[Faith-talk] Inaccessible sites

Thu May 18 15:27:13 UTC 2017

Totally understand Jenni! I just got a call from my Pastor yesterday who said she had the opportunity to get a large print hymnal from a church that no longer needs it. Wonderful right? Well I excepted it anyway because it can help with devotions but it's the old him now and my synod (branch) of the Lutheran Church changed hymnals about 10 years ago or more! Our church has a braille him know, but that too is out of date and only good for devotions. Plus anybody who learns only UEB would be confused at times. My boyfriend is in the same fix only he doesn't know braille well enough to keep up in a service. For him, he hates to sing so not having the hymns isn't a crisis. He doesn't feel like it's his church even though he is the one who picked it. It is within walking distance for us so I think that is part of the reason. 

Almost every point you gave hear Jenny is what we told the folks when we went to a conference run by our area Bishop a few weeks ago. They were able to accommodate me because I needed large print, but my boyfriend and another blind person were not! They started making accommodations a week before and of course you can't turn around anything in braille that fast! By the way, I don't like churches that have the screens with the music and stuff on him either. There are other churches who have a Music board where they just list the page numbers and assume everybody can read the board & find the page. I have a large print bulletin thank goodness and because it is a copy of what the Pastor uses to follow the service it's always current. :-) Hate that when they change the hymn on you after the bulletins' printed. Our church is willing to pay for bulletins in braille for my boyfriend once he gets the hang of it. They're willing to do a lot for us if we ask. It's the first church I have ever been in that has even considered accommodating without a fight. 

I understand that vocational rehab isn't going to help you with anything, but did you contact your local Lions Club or other charitable foundation? Lions clubs are usually willing to. Help as much as they can. Some of them have funds set aside for just that thing like a braillenote.

I feel your frustration and would love to talk to you sometime Jenny. Write me off line and I will give you our phone number

Ericka Short
from my iPhone 6+

> On May 17, 2017, at 11:25 PM, Jenny Keller via Faith-Talk <faith-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> Some of you knew that I was Catholic and I mean no disrespect to the Catholic Church at all. But, it wasn't just that. I couldn't get a hymnal because 1000 churches use 1000 different hymnals. Plus, for me to get the songs in braille. I would have to pay like a buck 50 or buck to even get one page. I know it's not just the Catholic Church. Your other churches that do everything on the screen well and that doesn't help 
> 
> In those churches. It makes it very difficult to feel like you're a part of it. No matter what church it is.
> 
> I don't have expensive real stop to have braille typed into something or you know a braille note or anything like that. So, what am I supposed to do? Or any of us? That can't afford it
> 
> 
> 
> I can't even ask the stupid state no I asked the stupid state and they won't even pay out pizza fix my braille writer are you kidding me. Eight old fashion manual braille writer. Not rocket scientist.
> 
> Fortunately, I have found someone who will pay for it. But finding the box will be fine :-) that's the least of my problems though.
> 
> But, you all know what I'm talking about as far as stuff that's not accessible it just makes you feel like you're not part of things. And the fathers house, you should be. So, just my rant to :-) again, no disrespect to any church. Because there are good churches that do have excess of all things. I just don't subscribe to some of their believes.
> 
> Love always
> 
> 
> Jenny
> 
>> On May 17, 2017, at 12:34 PM, Linda Mentink via Faith-Talk <faith-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> Hi Debby,
>> 
>> Contact Amy Mason or Anne Taylor at the NFB.  One of them should be able to help you, or advocate for you concerning this site.
>> 
>> blessings
>> Linda
>> 
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: debby phillips via Faith-Talk <faith-talk at nfbnet.org
>> To: Linda Mentink via Faith-Talk <faith-talk at nfbnet.org
>> Date sent: Wed, 17 May 2017 07:56:01 -0700
>> Subject: Re: [Faith-talk] Inaccessible sites
>> 
>> I'm changing the subject just a bit here.  I just was on a site that the U.S.  Catholic Bishops have.  I subscribe !their email list so that I can read the daily Scripture readings.  Occasionally they send out communications about items that they have for sale, etc.  I found something that interested me and wanted to get more information about it.  I'm using a Google tablet, and since I got it have had so much better luck looking at things, but this was very disappointing.  Their website is so graphic that I cannot navigate it successfully.  When people talk about how expensive it would be to make something accessible, I understand that, but it still makes me want to scream.  If web sites were built in the first place following website protocols that would make them accessible in the beginding they wouldn't have to go through the expense of making them accessible later.  It's just another example of how blind people are not considered when building these sites.  I guess our money isn't good enough.  So frustrating! I don't know how we can get the message across to build websites from the ground up to not only be "cool" but also accessible.  Unfortunately with the atmosphere politically about gesting rid of regulations, I'm afraid the accessibility problem will just be worse.  I pray that those of you who are really in to how to build websites with accessibility will be able to articulate not only the need but how to do it.  Thanks for listening to my rant.    Blessings,    Debby
>> 
>> 
>> 
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