Article: Do we need a new game plan to make the Web acces...
I thought it would be a good thing to have a dialog on this topic:
Do we need a new game plan to make the Web accessible?
Share: 
Read and comments, for what they're worth, made. 
Share:
I agree with the premise of the article. I disagree with everything else.
| Quote: |
| And we need for now to suspend practical considerations such as where the money will come from to fund ideas, or how they will be implemented. |
| Quote: |
| Promoting the widely popular benefits of hands-free Web technologies will definitely, inevitably, and quickly give many more Web site creators what they clearly feel they are lacking right now - a damn good reason to create accessible Web sites. |
- These benefits aren't known about, let alone popular. (Colleagues and the blogsphere talk about them rarely or never, in my experience.)
- If they were already "widely popular" then how is there any need to "promote the hell out of" them?
- "Hands-free access" is a broad range of technologies, of which voice recognition is the only one this article covers.
- The other ones aren't relevant to the aim of the article, so this broad term is misleading.
- What makes you think this strategy is definite, inevitable and quick?
- If this strategy were any of those 3 qualities then why hasn't it happened during the previous decades in which voice recognition has existed?
- Voice recognition support is a reason to make websites accessible.
- It is nowhere near the best reason; there are many more significant and compelling.
- If website creators are aware of the better reasons and still aren't doing it, this lesser reason will not accelerate the change we are looking for.
That said, it may be that accessibility is improving. It's just the rate of improvement that has become static? If that's the case then it is quite positive: accessibility evangelism is proving sustainable and (moderately) effective.
Share:
Ben, the reason why we should suspend practical considerations for now is so that we can focus on strategy, not tactics. Many people with good ideas are put off because they consider that their ideas impractical due to funding, etc. What is impractical for some is practical for others. Let people put forward all and any ideas and then let others worry about the frictions of implementation.
I welcome criticism of my ideas. However, there may be a chance that you misunderstood my idea of a hands-free Web. This is not yet implemented in any computer/device. Hands-free technologies will process Web content in the same way screen readers process content - as text (alt text instead of images, linear view of data tables, etc.). This should be a good reason for most Web site creators to make accessible Web sites.
I invite you to post your views on ARIA on my blog. I feel this is missing from the conversation.
Share:
Firstly, congratulations on identifying such a hot topic! There's clearly something to the premise of the article; that our strategies should be discussed and perhaps reinvigorated.
| Vlad Alexander wrote: |
| Let people put forward all and any ideas and then let others worry about the frictions of implementation. |
In my experience, and to my great frustration, practical concerns are usually set aside at meetings of evangelists, researchers, developers and other IT professionals interested in accessibility. Whether in pubs, conference halls or over the Internet.
As such, I maintain that practical considerations are not stifling creativity in this space. Furthermore, an increased attention towards boring-but-useful ideas (instead of high-minded architectures and strategies) would be a more healthy and productive move for web accessibility. For example, building a usable WYSIWYM editor for use by non-techies in mainstream content management systems.
| Vlad Alexander wrote: |
| I welcome criticism of my ideas. However, there may be a chance that you misunderstood my idea of a hands-free Web. |
| Vlad Alexander wrote: |
| One such technology is hands-free Web use, where users speak to their computer through voice recognition technology using hands-free devices such as in-dash car computers or Walkman-like products. |
| Vlad Alexander wrote: |
| I invite you to post your views on ARIA on my blog. I feel this is missing from the conversation. |
If you write a response about them and want me to see it, either cross-link it here or e-mail me.
Share:
Regarding the first comment
| Web Axe wrote: |
| Flash is a prime example: Adobe has made huge steps to make it accessible, but it's hardly ever implemented that way. |
Johan De Silva / Portfolio
Share:
