Category Archives: Information Accessibility

by | March 3, 2011 · 9:43 pm

Ten things you should know about people with low vision

Many people misunderstand vision loss. They assume that you are either blind or you can see reasonably well. The truth is quite different. This is my attempt at clarification.

  1. Low vision is very different from blindness, although they both exist on a vision continuum. If you have low or impaired vision, it will probably affect your; clarity of vision (visual acuity), ability to differentiate colours, and/or range of vision (visual fields).
  2. Low vision does not mean we are all the same. Low vision can affect each person differently. This has significant implications for information accessibility and real world testing of web sites.
  3. Making things big will not always help, although it might in some situations. We also need clarity and definition
  4. We don’t all need identical colour contrast although we will need good contrast
  5. While we may look at you while you direct us, we might not have a clue where you are pointing. You might need to describe more. It is not funny to make us try and guess who you are if we don’t immediately recognise you in the street.
  6. It you ask us how much we can see you may not get a sensible answer. You are asking for a comparison between what you and I can see.
  7. We may have other impairments which may present different issues in different situations
  8. We won’t all wear glasses and we don’t all use screen readers or Jaws, canes or guide dogs.
  9. There are a lot more of than you think. Over 80,000 New Zealanders are blind or live with a sight limitation that cannot be corrected with glasses or contact lenses. Of this number, only 11,500 are completely blind. Numbers will grow as our population ages.
  10. Like all disabled people, when we state our needs we are not being a nuisance or demanding – we need these things. We really need clear makings of the edges of steps for example. If you aren’t sure just ask, respectfully.

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Filed under Disability Issues, Disability Rights, Inclusion, Information Accessibility, Web Accessibility

by | December 23, 2010 · 3:30 pm

Wrapping up 2010

As we approach the end of the usual Lemming-like rush towards Christmas and the holiday season we begin to take stock of the year that was. In my household that process has been disrupted by a flood from an apartment two floors above, resulting in the appearance of two large, loud and breezy driers in our hallway. Trying to work in my office was like being on a long-haul flight with the gale inside the plane.

Still we are dry and quiet now and I can belatedly reflect on the events of 2010. This year saw the end of my eight year term as a human rights commissioner with responsibility for disability issues. A wrench to stop doing something I love but I still retain connections and I am delighted that a fulltime disability human rights commissioner will be appointed.

This year has seen a raft of reports and research around disability rights and social welfare, and the beginnings of the Improving Attitudes and Behaviour towards Disabled People campaign. It will be interesting to see it develop and to measure its achievements in my daily life as a disabled person.

I was relieved that none of my family or friends were injured or lost their homes or livelihoods in the frightening earthquake in Canterbury.

We have seen the passing of disabled friends, colleagues and activists and mourned our loss while giving thanks for their enormous and valuable contribution to the disability community.

New beginnings are also evident. We travelled south for a (freezing) midwinter family wedding and our daughter came home from the UK summer to share the celebrations lasting a whole delightful weekend.

At AccEase we are broadening our scope of disability work, and I have relished developing new products and establishing collaborative relationships including some with international organisations..

I wish readers and friends a very happy Christmas, if you celebrate it, and a pleasant, safe and restful holiday with a resurgence of energy for the work still to be done. Our beautiful pohutukawa trees are in full bloom in the sunny summer this year. I hope they are a good omen for us all, bringing a prosperous, rights based and peaceful 2011.

Red pohutukawa flower with leaf. NZ Christmas tree.

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Filed under Disability Issues, Disability Rights, Information Accessibility, Miscellaneous

by | December 9, 2010 · 9:45 am

NZ Disability and Dance Strategy

“If you can breathe you can dance” said Bronwyn Hayward at the launch of the strategy “Would you like this dance?”

Hard to believe in my case since I have never been well- coordinated or graceful, but the strategy reveals that dance can be surprising and make a real difference:

“Expect to be amazed! Expect to laugh a lot, look at the world differently, spend every minute thinking about how to engage, interact and communicate more effectively. Expect to love your job more than you thought was possible!!!”
Survey respondent commenting on the effect of dance on their life.

Then why would a visually challenged person such as me who knows zilch about it have the temerity to write about dance? I have been able to see enough dance to appreciate some of the beauty and expressiveness it brings, and I applaud any initiative which brings inclusion and such obvious joy to the lives of disabled people. As the song says we need roses as well as bread.

That is the point Bronwyn and DANZ are making. Dance is for everyone, and many people were dancing very enthusiastically at the launch at Te Papa on December 4 celebrating the International Day of Disabled People.

Integrated, or mixed ability dance is not new to New Zealand. Bronwyn Hayward, researcher and author of the strategy is herself a disabled dancer and filmmaker. She and groups like Touch Compass Dance have vigorously promoted it for some time.

The recommendations form the report cover the visibility of integrated dance, the employment of champions to promote it, development of school resources, identification of accessible teaching and performance spaces around NZ and the establishment of a reference group to progress the strategy. Recommendations also cover funding, and the development of enabling partnerships

My only quibbles are with the document itself. It could do with a contents list and an executive summary, and the binding could be more robust.

It was good to see that accessibility has not been forgotten. The strategy is available in standard print, online in html, large print, text only, Word and plain English. To order copies email danz@danz.org.nz

I hope this important document will not be left to gather dust on shelves. I suspect Bronwyn won’t let it!

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Filed under Disability Issues, Disability Rights, Information Accessibility, The Arts

by | November 15, 2010 · 7:31 am

Business collaboration

When I decided to become self-employed for the second time in 1995 I relished taking control over my working life. Five years later, while still enjoying being in control of my own destiny I began to feel that my situation was a tad limited. There were areas of technical expertise I didn’t have and didn’t want to have, but knew that having access to them would be very useful.

When the opportunity to establish AccEase came along I was ready and eager. Teaming up with others with complementary skills to work in areas I feel passionately about expanded my horizons, brought new satisfaction, and provided an opportunity to develop a new business that I could grow while enjoying the camaraderie of working on a shared values driven enterprise.

After nearly ten years in business AccEase has reached another milestone, Rather than expand our business beyond the specialist web, communications and disability niche, we are building more collaborative relationships with organisations and businesses which have synergies with us. We already know collaboration works, and we see it as a great way to grow.

We are collaborating with organisations which:

  • Work in similar but not identical fields to ours
  • share similar values
  • want to work in ways that are not in competition but which can add value to both businesses
  • are open to develop and share new ideas and new ways of working and thinking
  • value quality reciprocal feedback

We are delighted that Write, the plain English specialists are joining our longtime collaborators E-Gov Watch. We greatly value their company and we will be welcoming more.

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Filed under Information Accessibility, Miscellaneous, Web Accessibility