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Apple to Make iTunes Fully Accessible

So instead of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) having to sue the computer giant, Apple has agreed to make its dominant iTunes software accessible by next year. Here’s a link to the press release from the NFB:

National Federation of the Blind and Commonwealth of Massachusetts Announce Agreement with Apple to Make iTunes Fully Accessible

Apple will make iTunes U (a dedicated area of the iTunes Store for content provided by colleges and universities) fully accessible by December 31, 2008, and will ensure the full accessibility of the iTunes software and the rest of the iTunes Store to blind people using both Mac and Windows operating systems by June 30, 2009.

Also, it seems that the iPod is not accessible. Only the newly released iPod Nano (generation 4) has accessibility features such as spoken menus and high contrast screens.

More:

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Ajax and Web Accessibility Presentation

Here’s the link to my presentation at the Accessing Higher Ground: Accessible Media, Web and Technology Conference tomorrow in Boulder, Colorado. It’s a Google Doc presentation.

Ajax and Web Accessibility Presentation

Addendum
Adding the PDF file: Ajax and Web Accessibility Presentation (PDF)

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adobe conference podcast resolution screen wcag

Podcast #67: WCAG2, events, CS4, John Slatin

Download Web Axe Episode 67 (WCAG2, events, CS4, John Slatin)

News & Events

WCAG 2.0 nearing completion

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 was published as a W3C Proposed Recommendation on 3 November 2008. This means that the technical material of WCAG 2.0 is complete and it has been implemented in real sites. The next stage is the final publication, which is expected in December 2008.

Podcasts from Accessibility Conference last spring

CS4 Accessibility

John Slatin Fund Project

Matches accessibility experts with companies wanting a brief accessibility audit of their websites. In return for the audit, site owners will contribute a minimum of $500 to help fund the medical expenses incurred by John’s family during his long illness.”

Revisiting Screen Resolution

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articles heading usability wcag

WCAG 2 and Usability articles lack subheadings

Below are two articles on web accessibility. Unfortunately, both articles are lacking subheadings, which would make them much more scannable and usable, and therefore better accessible (see Understanding WCAG 2.0 Section Headings).

Organisation in the Spotlight – W3C: Global Standards Giant Gears Up For Battle

With the long-awaited appearance of version 2 of the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) now expected in December, the spotlight is set to fall once more on the workings of this key international standards body.

Accessibility in web design provides a high degree of usability

While the focus of this section is largely on design for blind users who access the web page via a screen-reader, if you make pages accessible in the ways suggested you will improve clarity for all users.

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articles hearing writing

Deafness and the User Experience

In the article Deafness and the User Experience by Lisa Herrod, issues with Deaf web users are explored. And there are some excellent points for writing for web accessibility:

  • Use headings and subheadings.
  • Write in a journalistic style: make your point and then explain it.
  • Make one point per paragraph.
  • Use short line lengths: seven to ten words per line.
  • Use plain language whenever possible.
  • Use bulleted lists.
  • Write with an active voice.
  • Avoid unnecessary jargon and slang, which can increase the user’s cognitive load.
  • Include a glossary for specialized vocabulary, e.g., medical or legal terminology, and provide definitions in simpler language.