We met with Karen Silver of PC World to explore tools designed to help the disabled and to help Web sites accommodate them. Web options can be limited for those who have trouble handling a mouse, seeing a Web site or hearing video. For people with mobility problems, a simpler Web site design can ease navigation. And tools like Media Access Generator add captions to streaming video for the hearing impaired. The Department of Justice's Web Page Accessibility Checklist Determine whether your Web site falls within federal guidelines National Council on Disability Take advantage of this federal advocacy group's reports and explanations of federal laws.
Today Catch up on disability-related issues and lobbying activities.
The visually impaired can use a screen reader, which reads a Web site out loud. This utility helps navigate a site by telling you what the links, buttons and pictures are. You can adjust the speed of the voice and choose the site from which the screen reader will read the text. IBM's version, called Home Page Reader, offers a free trial for 30 days. But this kind of tool only works if the site has been designed with a screen reader in mind.