[nfbcs] Commercial IT Blindness Accessibility Issues

Fri Jun 13 17:04:41 UTC 2014

I agree with Aaron's comments and thank him for taking the time to
write them down; I had been putting it off <grin>

On a purely fact checking note, Sun is not bankrupt, it was acquired
by Oracle.

Jim

On Fri, Jun 13, 2014 at 11:50:30AM -0500, Aaron Cannon via nfbcs wrote:
> Hi.
> 
> I applaud the idea, but I think the article needs some work.  Were I
> the editor of the Braille Monitor (which thankfully for everyone I am
> not), I would want to publish, but I would ask for a rewrite.  I think
> the article lacks two vital elements.  First it lacks a clear
> statement of its purpose.  What is your purpose in writing it?  What
> am I supposed to do, realize or think about after I read it?  Is the
> point to raise awareness of the issue?  Should readers do something
> specific?  Are you just trying to start the conversation?
> 
> The other element that the article lacks is broad appeal to the
> blindness community.  By this, I don't mean that the topic lacks
> appeal, but the way in which it's presented does.  In short, there is
> too much discussion of the nitty-gritty technical details, which makes
> it harder for a non-techy to grock your main points.
> 
> But again, I think what you're saying is super important, and I think
> that this is something that we need to deal with.  Thanks for taking
> the initiative.  I look forward to reading it in the monitor.
> 
> Aaron
> 
> On 6/12/14, Louis Maher via nfbcs <nfbcs at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> > Folks,
> >
> > I have attached a four page paper which I would like to submit to the
> > Braille Monitor.  I have also pasted the note below my signature.  Please
> > let me know about any errors.  Thanks.
> > --
> > Title:  Commercial IT Blindness Accessibility Issues
> > Author: Louis Maher (ljmaher at swbell.net, 713-444-7838)
> > Date:   June 12, 2014
> >
> > In a modern commercial environment, several blindness-related accessibility
> > issues remain.  Generally these issues can be grouped into lack of access
> > to: graphical user interfaces (GUIs), graphically displayed data, and
> > mathematically-based books and journals.  I will focus primarily on the
> > effects of not being able to access GUIs.
> >
> > Bit Locker Encryption
> >
> > In Microsoft Windows seven, Bit locker encryption is a Microsoft system for
> > encrypting all the information on a computer's hard disk.  At power-up
> > time,
> > the user enters a personal identification number (PIN) and then the login
> > proceeds.  The PIN dialog screen is completely inaccessible.  While my
> > HumanWare Brailliant Braille display will beep when the pin dialog opens,
> > if
> > I make a mistake entering the pin, then I cannot recover from this error.
> > I
> > must power-off my machine, by holding down the power button, and try again.
> > Often when a machine is abnormally stopped, it goes into a memory scan
> > screen or setup screen.  All these pre-login screens are inaccessible, even
> > to Microsoft narrator.  For this reason, a blind user cannot turn on their
> > own machine if they make a Bit Locker PIN entry error.  The only way out is
> > to go find a sighted colleague who can enable the blind employee to login
> > into their own computer.
> >
> > The Linux Graphical User Interface (GUI)
> >
> > Linux allows for computers, built out of many processors, to solve large
> > problems.  For this reason, most of the hard science problems are addressed
> > using the Linux operating system.  A commercially popular version of Linux
> > is distributed by Red Hat (http://www.redhat.com/).  Currently my company
> > uses Red Hat version 5.7.  Due to the need for an operating system to work
> > well with all the company's applications, and the need for a company to
> > have
> > a stable operating system, operating systems, within a company, change
> > slowly.  An employee's desire to use company software, insures that the
> > employee must use the company's operating system.  For this reason, the
> > blind employee cannot choose which operating system they wish to use.
> >
> > Graphical user interfaces allow users to use a wide variety of applications
> > with ease.  The GUI allows most of the parameters in an application to use
> > defaults. Only a few parameters within an application need be set.  Also
> > context sensitive help allows the user to rapidly find out how to set those
> > parameters.  GUIs also allow a user to string many processes together into
> > a
> > dataflow so that complex tasks can be setup rapidly.  For these reasons,
> > the
> > GUI has conquered computer space.
> >
> > Character-based (also called command-line) interfaces are widely used for
> > computer programming and system administration, and have provided many
> > blind
> > individuals with excellent career opportunities.  While the character-based
> > interface for Linux is wonderfully accessible, the Linux GUI is not.  Based
> > upon work by the now-bankrupt Sun Corporation, the Orca Linux screen reader
> > is available in open source packages
> > (https://help.gnome.org/users/orca/stable/).  Orca is not automatically
> > distributed with commercially popular Linux systems, and employees must go
> > through a long risk-assessment process to have it added to their systems.
> > Orca also accesses the Gnome desktop (http://www.gnome.org/)while most
> > commercial organizations would prefer to use the KDE interface
> > (http://www.kde.org/).  Also since there is no commercial organization
> > caring for Orca, there is no guarantee that it will work for any one
> > application.  People who work on Orca development, due it out of love of
> > computer science, and as an effort to improve the world.  The developers
> > work on what interests them, and on what they can find time to accomplish.
> > Also, Orca can only give access to programs running on the user's machine.
> > It does not allow users to logon to other remote machines using GUIs.
> >
> > The Linux Graphical User Interface (GUI) Remote Access Issue
> >
> > Linux GUI remote access represents another class of accessibility problems.
> > As mentioned above, Orca can only give access to programs running on the
> > user's machine.  It does not allow users to logon to other machines using
> > GUIs.  In modern industrial settings, the blind user will be sitting in
> > front of a Microsoft Windows based machine.  The user can have complete
> > character-based access to Linux through programs such as SecureCRT
> > (http://www.vandyke.com/products/securecrt/).  However, the blind user is
> > going to have to access several remote computers, using graphical user
> > interfaces, to get their work done.  While limited character-based work
> > around exist for some of these applications, in general, the blind user
> > will
> > have to have their sighted counterparts do this part of their job, thus
> > reducing the flexibility of the blind employee.
> >
> > Java
> >
> > Java (http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/index.html) is a programming
> > language, supported by Oracle, to make applications portable on more than
> > one operating system.  The blind access Java applications through the Java
> > Access Bridge (JAB) (for Windows
> > (http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/tech/index-jsp-136191.html),
> > and for Linux
> > (http://linux.softpedia.com/progDownload/Java-Access-Bridge-Download-24104.h
> > tml).  I have found that most Java programs are not very accessible due to
> > the developer's unawareness of the need to write accessible code.
> >
> > Graphically Displayed Data
> >
> > Often commercial Linux packages generate plots to help the user analyze the
> > data in their processes.  These plots are generated by GUI's buried deep in
> > the commercial packages.  If the plots could be generated, and sent outside
> > of the commercial application which generated them, then they could be sent
> > to Braille printers for plotting.  Without GUI access, the blind user
> > cannot
> > generate the plots, nor bring the plots to the outside world.
> >
> > Mathematically Displayed Books and Journals
> >
> > The news is a little better on the display of mathematically-based
> > material.
> > If the blind user can contact the author of a book, and if the author is
> > willing to share their source files, then the blind user can read the book.
> > The best way to get this book would be in Microsoft Word format where the
> > author would have used the Design Science mathematical equation editor,
> > MathType (http://www.dessci.com/en/), to write the equations.  MathType
> > makes mathematics in Microsoft word completely accessible.  Another
> > accessible mathematical language is Latex
> > (http://www.maths.tcd.ie/~dwilkins/LaTeXPrimer/).
> >
> > Mathematics on the web is still not reliable since bugs in the Microsoft
> > Internet Explorer versions 10 and 11 have kept math from being displayed.
> > I
> > have heard that the Apple Safari browser can display math, but an
> > accessible
> > version of the Safari browser is not available for the Windows platform.
> >
> > GUI Solution Issues
> >
> > It is unclear how to approach the Linux GUI issue.  If a blind user wishes
> > to install Orca on a Linux workstation, the user will have several issues.
> > 1. The blind individual will have to have a sighted individual install the
> > software because the Linux GUI environment is inaccessible out of the box.
> > Secondly, to be efficient, the blind user will need a Braille display.
> > Braille drivers are not part of the standard Orca package, and separate
> > software must be loaded for Braille displays.  Thirdly, only system
> > administrators will be allowed to load software on company computers.
> > Lastly, bringing new programs into the environment requires risk
> > assessments
> > which can add months to introducing new software.
> >
> > I am fortunate in that my company will purchase any accessibility system
> > that exists; however experimenting with unknown solutions is very tedious
> > and slow.  Due to the size of commercial organizations, it can take up to
> > two years to upgrade the operating systems of computers.  Also, if a blind
> > user installs Orca on one machine, the user has not achieved much, for the
> > user cannot access other remote GUI-based processors, which contain the
> > programs an employee will need.  Lastly, stand-alone work stations are
> > rapidly disappearing from our commercial environment. Our company is
> > experimenting with remote graphic servers (RGS)
> > (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_Graphics_Software) which are
> > centrally-located graphics servers which are used remotely by windows-based
> > users.  Perhaps remote GUI accessibility can be built into such systems.
> >
> > Conclusions
> >
> > Both government and non-government blind employees are struggling with
> > accessibility because currently no one is insisting that these systems be
> > accessible.  If the government would follow its own rules, then the
> > accessible solutions would be available to all.
> >
> > --
> >
> >
> >
> > Regards
> > Louis Maher
> > Phone 713-444-7838
> > E-mail ljmaher at swbell.net
> > ---
> >
> >
> 
> _______________________________________________
> nfbcs mailing list
> nfbcs at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbcs_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nfbcs:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbcs_nfbnet.org/jbar%40barcore.com
> 