[Nfbmt] Fw: [Nfbnet-members-list] Apple Software and Global Accessibility Awareness Day

Sat May 23 03:49:46 UTC 2015

Forwarded message:

From: "Wunder, Gary via Nfbnet-members-list" <nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org>
to: nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Nfbnet-members-list] Apple Software and Global Accessibility
 Awareness Day
Reply-To: "Wunder, Gary" <gwunder at nfb.org>
Date: Fri, 22 May 2015 20:09:42 -0500

Some of you may find this to be interesting and/or enlightening.

Dave Andrews

I’m Ilkka Pirttimaa, developer of an iOS app called BlindSquare 
<http://itunes.apple.com/app/blindsquare/id500557255>. Uniquely it uses 
Open Street Map and Foursquare data to help people who are blind to 
navigate in new and familiar environments and provide them with a world 
of choices, otherwise veiled. I write this in the spirit of the intent 
of the Global Accessibility Awareness Day, to raise awareness across 
the globe of the benefits and know-how on making products accessible. 
This needs to be done; and is the right thing to do, it doesn’t need to 
be difficult.

For people who are blind or partially sighted, travelling independently 
has always been one of the challenges. While some have managed to 
become very confident travellers regardless, others, especially if they 
have lost sight only recently, need more time or assistance to learn 
how to navigate new environments. Although technology can never 
substitute Orientation & Mobility and cane travelling skills, the right 
app installed on your iPhone can help blind and partially sighted users 
who have mastered the necessary skills to be safer and more independent 
when out and about. Having been localized to 25 languages, it is now 
used by thousands of people in more than 130 countries.

I started developing BlindSquare by chance. When I read what Wikipedia 
had to say a few years ago about augmented reality, I wanted to prove 
that augmented reality should not only include visual, but also 
auditory perception. It seemed only logical to me that the traveler who 
is blind would benefit the most from that. I managed to find my first 
blind tester and when I saw how enthusiastic she was about the 
prototype of BlindSquare I had created and about its future potential. 
I decided to continue with the project. When I released BlindSquare 3 
years ago, it did not yet include many of the important features 
available today. But still, I received very positive feedback and saw 
how it improved people’s quality of life. I received a message from 
someone who had used BlindSquare at a water park and had been able to 
find all of the attractions there using my app. BlindSquare users enjoy 
being able to explore their environment on their own and also to be 
able to help their sighted friends to locate places in unfamiliar 
areas. After all, the friends cannot look around corners, but thanks to 
GPS, BlindSquare can. Although BlindSquare is optimized for VoiceOver, 
it is perfectly usable for everyone. I have sighted customers who enjoy 
hearing popular Foursquare places announced to them while they are 
riding their bicycles.

My app is geared towards customers who are blind or partially sighted, 
but I think that every developer should consider if their product could 
be made accessible and whenever possible walk the extra mile. It is 
just like app localization, it increases your user base. Let us just 
take an example and assume that you develop an app that gives access to 
public transport schedules of different companies and in many cities 
around the world. Sighted users may have many apps they can choose 
from, but your app might be the only one that is VoiceOver accessible. 
Sighted users can also just read the schedule at the station, an option 
not available to blind or partially sighted users. While your app can 
be nice to have for many users, it can be a life-changer for people who 
are blind or partially sighted, as it may be the only means to access 
information independently. The same is true for many other apps that 
come to mind.

Examples:
· If a parcel-tracking app is accessible, Blind users do no longer need 
help reading the note left by the postman when they return home, 
because they can just go and pick up their parcel from the neighbor 
whose name they read in the push message on their phone.
· Accessible banking apps can help blind clients to monitor their 
accounts and make transfers without sighted help, enhancing their 
privacy and allowing them to be more independent.

The World Health Organization estimates that worldwide 285 million 
people are visually impaired, and 39 million of them are blind. 82% of 
the visually impaired are 50 years and older. Developing accessible 
apps is an important contribution to creating a society where everyone 
can live as long as possible independently and in dignity. The screen 
reader and the zoom feature integrated into each Apple product make it 
accessible to every visually impaired user. The iPhone gives users who 
are blind or partially sighted access to information that would not be 
available to them otherwise.

Apple provides excellent documentation 
<https://developer.apple.com/accessibility/ios/> about iOS’ 
accessibility features. To learn more about VoiceOver really quickly, 
configure your iOS-device so that VoiceOver turns on when you press the 
Home button three times, so you can switch it on and off quickly. If 
your language is supported by Siri, you can even tell her to turn 
VoiceOver on and off. Now you can start to learn how it works. If you 
want to make a game of it, you can play through the VoiceOver tutorial 
by LookTel. Once you know the basics of VoiceOver, look at your app and 
see if it works with VoiceOver.

Accessibility is not just an additional feature, but a best-practice. 
After all, web developers test for compatibility with different web 
browsers, too. When you start developing an app and use standard 
elements, accessibility labels and label images, it is most likely that 
your app will be accessible as iOS has built accessibility right in. 
However, as soon as you want to make it more appealing visually, you 
should know how to develop accessibly and make sure that your app’s 
facelift does not make it unusable for blind people.

Connect with your users and find out how they use your app. Ask them 
for examples of apps that work well for them, look at these apps and 
learn how and why they are accessible. AppleVis, a site run by blind 
and partially sighted iOS users, is an excellent place to get feedback 
and find eager beta testers.

My wish: I hope many developers will embrace accessibility. It will not 
just increase their user base, but it will make a difference in the 
quality of life of many people.
· AppleVis resources for developers: 
http://applevis.com/information-app-developers 
<http://applevis.com/information-app-developers>
· LookTel VoiceOver Tutorial: 
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/looktel-voiceover-tutorial/id598788231?mt=8 
<https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/looktel-voiceover-tutorial/id598788231?mt=8>
· Apple Accessibility for Developers: 
https://developer.apple.com/accessibility/ 
<https://developer.apple.com/accessibility/>
· BlindSquare app: http://itunes.apple.com/app/blindsquare/id500557255 
<http://itunes.apple.com/app/blindsquare/id500557255>

Gary Wunder, Editor
The Braille Monitor
(573) 268-4245

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the 
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the 
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles 
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; 
blindness is not what holds you back.
The National Federation of the Blind wishes you a joyous and safe 
holiday season. We would appreciate your including the NFB in your 
end-of-year giving. Make your contribution 
<https://nfb.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=1> now.

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