|
 |
 |
| ||||
|
Abstract | I. Business Opportunity | II. Current Technology | III. Technology Requirements | IV. References AbstractInformation represented by electronic file formats is required to be accessible for persons with visual impairments. Although many file formats currently exist, a single tool for decoding the information in a standard format will allow for greater access to a wider array of electronic documents. It will also allow for interoperability, and thereby, communication of information between different hardware devices (e.g., PC, PDA).The development of a universal browser that would enable users to read any content found on the web or in electronic format is ideal. [ Top of Page ] Business OpportunityThe internet is becoming an essential information resource for Americans at home, school, and work environments. Yet millions of Americans with disabilities are unable to access this important resource due to inaccessible web sites and documents on the web. As the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C®) (2003) states, inaccessible web content will allow individuals with disabilities to access web content either with great difficulty or not at all. However, when accessible content is provided, it allows numerous web-enabled devices (i.e., phones, handheld devices, kiosks, etc.) to access web content. This not only benefits people with disabilities, but has a positive impact on people without disabilities who need web access on the go. Currently, the 7.7 million people who have difficulty reading standard newsprint have many barriers to accessing web content successfully (McNeil, 2001). Graphics and image based text, favored by many graphic designers who create web documents, pose problems when a visually impaired reader attempts to use screen readers to access content, especially when adequate text descriptions are not provided. Many non-standard document formats also pose a problem for screen readers. Other issues for people with visual impairments include inconsistent layout, fixed font sizes, and pages with poor contrast (W3C, 2001). The sheer number and variety of mark-up languages are significant barriers to accessibility. There is an urgent need for a universal browser that has the ability to increase accessibility of information on the web. The mainstream market for the universal browser is very large. Making web sites and services accessible to people with disabilities also makes them more useable to people without disabilities who use small pocket computers, PDAs, cell phone browsers, and other mobile browsing technologies (Vanderheiden, 2000). The internet is an essential tool in the American business world. In September of 2001, 41.7 percent of the 65 million employed individuals age 25 and over used the internet at work on a regular basis (National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), 2002). The number of individuals in managerial and professional positions who use the internet while working was even higher, at 66.8 percent. In order to ensure equal access to managerial and professional positions the information on the internet must be accessible to people with visual impairments. The internet is also commonly used in American homes. According to data collected in the 2000 Census, 54 million household or 51 percent of households have one or more computers in the home, 44 million or 41.5 percent of these people had internet access (US Census Bureau, 2001). This data also illustrates the importance of web accessibility at home for people who have visual impairments. This accessibility allows them to access the many products and services that are offered for sale on the web. It also allows people with visual impairments to participate in entertainment options on the web. Recent legislative mandates require internet accessibility. For example, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 794d) states that Federal agencies who develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology must ensure access to both federal employees with disabilities and members of the community at large who have disability. In fact, the mandate calls for equal access to internet based information. Also, the access must be comparable to that provided to the employees and members of the public who are not individuals with disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency. Federal contractors are also bound by this law to produce accessible web content (General Services Administration, 2002). It is important to note that it is virtually impossible to make the case for undue burden when one considers the cost of web site accessibility. According to Vanderheiden (2000), the majority of all information and services on the Web can be made accessible for approximately 00.01% to 1% of the cost of creating and providing the information or service in the first place. Accessibility features added as a web site is developed can be added for a lower cost than those that are retrofitted. [ Top of Page ] Current TechnologyMark-up languages specify the representation and formatting of electronic information. Specifically, mark-up refers to the sequence of characters or other symbols that you insert at certain places in a text or word processing file to indicate how the file should look when it is printed or displayed or to describe the document's logical structure (TechTarget Network, 2003). Various formats exist including extensible markup language (XML), hypertext mark-up language (HTML), standard generalized mark-up language (SGML), and the digital accessible information system (DAISY). Mark-up languages provide an easy method of representing material in multiple types of output methods. For example, it allows for representation in any way that is useful, if you have a parser to convert the information to a language your computer will understand and a browser to display that information. Standard mark-up languages allow users to easily navigate through text and to separate structural elements from presentational elements. Other formats of publishing text do exist, such as portable document format (PDF). However, it is not considered to be mark-up language. PDF does not represent structure for text; it is purely a presentational language. [Note: Adobe Acrobat v. 6 offers accessibility features for people with disabilities.] Only some mark-up languages are compatible with screen readers, screen magnifiers, and other assistive technologies for people with blindness and low vision. These are usually able to be encoded and translated (i.e., if a publisher has a book that is not necessarily in XML, it is easy to get it into that format). Markup languages tend to be non-proprietary oriented or open source in format, although they may have difficulties with some open-source tools, such as decoders and browsers. There are currently differences in standards for the various mark-up languages and there is currently no single browser that will allow you to have access to all of the mark-up languages. [ Top of Page ] Technology RequirementsConsumers, manufacturers, clinicians, researchers and other stakeholders have identified requirements for a universal browser that will significantly improve the ability to access electronic information. These specifications include the following:
[ Top of Page ] References
[ Top of Page ] |
|
||
|
| |
