Google and Web Accessibility

[TangoWhiskey]

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2006/12/speech-friendly-textual-directions.html

Google is proud that they added a feature for the visually impaired--they made Google Maps work better with screen readers for the blind and vision impaired, so that the turn-by-turn directions work better.

My first thought was, "And pray tell why would a blind person would be needing turn-by-turn driving directions!?!?"

 

[Michael]

Political correctness at its best. When I built my shop, the city made me put in braille signs marking the restroom location. Now what in the world would a blind person be doing in a auto glass shop to begin with? And good luck navigating around the desks to find the sign. They also made me put in a lowered counter for wheel chaired patrons. They wouldn't let me just walk over to a person in a wheel chair and do business with him directly. No, i needed a special counter.
Whatever.

 

[ScottM]

Well my blind friend is really glad to get this feature. Now he can get directions to places he wants to go to. Sometimes he walks and other times he asks those of us that can drive to drive. But when he asks he really likes to know where he is going so that it is not a surprise to us. It sucks for him when he has to ask me things like, "I would like to go to ABC in anytown, USA. But I don't know where it is can you find it?' Now he can tell me where it is.

The other thing he says he maybe able to use it for is scheduling delivers out of his business better. Now he can give the direction to the delivery truck so it makes him a bit more self sufficient. nothing politically correct about it.

 

[gkainz]

Didn't George Carlin have a whole series of quips that things that don't make sense?

Like braille instructions on a drive-up ATM...

 

[Skip Miller]

Don't forget that "blind" is not a yes or no thing. There are partially sighted people who probably have a wide spectrum of how good their vision is.

I am becoming acutely aware that the time is approaching when my parents shouldn't drive. (Ages 90 and 85). According to the state, they are good to go. My Dad can drive pretty well during the day but has self-grounded himself at night. My Mom can actually drive well day or night but has no sense of direction, and she really gets confused when driving at night.

Since my Father's problem is macular degeneration in one eye, something like the google feature is pretty useful to him.

-Skip

 

[Michael]

i think if you cant read the text on a monitor you have no business behind the wheel.
Scott did bring up a valid point though.