Internet for the Handicapped?

[vtohthree]

I recently heard the term, but I forgot what it is, I'm trying to remember it, google doesn't hit the spot with it in a search for, "internet for the handicapped", amoung others, etc..

Anyways, anyone know about it? Supposedly as it states, an internet optimised for handicap users(ie: deaf, blind, unable to type, etc). There's a term for it! arg, I can't put my finger on it, the offical term for it..arg.

thanks, certainly off topic, lol, unless I tried to squeeze it in the software forum. =P

 

[Goosemaster]

aol.com

 

[compuwiz1]

Accessibility

Webable

 

[Goosemaster]

seriosuly though, the browsers and OS's usually take care of that, no?

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: compuwiz1
Accessibility

Webable

cool.

 

[vtohthree]

haha, i like that, AOL... uh I suppose they do have it, but dang, I should go back to the library, they had this one computer sitting there separate from all the rest, and it was specifically assigned for handicap users. It's a new thing, apparently there was a lawsuit about it too, like for users in a public facility who need to access a computer suited to them, possibly with brail? (computer looked normal to me, just had a Dell 2005FPW, bigger then the rest of the monitors on the other computers)

 

[FoBoT]

the blind guy i work with just uses this program "jaws"
that and a browser are all he needs

http://www.freedomscientific.com/fs_products/software_jaws.asp

 

[vtohthree]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
the blind guy i work with just uses this program "jaws"
that and a browser are all he needs

http://www.freedomscientific.com/fs_products/software_jaws.asp

wow, that's some stuff.

 

[igowerf]

Originally posted by: vtohthree
an internet optimised for handicap users(ie: deaf, blind, unable to type, etc).

I don't understand what you're saying there. A lot of websites have accessibility options such as code that works well with screen readers for the blind.

Are you asking for the name of another internet designed specifically for handicapped people? How could it be optimized for all those different handicaps?

 

[vtohthree]

Yes, you are right igowerf, I'm sorry I meant code, and probably for the blind. I was just searching for the broad term "handicap" and internet(whether it be browers, but ultimately sites) that is suited/optimized for the situation(I appologize for spelling it "optimised", I'm not British, heh)

 

[vtohthree]

I actually found this:

http://www.llrx.com/extras/ir19.htm

It appears to be a question and answer article from readers. Anyways, here's the key:

"One site has become extremely important lately and that?s the Cast site containing the Bobby test. This test will let you know if your site is handicap accessible or not. While the private sector has not yet come under fire to comply, the public sector is required by law to have web sites created that are handicap accessible. The Bobby test is free and it only takes a few seconds."

Bobby test eh?

 

[igowerf]

There are a lot of resources online for optimising/optimizing websites for accessibility. If you want to optimize your site for the blind, you'll need to label everything and have alt tags on all the images. Basically, if you code your HTML well, your site will be mostly accessible already.

I'm not sure what term you're looking for though. Generally, this is just called "accessibility," as compuwiz had already pointed out.

Also, U.S. government websites have to comply with a certain standard of accessibility:
http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Content&ID=3

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
the blind guy i work with just uses this program "jaws"
that and a browser are all he needs

http://www.freedomscientific.com/fs_products/software_jaws.asp

I hate JAWS. I really do. Freedom Scientific expects everyone else to write their own programs to interface with JAWS instead of JAWS actually doing what it is supposed to do. The program is super expensive too; though I understand why (limited customer base)

I deal with the shortcomings of JAWS on a nearly daily basis. But by far, it is the best out there, at least until I write my own screen reader.

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: Evadman
The program is super expensive too; though I understand why (limited customer base)

since my co-worker uses it at work, the company pays for it. i am sure he appreciates the side benefit


it does have limitation, anything that uses a screenshot or "picture" type interface vs. something that has text or html etc doesn't really work

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: FoBoT

Originally posted by: Evadman
The program is super expensive too; though I understand why (limited customer base)

since my co-worker uses it at work, the company pays for it. i am sure he appreciates the side benefit

it does have limitation, anything that uses a screenshot or "picture" type interface vs. something that has text or html etc doesn't really work

Anything that is not text is all but useless for a screen reader. The addage of a picture is worth 1000 words is certainly true. that is one of the reasons using alt tages for pictures in HTML should be a requirement.

However, my issues are with what it is supposted to actually do. JAWS is really bad about reading standard visual basic popup boxes (msgbox and inputbox) , expecialy any in VBA (Access, Excel, Word, etc) All JAWS does is read the button that is selected in a lot of instances (it just says 'OK' if there is an OK box) instead of reading what is in the popup.

Another is the horrible scripting language that allows users to write their own scrips for interfacing with other programs. Kudos for putting one in but the syntax is horrible and very difficult to use. So trying to write something for JAWS is roughly the same as pounding your genitals flat with a framing hammer.

It is several orders of magnitue easier to custom write the entire application again for the visually impared user (using API calls and such to the JAWS application to get it to do stuff) then get JAWS to understand one already created.

As to the cost, I think the state picks up a lot of the cost of it if used for business use; tax deduction maybe.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: Evadman
I deal with the shortcomings of JAWS on a nearly daily basis. But by far, it is the best out there, at least until I write my own screen reader.

We tried to make our Flash e-learning games (flash cards, crosswords, etc.) work with JAWS, but interactive Flash and JAWS don't get along at all.

That's probably mostly Macromedia's fault though: Flash has no active control over speech, the docs just say to rely passively on Windows to forward the right information to the reader as a magic side effect of whatever you're doing visually.

 

[CaffeineAndStuff]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons

Originally posted by: Evadman
I deal with the shortcomings of JAWS on a nearly daily basis. But by far, it is the best out there, at least until I write my own screen reader.

We tried to make our Flash e-learning games (flash cards, crosswords, etc.) work with JAWS, but interactive Flash and JAWS don't get along at all.

That's probably mostly Macromedia's fault though: Flash has no active control over speech, the docs just say to rely passively on Windows to forward the right information to the reader as a magic side effect of whatever you're doing visually.

It is possible to make flash work well with a screen reader but it requires frequent testing - it is something that is almost impossible to port in afterwards - it needs to be tested throughoot the development process. The accessibility guru at macromedia recommends people to run using JAWS (or another screen reader) for at least an hour a day in order to successfully make accessible sites.

 

[CaffeineAndStuff]

Originally posted by: Evadman

Originally posted by: FoBoT
the blind guy i work with just uses this program "jaws"
that and a browser are all he needs

http://www.freedomscientific.com/fs_products/software_jaws.asp

I hate JAWS. I really do. Freedom Scientific expects everyone else to write their own programs to interface with JAWS instead of JAWS actually doing what it is supposed to do. The program is super expensive too; though I understand why (limited customer base)

I deal with the shortcomings of JAWS on a nearly daily basis. But by far, it is the best out there, at least until I write my own screen reader.

I feel your pain - they are also one of the most infuriating companies to deal with. Have you tried any of the alternatives?

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: CaffeineAndStuff
It is possible to make flash work well with a screen reader but it requires frequent testing - it is something that is almost impossible to port in afterwards - it needs to be tested throughoot the development process. The accessibility guru at macromedia recommends people to run using JAWS (or another screen reader) for at least an hour a day in order to successfully make accessible sites.

That could work for website navigation or non-interactive flash like a movie or slide show. But for a Flash game you need to be able to actively control the user interface.

I looked at some of the sample "accessible" Flash games out there and they either worked poorly or were stripped down to the point of uselessness. Or both.