RE: Is large print Accessibility?

Dear Ben (et al.),

Al's comments (as usual) are right on the mark, but I wanted to add to the
two groups you mention:
>>  [1]  Visually impaired, but not completely blind [and  who use screen
magnification software].
>>  [2]  Those who need reading glasses.

From your message, I infer that you are looking for rational to not worry
about the potential problems.  (Since the first group has assistive
technology, and the second group is not "protected".)  Please forgive me if
I am being presumptuous, but this thinking has been voiced out loud on this
list before.

The above list leaves out what is probably a larger demographic than [1]:
[3]  Persons who are visually impaired (using whatever legal or objective
measure that you like) who shun (for whatever reason, and Al describes the
major one) screen magnification software.

These folks choose to be accommodated by some combination of:  (1) sitting
close to the screen, (2) a large format monitor (probably at 640x480 pixel
resolution), (3) the high contrast option of the operating system, and (4)
adjusting the settings of their browser (including "always use my colors",
"largest text size", and "use my style sheet for formatting".

It is this (fairly large, but I wish I had statistics) group of people for
whom "textual images" are a significant barrier (at least a P2).  This group
is no more likely than the general public to be using Opera.  Please not
also that the lack of scalability of logos, photographs, and other images is
generally NOT as severe a problem as is text which, for whatever reason,
will not scale.

Bruce Bailey

> -----Original Message-----
> From: w3c-wai-ig-request@w3.org [mailto:w3c-wai-ig-request@w3.org] On
> Behalf Of Al Gilman
> Sent: Monday, October 02, 2000 2:49 PM
> To: Ben Morris; w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
> Subject: Re: Is large print Accessibility?
> 
> Search the WAI mailing lists <http://search.w3.org/> for
> 
> Are Small Text buttons level 2 compliant
> 
> And you will find a huge, inconclusive, ongoing thread on 
> precisely this
> topic.
> 
> Note:  Having to use a screen magnifier degrades the usability of the
> material enough so that it does not automatically remove the 
> idea that the
> text itself should be scalable.  As I say, there is not clear 
> consensus on
> this thread, but there is that consideration to think about.
> 
> Al

Received on Monday, 2 October 2000 15:31:49 UTC