I was called into a discussion on Twitter, and it really can’t be addressed in 140 characters, so here is my long’ish answer. It’s about JavaScript…
Accessibility
Lowest Bid Policy Ensures Lack Of Accessibility?
I wonder if companies and government departments’ requirement to go for the lowest bid aren’t a setup for failure when it comes to website accessibility?
Difficult Sidewalks, Impossible Curb Cuts
I was reminded that sidewalks and curb cuts aren’t as friendly as they could be. I "wheeled" nearly 4 Km today, and the sidewalks I encountered were difficult to negotiate. The curb cuts were just as difficult. And "new" road construction made the journey even more difficult.
Should Sighted Developers Use Screenreaders To Test Accessibility?
There is some controversy about the idea of sighted web designers and developers using screenreading software to test web sites for accessibility. Some people suggest one must use a screenreader to test their sites. Others believe it is counter productive. I think that very few sighted people can get the correct results by using screenreaders to test a website. I further think that too many people think that the accessibility testing is complete once they’ve used a screenreader on their website.
Thoughts on Physical vs. Web Accessibility
I received an email from a friend who is attending a11yMTL, a conference about web accessibility. Mimi is a graphic designer, who happens to be a wheelchair user. As she knows I grew up in Montréal and have accessibility of both physical structures and the web at heart, she shared with me some of her thoughts. I asked her if I could publish her email here because these are powerful consideration.