Google has released a search engine that enables the blind to find
information on the Web more easily. Accessible Search has been developed
by T.V. Raman, a Google research scientist who is himself blind. 
  
The visually impaired have so far been able to surf and read internet
pages with the help of screen readers. In the past few years, however,
the sites have been added all kinds of graphics and video, which impedes
the screen readers.

The challenge before Google was to develop an algorithm distinguishing
accessible from inaccessible pages. The new engine is in fact not made
to exclude inaccessible pages but to rank accessible ones higher.

According to Raman, who worked at IBM Research before joining Google
about a year ago, by developing better ways of measuring accessibility,
Google could eventually offer consumers with specific disabilities ways
to do more customized searches.

Google Accessible Search is built using Google Co-op technology, which
enables users to create specialized searches by topic. Raman hopes that
the visually impaired people will take part in the tests and in this way
help Google finish the tests and improve the engine.

Read this article with useful links at: 
http://www.playfuls.com/news_03533_Google_To_Aid_The_Visually_Impaired_With_Accessible_Search.html


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