RE: paper on usability and accessibility

Hi Anthony

I just used The Wave for checking your page. I am some way off being able to
convince the Powers that Be to fork out for a screen reader for me to use
for testing (though I have used IBM's Home Page in the past). I would be
interested to know if others have found if The Wave accurately represents
how a screen reader works. 

Jamie

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Anthony Quinn [SMTP:anthony@frontend.com]
> Sent:	Wednesday, 6 December 2000 21:24
> To:	Jamie Mackay; WAI Mailing list
> Subject:	RE: paper on usability and accessibility
> 
> Hi Jamie,
> 
> No need to apologise - I asked for criticism. Your comment is a fair one.
> The problem is largely caused because the online version appears in what
> is
> essentially an out of date template. We are redesigning our site at
> present
> (should be testing it with real users in the next 8-10 days or so, which
> will be interesting). Our developers are completely overhauling not just
> the
> interface but the entire backend as well, so it's a pretty big job.
> 
> The new site will take care of the problem with reading order.
> 
> Thanks for your comment though. Did you actually use a screen reader, or
> just The Wave - I'm curious because I haven't had any complaints from
> people
> with screen readers. If anyone out there has had any trouble with the
> site,
> please let me know.
> 
> You can see the page in question at
> http://www.frontend.com/accessibility_paper.html
> 
> thanks,
> 
> Anthony
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jamie Mackay [mailto:Jamie.Mackay@cultureandheritage.govt.nz]
> Sent: 04 December 2000 02:16
> To: WAI Mailing list
> Subject: RE: paper on usability and accessibility
> 
> 
> Hi Anthony
> 
> Sorry if this sounds like a smartass comment -  I actually think what you
> are doing is great -  but I would have thought that such a document should
> be presented in a more accessible way. For example, according to Wave, the
> main text doesn't start until the 61st cell of your table - lots of stuff
> to
> wade through if you are relying on a screen reader.
> 
> This is particulary important for a web page which people new to desinging
> accesible sites will look to for design and layout ideas as well as for
> the
> content it contains.
> 
> Jamie Mackay
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From:	Anthony Quinn [SMTP:anthony@frontend.com]
> > Sent:	Saturday, 2 December 2000 03:47
> > To:	WAI Mailing list
> > Subject:	paper on usability and accessibility
> >
> > Hi All,
> >
> > Frontend has published a white paper "Accessibility and Usability for
> > e-Government - A Primer for Public Sector Officials".
> >
> > This paper is intended as a primer for public sector officials who are
> > responsible for or otherwise involved in the creation of web sites and
> > although it is written within an Irish context, it may be of interest.
> >
> > I would be grateful for feedback and comments from the group - positive
> > and
> > negative! If anyone would like a copy, please let me know and I will
> > happily
> > forward it - it's available in PDF, MS Word 2000 format ot as a text
> file.
> >
> > We have also posted it on our website, at the following URL
> >
> > http://www.frontend.com/accessibility_paper.html
> >
> >
> > regards,
> >
> > Anthony
> >
> > _______________________________________________________
> >
> >  Anthony Quinn                     UI Design Manager
> >
> >    Frontend ~ Usability Engineering & Interface Design
> >    40 Westland Row, Dublin 2, Republic of Ireland
> >
> >           Visit our Usability InfoCentre at:
> >       http://www.frontend.com/usability_infocentre/
> >
> >  anthony.quinn@frontend.com       tel: +353 1 241 1600
> >  http://www.frontend.com          fax: +353 1 241 1601
> >  _______________________________________________________

Received on Wednesday, 6 December 2000 16:28:38 UTC