I think that, too long, screen access was more reactionary because, for the most part, when new technology comes into the marketplace, developers have been scrambling to "keep up," rather than put the universal design in their products in the first place. And it's for this reason, Apple encourages developers to use the scripts built into the operating system. On Mar 9, 2009, at 3:53 PM, Mike Arrigo wrote:
> > I also agree with this, voice over is a great screen reader, and > apple has > provided the tools to make an application completely accessible. A > self > voicing program normally should not be needed. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Jacob Schmude" <j.schm...@gmail.com> > To: <macvisionaries@googlegroups.com> > Sent: Monday, March 09, 2009 5:12 AM > Subject: Re: Understanding Blind User's Needs > > >> >> Hi Krister >> I'm in full agreement here. Let's not forget what makes the Mac >> platform so awesome, the fact that we need not have any additional >> program other than Voiceover to provide accessibility, and the fact >> that Voiceover is right there for developers to test and with which >> they can make their application compatible. I think the goals Martin >> has already set out are exactly what is needed in 99.99% of all >> applications for good accessibility, and I also must applaud and >> thank >> him for his willingness to do this and for the example he will set. >> The only times self-voicing should be used is if there is no way at >> all to hook the application into Voiceover (very rare), or in the >> case >> of programs that have a lot of background events that need to be >> reported. It is common practice on the Mac to enable the speaking of >> these background events, e.g. a contact signing on or off in an >> instant messaging application. This isn't implemented for the sake of >> the blind, however, a lot of people take advantage of these event >> notifications in some form or another, be they spoken or just a sound >> effect. >> >> >> On Mar 9, 2009, at 05:58, Krister Ekstrom wrote: >> >>> >>> Hi, >>> Excuse me here a moment, but what do we want? Do we want a specially >>> made program for the blind or an application that both blind and >>> sighted people alike can use without us stepping on eachothers toes? >>> You may think this question is silly or such, but i think it's >>> relevant since what i've heard is more or less about a specially >>> made >>> program for the blind. My advise maybe is provoking i don't know, >>> but >>> here goes: Don't do anything special. Just make sure all controls >>> are >>> made available to the Apple Accessibility framework, and as i >>> understand it, it can be done by writing the app in Cocoa. If the >>> logic of the controls is very bad, then sure it could use some >>> fixing, >>> but otherwise just make all controls visible to the accessibility >>> framework already in place. >>> /Krister >>> >>> >>> 9 mar 2009 kl. 01.41 skrev Michael Babcock: >>> >>>> very good points chris, i agree. Though the self voicing option >>>> isn't a 100% thing, in some apps it would truly be nice. >>>> mike >>>> >>>> On Mar 8, 2009, at 4:37 PM, Chris Gilland wrote: >>>> >>>>> I think it would be cool to use the default voice set via system >>>>> preferences and make it where the program can be self voiceing if >>>>> needed. Also provide an option to turn on, or off the self >>>>> voicing >>>>> feature, this way if a user wants to use voice over, great, if >>>>> not, >>>>> he or she still can do what needs to be done. Also, I would make >>>>> your labels for the U I, very discriptive but yet maybe slightly >>>>> shorter for the interface that is viewed via a braille display. >>>>> This way the point is made but only the absolutely necessary >>>>> amount >>>>> of cells are used, this way providing more room for other things, >>>>> such as the value of the U I control. I may also advise you write >>>>> your programs in cocoe as I hear that language is very very voice >>>>> over friendly. Finally maybe provide an option for the program to >>>>> be able to enable magnification in the program for low vision >>>>> usersw. Also maybe provide an option to turn the programs st. >>>>> >>>>> This way it even helps low vision users as well as us like myself >>>>> who are nearly compltely total. >>>>> >>>>> Chris. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Do you use Twitter? If so, then, I'd love! for you to follow me. >>>>> My twitter URL is: >>>>> >>>>> http://twitter.com/chris28210 >>>>> ----- Original Message ----- >>>>> From: Martin Pilkington >>>>> To: macvisionaries@googlegroups.com >>>>> Sent: Sunday, March 08, 2009 8:25 PM >>>>> Subject: Understanding Blind User's Needs >>>>> >>>>> Hi All, >>>>> >>>>> Let me introduce myself. My name is Martin Pilkington and I'm a >>>>> software developer on the Mac. I'm sta bility push and I'm trying >>>>> to get many developers to join me. One of the key parts of this >>>>> push is a pledge to make all my applications 100% accessible by >>>>> the >>>>> end of 2009. I've defined 100% accessible to mean 5 things: >>>>> >>>>> 1. The UI available to VoiceOver users should be as user friendly >>>>> as the visual UI. >>>>> 2. All UI elements should have titles and/or descriptions. >>>>> 3. All custom controls should provide full keyboard access. >>>>> 4. There should be a clear and logical order to navigating UI >>>>> fields with the keyboard. >>>>> 5. Every part of an application should be reachable without the >>>>> mouse. >>>>> >>>>> Now I'm coming at this from the perspective of someone who hasn't >>>>> got a disability, so I'm hoping everyone on this list could help >>>>> me. Are there any other major points you would say an application >>>>> needs to be 100% accessible to you? Are there any things you would >>>>> like to find in an application as a user with a visual impairme e >>>>> standard Mac accessibility tool? For example, an option to get a >>>>> full text description of the current window and how to use it, at >>>>> any point in the application >>>>> >>>>> Hopefully I can get a lot of other Mac developers to join me in my >>>>> pledge, some others have already come on board with the idea. But >>>>> getting the developers on board is just one piece of the puzzle. >>>>> The most important piece is understanding exactly what your >>>>> current >>>>> problems and wishes are for accessibility in Mac apps so any >>>>> feedback you can give me is greatly appreciated. >>>>> >>>>> Thanks >>>>> >>>>> --------------------------------- >>>>> Martin Pilkington >>>>> Writer of Weird Symbols >>>>> pi...@mcubedsw.com >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> ace; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "> >>>>> Michael Babcock >>>>> GW Hosting, Your Dedicated Home On The Web >>>>> Phone: +1-888-272-3555, ext 4121 >>>>> email: michael.babc...@gwhosting.net >>>>> administrative e-mail: ad...@gwhosting.net >>>>> url: http://gwhosting.net >>>> >>>> >>>>> >>> >>> >>>> >> >> The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a >> thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot >> possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to >> get at or repair. >> --Douglas Adams >> >> >>> > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. 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