Re: Out of context, but... / Ok about controversy

Sophie,

sorry to hear about your accident - I hope your are well recovered. I agree
that objective criticism is valuable, and that we must realise that there are
things which are not accessible, and cannot be made accessible using current
technology, but which are nevertheless sufficiently valuable to people who
can use them that they will be retained. I also agree that we should not aim
to deprive people of what they have, but seek to enable people who do not
have access.

I think this article demonstrates that there are people who are extremely
paranoid about the possible requirements, and will therefore resist the idea
of accessibility without ever taking the time to try and undertand it. Fear,
an "us-and-them" fortress mentality, and ignorance are always obstacles, and
this group in particular needs to bear that in mind as we explore ways of
improving the accessibility of the web for all who seek to use it.

Charles McCN

On Fri, 25 Jun 1999, Sophie Latulippe wrote:

  Dear eo members,
  
  I have not been very active since March: I had an accident and a long
  rehabilitation.  It was hard to me to keep up with EO activities.
  
  Anyways,
  
  I am sending this email following an article that i read at
  http://www.reasonmag.com:80/9907/fe.ap.is.html.
  
  At first I had a somewhat aggressive attitude towards this article which
  is a bit critical opinion about accessinility on the web.
  
  Then I admit that I found quite enriching to see both sides of the coin
  and that it can be even helpful to acknowledge opposite views in order to
  be more effective in advocating web accessibility.
  
  Moreover, I as I once said, from time to time I write articles about
  assistive technology and web accessibility.  I find that the les biased,
  the more objective we look, the more efficient we are at convincing other
  people.
  
  I can even admit, not without some imcomfort, that I sometimes struggle
  with ethical issues related to web accessibility.  Although, since I have
  cerebral palsy, I am very pleased when sites are accessible.
  
  Although I can read, using voice browsers are much easier to me.
  
  I know this email is very paradoxical, but I trust some of you to see
  some logic in what I write and point controversial articles that I could
  use in my work.
  
  I would like to add, if I am not the only person who struggles with that
  kind of doubt, that we should not be ashamed of it, acknowledge it and
  then, move forward.
  
  That is what I intend to do...
  
  Thank you
  
  Sophie

Received on Friday, 25 June 1999 18:09:24 UTC