Re: Text equivalents

In response to an offline request to try to help define how we might
progress...

'universal' accessibility and the drive to define it currently excudes
People with 'severe' CD by which I do not include Gregory and anyone who has
proceeded succesfully through secondary education, and this includes many
children. Many cannot read, and very few can follow the meaning of a
passage, unless it is part of a story, rather than say a dialectical
argument.

This group do not need 'every' page to be accessible, however it would be
very helpful if every site had a part for them.

For example these people need to know their legal, medical and educational
rights.

They need to be able to browse the web and find suitable pages....


Recently I have been getting such negative responses from WAI members that I
have briefly considered resigning.

It is a huge problem and affects the whole approach of WAI.
I am just not sure that WAI is the right place.
perhaps we need a CD working group that could format some guidelines in
'private'
before discussing them with the rest of the members.

jay@peepo.com

Jonathan Chetwynd
special needs teacher and
web accessibility consultant.
----- Original Message -----
From: Gregory J. Rosmaita <unagi69@concentric.net>
To: Jonathan Chetwynd <jay@peepo.com>
Sent: Friday, March 17, 2000 7:21 PM
Subject: Re: Text equivalents


> aloha, jonathan!
>
> thanks for the emessage...  i'm a bit confused, though, as to what exactly
> you are attempting to communicate to me, so could you please take a second
> pass at it, as i am eager to grasp the olive branch which you are
extending
> and move forward together in order to make WCAG a stronger and  more
> universal document...
>
> gregory.
>
> At 01:07 PM 3/17/00 +0000, you wrote:
> >It is and was not my intention to enter into a personal attack.
> >
> >The fact is Gregory that you are make assumptions (about web usability)
that
> >my clients have no means of making.
> >
> >Anne through her experience will know what suits her clients needs./
> >She is endeavouring to meet them and showing others the way.
> >
> >To complain about P1 compliance is an irrelevence.
> >P1 currently does very little directly related to cognitive disability.
> >
> >Her site was excellent because it did not provide a complex interface and
> >did not involve complex decisions.
> >causation is a primitive.
> >To test a change in modality, or media is critical to both conciousness
and
> >our understanding.
> >computers we are all aware are not.
> >computers also handle text well.
> >
> >Your use of English belies your understanding of the issues.
> >You urgently need to take on board these thought if you intend to help
> >people with cognitive disability.
> >
> >
> >jay@peepo.com
> >
> >Jonathan Chetwynd
> >special needs teacher and
> >web accessibility consultant.
>
> --------------------------------------------------------
> He that lives on Hope, dies farting
>       -- Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanack, 1763
> --------------------------------------------------------
> Gregory J. Rosmaita <unagi69@concentric.net>
>     WebMaster and Minister of Propaganda, VICUG NYC
>          <http://www.hicom.net/~oedipus/vicug/index.html>
> --------------------------------------------------------
>
>

Received on Saturday, 18 March 2000 03:44:21 UTC