[Fwd: Microsoft Accessibility]

I like this one better anyway.  and incase anyone wonders, since
microsoft is much more important than raspberry on the web access scene,
I post this.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Microsoft Accessibility
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1998 12:59:29 -1000
From: "Karin Z. Meier" <zoopilus@DRIZZLE.NET>
Reply-To: "* WEB http://www.rit.edu/~easi" <EASI@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU>
To: EASI@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU

Hi all,

Microsoft has published its Status of Accessibility for Fall 1998 at:
http://www.microsoft.com/enable/news/status9810.htm

The text-only version of the Status of Accessibility for Fall 1998 is:
http://www.microsoft.com/enable/news/status9810-u.htm

This is a very informative page discussing more than just Microsoft's
achievements and enhancements to existing software.  It's an in-depth
look
at some of the problems they've had and where they're headed.  Greg
Lowney,
Microsoft's Director of Accessibility, discusses the new initiatives,
including:

Active Accessibility, a set of technologies that improves the way
applications and accessibility aids work together, providing users with
more flexibility in choosing software and accessibility aids.

Microsoft Screen Access Model, or MSAM, a collection of tools and
infrastructure that make it easier to create accessibility aids. MSAM is
being developed by three blind access companies, with Microsoft
contributing to the architecture and quality assurance process.

Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange, or SAMI, which makes it easy
for
anyone to enhance multimedia with closed captioning for people who are
deaf
or hard-of-hearing, audio description for people who are blind, and
synchronized highlighting for people with reading impairments.

I was really excited to read about Microsoft's new commitment to
accessibility, and the huge expansion of the Accessibility Group. 
There's
some really cool new technology on the way.

If you want to put your two cents in, you can make recommendations for
improvements.  We all have our pet gripes - let's send them in!

"What are the top five specific improvements you'd like to see us make
in
each product? What specific features need better keyboard access or
Active
Accessibility? What do you need to let you do your job?  Send your
suggestions by Email to mswish@microsoft.com."


Karin Z. Meier ** zoopilus@drizzle.net

Received on Thursday, 19 November 1998 21:00:54 UTC