Sorry if I continue this discussion of January but it may be interesting to share my experience had yesterday because I attended to a presentation of a young programmer suffering from low vision and color-blind and usual participant in http://globalaccessibilityawarenessday.org/gaad.html.
It has been interesting because we experienced how is the life of a person studying and working in computer science but almost blind and we had the opportunity to be in his shoes.
The first lesson learned is that blind (or almost blind) people use always a software of speech synthesis with a speed that makes the audio almost unintelligible for not experienced people. The operating system provides several tools for that including mobile OS.
The second lesson is that this software of speech synthesis is crucial for them and they would set and control it. So forget the normal speed of audio that everyone of us is experienced to use.
The third lesson is that a lot of them in general hears music with headset and have the speech synthesis always on, if there is a third vocal synthesis for them is more a problem than an advantage.
The fourth lesson learned is that Wikipedia is for them a well done web site because the content is structured. It means that the Table of Content at the start (so neglected by some graphical reasons) is fundamental for them because they can easily jump in the section they need.
No one knew that I am from a Wikimedia chapter except the organizers and I did several questions about Wikipedia because (I did not know it) it was presented as "good" example of website for speech synthesis.
What can be improved, in my opinion it's only the "semantic" aspect of the Wikipedia, so pushing more the attention on the structure of the page, and the awareness that images are not useful for them. We must be aware that some tools used in Wikipedia, like Captcha, are a real obstacle for blind people, like stairs for people with wheelchairs.
Regards
On Mon, Jan 26, 2015 at 2:55 AM, James Heilman jmh649@gmail.com wrote:
I guess I see this as making it easier for people to generate files to put on their ipod or for those with a limited ability to read who might not have figured out more complicated solutions. Those who are blind have likely already figured out good solutions. It is those of us who are sighted that need the help.
I know that I personally would find such a button helpful. But through a great many steps I could likely figure out a work around. People prefer stuff that is simple.
-- James Heilman MD, CCFP-EM, Wikipedian
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