Sometimes I can't help but wonder whether some large fraction of product designers actively hate people with low vision. For example, I just had to take a photo and use zoom and image enhancement to determine that this Keurig pod is decaffeinated.
If I were Empress of Earth, I would allow only vision-impaired people to work as product or UX designers.
Q for #Blind / #lowVision / #visuallyImpaired folks / #screenReader users: are any of these styles (in poll below) preferred as a way to add emphasis to words in plain text? Wondering which if any of these are communicated effectively while also not being irritating.
Please DO NOT vote based on visual aesthetic preference!!
Every time I pull out my BrailleNote Touch Plus, I'm reminded of how pitifully stagnated blindness-related products are compared to mainstream systems. Turns out I can no longer install Box because HumanWare has backed themselves into a corner and will not be updating past Android 8.1. This would not be a big deal... except for the fact that it's the only #Braille display I have at the moment, and literally every BRF file I need at Eastman is stored in Box. Way to keep up with the times, guys. /s
How do you feel about duplicate links in articles, blogs, whatever? Meaning: A certain word is a link (let's say "HEALTH") leading to an external website.
Would it annoy you if this word was always a link and it's mentioned for example 20 times in an article? Or would you rather have it only once to make it easier to scan for links?
A busy day at all British henge sites, as staff work to move the stones forward an hour. Twice a year the stones at Avebury are moved for Daylight Saving Time.
Haha! @imalcolm, I knew they weren't actually moving the standing stones for Daylight Savings, but I had no idea the huge "towed" rock was a trick of perspective, thank you! It is an even cooler photo now. This is what comes of someone with #LowVision (and living in the US, home to way too many absurdly large trucks) writing image descriptions.
they say the future is bright, but no it isn't. windows games are going bye bye, and they are developing for IPhone, and mac now. sorry, but I won't be getting any of there games as I am more android than I am IPhone.
Boosting Draconis Entertainment, LLC (draconis): We’re back! https://Draconis.LLC #blind#lowVision#audiogames#accessibility#a11y
whenever using sirens and lights, emergency vehicles (ambulances, fire apparatuses, etc.) ALWAYS have the right-of-way. Be hypervigilant when crossing streets. PAY ATTENTION! Do NOT cross when sirens are barreling towards you. They likely cannot stop/swerve in time to avoid hitting you. Do NOT be the person who learns this fact the hard way.
PS: I am physically fine. Deeply shaken, but am not hurt. I have no idea how, but I somehow tuned out the siren coming at me until someone yelled for me to stop crossing. Had I not heard the person yelling, I likely would have been hit and at the verry least seriously injured. In other words, I made a serious mistake that could have killed me. I still don't know how I did it. I am posting this in the hope that this does not happen to someone else. Please, learn from my mistake.
Eyo, #BlindMasto / #BlindMastodon / #BlindFedi. I come to you with one question: is #TikTok accessible? I would love your input as I will be at a meeting with a blindness group who is intending to launch a TikTok page, and I have concerns that the content posted there will be inaccessible to blind viewers. Any thoughts appreciated. #Blind#LowVision#VisuallyImpaired#Accessibility#A11Y
Is anyone out there using accessibility apps with Mastodon? After having a sudden vision loss I'm looking for experts for Voice Over and Spoken Content on the Apple platform. Yes I know about Apple's YouTube videos but I have questions about my own system that aren't answered. For instance, can you use their screen reading software on non-Apple apps like Firefox? I've always been a techie but so much depends on having vision. #accessibility#lowvision
Want cities that are more easily navigated by short walks and public transportation? Sounds like a win for the blind & disabled communities. This NPR article lays out how NIMBY'ism and conspiracy theories are threatening to derail efforts to make cities less dependent on car travel.
Anyone else noticing how conspiracy theories pop up whenever someone wants to change the status quo?
Link: https://www.npr.org/2023/10/08/1203950823/15-minute-cities-climate-solution
#macos geeks especially #lowvision#blind ones. Anyone know how to make the scroll-handle more visible? I use dark mode because i'm photosensitive, but I'm having a really hard time seeing the black handle on a dark grey background, especially when you add in the reflections of ambient light sources on the screen.
⌨️ Nielsen Norman Group research on how screen-reader users type on and control mobile devices
“Summary: Users who are blind or have low vision prefer dictation over typing with a keyboard whenever possible. Screen readers on touchscreen devices are restricted to a well-defined set of gestures which makes interaction more challenging than on computers.”
It takes a truly talented designer to put black hotel room numbers on shiny dark-bronze plaques. This attention to detail ensures that people with vision like mine will be unable to read the numbers from more than a meter away, or at an aspect angle greater than 30°. I admire companies that put in the extra effort required to minimize accessibility. Well done, Doubletree! </sarcasm>
It's been a great learning experience putting this powerful tool through its paces. Along with a few dozen others, we're stress-testing the tech, identifying areas needing improvement, and engaging directly with BME staff to ensure "virtual volunteer" is a capable and reliable solution upon its release. I'll be sharing the occasional anecdote and likely asking for your thoughts on various scenarios. #blind#LowVision#BeMyEyes#AMA
👁️ How Does Reflowing Content Affect People With Screen Magnification?
"People using screen magnification software may experience problems when navigating a website. Part of that is down to the magnification software itself, but part of it is how content flows on the website."
What is the sound of an eclipse? For Atlas Obscura, Sara Mellas writes about the LightSound Project, which was started by astronomers and engineers in 2017 and uses a sonification device to sense light changes and translate them into flute, clarinet and bassoon tones, as well as percussive clicks. The original objective was to serve the blind and low-vision community. Listen to their "Symphony of Light" here, and learn more about how you can build your own LightSound sonification device.
A total solar eclipse will move across the U.S. on Monday, April 8. People who are blind or visually impaired will be able to experience it as they grow colder and hear birdsong change along with the dimming light, but much of the effect is visual. Planetary scientists Cassandra Runyon and David Hurd have written a guide called “Getting a Feel for Eclipses,” which has tactile graphics that illustrate the paths of the 2017, 2023 and 2024 eclipses. They write for @TheConversationUS about why they made it, and how it works.
If any of you have #LowVision#accessibility needs AND use the #DarkReader browser extension (unlikely i admit) I've filed a ticket for it's poor handling of large fonts.