Helping the blind blog

Posted by: Stephen Baker on May 12

Setting up a free blogging account at Google’s Blogger is a snap—unless you’re blind. A new report from the American Foundation for the Blind notes that blind would-be bloggers won’t see a security check that asks them to type characters shown in a picture.

The report also ranks other blogs, including ours, for accessibility for the blind. (We don’t fare badly.) The site has good tips for those who want to make sure their blogs are open to everyone.

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Reader Comments

Joe Clark

May 12, 2005 06:02 PM

The AFB study assessed usability in a screen-reader/Braille-display combination. The issue of whether or not your site meets accessibility guidelines is another matter. You don't. You don't meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Level A in several significant ways and AA in a few others, principally invalid code.

I know you're all chuffed about blogs, but could you also become chuffed about Web standards, please, of which accessibility is a part?

steve baker

May 12, 2005 09:31 PM

Joe, if you could sent along specific recommendations, or steer us somewhere we can find them, I'll forward the information to our tech team. Thanks, Steve

Joe Clark

May 13, 2005 12:53 PM

Google "Web standards," read Zeldman, visit my site, hire developers competent for the 21st century.

Adrianna Montague-Gray

May 18, 2005 02:17 PM

Steve, we posted some new accessibility tips that we thought bloggers would find useful. Check them out at http://www.afb.org/blogtips.asp. Thanks, Adrianna Montague-Gray

robbie schmelzer

February 28, 2006 05:39 PM

A little backwards thinking can heolp the bling too. Feed2Podcast.com turns any blog into a podcast. Now blind people can just listen to blogs... :)

Amanda Scott

May 6, 2008 12:24 PM

CBS News Anchor Shomari Stone won an Emmy Nomination for the following inspirational story on
June 29, 2006.

http://cbs4.com/video/?id=19451@wfor.dayport.com

It is about George Stern, a 15 year old young man living in South Florida.

George lost his eyesight and some of his hearing due to a medical snafu when he was an infant, . But this is not a story about medical malpractice. Rather, it is about a youngster who plays three musical instruments, writes poetry, takes pre college courses in the 9th grade, and a family which supports him.

Blind and partially deaf; George accepts what he cannot change, develops his talents and brings personal dreams to fruition.

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In Blogspotting Senior Writer Stephen Baker and Associate Editor Heather Green take a look at how cutting-edge technologies are changing business and society. Whether its blogs or wikis, data crunching or data targeting, technology’s advances are reshaping the world that we live in.

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