No, it won't be worth it.  Just because they are a non-profit
organization does not mean that blind people should work for free, as you
suggest.  The editor and webmaster of AlterNet get paid in cold, hard
cash and those consulting on web accessibility should as well.  I used to
subscribe to AlterNet.  I don't any more because I have shifted my
reading to other items.  When I was subscribed, I found the last survey
inaccessible too.  I contacted the webmaster and she completed the survey
with me on the telephone.

There is loads of free information on the Internet on web accessibility.
All one needs to do is to type the term into Google.  At some level, they
are aware of this issue.  I have contacted the webmaster and Mary wrote a
note in the past.  It sounds like they need a lawsuit if anything.  If
one doesn't want the hassle of a suit, consider contacting the editor of
AlterNet at 415/284-1420 and demand changes.

Kelly


----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Altschul" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, October 27, 2003 11:02 PM
Subject: FW: alternet reader survey


> Hi:
>
> Given that Alternet is a nonprofit organization, I wonder if it might
be
> worth offering assistance in making their website more accessible
instead
> of merely complaining?
>
> Peter
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mary Otten [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Thursday, October 23, 2003 10:40 PM
> To: Jennifer Sutton; Jamal Mazrui
> Subject: alternet reader survey
>
>
> I know you both read alternet articles from time to time. I don't know
> if either of you has received the alternet survey notification in your
> email. In case you  have not, then I will include the url at the end of
> this note, so
> that you can check it out for yourselves. Last time Alternet had a
> survey, I found it inaccessible, and I fired off a letter complaining
> that this organization which claims to be so progressive and inclusive
> wasn't doing
> such a good job when it came to their survey design. I couldn't fill it
> out using my screen reader. Its not rocket science to make an
accessible
> survey. I'm sure you've filled out plenty of them as I have.  They
> responded, apologizing for the design and saying they'd do better in
> future. Wel, I invite you to look at this survey, check out all the God
> awful garbage links without alt tags and draw your own conclusions as
to
> just
> how seriously Alternet takes web accessibility.  Have their web
> designers never heard of radio buttons and check boxes? And try to
> answer question 2. Can you tell which of those 2 links is "yes" and
> which "no"?
> How mucyh longer do you suppose it will take you to fill this stupid
> thing out, except because they a: didn't alt tag the links and b: used
> links at all, when other elements, such as radio buttons and check
boxes
> would
> have been much more efficient? And of course, there is question 2,
which
> you can't answer at all, because you can't tell which link is for which
> answer. I suppose some might say I'm making a mountain out  of a mole
> hill, and perhaps I am, to a degree. But I am just plain sick and tired
> of needlessly inaccessible web design getting in the way of our use of
> the internet. and from a progressive organization, its even worse.
> They're
> suppose to give a damn.
> Check it out for yourself at
> http://www.alternet.org/survey/
>
> and if it disgusts you half as much as it does me, I hope you'll let
> them hear from you and urge others you know to let Alternet know we
> don't appreciate their attitude towards our access issues, as
> exemplified by this
> ridiculously presented survey.
> Mary
>
>
> VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
> To join or leave the list, send a message to
> [log in to unmask]  In the body of the message, simply
type
> "subscribe vicug-l" or "unsubscribe vicug-l" without the quotations.
>  VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at
> http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/vicug-l.html
>


VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
To join or leave the list, send a message to
[log in to unmask]  In the body of the message, simply type
"subscribe vicug-l" or "unsubscribe vicug-l" without the quotations.
 VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at
http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/vicug-l.html