http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/ (Letter to the editor) Internet pop-ups ruin deaf and blind viewing pleasure Monday's edition reported on the ire pop-up advertising causes among Internet users ("Pop-ups strike out with Internet advertisers," Page 1). For some Web surfers using assistive technology or other alternative means to access the Internet, pop-ups are not merely annoying, but confusing and intrusive as well. It is not difficult to imagine the frustration felt by Web surfers who are blind or visually impaired when, without warning, these ads change the focus from the page they want to view to the pop-up itself. Pop-ups are only one example of common Web features that make it difficult, if not impossible, for people using assistive technology such as screen readers or speech recognition to access the wealth of information on the Internet. Graphics with no text alternatives, audio files with no transcripts and drop-down menus that must be activated through mouse clicks, for example, pose challenges to people who use text browsers, who cannot see or hear, or who use only a keyboard interface. A recent study by San Francisco State University and PricewaterhouseCoopers found that 87 percent of federal Web sites are inaccessible, despite a federal law requiring Web-site accessibility since June 2001. Yet many accessibility barriers can be eliminated cost-effectively and with simple programming techniques. As director of technology initiatives for Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind, I encourage organizations to implement accessible Web applications that keep the end users' experience in mind. By doing so, they will create more accessible Web sites that appeal to a broader audience, frustrate fewer customers and likely gain more business in the end. TRACY LEONARD Director of technology initiatives Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind Washington _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com