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

[Andreas Pour]

Ooops, forgot to CC:.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [Kde-accessibility]  Re: [kde-promo] Fwd: Free
StandardsGroupAccessibility Workgroup
Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2003 12:44:19 -0500
From: Andreas Pour <pour at mieterra.com>
To: KDE Promo <kde-promo at mail.kde.org>
References:
<Pine.LNX.4.44.0310080932210.1402-100000 at skammel.suse.de><1065631599.12339.59.camel at taistealai.ireland.sun.com><3F84826A.263F3FBF at mieterra.com>
<200310091055.37366.gunnar at schmi-dt.de>
<1065695802.16754.3.camel at taistealai.ireland.sun.com>

Bill Haneman wrote:
> 
> Hi All:
> 
> If we become too obscure or too specific we fail to communicate what
> we're doing.  Listing only blind users or those who can't use a keyboard
> fails to include a wide range of abilities and disabilities (and yes,
> that word is still valid in English ;-).

Hi,

Just out of curiosity, is there a list somewhere of what else can pose
problems?  I ask b/c the way I see it there are 4 standard aspects of
interacting with a computer - viewing the display and hearing the speakers (the
computer's output) and using the keyboard and mouse (the computer's input).  If
someone can see the display "as intended", hear the speakers "as intended", and
use the mouse / keyboard "as intended", then they can use the computer "as
intended" and it is not "inaccessible" to them.

Case in point:  being confined to a wheelchair in no way prevents someone from
using a Linux GUI.

> I think it is reasonable to retain the phrase "users with disabilities"
> in our announcement since that term is still in common and accepted
> usage within the accessibility community.  It is not the preferred
> phrase in all situations, and the critiques are valid, but it is more
> encompassing than the more specific wording.
> 
> Therefore I think the above phrase should be retained _along with_
> specific mention of "blind users and users who cannot readily use a
> keyboard or mouse".

Ciao,

Dre