Hi All,

I've been following this thread, and I'm worried about an accessibility
perspective that makes Apple the bad guy if no AT vendors are willing to
develop, market, and support a screen reader for MacOS.  Legally, the
actions of AT companies are not under the control of Apple.  Putting all
the onus on Apple is a bit like blaming the electric company when your
toaster burns the bagel.

If I were an AT company that made the only screen reader for a platform
XYZ, I'd hold the XYZ company hostage by threatening to leave the
market.  What wouldn't XYZ do to keep me in the game?  (I'm in no way
claiming that this is what happened in the Apple/Alva case, just that
this kind of situation is dangerous and unsustainable.)

Another thing to remember: screen reader support is not the only
accessibility yardstick.  In fact, third-party tools and support
services for the Mac continue to make it more accessible than other
platforms for people with impaired dexterity.  The Mac is generally
accepted to be more usable, with a lower cognitive load than other
platforms; this may make it more accessible to people with cognitive
impairments.

The relationship between mainstream companies and AT companies is highly
asymmetrical and often dysfunctional, but both sides contribute to the
problem, usually unintentionally.  We should think about policy
solutions that examine and repair the whole ecology rather than blame
and punish one company.

*****
Jim Tobias
Inclusive Technologies
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732.441.0831 v/tty
www.inclusive.com