guys,
in case you didn't know, qst has been available for a long time on nls.
I download it every month.
Also, for those who don't know, you can get the blind arrl membership that
is only 8 bucks a year.
 

-----Original Message-----
From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Scott Howell
Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2012 5:58 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Digital QST And Accessibility

You know I would really like to avoid legal action if at all possible. I =
realize this is an avenue, but one that costs both sides lots of money, =
creates bad feelings, and may not go in our favor. I really hope it = would
never come to feeding lawyers. grin

On Mar 20, 2012, at 2:31 PM, Howard, W A 9 Y B W wrote:

> Hi,
>=20
> Does anyone have any idea how many blind or visually impaired hams =
there are=20
> and how many are ARRL members?
>=20
> While this sounds drastic, should we consider a class action law suit 
>=
if we=20
> could find an attorney who would pursue this.
>=20
> It seems it would be easier to fix this up-front rather than fix it =
later.
>=20
> Just my thoughts.
>=20
> 73's
>=20
> Howard #3
>=20
> ----- Original Message -----=20
> From: "Buddy Brannan" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2012 12:33 PM
> Subject: Digital QST And Accessibility =20 =20
>> Hi,
>>=20
>> A fellow blind ham apparently spoke to someone at HQ recently to ask 
>>=
=3D
>> about the upcoming digital edition of QST. The person he spoke to =
seemed =3D
>> to indicate, according to Scott, that not only was the digital =
edition =3D
>> of QST not going to be accessible, but there were no plans to make it 
>> =
=3D
>> accessible.=3D20
>>=20
>> Needless to say, this is disappointing, if true.=3D20 =20  However, 
>>it's possible that there is a misunderstanding of the issues =
=3D
>> involved here. We of course don't want a special edition, or =
something =3D
>> like that. However, it seems to me that an online edition of QST =
could =3D
>> be inherently usable by blind members. There are, of course, formats 
>> =
=3D
>> that just don't work well (or at all) with screen access technology. 
>> =
The =3D
>> system that CQ Communications has chosen to implement, for instance, 
>> =
=3D
>> can't be used by screen readers. Your standard garden variety PDF, 
>> =3D however, will read with most screen readers, assuming that the 
>> PDF =
isn't =3D
>> solely an image scan of a paper document.=3D20 =20  I would be 
>>interested to know what digital format the ARRL will be =
using =3D
>> for its electronic distribution. Knowing this will help determine =3D 
>> whether or not I will be able to read it when it becomes =
available.=3D20
>>=20
>> While I wasn't on the call that I mentioned, I can tell you that my 
>>=3D=

>> friend felt as though he was not valued as a member in good standing, 
>> =
=3D
>> that his membership was somehow less important because of his =3D 
>> disability, perhaps that he was asking for something unreasonable. =
Bear =3D
>> in mind that, while we do get QST on tape from the Library of =
Congress, =3D
>> the issue comes about two months after the general public gets it. I, 
>> =
=3D
>> for one, would be willing to pay full freight for a membership that 
>> =3D=

>> included a timely and accessible version of QST. However, if my =3D 
>> membership as a blind ham is of no value to the League, perhaps i =
should =3D
>> rethink that. Note that I have no reason yet to believe that this is 
>> =
the =3D
>> case, but one of the staff's members has certainly left at least one 
>> =
=3D
>> member with this impression, not by the possible inaccessibility of =
the =3D
>> digital edition, but rather by the way the issue was handled. Or, =3D  
>>rather, blown off.=3D20 =20  I would love to discuss this further. We 
>>can start with what format =
the =3D
>> digital edition will take and go from there.=3D20 =20  While I must 
>>admit to some disappointment that accessibility wasn't =
even =3D
>> considered when the decision was made to go digital, and, to my =3D  
>>knowledge, no blind members were contacted to get any input on the =3D  
>>issue, I would like to believe that this is something that can be =3D  
>>considered now. Better late than never.
>>=20
>> Vy 73,
>> --
>> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
>> Phone: (814) 860-3194 or 888-75-BUDDY=20