A layman’s guide to Accessibility
I occasionally help out a computer class. The group is comprised mostly of adults in their 50s who have taken to computing in a big way. They’re all very keen and full of questions.
I volunteered to assist by going to the class once a week to pitch in but they didn’t want to put me out. Very big on self help this group, and that’s great, they learn as they try things but there are the odd occasions when they just can’t figure something out. So I volunteered to do phone support, something they were much more comfortable with asking for and it has to be said that the phone doesn’t ring very often.
However, a recent call came in asking some questions that I felt needed a fuller explanation than I could reasonably give on the phone and I was also concerned that the Chinese whispers effect would take hold, so I answered what I could but suggested that in this instance, it would be a good idea for me to go along and give a short talk. It was agreed, so I duly set off.
The topic in question was to be an overview of web accessibility. One of the members had read that there was now a UK law and as he was developing his own site he didn’t want to get sued. Given that other members were also thinking the web might be a way forward, timely intervention seemed sensible, not least to dispel a few myths.
I arrived armed with some hastily written notes, knowing that on the premises there was a familiar interactive whiteboard with internet access that I could use to demonstrate my points. The class of approximately 35 people all gathered their chairs around and off we went.
I stuck to the basics, there was little point in going into detail on CSS, javascript and the merits of Flash based sites when they could hardly open FrontPage but at least they would understand the way many people negotiate the web and that it wouldn’t always involve a mouse and a 17 inch flat panel.
At the end there was a lively question and answer session. Many of the group had, or knew someone who had failing eyesight or arthritis and they were all very receptive to what I was telling them. The gentleman who was building the site had been taking copious notes all the way through, so to finish, I asked him whether he thought that had given him food for thought and whether he might like to call me if he got stuck on anything.
He thanked me and said that he would prefer to figure it out for himself but would be pleased if I would take a look once he’d finished and tell him what I thought. I said I’d be delighted.
Now I often review sites done by beginners, so not much fazes me, however when I opened his finished page I was confronted by ENORMOUS text. It was in Verdana, good move, very readable, but all caps and HUGE. Somewhat confused by this I emailed to say that the page was very nicely put together for a first attempt but why had he used such large text all over the place.
I’m now questioning my teaching techniques, not least my description of screen readers. His reply was that he’d made it big so deaf visitors would be able to hear it.
JackP responds:
Posted: April 18th, 2007 at 10:01 pm →
Wow. I laughed out loud at that one.
Perhaps… you… should… ask… them… to… leave… big… pauses… between… every… word… as… well…?
Helena Boylen responds:
Posted: April 19th, 2007 at 1:06 pm →
Oh you’re making that one up!
Jaybee responds:
Posted: April 19th, 2007 at 1:30 pm →
Sadly, no. Well you couldn’t, could you.
Mike Cherim responds:
Posted: April 23rd, 2007 at 2:03 pm →
IT SOUNDS LIKE HE TOOK AWAY TOO MUCH OF WHAT YOU OFFERED AND WENT A LITTLE OVERBOARD.
Or something like that, anyway.
Jaybee responds:
Posted: April 23rd, 2007 at 3:38 pm →
I get the feeling that he got a bit confused with the strong and emphasis bits. It was one of those things where the words are coming out of your mouth, you know you should shut up but the brakes won’t go on.
Jaybee responds:
Posted: March 13th, 2008 at 11:51 pm →
Ahhh a light comes on. I’ve just had a similar response from another beginner. She thought that if she used big, bold text the screen reader would talk louder. Just revised my notes to specifically explain that readers are used by sight impaired people, not deaf people.