Blind Group Sues AOL

   By Ariana Eunjung Cha
   Washington Post Staff Writer
   Friday, November 5, 1999; Page E03

   The National Federation of the Blind yesterday filed a lawsuit against
   America Online Inc., contending that the Internet service provider
   discriminates against the blind because its system is incompatible
   with software that helps the visually impaired use computers.

   The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Boston, says AOL is
   violating the Americans With Disabilities Act by refusing to modify
   its programming despite several requests over the past year. Most aids
   that translate computer graphics and text into Braille or sounds do
   not work with AOL's current software.

   "They say that 'we would really like to help you,' " said Curtis
   Chong, technology director for the federation. But, "in the end, they
   have not fixed the problem."

   AOL spokesman Rich D'Amato said company programmers are working on a
   new version of its software, due out next year, that will be
   accessible to the visually impaired. "We are disappointed that they
   have filed their lawsuit," he said.

   The screen-access scanners the blind use to "read" graphics depend on
   them to be tagged with words that describe the pictures. Many other
   Internet service providers, including MindSpring and AT&T Corp., use
   such labels, Chong said. But AOL's ubiquitous "You've got mail!"
   thumbnails, advertisements and other icons do not, making it difficult
   for the blind to maneuver through the system and find the information
   they want. The service provider's software also presents a problem
   because it requires customers to use a mouse click, instead of a
   keystroke, to perform some functions.

   Chong said his office has fielded about 10 complaints a week for the
   past two years from blind consumers frustrated at not being able to
   hook up to AOL.

   Cathy Schroeder, a computer programmer from Reston, attempted to sign
   up with AOL but was thwarted by pop-up boxes of advertisements. The
   boxes commanded her to click on them to continue. Schroeder, who is
   blind, remembers spending several minutes sweeping her mouse around
   and randomly clicking to try to get rid of them: "That's as far I got
   until I threw up my hands and said, 'I can't use this.' I couldn't
   even sign on."

   Daniel Goldstein, a Baltimore lawyer representing the federation, said
   the suit is the first to demand that an Internet service accommodate
   blind users. He said the advocacy group singled out AOL because it is
   the world's dominant provider, with 19 million subscribers.

   "It's so pervasive," he said, "that the blind feel particularly hurt
   by being shut out by AOL."


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