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Ruth Loebl, Richard Orme
RNIB Technology in Learning and Employment
This session will establish the needs for software design
guidelines and standards, and look at the various materials that
have been developed by organizations such as IBM, Microsoft, the
Trace Center and US Access Board.
The strengths of each of these guidelines will be discussed and
consideration given whether one standard alone can be
adopted.
The presenters are specialists in access to computer systems for
people with visual impairments, but this session should prove
useful for those concerned with other areas of
accessibility.
The guidelines have to be applicable in real situations, and so
two key areas will be discussed. RNIB TiLE is working with
software developers as they work on the specification of new
products. We will be using the existing guidelines to inform this
process, and we shall explore the value of using the guidelines
in assisting the developers in producing accessible
software.
Accessible design standards also exist in order to influence
purchasing and prevent the adoption of systems that subsequently
present accessibility barriers to users. We shall consider how
far the guidelines are successful in determining whether software
is accessible and how testing for accessibility can be
formalized.
There is much that has been contributed to this area by
authorities in Human Computer Interaction. In this paper we will
not take an academic approach, but will share the experience of
practical work with developers and testing employers' computer
systems for accessibility.
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