Pat,
Just a thought, perhaps organizations like the AFB and NFB can add their
support.
John KC2QJB
-----Original Message-----
From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Patrick Tice
Sent: Friday, December 16, 2011 6:00 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Inaccessible Reader Medium for Ham Radio Publications
Greetings, Listers!
I've been away from the list for a while, mostly depending on the list
archives to help me answer questions Handiham members ask me. Now I'm =
back again because I want to bring forward a troubling new development. We =
all know that we are on the cusp of a major change in the publishing world.
While digital publication can greatly enhance accessibility to blind
computer users, we cannot necessarily assume that new publishing formats
will necessarily be compliant with accepted accessibility standards. To
illustrate this, I am pasting the following message that I received from =
the Zinio Support folks, then I will fill you in a bit more. Here is the
e-mail:=20
Hello,
Thank you for contacting Zinio Customer Support.=20
Unfortunately Zinio publications are not compatible with screen readers, =
we apologize for the inconvenience.
If I can be of further assistance, please let me know.
Kind regards,
Eric Folsom
Zinio Customer Support
Okay, this is pretty much what I suspected because I was unable to =
highlight any text in the Zinio Reader, and the browser-based version gave
similar results. However, the publications Zinio supports are searchable
for keywords, so there must be some sort of embedded text underlying the
graphical text presentation. I am by no means a screenreader user = myself
since I can see the pages, but NVDA hadn't a clue as to the main body = text
in any of the pages when tested with Worldradio Online Magazine, which =
does use the Zinio system along with CQ and many other magazines. The Zinio
Reader does include easy to use font resizing, but the lack of =
screenreader support is troubling. =20
As I said, we are going to find more and more publications on line in = the
coming years, most sooner rather than later. In the January 2012 QST =
there is a mention of the anticipated mid-year rollout of a digital version
of QST. I want to emphasize that I have no information on which publishing
platform ARRL will be using and whether it will be screenreader =
accessible, but it is painfully apparent that inaccessible design can be
carried = forward into the new publishing medium. This is shown clearly in
the step = backwards from Worldradio Online in PDF with embedded text
several issues ago = prior to the change to the Zinio Reader versus the
current "apologize for the inconvenience" situation we have now. =20
I don't fault the Worldradio Online people for this - they are simply =
using an on line publishing company. And in fair disclosure, I do write the
= "With the Handihams" column that appears regularly in WR. But I think
that = any company that delivers online media, especially digital print =
publications for heaven's sake, should be able to provide screenreader
access.=20
Can we start a civil discussion about this, and put together some kind = of
informational message and action plan about what should be expected
regarding accessibility? I know that the ADA does not necessarily = require
accessibility, but we all know that it is the right thing to do, and = that
it is also not a good business plan to exclude potential readers. =20
73,
Pat
[log in to unmask]
Regards,=A0
Patrick Tice, M.A. | Manager, Courage Handiham System | PH: 763.520.0511 =
|
Courage Center | 3915 Golden Valley Road | Golden Valley, MN 55422
[log in to unmask] | CourageCenter.org
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