NYS Forum IT Accessibility Work Group

July/August 2010 Newsletter

### Edited by Joel Obuchowski

Articles and ideas for future newsletters? Please e-mail them to Joel Obuchowski jobuchow@ins.state.ny.us and Estelle Council ecouncil@parole.state.ny.us

 

NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING

*** Note: There will be no meeting in August. ***
Thursday, July 8, 2010, from 2:30pm to 4pm.
Forum Offices, 24 Aviation Road, Colonie
 
If you are unable to attend in person, and wish to participate via teleconference, here's the call-in information:
Phone #: 888-387-8686
Conference ID: 4435001#

Directions? Please e-mail Joel Obuchowski jobuchow@ins.state.ny.us or Estelle Council ecouncil@parole.state.ny.us

 

AGENDA

Introduction
OCIO/OFT report
Corporate Co-Chair News
Annual Planning Meeting
Agency Consultations
Work Group Interactions
Resources Web site

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

NYS Forum's Annual Planning Meeting
July 16, 2010

This meeting is designed for the Forum executives and WorkGroup Chairs to gather and discuss their accomplishments of the past Forum year, and initiatives for the next year.

 

RECENT NEWS

(submitted by Kathleen DeMers - NYSED)

"Feds: Colleges must have blind-friendly gadgets"

By DORIE TURNER, Associated Press Writer Dorie Turner, Associated Press
Writer - Tue Jun 29, 4:31 pm ET
Available via Yahoo! News

ATLANTA - Federal officials are requiring colleges that use Kindles and other electronic book readers in the classroom to make sure the gadgets have accommodations for blind and vision-impaired students.

The U.S. Departments of Justice and Education sent a letter to college and university presidents Tuesday instructing them to find alternatives for blind students if the devices are required in the classroom.

For the full article, please visit this link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100629/ap_on_re_us/us_blind_students_kindle_3

(submitted by Debi Orton - NYS GOER)

"Driving while blind? Maybe, with new high-tech car"
By KEN THOMAS, Associated Press Writer Ken Thomas, Associated Press Writer
-- Fri Jul 2, 11:00 pm ET
Available via Yahoo! News

WASHINGTON - Could a blind person drive a car? Researchers are trying to make that far-fetched notion a reality. The National Federation of the Blind and Virginia Tech plan to demonstrate a prototype vehicle next year equipped with technology that helps a blind person drive a car independently.

The technology, called "nonvisual interfaces," uses sensors to let a blind driver maneuver a car based on information transmitted to him about his surroundings: whether another car or object is nearby, in front of him or in a neighboring lane.

For the full article, please visit this link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100703/ap_on_bi_ge/us_blind_drivers

"Fed Gov promotes website accessibility 2.0"
by Tim Lohman (Computerworld)
01 July, 2010 08:37

The Federal Government has launched its Web Accessibility National Transition Strategy which will see federal, state and territory governments compelled to make their websites accessible by a wider cross-section of Australian society.

The strategy will be implemented over four years and aims to help people with visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive and neurological disabilities access the web through the use of different techniques to create and manage web content and through the use of technologies such as screen readers.

For the full article, please visit this link: http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/351740/fed_gov_promotes_website_accessibility_2_0/

RESOURCES

provided by Mike Hritcko, NYS Insurance Fund

"ATMac (Assistive Technology for Apple & Mac Users)"
http://atmac.org/

"iPad apps may need to be accessible"
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/06/03/ipad_accessible

"The Yahoo! StyleGuide - Writing, Editing, and Creating Content for the Digital World"
http://styleguide.yahoo.com/

"Website accommodation rules on the horizon"
http://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/article/20100606/OPINION02/6060308

"Writing Text Alternatives for Maps"
http://www.deyalexander.com.au/blog/2010/06/writing-text-alternatives-for-maps/