Re: Is embedded audio helping accessibility?

On Thu, 2 Aug 2001, Kelly Ford wrote:

I have been lurking for a while but this post asks something I even know
a few things about

> I won't claim to be an expert but would be interested in hearing the
> opinions of those with more professional/experiential backgrounds in the
> areas of folks who can't read the text for reasons other than blindness.

I am an engineer over 50 who has used a computer for over 30 years and in
recent years I was having more and more problems.
 well diagnosed with ADD at over 50 years old.  BUT graphics enviorenment
was driving me nuts....seems that the plain old white on black text is
clear concise and exactly what the doc ordered.

> The biggest thing folks in this category have told me is that they want
> the text highlighted as it is read.

I just want to be able to use the site...plain text no goodies cluttering
up things.

BTW, I use PINE as my e-mail client and LYNX as my browser.
still run either MSDOS or LINUX, and occasionall UNIX  (don't do windoz or
macs).

> Do folks think this sort of audio reading would be good for a portal as
> was original described I believe or for longer narrative texts.

personally I have unplugged the speaker on my computer


just another point of view

Bob
> 
> 
> 
> On Thu, 2 Aug 2001, Kynn Bartlett wrote:
> 
> > At 8:36 AM -0700 2001/8/02, Kynn Bartlett wrote:
> > >Assuming it's coded sensibly, it's roughly neutral, but tends to be more
> > >of a "help" than a "hindrance".  It's usually true that most users with
> > >special needs have assistive technology, but not always.
> >
> > I want to amend this.
> >
> > It's usually true that most _blind_ users have assistive technology, or
> > at least that they would need it to get that far.  Without some sort of
> > assistive tech (screenreader, etc) won't be able to get to your web site
> > in the first place; simply starting an application (such as a web
> > browser) would be next to impossible.
> >
> > However, it's also usually true that most users who have _other_
> > disabilities likely _don't_ have an appropriate assistive technology
> > program or device.  In this case, talking about the benefits of an
> > audio track, there are two groups who would benefit from such a
> > thing:
> >
> > 1.  People who can't see the text.
> >
> > 2.  People who can't read the text.
> >
> > The first group are the blind users; these are the ones who _probably_
> > already have a solution, in the form of a screenreader (or Braille
> > terminal or whatever).
> >
> > The second group includes a NUMBER of people -- adult non-readers,
> > people reading in a foreign language, children, and people with
> > cognitive disabilities that prevent them from being able to read
> > text easily, but who may be able to understand spoken words -- or
> > spoken words PLUS text -- easier than text alone.
> >
> > These audiences overwhelmingly do NOT have access to screenreaders
> > and the like, and for those people, embedded audio would indeed
> > prove beneficial.
> >
> > So while I make the correction above, I still stand by my suggestion
> > that you not remove this, as it could help some people.
> >
> > --Kynn
> >
> > --
> > Kynn Bartlett <kynn@reef.com>
> > Technical Developer Liaison
> > Reef North America
> > Accessibility - W3C - Integrator Network
> > Tel +1 949-567-7006
> > ________________________________________
> > BUSINESS IS DYNAMIC. TAKE CONTROL.
> > ________________________________________
> > http://www.reef.com
> >
> 

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Received on Thursday, 2 August 2001 22:26:00 UTC