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First Spanish Digital Library For Blind People

Here is a story on the first Spanish language digital book library that’s recently been launched. A great example of people “doing it themselves.” Should they have to though?

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Users Flock to Free Document Conversion Service.

A free service allowing people to convert documents automatically to and from Braille and synthetic speech, accessed by email, is receiving some 15,000 to 20,000 new requests per month, E-Access Bulletin has learned.

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Assistive Products Gear Up Fast For Windows Vista.

Assistive technology manufacturers have responded more quickly to create versions of their products compatible with Microsoft’s latest operating system Vista than with previous releases of Windows, E-Access Bulletin has learned.

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Now You See It, Now You Don’t

So just what is a decorative image? It seems to me that one person’s eye candy is another person’s emotional link to a website.

For some, decorative images are those horizontal rules, bullets and other forms of minor clipart we find sprinkled around the web. For others, the term is wider ranging. It includes more content rich images such as photos and artwork.

So, you might ask, what’s the problem with this varied point of view? The answer is simple. Alt texts.

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E-Learning Company Appeals Against Inaccessibility Ruling.

A landmark legal ruling on how UK anti-discrimination law applies to online content is in doubt after Project Management International (PMI), a professional body that offers membership through distance learning programmes, launched an appeal to overturn an earlier decision that it discriminated against a blind IT manager in the UK.
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WAI has been an astounding success but. . .

WAI has been an astounding political success. It has become a monopoly accessibility brand in the United States, the European Union and many other countries; but with very few exceptions it is only nominally legal and nominally enforced.

Six years after WCAG 1.0 public sector compliance is modest and business sector compliance is nugatory. This is partly because it is in the nature of organisations facing competing pressures that they will only do what they have to, particularly for disabled people who are considered to be neither politically nor economically important.

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1 Million Signatures to Combat Disability Discrimination

The European Disability Forum (EDF) kicked off a campaign this week to further their drive to combat discrimination in all aspects of the lives of people with disabilities. The campaign aims to collect over 1 million signatures from European residents.

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Italian Government To Explore Route Finder Technology.

A handheld device for blind people to independently reach their destination on foot is to go on trial this month in Turin, Italy.

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Windows ‘Vista’ Offers Enhanced Accessibility.

The new version of Microsoft’s Windows operating system, ‘Vista’, offers enhanced access features including an improved screen magnifier, a basic screen reader and the capability to allow users to customise settings according to their needs.
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Blended Broadband Services Could ‘Transform Lives’.

Access to simultaneous, multi-channel services over the internet is set to transform the way disabled people use online services, according to a new report launched at the e-Access’06 conference.
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