Comments on: Pseudo-Accessibility: Reinventing the Wheel

By: Colin

Colin — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 03:13:52 +0000

hi i enjoyed the read

By: Joe Dolson

Joe Dolson — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 17:27:37 +0000

The problem is how we stop preaching to the already-converted, and start converting those who need to be converted!

Sad, but true. The audience reading this article is probably not the audience which needs to read the article…but reaching the right people (those who care but don’t currently have the knowledge) can definitely be a challenge!

By: Stevie D

Stevie D — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 11:50:32 +0000

I am forced to sometimes wonder whether the ‘add-ons’ are really added to make the site more accessible or to simply present itself as being accessible.

Absolutely. The problem is when designers and developers get it into their heads that they need to “do something”. They know that people with poor eyesight can’t read very small text, so adding a text-resizer counts as “doing something” and so they do it. Realising that it was their fault for specifying text as 9pt in the first place is unlikely to feature…

My first thought when I see this kind of widget on a totally inaccessible page is “What idiots!” … but it isn’t as bad as that. The designers do at least see a need and point in accessibility, even if they don’t understand anything about it. This gives a better chance of meaningful dialogue leading to improved accessibility.

The problem is how we stop preaching to the already-converted, and start converting those who need to be converted!

By: Joe Dolson

Joe Dolson — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 00:05:04 +0000

“but having it shows that we care about people with disabilities”

Ah, because of COURSE it’s all about demonstrating that you care. Not about actually caring. Thanks for sharing that!

By: patrick h. lauke

patrick h. lauke — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 20:25:54 +0000

in response to comment 1, a little anecdote: after a lengthy and fruitless discussion with a member of staff at my day job about why we shouldn’t have a text resizer on every single page, he finally had to concede that i was right…but still said something along the lines of “but having it shows that we care about people with disabilities”.

so yes, absolutely agree.

By: Joe Dolson

Joe Dolson — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 17:53:03 +0000

Well, this one wasn’t aiming to be particularly controversial… ;)

By: Mike Cherim

Mike Cherim — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 14:06:03 +0000

Another good one Joe. I agree, agree, and, well, agree :)

By: Joe Dolson

Joe Dolson — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 15:50:09 +0000

That’s generally my thought — - although I’m willing to accept that many people who add these types of ‘add-ons’ sincerely believe that they’re doing what they should.

I’d like to believe that anybody who really understands how to make a site accessible would only make use of practices which actually help.

By: Fahed

Fahed — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 15:46:24 +0000

Having learned alot more about the reality of disabled access and seen how websites address this issue, I am forced to sometimes wonder whether the ‘add-ons’ are really added to make the site more accessible or to simply present itself as being accessible.

Just a thought.