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Headstar
++E-ACCESS BULLETIN
Access to technology for all, regardless of ability.
- ISSUE 181, July 2016.
29.7.2016
A
Headstar Publication, produced with the support of Thomas Pocklington Trust:
http://www.pocklington-trust.org.uk .
To forward this free publication to others, use our forward link underneath
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E-Access Bulletin conforms to the accessible Text Email Newsletter (TEN)
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++Issue 181 contents.
Section One: News.
01: Top travel websites still failing users with disabilities, report
uncovers.
- Companies are risking reputations and profits by ignoring accessibility.
02: New guide on home technology launched for people with sight loss.
- Both high-end and mainstream devices can help, publication says.
03: Innovation and impact honoured at Tech4Good Awards.
- Winners included an audio navigation system and pocket computer.
News in Brief: 04: Helpful Hacks – assistive technology design prize; 05:
Public Policy-Shaping – Accessibility consultation asks for input; 06:
Tech For Teaching – free resource to assist hearing-impaired students.
Section Two: The Inbox – Readers’ Forum.
07: Smartphone Stats – Increasing inclusive cultural spaces.
Section Three: Q & A – Robin Christopherson, AbilityNet.
08: Steering digital inclusion from the driving seat.
Robin Christopherson has been instrumental in pushing forward the digital
accessibility agenda and sharing his expertise on the subject for more than
two decades. Earlier this month he received a special recognition for his
invaluable contributions at the annual Tech4Good Awards. e-Access Bulletin
chatted to Christopherson about his work, enforcing accessibility
legislation and testing a driverless car.
[Contents ends].
++Section One: News.
+01: Top travel websites still failing users with disabilities, report
uncovers.
Many of the most popular travel companies are still not making their
websites accessible, new research has found.
The report (named ‘Are travel companies burying their heads in the sand
when it comes to user experience and accessibility?’, compiled by digital
user experience agency Sigma), tested ten of the most popular travel
websites in the UK over three main categories: accessibility; usability;
ease of use on different devices.
The accessibility testing uncovered a wide range of problems across the
sites for users with disabilities, particularly those with visual
impairments.
The ten sites tested were: Airbnb, Booking.com, British Airways,
Co-operative Travel, Expedia, lastminute.com, LateRooms, On the Beach,
Skyscanner and Virgin Atlantic.
Molly Watt, an independent accessibility consultant and founder of the
Molly Watt Trust charity, tested the travel sites as part of the report.
Watt, who has Usher syndrome, was born deaf and is registered blind,
retaining a small degree of vision.
Problems that Watt discovered with the sites included: colours and fonts
being “too garish”; zooming features being disabled; cluttered content;
and “design-based trends” on web pages, such as text over images, or
moving images.
Watt told e-Access Bulletin that the biggest improvement travel websites
need to make is to “simplify”. Giving examples of this, she said:
“Travel websites need to avoid temporary pop-ups, as they can confuse or
worry some users who might then think they have missed an important message
… Colour contrasts also need to be improved, especially in drop-down
menus and calendars – these are all crucial details.”
A number of other accessibility problems were also found. Only two sites
(Expedia and Virgin Atlantic) were rated as being compatible with a
screen-reader, some sites had switched off the zoom function, many images
weren’t accompanied by alt text, and not all sites were navigable with
the ‘tab’ key.
The travel site with the highest overall accessibility score was Expedia,
which scored 10 out of a possible 11. Co-operative Travel scored lowest,
achieving just 1 out of 11 (colour contrast, confusing drop-down menus and
overly busy page layouts were some of the reasons given).
Watt told e-Access Bulletin that travel companies are missing out on
business by not properly catering for users with disabilities. “So much
is advertised online these days. It’s ridiculous, therefore, that these
websites aren’t fully accessible, and as a result, disabled users are
missing out. Something needs to change, and fast.”
This view is supported by a summary of key findings at the end of the
report, including an observation that although accessibility is crucial,
many travel websites still aren’t prioritising it. The report says: “If
companies continue to ignore accessibility, they could be isolating
millions of users, risking reputation, customer loyalty, and profits.”
Read more about the report and download it in full at Sigma’s website:
http://eab.li/21 .
Read more about Molly Watt’s work at her website:
http://eab.li/20 .
Comment on this story at e-Access Bulletin Live:
http://eab.li/2c .
+02: New guide on home technology launched for people with sight loss.
The “blurring” of assistive technology and inclusive design into
mainstream technology is helping to provide both high-end and everyday
devices that can benefit visually impaired people around the home, claims a
new publication.
Talking microwaves, smart watches, audio thermometers, e-readers and online
banking apps are some of the innovations featured in ‘Assistive and
Inclusive Home Technology: A guide for people with sight loss’. The free
guide has just been published by UK sight loss charity Thomas Pocklington
Trust, and covers a wide range of devices that can improve independent
living. Assistive technology funding information and tips for product
designers are also highlighted.
Subject areas covered include: household chores; home shopping and finance;
health, fitness and wellbeing; reading and writing; entertainment and
leisure. The guide provides a thorough introduction to the many useful
technologies available for visually impaired people in these areas, as well
as explaining the difficulties and pitfalls with existing devices.
One of these difficulties is the increasing use of digital and touch-screen
displays on household appliances, such as boilers, which can be difficult
or impossible to control for someone with a visual impairment. The guide
notes that: “Modern appliances can be an accessibility rollercoaster,
with many ovens, microwaves, dishwashers, washers and dryers being hard to
operate by people with sight loss.”
However, many useful exceptions are explained, such as a combined washing
machine and dryer that uses audio description to tell users about different
washing cycles.
Both everyday devices and hi-spec technologies can benefit people around
the home, the guide says – for example, in home security: “Some recent
technology trends threaten to undermine home access and security for
visually impaired people, with concerns that touch-screen-reliant systems
could make front doors inaccessible. On the other hand, biometric security
technology can improve accessibility, with fingerprint locking mechanisms
making it unnecessary for people to have to fiddle around finding the right
key and guiding it into the keyhole. Lower-tech solutions such as keys with
in-built torches and basic intercom systems can also assist people.”
A series of real-life case studies are also highlighted in the guide, with
accounts of visually impaired people using assistive and inclusive
technology to help with everyday tasks, like reading books, cooking, mowing
the lawn, and blogging.
Also included in the guide are hints and tips on getting to grips with
technology, a checklist for finding the right device, funding options for
purchasing assistive technology, and a selection of other resources.
The guide is available at the link below, in accessible PDF format:
http://eab.li/1z .
Read more about Thomas Pocklington Trust at the charity’s website:
http://www.pocklington-trust.org.uk/ .
Comment on this story at e-Access Bulletin Live:
http://eab.li/2b .
+03: Innovation and impact honoured at Tech4Good Awards.
A digital audio navigation system and a portable asthma management device
are two of the winners in this year’s Tech4Good Awards, which recognises
projects and individuals that are using technology to improve lives.
People honoured at the event included an IT volunteer who helped to set up
a charity by establishing its ICT systems, and digital inclusion expert and
campaigner Robin Christopherson.
Now in its sixth year, Tech4Good (organised by technology access charity
AbilityNet) features ten categories, including awards for accessibility,
digital health, community impact, digital skills, and a ‘people’s
award’.
Winners at the 2016 event – announced at a ceremony in London earlier
this month – included Wayfindr, which received the AbilityNet
Accessibility Award. Wayfindr is a set of tools for developing audio
navigation systems which can help visually impaired people navigate the
built environment.
Wayfindr CEO Umesh Pandya told e-Access Bulletin that the team were
“truly honoured” to win: “It is an incredible recognition of our
efforts supporting vision-impaired people to navigate the world
independently. It is indicative of a move across the sector towards weaving
accessibility into mainstream technology,” said Pandya.
(Read e-Access Bulletin’s interview with Wayfindr from issue 180, at the
link below:
http://eab.li/1t ).
Other winning projects included Neighbourly (a platform to connect
charities with businesses and people that can donate time or funds), BBC
micro:bit (a pocket-sized programmable computer given out in schools to
teach children coding and digital skills) and AsthmaPi (a portable,
affordable device that helps children manage their asthma and prevent
severe attacks by recognising triggers).
The AsthmaPi was built by nine-year-old Arnav Sharma, who won the
‘People’s Award’ and the ‘Winner of Winners’ Award chosen by the
audience at the ceremony. Sharma told e-Access Bulletin that he was “very
happy but also overwhelmed” to win. He said: “I am really thankful that
I won these awards and for all the nice things everyone said.”
Individuals recognised at the Tech4Good Awards included Maureen Johnston,
who won IT Volunteer of the Year. Johnston volunteers at The Silver Line, a
free helpline for older people, and has helped the charity to grow by
setting up a virtual call centre. This centre assists volunteers with
speaking to older people who use the service.
Robin Christopherson, head of digital inclusion at AbilityNet, received a
Tech4Good Special Award for his 20-plus years experience in promoting and
advising on digital skills (see this month’s feature – the final item
in e-Access Bulletin – for an in-depth interview with Robin
Christopherson).
Read more about the Tech4Good Awards at the event website:
http://eab.li/1- .
Comment on this story at e-Access Bulletin Live:
http://eab.li/2a .
++News in Brief:
+04: Helpful Hacks: The Hackaday Prize – a competition that asks
designers and developers to create something that impacts social change –
is returning in 2016 and once again features an assistive technology (AT)
category. Last year’s winning AT entry (the Eyedriveomatic, a wheelchair
controlled by eye movement) also won the overall competition prize, and
other previous entries have included a 3D-prined, open source, affordable
prosthetic hand. The competition is open now and AT finalists will be
announced in October.
Read more, including entry details, at the Hackaday Prize website:
http://eab.li/26 .
+05: Public Policy-Shaping: The Canadian Government has launched an online
public consultation to help shape accessibility legislation, which will
include looking at how people with disabilities use technology. Feedback
from Canadian citizens will inform future policy, and contributions can
made until February 2017. The consultation is available in text, American
Sign Language and audio, and other accessible formats can be requested.
Contribute to the consultation at the following link:
http://eab.li/2d .
+06: Tech For Teaching: A free technology resource for teaching staff
working with pupils who are deaf or hard of hearing has been released.
‘11 easy to use technologies to enhance learning in your classroom’ was
developed by the Conexu Foundation, an Australian not-for-profit, and
advises teachers on how different technologies can improve the learning
experience for pupils.
Download the resource for free at the following link:
http://eab.li/27 .
[Section One ends].
++ Notice: Thomas Pocklington Trust.
E-Access Bulletin is brought to you with the kind support of Thomas
Pocklington Trust, a national charity delivering positive change for people
with sight loss. Find out more about the work of Thomas Pocklington Trust
by visiting their website:
http://www.pocklington-trust.org.uk .
[Notice ends].
++Section Two: 'The Inbox'
- Readers' Forum.
Please email all questions, comments and responses to:
eaccessbulletin@gmail.com .
+07: Smartphone Stats: Barry Ginley, who works at London’s Victoria and
Albert Museum, writes in to ask for statistics on smartphone operating
systems, as part of a new project that aims to make galleries and museums
more inclusive for people with differing abilities:
“I am undertaking a project on apps in cultural heritage venues to aid in
accessibility. The ARCHES project will last for three years and is
European-funded. We will be working with organisations from around Europe
and partners in the UK, including the Open University, the University of
Bath and the Wallace Collection.
“I wonder if there are any statistics on the most popular operating
systems for smartphones or tablets used by people with disabilities? For
example, do people prefer Android or iOS operating systems on their
phones?”
Facts, figures and other ideas, please, to:
eaccessbulletin@gmail.com .
[Section Two ends].
++ Notice: RNIB Connect Radio and e-Access Bulletin.
e-Access Bulletin will be appearing on RNIB Connect Radio each month in a
new feature on the station’s Afternoon Edition programme. Hear more about
the bulletin and upcoming content appearing in each issue, as we discuss
the latest accessible technology news and readers’ questions with Allan
Russell.
Episodes will be available after broadcast as podcasts from the RNIB
Connect Radio site. Listen to RNIB Connect Radio online, or via television,
smartphone or radio. Listening details at the following link:
http://eab.li/1g .
Find out more at the RNIB Connect Radio website:
http://eab.li/1h .
[Notice ends].
Section Three: Q & A.
- Robin Christopherson, AbilityNet.
+08: Steering digital inclusion from the driving seat.
When he helped co-found UK technology access charity AbilityNet in 1998,
Robin Christopherson was already on his way to helping drive forward
digital accessibility, and since then his work has continued to change
people’s lives. He is now AbilityNet’s head of digital inclusion, after
helping to grow the charity’s services. These services include website
and mobile accessibility consultancy, which AbilityNet now delivers to
companies including Microsoft, the BBC, HSBC and Sainsbury’s.
Christopherson has also led and worked on all manner of projects and
campaigns to increase digital accessibility, particularly for blind and
visually impaired people. This has included providing expert commentary for
news sources such as The Guardian, and presenting on and testing new
technology, whether that’s a driverless car or the latest smartwatch.
In recognition of his invaluable contributions, he was surprised with a
special award at the annual Tech4Good Awards earlier this month. e-Access
Bulletin caught up with Christopherson to find out more about his work and
get his thoughts on the evolution of accessibility.
- Tell us about your work at AbilityNet and how it’s changed over the
years:
“AbilityNet is all about empowering people through accessibility and
technology, and has been changing lives since 1998. As a blind person,
I’m just one example of how tech has helped improve the life choices for
people with disabilities. We now have all the power of computers with us
wherever we go, and with a range of sensors – such as camera, GPS,
accelerometer and compass – that can be incredibly empowering when one or
more of your own senses don’t work.
“Whereas a disabled person used to have to purchase expensive (and often
limited) devices, they can often now use mainstream gadgets, such as
smartphones, that have all the necessary accessibility features built-in,
and which offer thousands of apps that perform the same functions for a
fraction of the price.
“I used to need a talking GPS device (£750), a talking notetaker
(£1,500), a talking barcode scanner (£150) and many more specialist
devices. Now, I have all that functionality and an awful lot more in one
device. That same device is also almost infinitely expandable with each new
app or service that comes along.”
- What kinds of work were you doing before AbilityNet?
“I was an IT instructor for the Royal National Institute of Blind People
(RNIB), and was able to play with (I mean ‘research’) incredible
technologies, such as screen-reading software for Windows, flatbed scanners
that can read back-printed materials and talking notetakers.
“In the UK today, 90% of jobs include a computer of some sort, and these
technologies helped make many more careers possible. That said, 73% of
people with a vision impairment in the UK are still without paid work,
which is why I feel so strongly about the main aspect of my work today –
regular public speaking to both conference and corporate audiences. If
you’d like to see these strong messages about the empowering potential of
tech, simply Google me or search on YouTube or Vimeo.”
- How has digital accessibility improved over the time you’ve been
working in the sector?
“The accessibility of devices has been transformed in recent years,
driven largely by Apple. Apple has led the way and shamed or energised
others to follow. Disabled people are using their smartphones to aid
mobility, manage their health, interact with more people, play an active
part in commerce and also have a lot of fun. The accessibility of the Mac
and i-devices has ‘mainstreamed’ inclusion and, because of its
influence on Android and other manufacturers, this has meant inclusion is
now more affordable than ever.
“The accessibility of these devices has also impacted a second area, web
and app accessibility, and there are tens of thousands of accessible apps
to choose from – replacing hard or impossible-to-use websites. This has
had a massive impact on choice for disabled people. As a blind person I
would always reach first for an app which is a more accessible, cleaner and
more distilled user experience. Actually, I would first reach for Siri to
see if the information or interaction I want can be done in a few seconds
flat.
“Having said that, I actually use my phone considerably less since
getting my smartwatch, which is like a quick window into my phone’s most
commonly used features. It taps me on the wrist when I need to turn down
the next street, it means I can pay for items without even taking my phone
out of my pocket, and it lets me know how bad my night’s sleep has been
– but behind the watch and all its services is always the smartphone.”
- Is accessibility now more of a mainstream issue than it used to be?
“The concept of digital accessibility is now not only more mainstream an
issue – it is, in fact, a purely mainstream issue. So,
‘accessibility’ (with its historical connotations of being solely for
the disabled user, requiring extra budget and being a ‘bolt-on’ that
may be dropped off) should probably now be replaced with the idea of
‘inclusive design’. Inclusive design is for every user and is
factored-in from the very start of any project, informing every decision
along the way.”
- What can be done to improve the state of digital accessibility?
“The single most impactful development that will see a seismic shift is
for government to actually enforce the law. This sounds odd, but I
explained it in a recent open letter to the UK Government (link to
Robin’s letter below:
http://eab.li/2f ).
“To summarise, it’s been a legal requirement to have an accessible
website since 2003, and yet we estimate that more than 90% of websites in
the UK still don’t even meet ‘single-A’ standard [of the Web Content
Accessibility Guidelines], let alone ‘AA’, which is arguably the legal
requirement.
“The trouble is that authorities don’t appear to feel that checking for
compliance is their job. Instead it’s been left to individuals or those
representing them, such as the RNIB, to help enforce the law. You can
barely leave your car one minute over time without getting a parking
ticket, but where are the government’s wardens of the internet? The law
on accessibility matters too – arguably much more so for those disabled
users directly impacted, and more widely for our digital economy.”
- What have been some of the most exciting projects you’ve worked on?
“This is going to sound quite pedestrian in light of the amazing
technologies available today, but I think that AbilityNet’s ongoing
involvement in the accessibility of Microsoft products is something I’m
most proud of. When I consider how many people we’ve potentially helped
by assisting in the accessibility of Microsoft Windows and Office, etc,
I’d have to say that this was some of our work that I am most proud
of.”
- What has been your biggest achievement?
“I’d hope that my involvement with the UK Government Digital Strategy,
and my blogs and public speaking, have impacted people’s lives for the
better. I’m also very proud to have been a judge in the recent Global
Mobile Awards in Barcelona, and to have received two recent awards: runner
up in the 2015 UK Digital Leaders Awards (after Baroness Martha Lane Fox)
and the special award at this year’s Tech4Good event.
- How did it feel to receive the Tech4Good Award?
“It was amazing, although I was totally unprepared, unlike the winners of
the other categories, who had been shortlisted in advance. I had just
finished my on-stage presentation about the power of tech, and suddenly
they were asking me to stay on the stage, and presenting me with an award.
The Tech4Good Awards are for the best of the best – recognising people
and products that are changing lives for the better – so to be part of
that excellent process is truly humbling. I’m still getting over the
shock!”
- You recently tested a driverless car. Tell us about that.
“I had a taste of potential future adventures behind the wheel when a
colleague gave me the opportunity to ‘drive’ his Tesla [a company that
makes self-driving cars]. Okay, so I wasn’t actually driving, but I sat
in the driver’s seat with my feet off the pedals, while my colleague
summoned the car into auto-drive mode.
“I could feel the wheel turning in my hands as the car moved out of the
parking space. Were it legal to use a fully autonomous car on UK highways,
I would have headed off into the sunset, but currently it’s only legal to
do this off public roads. So instead, we reversed the process with the
auto-park button and I slid back into a parking space. For many people,
that doesn’t sound like much, but growing up and knowing that my vision
would get worse until I had none, I thought I’d never be able to drive.
However, things are changing fast.”
- What have been some of the most important developments in technology for
blind and visually impaired people in recent years?
“The top three most significant developments for blind users are, in
order: 1. The smartphone. 2. The smartphone. 3. The smartphone. To give the
merest inkling of how broad the uses of the smartphone are for vision
impaired users, take a brief look at the AppleVis site that catalogues
hundreds of people’s favourite accessible iOS apps.” (link to AppleVis
site below:
http://eab.li/22 ).
- Are there any accessibility developments that you’re excited about for
the coming years?
“One area that is seeing significant growth is wearable tech and the
‘quantified self’. This means that gadgets which monitor your steps,
exercise and heart rate are encouraging a healthier lifestyle and gathering
data which can assist on a personal diagnosis level. Apple is leading the
way in these areas; the Apple Watch, for example, is totally accessible and
can monitor a wide range of activities.
“As a blind person, I can use the stair-stepper workout to go up and down
the stairs at home (who needs a gym?), and all my calories burned and heart
rate activity are measured. This data can provide valuable information for
monitoring individual health, but Apple also has a much broader programme
(called ‘Research Kit’) that is taking anonymous, aggregated data and
making it available to medical research projects on a scale never available
before.
“Another area that has huge potential is the connected home, also known
as the ‘Internet of Things’ or IOT. We’re all familiar with devices
like heating thermostats being controlled via an app or smartwatch, but
what isn’t always appreciated is that those apps are often more
accessible than the device’s own interface.
“Now imagine if your cooker could talk to you via an app and tell you
when it had reached the correct temperature. It might help a blind person
like myself be a better cook. Imagine if your doorbell had a webcam with
face-recognition technology – how helpful would that be for someone with
dementia who lives alone? What about a medicine dispenser that tells you if
you’ve forgotten to take your tablets, or can inform the doctor if you
need a fresh prescription? Many of these technologies already exist.
“For disabled and older people, wearable technologies and smarter homes
will undoubtedly deliver greater choice, control, peace of mind and
independence. While it is impossible to say which device or technology will
have the biggest impact going forward, at the heart of it will undoubtedly
remain the smartphone.”
Follow Robin Christopherson on Twitter using @usa2day (link to Robin’s
Twitter page:
http://eab.li/25 ) or read more at AbilityNet’s website, at
the link below:
http://eab.li/24 .
This feature is an extract from a longer interview with Robin
Christopherson. The full interview can be found online at e-Access
Bulletin’s blog site, at the link below:
Comment on this story now at e-Access Bulletin Live:
http://eab.li/29 .
[Section Three ends]
++End Notes.
+How to receive E-Access Bulletin.
To subscribe or unsubscribe to this free monthly bulletin, visit:
http://lists.headstar.com .
Please encourage others to sign-up!
Please send requests, comments and ideas for news or features to:
eaccessbulletin@gmail.com .
To forward this free publication to others, use our forward link underneath
the end of the bulletin instead of your email application’s ‘forward’
button.
Previous issues of E-Access Bulletin can be viewed in text or HTML format
at the following online archive:
http://www.headstar.com/eab/archive.html .
Copyright 2016 Headstar Ltd.
E-Access Bulletin may be reproduced as long as all parts, including this
copyright notice, are included, and as long as people are always encouraged
to subscribe with us individually by email. Please also inform the editor
when you are reproducing our content. Sections of the bulletin may be
quoted as long as they are clearly sourced as 'taken from e-Access
Bulletin, a free monthly email newsletter', and the website address below
is also cited:
http://www.headstar.com/eablive .
+Personnel:
Editor: Tristan Parker
Technical Director: Jake Jellinek
ISSN 1476-6337.
[Issue 181 ends.]
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