[nfbcs] Commercial IT Blindness Accessibility Issues

Fri Jun 13 20:07:27 UTC 2014

Sorry.  My mistake.  Thanks for the clarification.

Aaron

On 6/13/14, cheryl echevarria via nfbcs <nfbcs at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Oh I am not mad at all, just being informative, I am just not commenting on
> the article.
> Some people want to put things in the monitor and they never read it.
> I am definitely not mad.
>
>
> Cheryl Echevarria, OwnerEchevarria Travel
> 631-456-5394
> reservations at echevarriatravel.com
> www.echevarriatravel.com
> Cheryl Echevarria, President
> National Federation of the Blind's Travel and Tourism Division
> A proud division of the National Federation of the Blind
> www.nfbtravel.org
> 631-236-5138
> cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com
>
> 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 have the life you want;
> blindness is not what holds you back.
>
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>> Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2014 14:39:29 -0500
>> Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Commercial IT Blindness Accessibility Issues
>> From: cannona at fireantproductions.com
>> To: Cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com
>>
>> Hi Cheryl.
>>
>> I'm not sure what I said to upset you, or even if you are upset, but I
>> believe we have miscommunicated.  I have most definitely read and
>> enjoyed the Braille Monitor for many years, and I am aware that the
>> editor is Gary Wunder.  Furthermore, I believe he does an excellent
>> job, and did not intend to imply otherwise, in case that was the
>> source of the misunderstanding.
>>
>> Aaron
>>
>> On 6/13/14, Cherylandmaxx <Cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com> wrote:
>> > The editor is gary Wunder anyone who reads it. It states how to reach
>> > him.
>> > Or have you ever read it?  Not commenting on the article
>> >
>> >
>> > Cheryl Echevarria
>> > Echevarria Travel
>> > www.echevarriatravel.com
>> > Echevarriatravelblog.com
>> > 631-456-5394
>> > Reservations at echevarriatravel.com
>> > Cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com
>> >
>> > <div>-------- Original message --------</div><div>From: Aaron Cannon
>> > via
>> > nfbcs <nfbcs at nfbnet.org> </div><div>Date:06/13/2014  12:50 PM
>> > (GMT-05:00)
>> > </div><div>To: Louis Maher <ljmaher at swbell.net>,NFB in Computer Science
>> > Mailing List <nfbcs at nfbnet.org> </div><div>Subject: Re: [nfbcs]
>> > Commercial
>> > IT Blindness Accessibility Issues </div><div>
>> > </div>
>> > 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
>> >> ---
>> >>
>> >>
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
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>> >
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