I found this particularly interesting: "Olivero navigated through iTunes, guided by a voice that called out whatever he slid the mouse pointer over, including file commands and the movie, music and TV titles iTunes sells." Correct me if I am wrong, but most blind people don't use a mouse, right?
Julia On Thu, Oct 23, 2008 at 12:41 PM, Kathy Keller < [EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > *Apple makes iTunes more accessible for the blind (AP)* > > - Posted on Fri Sep 26, 2008 7:49PM EDT > - http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20080926/ap_on_hi_te/tec_itunes_blind > > WATERTOWN, Mass. - Most teens listen to their music on digital players, but > Cory Cadlik, who is blind, had to ask for help when he wanted to buy songs > for his iPod from the online music store iTunes. > > To Cadlik, a self-described tech "geek," that was too frustrating to > tolerate. > > "For me to be as tech savvy as I am, and not be able to do something ... I > hated it," said Cadlik, 17, of Medway, Mass. "I had one iPod. I got rid of > it." > > On Friday, Cadlik was making plans to get his iPod back after Massachusetts > Attorney General Martha Coakley reached agreement with Apple Inc. to > program iTunes to make it accessible to anyone with software that blind > people use to read the Internet. > > Tony Olivero of the National Federation of the Blind demonstrated the > technology at a press conference at the Perkins School for the Blind in > Watertown. Olivero navigated through iTunes, guided by a voice that called > out whatever he slid the mouse pointer over, including file commands and the > movie, music and TV titles iTunes sells. > > Cadlik planned to test out the new iTunes this weekend by sampling some > hard rock from bands like Breaking Benjamin and Chevelle. > > "You had no access before," Cadlik said. "When then this came out ... I > said, 'Wow, this is great, this is awesome.'" > > Under the agreement, Apple must make iTunes accessible to all systems by > next June. > > Providing equal access to online stores is required in the same way > supermarket aisles must be a certain width to accommodate people with > disabilities. But major gaps remain in the online retail world for blind > consumers. > > Coakley said a lot of industries are working to make the Internet more > accessible because they know it's good business to give more people a way to > buy your product. Coakley said she hopes the move by Apple inspires more > copycats. > > "Apple is the leader, they've become the industry standard," she said. > "Other companies that compete will have to or want to do this." > > Spokespeople for Apple did not return e-mails or calls for comment. > > The new iTunes can be read on a Macintosh, though people with PCs must buy > "screen access software" to make it work. It's pricey, retailing for around > $1,000. John Olivera of the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind said > discounts are available around the U.S., and the commission has purchased a > substantial amount of the software and is supplying it free in his state. > > As fun as movies and music are, Olivera said the state approached Apple > primarily because of the increasing popularity of iTunes U, which provides > lectures and other educational content from colleges and universities. > Schools were posting class material there, and that created problems for > blind students. > > Apple worked with Coakley voluntarily, but at least one other case over > online accessibility for the blind wound up in court. > > In August, retailer Target Corp. agreed to pay $6 million in damages to > plaintiffs in California who were unable to use its Web site as part of a > class > action settlement with the National Federation of the Blind. > > Target and the NFB agreed to a three-year relationship during which the > advocacy group will keep testing the site to make sure it is accessible to > the blind who use technologies such as screen-reading software. The NFB said > it would certify the site through its own certification program once the > improvements are completed. > > > > > > Kathy Keller > > Web Accessibility Administrator > > Communications/TPWD > > 512-389-4885 > > www.tpwd.state.tx.us > > > > *Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre > minds.* - Albert Einstein > > > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Our Web site: http://www.RefreshAustin.org/ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Refresh Austin" group. [ Posting ] To post to this group, send email to [email protected] Job-related postings should follow http://groups.google.com/group/Refresh-Austin/web/refresh-austins-job-posting-guidelines. We do not accept job posts from recruiters. [ Unsubscribe ] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] [ More Info ] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Refresh-Austin -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
