[Kde-accessibility] Re: [kde-promo] Fwd: Free Standards GroupAccessibility Workgroup

[Andreas Pour]

> > > <statement>
> > > Although there are many efforts to help handicapped persons to use a Linux
> > > based computer, most of the current graphical user interfaces still have
> > > many obstacles to blind persons or to people who cannot handle a normal
> > > keyboard or a mouse.
> >
> > This is much better.
> I don't know, "many obstacles" to blind persons still seems like an
> understatement.  Most (i.e. all but as-yet-unpackaged versions of GNOME)
> Linux GUIs are totally inaccessible to blind users.  Can't we just say
> so?  I.E.
> 
> "Although there are many ongoing efforts to help persons with
> disabilities use Linux systems, most Linux GUIs are still inaccessible
> to blind persons and present many obstacles to people who cannot operate
> a standard keyboard or mouse".
> 
> p.s. - 'handicapped' is a term which is not favored.

Hmm, if you want to be PC though I think "disabled" ("disabilities") is every
bit as bad if not worse (and there are also of course critiques of "differently
abled", "specially abled", "challenged" and, yikes, "crippled").  See e.g.
http://www.wholefamily.com/aboutteensnow/school/handicapped/q_and_a/article.html
(question 2).

The article above has a useful suggestion which is to address the issue directly
rather than use (possibly derogatory) generalizations:

"Despite the many ongoing efforts to help persons who cannot see or who have
trouble operating a standard keyboard or mouse use Linux systems, Linux GUIs are
still generally inaccessible to these users."

Or something like that . . . .  The crux is to describe specifically what the
problems are rather than to label people . . . .

Ciao,

Dre