Where is the source of this information?  I totally disagree with the
assertion that people with assistive technologies have to participate at
this point in the development cycle to give AOL feedback on what they are
doing to improve accessibility.  AOL should be testing internally with
assistive technologies.  Or alternatively, should be hiring people with
disabilities to do the testing for them.  What a novel thought--hire a few
people to meet a business need and not expect people to do it for free!

Cynthia



                    David Poehlman
                    <[log in to unmask]>        To:     [log in to unmask]
                    Sent by: "VICUG-L:          cc:
                    Visually Impaired           Subject:     answers to questions on:AOL Focused
                    Computer Users' Group        Beta Test for Accessibility
                    List"
                    <[log in to unmask]
                    JOHNS.EDU>


                    08/21/01 11:59 AM
                    Please respond to
                    David Poehlman






Hugely snipped from quoted message.  I snipped at the bottom too.

     Questions have been raised about America Online's (AOL's) recently
 announced Focused Beta Test for accessibility.  Some people have asked
 about
 the National Federation of the Blind's position regarding this test in
 light
 of the Federation's lawsuit filed against AOL in November of 1999.
 Others
 have asked why, as beta test participants, they have to give AOL
 personal
 information such as credit card numbers, mailing addresses, etc.

     Let me begin by updating you about the status of the Federation's
 lawsuit against AOL.  In late July of last year, we agreed to withdraw
 the
 suit after receiving assurances from AOL of its commitment to improve
 the
 accessibility of its Windows client software (AOL 5.0 at the time).
 When
 AOL 6.0 was released in the fall of 2000, some marginal accessibility
 improvements were in fact included in the software--in particular,
 improvements in the ease of installation and in the use of email.
 However,
 it was clearly understood that AOL needed more time to complete its
 work.
 The Federation reserved the right to file another lawsuit against AOL
 after
 one year if, in its judgment, sufficient progress had not been made
 toward
 making the AOL client accessible to the blind
 <snipped:

     AOL is now calling for testers to participate in what it calls a
 Focus
 Beta Test for Accessibility.  To quote AOL, "The Focused Beta Test for
 accessibility is a call to Assistive Technology users to report on
 their AOL
 experience using Assistive Technologies such as screen readers, screen
 magnifiers, voice recognition, speech output, and alternatives to the
 standard keyboards and mouses."
 <snipped>

 Some people
 might
 argue that beta testing software that is known not to work well with
 assistive technology in effect places the cart before the horse.  The
 reality is that without this beta testing and active participation from
 users of assistive technology, AOL will not be able to take the
 positive
 steps it must take to ensure that the next version of its client
 software
 will work for us as well as it should.  AOL needs to receive concrete
 and
 widespread verification that either it is or is not doing the right
 thing in
 terms of making the next version of its client software accessible to
 everyone.

     Anyone wanting to participate in the AOL Focused Beta Test for
 Accessibility needs to sign up as an AOL member; this requirement is
 true
 for anyone beta testing AOL software, issues of accessibility
 notwithstanding.  However, once a person signs up for the beta test
 process,
 all membership fees are waived.  In other words, other than your time,
 there
 is no cost to you to participate in AOL's focused beta test for
 accessibility.  Once you have finished doing what testing you feel
 inclined
 to do, you can cancel your AOL membership.


 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