Critical issues presentations/Are Wikimedia projects ready for blind people?

From Wikimania 2016 • Esino Lario, Italy
Submission no. 105
Title of the submission

Are Wikimedia projects ready for blind people?

Author of the submission
  • Ilario Valdelli
Country of origin

Switzerland

Topics

Outreach, Technical

Keywords
  • Accessibility
  • Blind people
  • Visually impaired
  • Global Accessibility Awareness Day
  • Usability
Abstract

There are several diversities having important blocks to access to the content in some cases this block is connected with cultural barriers (i.e.where there are discrimination or unequal access to the culture) but in some cases these blocks are more physical.

The Internet is tremendously important in our daily lives, including the lives of people who are blind or visually impaired. For them the digital evolution is an important opportunity to reduce their gap but not every website, however, is optimally designed for use by web surfers with visual impairments. For them is like to move in a square plenty of steps. When a website is built without regard to proper web design, they become inaccessible by people with vision loss who use access technology.

Wikimedia projects are already able to offer a good accessibility because well structured, but are the editors always aware that the look & feel or some visual choices can create barriers? Are they aware that the usability sometimes is addressed only to specific group of users?

The proposal is to bring some blind people in presence to speak about their opinion and their experience and having an open discussion with them.

Result

Not accepted

Retrieved from "https://wikimania2016.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Critical_issues_presentations/Are_Wikimedia_projects_ready_for_blind_people%3F&oldid=22703"