[gui-talk] Blind Massachusetts Residents Unable to Access Emergency Information

Tue Dec 7 18:32:07 UTC 2010

Both cell phones and radios use RF signals.  If you have cell phone
reception, you have radio reception, and because of the frequencies
used, radio reception is a lot more forgiving than cell phone reception.

Andy

-----Original Message-----
From: gui-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:gui-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of Tai Blas
Sent: Tuesday, December 07, 2010 6:44 AM
To: Discussion of the Graphical User Interface, GUI Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Blind Massachusetts Residents Unable to Access
EmergencyInformation

Remember that a great deal of emergency information is scrolled across
the bottom of the television screen rather than being conveyed
auditorily, so obtaining information via television is not necessarily
an option. Furthermore, there are times when one does not have access to
television or radio signals. The blind have fewer methods of obtaining
emergency information than do sighted folks. This is not a good thing. I
support any effort to gain access to multiple avenues of emergency
information. 

Tai

Sent: Tuesday, December 07, 2010 6:11 AM
To: Discussion of the Graphical User Interface, GUI Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Blind Massachusetts Residents Unable to Access
EmergencyInformation

This is a bunch of nonsense.  Blind Mass. residents can just turn on
their radios or TV's like everyone else to obtain emergency information.
Another example of creating an issue where none exists.

Gerald

----- Original Message -----
From: "Freeh, Jessica (by way of David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com>)" 
<JFreeh at nfb.org>
To: <david.andrews at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, December 06, 2010 11:19 PM
Subject: [gui-talk] Blind Massachusetts Residents Unable to Access
EmergencyInformation

>
>
>
>
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>
>
> CONTACT:
>
> Mika Pyyhkala
>
> National Board member
>
> President, NFB of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = 
> "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Massachusetts
>
> (617) 202-3497
>
> pyyhkala at gmail.com
>
>
>
>
>
> Blind Massachusetts Residents
> Unable to Access Emergency Information
>
>
>
>
>
> Contractor Everbridge Blocks Blind Subscribers  from Emergency Alert 
> Systems
>
>
>
> Boston, Massachusetts (December 6, 2010): The National Federation of 
> the Blind of Massachusetts (NFB of MA) is working to resolve an 
> emergency issue with the City of Boston and one of its contractors, 
> Everbridge.  The city contracts with Everbridge to provide a 
> subscription service whereby residents can receive emergency alerts by

> telephone, text message, or e-mail, but blind residents cannot access 
> the service because registering involves a visual captcha.  Captchas 
> are automated tests used to tell humans and computers apart, often 
> through the use of distorted letters that must be retyped by the 
> person attempting to register for an online service.  Since blind 
> people cannot respond to visual-only captchas, which cannot be read by

> screen access software used by the blind, many entities provide an 
> audio alternative or some other form of captcha, such as a simple
logic question.  Everbridge's system provides no such alternative.
>
>
>
> NFB of MA President Mika Pyyhkala has been unable to reach the company

> since discovering the problem on November 29, despite repeated 
> attempts at contact through its Twitter and Facebook accounts, e-mail 
> addresses, and telephone customer service system, as well as a 
> telephone call to the office of its CEO.
>
>
>
> Mika Pyyhkala, president of the National Federation of the Blind of 
> Massachusetts, said: "Blind people need timely access to information 
> in emergency situations, just like everyone else.  Clearly, however, 
> Everbridge did not give this basic need any consideration when it 
> designed its system; nor did the cities of Boston, Waltham, and 
> Winchester consider the needs of their blind citizens during their 
> procurement processes.  The sluggish response by Everbridge and the 
> City of Boston to this emergency is deplorable given that it would be 
> very easy for Everbridge to fix this problem or for the city to 
> procure this service from a company that does not use a visual captcha
as the sole means of allowing users to register.
> The Everbridge accessibility issue represents a wake-up call for every

> CIO and CTO regarding technology, civil rights, and timely 
> communication with stakeholders."
>
>
>
>
>
> ###
>
>
>
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