“Why didn’t Textic work on the accessiblity issues before they launched the Well Adjusted Campaign? Some of the issues I raised are extremely basic and should not have been made by any experienced group that was promoting accessibilty for all.”

I can’t comment on desisions made before I joined Textic ltd. Sorry.

“However, the site for the Well Adjusted Campaign could not be described as ‘accessible’ nor are the campaign’s Top 10 Adjustments particularly well thought out in that they favour one specific user group to the distinct detriment of all others. Accessible means ‘accessible to all’ - not just sighted users who have problems reading. The site even fails it’s own Point 3 by failing to ensure that it’s pages are valid whilst the form that is supposed to allow people to send in a message of support fails WAI Level ‘A’!”

The Great Communication Guide, I hope you agree is a big improvement, and is being praised for its holitic approach to accessibility, which I’m glad to see from you excellent piece in Designing for dyslexia, is something close to your heart.

“The Talklets’ site also fails Level ‘A’ and the Textic toolbar is useless if you do not have javascript enabled.”

The site’s accessibility is pretty good.

And the Javascript issue is not an issue for the vast majority of users. I have never come across a machine, public or private, that has js switched off. Acessibility guidelines recommend that ‘content’ not ‘functionality’ be accessible without javascript eneabled.

“I’d also like to be able to switch the damn thing off! Even with the screenreader switched off, I personally find the floating toolbar very annoying and I’m sure it could actively interfere with some people’s ability to read the pages.”

Thanks for the feedback. I’ve made sure that this feature (hiding the bar) is in the dev cycle to be made live on this Friday. You’ll also be glad to here that the bar nolonger floats down when scrolling.

“Implementation of the Textic toolbar does not mean that site owners can stop there and forget any other accessibility issues whilst following the Well Adjusted Campaign’s “Top 10 Reasonable Adjustments” is likely to create more accessibility problems than they solve.”

I would dissagree with this, but the new Great Communications Guide, is certainly an improvement. I believe its andorsed by the RNIB, BDA, and many others…

“It’s an interesting tool and it may help some people but to base a whole web accessbility campaign on it? ”

I personaly think you’re right, that to base the campeign around it was wrong. But it is not the case with the new campeign I’ve mentioned.

Do these changes change your opinon?

I hope so as I work very hard, and as I’m severly dyslexic myslef, I know how useful the Talklets bar is. Which I grew out of the Readability bar (the one origionaly used on the Well Adjusted Campeign’s site). So although it was left wanting back then, it has help make something more useful.

I’m not denying that there are specific issues for dyslexic users. In fact, I’m usually the one promoting design that deals with these issues rather than just focussing on the needs of the visually-impaired.

However, the site for the Well Adjusted Campaign could not be described as ‘accessible’ nor are the campaign’s Top 10 Adjustments particularly well thought out in that they favour one specific user group to the distinct detriment of all others. Accessible means ‘accessible to all’ - not just sighted users who have problems reading. The site even fails it’s own Point 3 by failing to ensure that it’s pages are valid whilst the form that is supposed to allow people to send in a message of support fails WAI Level ‘A’!

The Talklets’ site also fails Level ‘A’ and the Textic toolbar is useless if you do not have javascript enabled.

I’d also like to be able to switch the damn thing off! Even with the screenreader switched off, I personally find the floating toolbar very annoying and I’m sure it could actively interfere with some people’s ability to read the pages.

Implementation of the Textic toolbar does not mean that site owners can stop there and forget any other accessibility issues whilst following the Well Adjusted Campaign’s “Top 10 Reasonable Adjustments” is likely to create more accessibility problems than they solve.

It’s an interesting tool and it may help some people but to base a whole web accessbility campaign on it?

Frankly, I think it does the accessible design community more harm than good.

Textic are working on the accessiblity issues you’ve raised.

However I’ve got to say their site is more accessible in real terms than this, for many more people. As it has text to speech screen reading built in to the site.

So I’d say (and I’m certainly not trying to flame, just my humble, biased opinion), don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.

I know because I’m also a dyslexic user who uses it every day, at home, at work, where ever I go. It gives me a freedom to roam that you just don’t get with other screen reading apps, because its web based, and install free.

But anyway, credible or otherwise, go have a look and see/hear for yourself. Talklets

Cheers
Phil