text to html

[Janina Sajka]

I imagine by now you have seen the three message response I have posted.
One side benefit of writing and researching that document is that I can
now use the W3C's own words, far more diplomatically cast than mine, in
responding to you. Once again, I'm responding here to the part of your
message were you say (and I quote):

"I myself am low vision, and use screen readers; however, I also use my site
when I can. And I am telling you as a user that visually the pre element tag is not inaccessible."

I believe the following quote from the WCAG, also included in my
response, is germane and critical to a proper understanding of first
person analysis. Please note, had you said something like "I don't find
it inaccessible," or perhaps "it seems accessible to me," I would have
no complaint with your statement. But, you didn't say anything like
that, so I quote you the following from the introduction of WCAG 1.0
(available on the web at 

http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT/#Introduction

   "For those unfamiliar with accessibility issues pertaining to Web page
      design, consider that many users may be operating in contexts very
         different from your own: ... "

I am doing my best to say to you that personal experience is only part of the
story. 

Sina Bahram writes:
> From: "Sina Bahram" <sbahram at nc.rr.com>
> 
> Respectfully, I again ask for any evidence that my advice is contrary to
> any disabled person's accessing of the text. I myself am low vision, and
> use screen readers; however, I also use my site when I can. And I am
> telling you as a user that visually the pre element tag is not
> inaccessible. It also doesn't present any problems as does any part of
> the entire internet to a mobility impaired individual. Any part of
> accessing the internet might present some problems to such an
> individual; however, my advice delt with the web design of a site and I
> stand by it until corrected by someone knowledgable about what their
> talking about, or by someone who can actually provide evidence and proof
> as you have repeatedly failed to do. You might be repeating yourself,
> and I am truly sory to hear that, because I have to read your messages
> as well and be in wonder that someone can be so misinformed and so
> closed minded about such an issue. I also caution that repeating one's
> self does not indicate correctness, actually more so than not it
> indicates error.
> 
> Luke I look forward to your reply as well. About the byte limitation,
> just start erasing all the bottom messages other than yours and maybe
> the message right under yours. That way you'll have the necessary bite
> size to pass the server.
> 
> Take care,
> Sina
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: speakup-admin at braille.uwo.ca [mailto:speakup-admin at braille.uwo.ca]
> On Behalf Of Janina Sajka
> Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2003 10:40 AM
> To: speakup at braille.uwo.ca
> Subject: Re: text to html
> 
> 
> It is self-centered to say that some certain kind of html markup is
> accessible because it can be read by a screen reader. Many people make
> this kind of mistake. The self-centerdness here is the assumption that
> accessibility is just about blind people who use screen readers. It's
> not. It isn't even just just about blind people. People who live with
> low vision, for example, have very different needs than screen reader
> users. So, also do people with mobility disabilities. The list goes on.
> 
> I do believe I pointed this out in my message. I do feel I'm repeating
> myself here.
> 
> 
> 
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-- 
	
				Janina Sajka, Director
				Technology Research and Development
				Governmental Relations Group
				American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)

Email: janina at afb.net		Phone: (202) 408-8175