[thelist] RNIB Look Louder game: RNIB statement 21 June 2002, 15:30 hours

[martin.p.burns at uk.pwcglobal.com]

Memo from Martin P Burns of PricewaterhouseCoopers

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Followup - looks like a retraction to me...

Cheers
Martin

---------------------- Forwarded by Martin P Burns/UK/MCS/PwC on 24/06/2002
10:29 ---------------------------


Subject:    [RNIBCampaignforGoodWebDesign] RNIB Look Louder game: RNIB
       statement 21 June 2002, 15:30 hours


RNIB 'Look Louder' game: RNIB statement 21 June 2002, 15:30 hours

In response to recent enquiries, Julie Howell, the officer who leads RNIB's
Campaign for Good Web design, has issued the following statement:

RNIB congratulates Macromedia and GW Micro for working together to make the
content of Flash files accessible to users of the Window-Eyes v4.2
screenreader.  At the same time, RNIB encourages developers of web content
creation software and developers of screenreader software to follow this
example and work together to ensure that all web content can be accessed by
blind people who rely on screenreader technology.

RNIB understands that much work is already in progress in this area, and
encourages all parties involved to continue this ground-breaking work.

RNIB fully acknowledges the efforts that have been undertaken by software
company Macromedia to develop their product Flash MX so that it is easier
for web designers to create Flash files that are accessible to blind people
who rely on screenreading technology to access the web.

RNIB acknowledges that Macromedia has undertaken a significant amount of
development work to ensure that web content created for the Flash rich
media
player is available to screenreading technology via Microsoft Active
Accessibility (MSAA).

RNIB acknowledges that Macromedia has worked closely with GW Micro,
developers of the screenreader 'Window-Eyes', to enable version 4.2 of
Window-Eyes to access the content of Flash files created with Flash MX.

In an effort to support this work, RNIB worked with the online solutions
company Bluewave, who donated their time for free to create an accessible
Flash application using Flash MX.  The result can be found at
http://lookloud.bluewave.com

The application 'Look Louder' is the first of its kind and has been
carefully designed to integrate accessibility features to allow it to be
read by the Winow-Eyes 4.2 screenreader.  It is hoped that lessons learned
from this exercise will be useful to web designers working with the Flash
MX
tool.

As well as highlighting good practice, RNIB also undertakes campaigning,
with the aim of encouraging software developers to develop their products
so
that people who are blind and partially sighted can enjoy full and equal
access to web content.

RNIB is very proud to uphold the 'Look Louder' game as a working
demonstration of the results of the Macromedia/GW Micro collaboration and
would encourage other developers to continue their efforts to create web
content that is accessible to everyone.

Julie Howell
Campaigns Officer (Accessible Internet)
Royal National Institute of the Blind
Julie.Howell at rnib.org.uk




Visit the campaign web site at http://www.rnib.org.uk/digital

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