- From: Suzan Dolloff <averil@concentric.net>
- Date: Wed, 04 Mar 1998 09:52:58 -0600
- To: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
Hello, everyone. My name is Suzan Dolloff, although I am generally called Reé (rhymes with "hay") by people who know me. I have been reading this list with great, somewhat desperate, interest for several weeks now and decided it was time to make my presence known. Please excuse my faux pas if the subject matter is inappropriate to this list and attribute it to not knowing of a better forum to which I could address this. I ask your forebearance, as well, with the length. I tend to babble when I am nervous! <shaky grin> The Internet became my lifeline to the world six years ago when I became disabled as a result of a neurological condition which has since evolved into a brain tumor, said brain tumor now causing me periodic bouts of blindness which will eventually become permanent. As my illness progresses, I become more of a shut-in, and this has made my computer and the world it affords me even more valuable. Four years ago, I was introduced to the World Wide Web. HTML and web-page design soon followed. Like many "designers," I began with a WYSIWYG HTML editor and a tolerant browser that would excuse most boo-boos and render something close to the effect I had in mind. I imagine some of you chuckling to yourselves when I tell you of my dismay in learning not all web browsers are created equally, and omigosh, you mean people with low-res monitors aren't seeing the same thing I see on my high-res monitor? Whaddya mean, they have a horizontal scroll bar? Ack! That's awful! And egads, what's with all that *underlining* in Lynx of the text I'd tagged as bold?!? That led me to the HTML Writers Guild which, in turn, led me to the W3C. Validated HTML? Instant convert and zealot! There are not enough hours in the day for me to preach its importance! While I'd heard of the Web Accessibility Initiative, I must admit I didn't take much of an interest until I discovered I'd *have* to. Alas, I believe this is the attitude of most people who are not directly involved or in need of what its purpose does, and will, provide to abled and disabled users alike. This does not necessarily make anyone a villain, you understand, just...unenlightened. Okay, so why am I writing you now? Several reasons. As one who is relatively new to disability, I'm just grateful you're out there! I'm thrilled to know people have been busy thinking about things I'd never before had to consider, researching and developing assistive and adaptive technology I never, ever, expected I'd one day need for myself, and that's just for the stuff that allows me to navigate my way through my home, or continue cooking my own meals, or walk to my mailbox and find out I may already be a millionare. <snort><yeahright><cheesy, but eternally hopeful grin> To know that you who participate in the WAI have been hard at work discussing and designing tools and techniques that will keep my computer from becoming a very large paperweight while I sit in the dark with dust-bunnies the size of kangaroos and crying about being cut off from the only world I have...well! My gratitude exceeds the limitations of language. It also renews my determination to remain a part of the world that has become so important to me, to participate at whatever level I can to effect changes which benefit me personally, sure, but also people whose needs are just as profound, if not more so. To give *something* back to an endeavor which not only benefits industry, academia or some woman in Missouri, but also helps to promote world-wide unity as does any effort which unites us in a common goal. After reading this list for so long, my typical reaction to whatever I read being, "Uh...whut?" since a lot of it still goes over my head, I was beginning to wonder how I might be able to participate, to help promote the purpose of the WAI and help myself in the process. I've begun, and deleted, a few dozen emails to various individuals making contributions, thinking it might be easier (read: less damaging to my fragile ego if I don't get the response I want) or more appropriate (read: I don't get a nasty email from the moderator of this list telling me to go away) if I wrote to some of you separately. While trying to sort out the players, however, I'm still going blind, so need to take care of some of this as quickly as possible and have decided to cast a wider net. <takes deep breath> So here's the deal. <and oh, if you knew...but maybe you do...how difficult it is to do this!> Some of you have assistive/adaptive technology you need evaluated by disabled people so you may receive their feedback. I am a disabled person who needs adaptive doohickies (<--warning: technical jargon in use; do not attempt this at home) that I might continue availing myself of the one thing which, at this point in my life, seems to be the only constant I have. As I have read some of you saying how helpful you would find it to receive feedback from people who will most directly benefit from these technologies, I have mustered the courage to lock my pride in a closet long enough for me to send this email and volunteer MUCH briefer and hopefully more concise reports on my usage experience in exchange for supplying me with your evaluation product. I am not an opportunist, nor am I seeking sympathy. I am just trying to continue doing what I do and want to feel I have made some contribution that others might do the same. Sound like a deal? Sounds reasonable, but, hey, this isn't the place to bring up this kind of stuff? I'm sure you'll let me know. In any event, I welcome your replies and thank you for your time. You may not hear from me again on this list <cheers break out among the readers>, but I'll be closely following the discussions, confident it will eventually sink in. Reé Dolloff mailto:averil@concentric.net http://www.concentric.net/~Averil/
Received on Wednesday, 4 March 1998 10:53:50 UTC