Fwd: Web CMS for Blind Users

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Ian Gan" <ian@xoulmedia.com>
Date: April 10, 2006 4:51:25 AM EDT
To: <blinux-list@redhat.com>
Subject: Web CMS for Blind Users
Reply-To: Ian Gan <ian@xoulmedia.com>, Linux for blind general  
discussion <blinux-list@redhat.com>

Hi All,

The National Council of the Blind, Malaysia (NCBM - http:// 
www.ncbm.org.my)
wants to develop a web-publishing system (like the Geeklog CMS) that  
will
make it easy for the blind to publish online content. NCBM is not  
expecting
too much, what they want is a simple CMS that will allow a blind  
person to
update their homepage. A modified version of Geeklog that is easy for  
the
blind to use would fit this criteria.

The Swiss Embassy in Malaysia has invited NCBM to apply for a grant that
goes up to USD24,000 to develop this system. Would you/your company be
interested/available to help NCBM develop this system? The most  
important
criteria is that the system must be easy to use for the blind(used in  
tandem
with a screen reading software such as JAWS) and is compliant with web
accessibilility guidelines (W3C WAI & DAISY). You/your company would get
massive publicity for this CMS not just in Malaysia, but globally as  
well.
You would also be contributing something valuable to society that  
would add
value to the lives of millions.

The main requirements for the system is as follows:
This web-publishing system will be designed to:
- Work in tandem with screen reading software such as JAWS
(http://www.freedomscientific.com), which is a separate software tool  
for
the blind and not part of this web-publishing system;
- Run in a server-client based environment, hence making it
platform-independent. Anyone using a Windows, Macintosh, or Linux  
operating
system will be able to access the same web-publishing system using an
Internet-enabled web browser like Firefox or Internet Explorer;
- Be compliant with the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Accessibility
Initiative (WAI) Guidelines on creating online content for the blind
(http://www.w3.org/WAI/), as well as the DAISY Consortium's  
guidelines on
creating Digital Talking Books (http://www.daisy.org).

This web-publishing system will make it easy for the blind to:
- Publish online content that is WAI and DAISY compliant;
- Upload, Manage and Publish text, images, documents, audio, and video
files;
- Convert published online content into documents that can be printed  
out on
a Braille embosser;
- Option to publish online content via e-mail and mobile phone;
- Option to convert published online content into RSS feeds or Digital
Talking Books.

Main Objectives of Creating This Web-Publishing System:
- To allow the blind to easily create/publish online content;
- To generate more blind-friendly content on the World Wide Web;
- To create opportunities for the blind to generate income from online
content/intellectual property.

If you can help NCBM with this, what we need from you to proceed is a
project timeline and costings breakdown to develop this system based  
on the
main requirements above (gantt chart is fine).

If you need more info, pls let me know.

With warm regards,

Ian Gan
Volunteer Webmaster, NCBM
web: http://www.ncbm.org.my
E-mail: ian@xoulmedia.com

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Received on Monday, 10 April 2006 10:34:55 UTC