organizations can apply to the NFB for a certification
demonstrating
> > >> >>that
> > >> >>their site complies with accessibility guidelines. Ten have
> > >> obtained the
> > >> >>certification, including Merck, Legal Sea Foods, HP, General
> > >> Electric,>>Wells
> > >> >>Fargo and the Social Security Administration.
> > >> >>Merck became certified in April 2005, before the Target
> > >> lawsuit. An
> > >> >>external
> > >> >>contract to upgrade the site cost about $35,000, and Merck
> > >> devoted at
> > >> >>least
> > >> >>two employees to the project, says Larry Tattoli, associate
> > >> director of
> > >> >>Merck.com. The process "wasn't that difficult," he says.
> > >> >>A bigger challenge has been maintaining accessibility as the
> > >> Web site
> > >> >>grows
> > >> >>and changes, Tattoli says. Whenever a new image is added, a
> > >> Web site
> > >> >>developer has to add alt-text that can be read to a blind person.
> > >> >>On a positive note, Merck officials found that making the site
> > >> >>accessible to
> > >> >>the blind did not alter the visual presentation, as they had
feared.
> > >> >>"It was this feeling that the text would have to be huge, or you
> > >> >>couldn't
> > >> >>have any images on it, it would be text-only pages. It's not true,"
> > >> >>Tattoli
> > >> >>says. "The pages I could show you before it was accessible and
> > >> after it
> > >> >>was
> > >> >>accessible are exactly the same."
> > >> >>The cost of making a Web site accessible usually equals 5% to
> > >> 10% of the
> > >> >>cost of Web maintenance, says Preety Kumar, CEO of Deque
> > >> Systems, a
> > >> >>Reston,
> > >> >>Va., company that helps Web site designers automate the task of
> > >> >>complying
> > >> >>with accessibility standards.
> > >> >>"A very small percentage" of companies have made their sites
> > >> accessible,>>she
> > >> >>says.
> > >> >>"They're overwhelmed, that's what I'm sensing," Kumar says.
> > >> "There are
> > >> >>companies that are responding to the Target lawsuit, and
> > >> they're paying
> > >> >>attention because they realize the risks of noncompliance are not
> > >> >>insignificant."
> > >> >>Beyond the blind
> > >> >>Blind people aren't the only ones with disabilities using the
> > >> Internet.>>Deaf
> > >> >>people, for example, can access visual portions of the Web without
> > >> >>assistance but are often out of luck when it comes to audio
> > >> files or
> > >> >>sound
> > >> >>on video files, even though there are tools Web developers can
> > >> use to
> > >> >>add
> > >> >>captions.
> > >> >>People with severe motor disabilities can use voice
> > >> recognition software
> > >> >>to
> > >> >>surf the Web, as paralyzed actor Christopher Reeve did before
> > >> his death.
> > >> >>If
> > >> >>they still have some ability to use their hands, they can also
> > >> be helped
> > >> >>by
> > >> >>the same accessibility guidelines designed for the blind.
> > >> Someone who
> > >> >>can
> > >> >>type but cannot manipulate a mouse can surf Web sites that are
fully
> > >> >>accessible with a keyboard.
> > >> >>"If you do it right and you make your Web site accessible to
> > >> the blind,
> > >> >>you
> > >> >>do cover other [disabled] populations largely," Kumar says.
> > >> >>Among the disabled, Kumar says she thinks blind people are the most
> > >> >>challenged because they need a clean text-to-speech
> > >> translation in
> > >> >>addition
> > >> >>to a mouse alternative.
> > >> >>People who are deaf and blind would be worse off, obviously,
> > >> but they
> > >> >>can
> > >> >>use a Braille display, a strip located in front of the computer
> > >> >>keyboard. A
> > >> >>mechanism inside the strip controls small pins that go up and
> > >> down to
> > >> >>form
> > >> >>Braille letters.
> > >> >>Andrews, the legally blind Connecticut resident, says she's
> > >> using a
> > >> >>7-year-old version of ZoomText, a program that reads text out
> > >> loud and
> > >> >>magnifies the screen. Sometimes text is read to her in a
nonsensical
> > >> >>order,
> > >> >>particularly when it is arranged in columns instead of
> > >> paragraph form.
> > >> >>Andrews says her outdated version of ZoomText may be causing
> > >> problems>>but
> > >> >>that poor text-to-speech translation is also often due to the
> > >> Web sites
> > >> >>themselves.
> > >> >>"Newer Web sites are better than older Web sites," she says.
> > >> Learning>>how to
> > >> >>use the Internet when you can't see is something that takes
> > >> time, even
> > >> >>if
> > >> >>the technology is up to date, she says.
> > >> >>"It can be a little slow going. Like anything, you get better
> > >> at it.
> > >> >>It's a
> > >> >>skill you develop," Andrews says.
> > >> >>Web site developers may find it easier to establish
> > >> accessibility if
> > >> >>they
> > >> >>are building a whole new site, rather than upgrading an old
> > >> one. That's
> > >> >>what
> > >> >>officials at Legal Sea Foods found when they decided to
> > >> replace their
> > >> >>Web
> > >> >>site in January 2005 because it had become old and stale, says Ken
> > >> >>Chaisson,
> > >> >>vice president of information technology at the Boston
> > >> restaurant chain.
> > >> >>Starting from scratch is a "heck of a lot easier" than changing
> > >> >>everything
> > >> >>on an existing Web site, he says. Financially, making the site
> > >> >>accessible to
> > >> >>the blind is worth it for Legal even if just five extra groups
> > >> of people
> > >> >>come to one of the restaurants, he says.
> > >> >>But only a small number of companies have upgraded their Web sites,
> > >> >>according to some observers. A March 2006 survey found that
> > >> >>three-quarters
> > >> >>of businesses listed in the FTSE 100 Index in London failed to meet
> > >> >>minimum
> > >> >>Web site accessibility requirements set by British laws to end
> > >> >>discrimination against disabled people.
> > >> >>Observations by Brewer of W3C square with the study's findings.
> > >> >>"The majority of sites on the Web are not fully accessible to
people
> > >> >>with
> > >> >>disabilities," she says.
> > >> >>Click to see:
> > >> >>
> > >> >>Can the blind, and other disabled people, use your Web site?
> > >> >>
> > >> >>
> > >> >>Here are 10 quick tests to check accessibility:
> > >> >>1       Make sure informational
> > >> images (like your organization's logo)
> > >> >>have
> > >> >>alternative text. Place the cursor over the image. A box
> > >> should appear
> > >> >>with
> > >> >>a brief, accurate description.
> > >> >>2       Check decorative images
> > >> for alternative text. If the image has
> > >> >>no
> > >> >>function other than to look nice, it should not have any
alternative
> > >> >>text.
> > >> >>
> > >> >>3       "Listen" to audio and
> > >> video content with the volume turned off.
> > >> >>This
> > >> >>is the situation faced by a deaf person. Make sure your Web site
> > >> >>supplies
> > >> >>written transcripts for all audio content.
> > >> >>4       Make sure forms are
> > >> accessible. Each item in a form should have
> > >> >>a
> > >> >>prompt text. When you click on the prompt text, a flashing
> > >> cursor should
> > >> >>appear in the box next to the text.
> > >> >>5       Check that text can be
> > >> resized. In Internet Explorer go to
> > >> >>View>Font
> > >> >>size>Largest. If the text does not increase in size, your site
> > >> may be
> > >> >>inaccessible to users with low vision.
> > >> >>6       Check your Web site in
> > >> the Lynx browser. This is a text-only
> > >> >>browser. If a site makes sense in Lynx, it probably fulfills many
> > >> >>accessibility guidelines.
> > >> >>7       Use your Web site
> > >> without a mouse. If you can't navigate your
> > >> >>site
> > >> >>using just tab, shift-tab, and enter, then neither can people
> > >> using only
> > >> >>a
> > >> >>keyboard or voice recognition software.
> > >> >>8       Make sure there is a
> > >> site map
> > >> >>9       Make sure alternative
> > >> text associated with links make sense out
> > >> >>of
> > >> >>context. Blind users often jump from one link to the next with
> > >> the tab
> > >> >>button.
> > >> >>10      Check your Web pages with an
> > >> automated program, such as WebXACT
> > >> >>or
> > >> >>Wave.
> > >> >>11      Use ASCII text that screen
> > >> access software can convert to speech
> > >> >>or
> > >> >>Braille.
> > >> >>12      Provide meaningful text
> > >> labels for hypertext links. Labels like
> > >> >>"click here" aren't good enough.
> > >> >>13      Make sure tables and multi-
> > >> column text does not prevent screen
> > >> >>access software from rendering pages in an intelligible and useful
> > >> >>manner.
> > >> >>Even sophisticated screen access software has trouble with
> > >> tables that
> > >> >>contain many columns, such as bus and train schedules.
> > >> >>Source: Webcredible, London
> > >> >>All contents copyright 1995-2007 Network World, Inc.
> > >> >>http://www.networkworld.com
> > >> >>
> > >> >
> > >> > David Andrews and white cane Harry.
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> > _______________________________________________
> > >> > gui-talk mailing list
> > >> > gui-talk at nfbnet.org
> > >> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gui-talk
> > >> _______________________________________________
> > >> gui-talk mailing list
> > >> gui-talk at nfbnet.org
> > >> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gui-talk
> > >>
> > >
> >
> >
>
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