For several years, AccessWorld has reported on the accessibility of major household appliances. To date, we have focused on the tactile characteristics and features of laundry room and kitchen appliances from the perspective of non-visual accessibility. With this article, and with encouragement from our readers, we begin to extend our consideration to the low-vision accessibility of major appliances.

Our work in non-visual accessibility began with some simple working hypotheses. Through our experience, and with vitally important feedback from AccessWorld readers and others, we have refined our research methods. We trust that history will repeat itself, and with your help and guidance, we will provide useful details and helpful strategies to those who are shopping for appliances.

Starting Point

Our consideration of the low-vision accessibility of washing machines, clothes dryers, ranges, dishwashers, and microwave ovens begins with a few basic assumptions. The first of these is that some appliances in each category can be identified as the best choices for those with low vision. As such, we will outline the particular technical characteristics that led us to our conclusions (see "Appliance Observations"). The second assumption is that not all of our top picks will be the best choice for every person with low vision. This recognizes that, unlike non-visual accessibility, the physical characteristics of individuals with low vision will be substantially more varied. Lastly, we want to be clear that our understanding of the practical impact of these basic assumptions is still in its early stages. We are therefore asking for your input and seek your engagement as we move forward. We invite you to use the quick reader feedback link to do so.

Our Criteria

Based on AFB TECH's experience in technology evaluation, we created a set of evaluation criteria for those with low vision. Version 1.0 of our list includes the basics: font size, color contrast, etc. We also considered some variables unique to each class of appliance, such as the location of controls on the door of a dishwasher. Special considerations for a class of appliance are listed with the category. Model-specific characteristics are offered in the "Notes" section.

Font Size

We measure font size using a standardized transparency overlay created with Microsoft Word. In many cases, 12-point font is considered "standard-size" print. The United States Postal Service and some other governmental agencies consider 14-point font to be "large print." However, the American Printing House for the Blind suggests, and work in the AFB TECH lab has shown, a minimum of 18-point font to be more appropriate for people with low vision. Unless otherwise stated, font sizes are those used across most or all of an appliance's text labeling.

Font Characteristics

We reference font characteristics if the font style is particularly helpful or if some font styles create specific issues in an otherwise useful display.

Contrast

We report observable contrast of label text color against a background color. Unless otherwise stated, the contrast measurement is for all elements of the device.

Layout and Organization

This rather broad category includes observations that report the effect of the organization of text and other elements. "Cluttering" and "outlined elements" are typical of items represented in this category.

Tactile Accessibility

This represents a summary of the general accessibility of appliance controls by touch. We include it as a supplemental point, but we do not use it when ranking specific models.

Regions and Controls

This is a breakout of the appliance-specific visual elements that we consider. A set of observations has been created for each class of appliance. For example, a range will include "burner control," "oven control," and "cooking surface" observations.

Appliance Observations

For the first version of this index, we visited the Best Buy and Sears appliance departments. These retailers have locations nationwide and present a relatively good selection of mid-range major appliances. In addition, Sears is the only source for the Kenmore line, the most popular appliance brand in the United States.

Ranges

The majority of ranges use one of only a few control panel designs—typically, white with black lettering or black with white or light-gray lettering. On most ranges, a rectangular, recessed, screen-like panel houses the oven controls. One turns the knobs to either side to operate burners. More costly units substitute a rectangular, glassy back panel for the metal and recessed screen of more basic offerings. On the high end, the trend is to use touch controls for all functions, including burner settings.

Gas stoves typically position burner controls on the front of the range, above the oven door. Oven controls for gas ranges share the same characteristics as their electric siblings.

Colors and contrast in ranges tend not to extend beyond black, white, and stainless. We did not observe any brand-wide trends that would allow us to suggest a single brand as either a first choice or one to be avoided.

Make and model: Samsung FE-R300SP (black, electric, smooth top)
Price: $599.99
Burner controls: 18-point font; nine increments from high to low
Contrast: White on black with a red pointer; tactile markings.
Cook surface: Gray rings on black background
Oven controls: 28-point font for number pad
Function controls: 16-point font
Contrast: White on black
Notes: Moderate number of functions on recessed oven-control area. Well organized. Plastic screen over controls may create glare.

Make and model: Whirlpool WFE301LVS (black, electric, smooth top)
Price: $549.99
Burner controls: 12-point font
Contrast: White on black, with a white pointer; continuous circle increasing in thickness from low to high, counterclockwise.
Oven controls: 12-point font
Contrast: White on matte black
Cook surface dark: Gray rings on black background
Notes: Oven controls, while small, contrast well against the matte background. More features than other models and well arranged. Has some tactile accessibility of oven controls.

Make and model: Sears Kenmore 61032 (white, electric, smooth top)
Price: $407.99
Burner controls: 12-point font
Contrast: Black on white; pointer is black with a tactile marking. Continuous circle increasing in thickness from low to high, counterclockwise.
Oven controls: 14-point font
Contrast: Black on white with icons (gray on white)
Cook surface: Gray rings on a black background
Notes: Icons indicating function (bake, broiler, etc.) may be particularly useful for some. White with black lettering may be useful.

Dishwashers

Much like the ranges and refrigerators with which they share kitchen duty, dishwashers are limited in their selection of colors. Controls reflect this and are almost always comprise black, white, and stainless elements. Controls can be positioned in one of two locations. On-the-door controls are traditional and can be viewed on the front of the door when the door is closed. Concealed controls occupy the top edge of the door. These controls can only be viewed when the unit door is open. Because of the ability to position the door as it opens to the best viewing angle, machines with concealed controls may be a good first choice.

Make and model: Frigidaire BGHD2433KF (stainless, concealed controls)
Price: $539.99
Font: 14 point
Contrast: White on black. Each of 14 functions is associated with a distinctive white dot.
Notes: Stainless-steel exterior with plastic "tall" tub. Controls have a reflective plastic covering that may cause glare.

Make and model: Bosch SHE4AP06UC (black, front-mounted controls)
Price: $449.99
Font: 16 point
Contrast: White on black. Ten functions in two rows, each associated with an LED indicator.
Notes: Buttons are black on black with good tactile characteristics. Two buttons move across a row of cycle options, as indicated by an LED light as each option is selected. An option is canceled by pressing "start" for 3 seconds.

Microwave Ovens

AccessWorld receives more comments regarding the accessibility of microwaves than any other appliance category. Microwaves fall into two design groups, countertop and over-the-stove. As with other kitchen appliances, colors used in microwave design include black, white, and stainless. For over-the-stove models, the position of the controls is dictated by the location of the microwave above the stove. This provides an opportunity to light the work area sufficiently. We also note that the control panels for this class of microwave are generally larger than those of countertop models. Both of the models reviewed for this article are over-the-stove microwaves.

As a group, we did not observe any brand consistency. The number of features offered appeared to influence the cluttering of some control panels.

Make and model: Frigidaire Gallery FGMV173KW (white)
Price: $299.99
Font: 10 point
Contrast: Black on white, green, and orange
Notes: Despite the 10-point font size, letters and numbers were judged to be easier-than-expected to read. Functions are well organized with a green marker on the "start" button and an orange marker on the "clear" button.

Make and model: LG Goldstar MV1608WW (white)
Price: $169.99
Font: 14 point
Contrast: Black on white
Notes: Relatively basic unit with fewer features than some. Control labels are well organized and uncluttered.

Laundry

Walking along the rows of laundry appliances is not unlike visiting a new car showroom, at least in terms of the variety of colors from which one may choose. Beyond basic white, fire engine red, royal blue, metallic aqua, and champagne were all on display in just one of the stores we visited. The result of this colorful laundry experience may be substantially poorer contrast and more limited options for many customers for whom low-vision access is important. Contrast was judged to be significantly poorer for most "colorful" laundry appliances than for the more traditional white, which offers black printed text.

In addition to color, the complexity of controls and their print labels contributes to more cluttering than on any other major appliance class. For example, we encountered several mid-range LG washers and dryers with more than 35 separate controls or indicators and corresponding print labels.

Laundry equipment controls fall into three broad types. The most common combine printed labels or legends with small LED lights that indicate when a particular feature or cycle is active. Often, but not always, these LED lights are accompanied with a larger LED countdown indicator or an LCD display. Less common are the physical pointers or knobs that indicate choices printed on a background panel. These controls, which were once the norm, are now found on only a few low-end machines. At the high end, full-color displays have recently been introduced. The top-of-the line Sears Kenmore Elite combines this kind of display with a large rotary control and just two physical buttons. We have not evaluated this washer/dryer.

Of all the appliance categories, we believe laundry equipment may pose the greatest challenges for those with low vision. Across all models tested, the control characteristics for washers and dryers were identical. For this reason, our observations pertain to both halves of a branded washer/dryer pair.

Make and model: Sears Kenmore washer 49032, dryer 89032 (white)
Price: $645 each
Similar model: Washer 40272, dryer 80272 (white)
Price: $781 each
Font: 14 point for both "cycle" and "options" labels
Contrast: Black on white for both "cycle" and "options" labels
Notes: Relatively complex controls with somewhat crowded labeling. Cycles surround a main control with LED pointer. Cycle options are arranged in three columns with LED indicators that light up next to each selected option. The more expensive "272" units have more functions, increasing the number of controls and labels, yet are still judged to be well organized.

Make and model: Frigidaire washer 37052 (white)
Price: $629 (washer), $696 (dryer)
Font: 14 point for both "cycle" and "options" labels
Contrast: Black on white for both "cycle" and "options" labels
Notes: Relatively complex controls with somewhat crowded labeling. Cycles and options are arranged in a column with LED indicators that light up next to each selected cycle or option.

Conclusions and Next Steps

These observations are a first attempt to review the elements that contribute to good low-vision accessibility when applied to major appliances. This report is just one component of the efforts currently underway in the AFB TECH labs. We are also developing methods to standardize the measurement and description of the small-screen visual displays found on so many of today's electronics, including home appliances.

Quick Reader Feedback

We invite you to tell us about your perspectives and experiences, as well as the techniques you employ to operate appliances using low vision. Please complete this short online survey to give us your feedback.

Research assistance for this article was provided by Joe Regnier.

Dear AccessWorld readers,

Welcome to the third issue in our new monthly publication schedule! I hope you are enjoying what you told us you wanted: more information, more often.

This month, the AccessWorld team brings you an overview of the book player market, a review of the Vision Free radio, an accessibility check of a few websites named "most useful" by PC World magazine, and a closer look at Yahoo's Frontpage. As our loyal readers know, Bradley Hodges has been covering home appliance accessibility from a non-visual perspective for several years. At a summer conference, it was brought to my attention that readers would like more information on this topic. In direct response to those comments, Bradley has widened his scope and is now looking at home appliance accessibility for people with low vision, concentrating on characteristics such as font size and style of control labeling, color contrast, glare, and the positioning of controls. We hope this will provide useable information for our readers with low vision. At the end of his article, please select the link to take a quick reader survey regarding how those with low vision choose and access home appliances.

If you missed the August issue, or any issue for that matter, you can always search our archives by selecting the back issues link from any AccessWorld webpage. Here, you can search by month and year. You can also enter a search term, such as "cell phones," into the search AccessWorld box, and every online article that contains information on cell phones will be presented.

Please look for us again in October as we recognize National Disability Employment Awareness Month!

Sincerely,

Lee Huffman
AccessWorld Editor-in-Chief

ATIA to Host Town Hall Meeting

The Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA)/Low-Vision Special Interest Group will host a town hall meeting at ATIA's 2010 Chicago Conference. The meeting is being held to identify challenges facing individual users and support professionals with regard to assistive technology. There will be an open forum where attendees are invited to discuss resources needed for individual success, provide feedback to vendors, and engage in general dialogue.

The meeting will be held October 28, from noon to 1 p.m. in Utopia B Room, Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Convention Center. Please RSVP online if you plan to attend. All stakeholders, including educators, assistive technology specialists, rehab professionals, workplace specialists, occupational therapists, researchers, vendors, consumers, families, and caregivers, are invited to attend.

Follow USABA on Facebook and Twitter

The United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) has recently joined the Facebook and Twitter communities. Fans of the USABA Facebook page and followers of USABA on Twitter will have access to updates on events, photos, and discussion boards.

Mark Lucas, USABA's executive director, sees Facebook and Twitter as another way to connect with members and fans and keep them better informed about various topics, such as upcoming events, sports opportunities, competition results, and athlete accomplishments. "We're looking forward to connecting with members this way," Lucas remarked.

The June 2010 issue of PC World magazine has an article by Robert Strohmeyer entitled "52 Incredibly Useful Sites." Many of the 52 websites deal with business, media editing and sharing, and productivity, but there are several that seem to be relevant and of interest to people with visual impairments. This article will review six of the websites from an accessibility standpoint. A personal computer running Windows XP, the latest version of Internet Explorer, and Window-Eyes 7.2 was used to access all of the sites.

RetailMeNot

The RetailMeNot website provides access to electronic coupons or discount codes that can be used to save money with numerous online retailers, a welcome service during these tough economic times.

The homepage opens with over 300 links, but don't get discouraged. Under the heading "Popular Stores" is a list of links for chain stores, service providers, and entertainment options. The list is long and includes Target, Papa John's, Enterprise, and Six Flags amusement park. Don't worry if you can't find a store you want; there are coupons for hundreds of stores. The popular stores list has previous and next arrow buttons that allow you to browse available stores. After the store list and buttons on the home page is a heading listing the day's top coupons.

Clicking the link for "Gap" brought me to a page with several coupons and user comments. Almost all of the coupons were for gap.com and some were past their expiration date. While checking out various retailers from the list, I found the coupon codes to be easy to read. The codes could be copied to my clipboard and pasted into the checkout form on the retailer's website. In some cases, coupon codes were presented as links and the link would take me directly to the store's website. Because there is a lot of information, the easiest way to find coupon codes is to search for the words "coupon code" with your screenreader's find function. The actual code should appear directly below those words.

Toward the top of each page is a link for printable coupons. When the new page loads, there will be a form to enter your zip code. The form consists of an edit box and a search button. The results will be coupons for businesses in your area. To find a business, just move around the page by links. When you find the business you want, click on its link and a separate window will open listing the various coupons available and the option to print them. There is also a link for grocery coupons. That page loads a form with an edit box for your zip code and a combo box to enter a distance radius from your zip code (for instance, 10 miles) within which to search for coupons.

There is a search box near the top of the homepage, but it can be a bit confusing. The form consists of an edit box and search button, but additional information will be read as you fill out the form. You will hear several links before you get to the search button, but it is there. The search results are displayed clearly and are easy to access.

The Bottom Line

This site contains a huge amount of coupons, but with some patience and the use of your screenreader's find command, it is relatively easy to learn.

Eventful

The Eventful website claims to have listings for many events in your local area. This can be useful if you're looking for something to do and don't want to search a variety of websites.

When the website loads, it may be preloaded with your general area at the very top of the page. For example, my page started with New York City, which is the general area where I live. There is a search form, consisting of an edit box and a search button. Between the edit box and search button is some text and the phrase "Sorry, no results." I put my zip code into the search box and when the page reloaded, it listed the actual city where I live. Arrowing down the page can give the reader the idea that no results are found. The best way to find out whether your location has changed to your current zip code location is to look for the word "success." If you find that word, you will discover that your location has been successfully changed. Under this information is a link to a listing of events for your area.

When the new page loads, there is a great deal of information, including a list of worldwide events. Look for the phrase "local events by category." Under that is a list of links for 12 different categories, including "Concerts," "Children and Family," and "Festivals." Under the list of categories is another link to display all events. For any of the categories, results can be narrowed by date, weekend, week, or month.

I was initially excited about checking the results, so I chose outdoor and recreation activities for the weekend. Then my results page came up and listed 4,032 events. Included in my listing were events from other locations around the New York City area. There was no way to narrow down the list based on distance from my home. As my husband said, "This site is hard to use for a sighted person as well. It would take me considerable time to go through this list."

Another issue concerns registration. Not all of the controls in the registration form speak, and there is no audio CAPTCHA available. Using sighted assistance, I registered to determine whether I could set up a profile and limit the number of events in my results. When my registration was processed, a page came up with several locations and I was to choose if I wanted information on any of these locations. The problem was that my choice could not be selected by a link, check box, or any other form control. The only way to make my selection was by choosing one of two unlabeled graphics.

The Bottom Line

It would be nice to have a place where you can check events going on in your neighborhood, but this is not an accessible site. The pages have a good deal of clutter, ads, and misleading information, along with unlabeled graphics.

Teux Deux

The Teux Deux website is designed to organize your "to do" list, mark off completed tasks, and allow you to move items from one day to another. Your list can be accessed from any computer by entering your user name and password.

On the homepage is a link to watch a video about Teux Deux, but the play button is an unlabeled graphic. The video gives a quick overview of what a user can do with the site, but it's not really helpful for someone with a visual impairment. Below the link to watch the video are additional unlabeled links.

The only way to try the website is to sign up. Pressing "enter" on the sign-up link did not work. For Window-Eyes, I needed to route the mouse pointer to the link, turn browse mode off, and then click the left mouse button. The registration form is brief and all of the controls speak. However, there is no button to submit the form. After setting the combo box for your time zone, there is an unlabeled link, which must be pressed to submit the form. When you log into your account in the future, the user name and password boxes will not speak if browse mode is turned off.

Once the form is submitted, a new page will load with edit boxes for each day of the coming week. The daily edit boxes did not speak when Window-Eyes had browse mode turned off to fill out forms. Browse mode needed to be on, but once the edit box for a particular date was located, browse mode could be turned off to fill out the form.

The way to tell if all of the text is in the form is by using arrow keys. Once I turned browse mode on, all of the text was read. After typing an item in an edit box, hit the enter key. This will move your item out of the edit box and onto your list for that day. When typing in another day's edit box, you might hear text that was placed in a previous edit box. Use your screenreader's arrow keys to read what's actually in the edit box you're currently using.

When a task is complete, a sighted person can mark off that task using the mouse. A line will go through the item that was completed. However, this is an unlabeled graphic, so a screenreader cannot read it. Moving items around is simple for a sighted person. If you want to move an item, you can copy it to the clipboard, go into the edit box of the day you want to move it to, paste it in, and then hit enter. This will add the item to that day's list, but the item will still be there on the original day. You cannot cut the item to the clipboard to move it. The only way to perform the task is to drag and drop the item, but this didn't work with Window-Eyes as it was impossible to get the mouse pointer exactly where it needed to go.

The Bottom Line

Teux Deux has accessibility issues from the very beginning. It would be nice to check your to-do list from any computer, but this site is frustrating to use. If you just want to enter information and not manipulate it or mark the task when it has been completed, then the site will work with some effort. However, I would rather not deal with this website.

Speed Test

The Speed Test website allows a user to test his or her computer's upload and download speeds. This way, you can tell if there's a problem with your Internet service provider or with your computer.

The webpage has clearly labeled links and form controls. However, this is where the accessibility stops. In order to tell Speed Test your general area, you must put your mouse pointer on a graphic map of the United States. Once you start the speed test, the results are also presented as an unlabeled graphic. Therefore, this site is completely inaccessible.

The Bottom Line

Entering user information and getting speed test results on this site both require sighted assistance and are inaccessible with a screenreader.

Nutrition Data

The Nutrition Data website provides information on a wide variety of foods. This is a case where a user can get good information with some effort as parts of the site are difficult to read. Unless you are truly into food and nutrition, the amount of information can be overwhelming.

Near the top of the page is a link to compare foods. You can then search for foods that are highest in calories, lowest in calories, highest in carbs, lowest in fat, and so on. The search results can be found by searching for the word "table" with your screenreader's find key. Although the results are presented in a table, Window-Eyes did not recognize it as such.

There is a search form on the homepage to obtain information about a particular food. The form consists of an edit box, a combo box listing a wide variety of food categories, including fast-food restaurants, and a search button. The search results can be difficult to interpret. Columns are not labeled, so it is hard to tell what the numbers refer to. There are also some graphics on the results page.

This website also features articles and information on a variety of topics, including fitness, weight loss, recipes, heart health, and much more. These links are clearly labeled. Depending on the link that is chosen, a page to subscribe to Self Magazine may come up or a new window may open. There also might be a lot of clutter on the page. With some practice, a user could learn to navigate the clutter.

There is a registration form with controls that do speak. There are check boxes at the bottom of the form to choose what kind of material you want to receive from the site. Unless you want to track everything you are eating or are seriously interested in nutrition, there really isn't any reason to register. Unregistered users still have access to articles, recipes, and newsletters.

The Bottom Line

Although some of the information can be overwhelming and difficult to read, Nutrition Data contains some interesting information that can be accessed with a little effort.

Sit or Squat

Have you ever needed to find a public bathroom? The Sit or Squat website claims it can find the public bathrooms closest to your location. The problem is, for a person with a visual impairment, this site doesn't work at all. There's an edit box to enter your location by zip code or intersection, but the results are displayed as unlabeled graphics.

The Bottom Line

This website is completely inaccessible.

Conclusion

Although PC World calls the websites reviewed for this article "incredibly useful," all but two of them are incredibly frustrating for the visually impaired. Many mainstream websites still have a long way to go to make their pages accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired.

I recently purchased a brand-new keyboard for my computer. It does not have any special features, such as wireless connectivity or ergonomic design. However, I hope the Alt and Tab keys are going to be especially resilient, because lately, I have been wearing those two keys out. Ever since I got into social networking, my fingers have been constantly pressing Alt and Tab to cycle between all of the browser windows I have open with sites like Facebook and Twitter. It is paramount to be on the top of your game as a high-profile social networker because you don't want to miss a single tweet or Facebook status update. To be totally honest, I don't think this new keyboard stands a chance with all the time I spend online!

Luckily, there might be a solution for those of us who are—dare I say it—addicted to social networking. Just so you know, for this article, I used a laptop equipped with Windows 7, Internet Explorer 8, and the latest version of a popular screenreader. Results may vary with other operating systems, browsers, or screenreaders.

Do You Yahoo?

Did you know that Yahoo offers far more than search and e-mail? Over the last couple of years, the company has completely revamped its homepage to become a one-stop destination for all of your Web-surfing needs. There is even a new name, Yahoo Frontpage. It is possible to personalize your frontpage to include applications that allow you to access your favorite social networks, including Facebook and Twitter. To take advantage of these exciting features, you'll need to have a Yahoo account. To get started, point your browser to Yahoo's website.

Getting Started

If you already have a Yahoo account, you can sign in using a handful of methods. The most common methods include pulling up a complete list of links on the page and tapping "S" until you find the sign-in box. Others might prefer to use their screenreader's find command to look for the word "sign." Yahoo has included new technology called landmarks, which are similar to both headings and custom bookmarks. Consult your screenreader's manual to learn how to cycle through the landmarks. If you navigate to the first status landmark and then hit either the Tab or down arrow, you will find links to either sign in or sign up for a new account.

The process for signing up is fairly straightforward. You will need to navigate to each field and fill in the appropriate information. Before submitting the form, you will be asked to complete a CAPTCHA. As a reminder, CAPTCHA stands for "completely automated public touring test to tell computers and humans apart." You may remember these as the squiggly letters users need to type into a box to prove they are not computer robots. If it has been a while since you last visited Yahoo, you will be happy to hear there is an audio alternative to the visual CAPTCHA. Unfortunately, users who are deaf-blind will need assistance from customer service. Yahoo provides information for contacting their team.

What's Next?

Once you have signed in, you'll want to customize your frontpage with the applications you are interested in. When Yahoo launched its new frontpage last year, the engineers did an excellent job of implementing headings and accessible buttons throughout the page. This makes it simple to navigate with your screenreader. Once you land on the Yahoo frontpage, use your preferred method of navigating by heading to a section called "My Favorites." Once you reach that section of the page, if you are familiar with the keystroke for navigating by list item with your screenreader, you can use it to see which applications you already have on your frontpage. Alternatively, you can use the down arrow to see what is there. If you don't find Facebook, you can use Tab or navigate to the first button that is labeled "Edit My Favorites" and activate it. On this screen, you'll want to look for a level-two heading that reads "Add Your Favorite Sites" and move down until you hear the instructions for adding new applications. Facebook was already in my list of applications, but if it were not there, I could have typed in the URL for the Facebook homepage, and in the second edit field, I could have typed in "Facebook." Don't forget to click the "I'm Done" button when you are finished to return to the frontpage.

Signing In

You must first have a Facebook account to make all of the magic happen. So open up a new tab and register for Facebook. Don't worry, we'll just wait right here for you to come back. Okay, all finished registering? Do you have your username and password handy? Great, now navigate back to the "My Favorites" area to find and activate the "Preview Facebook" button.

Once you find the link to log in, you will be required to enter your username and password. The next screen will be a user agreement that asks you if you agree with Yahoo's terms of service plus two checkboxes that you can toggle to control what Yahoo information is displayed on your Facebook account and whether you want your Facebook profile photo to appear on public areas of Yahoo.

What's It Like?

The next step is to begin accessing Facebook from the Yahoo frontpage. If you arrow down below the list of "My Favorites," you'll find the Facebook application. If you lose focus, you can navigate back to the level-two heading called "Facebook." The first item you will encounter is an "Options" button. This is a dynamic button that behaves differently than other buttons you may have encountered because when you activate it, the page does not reload. Instead, you will be presented with three links if you click the down arrow. The links are "Settings," "Help," and "Remove." The last link will remove your connection from Yahoo to Facebook. There is a link to take you directly to Facebook, and then finally, the application itself. It should be noted that the Facebook application is designed to behave as an application as opposed to a traditional webpage. This means that the page will not refresh every time you click on a control as it might on a static webpage. This may be a new experience for many readers.

The first three tabs you will encounter are "Home," "Profile," and "Friends." If you are on the Home tab, you will also see one tab for Newsfeed and another for Events and Birthdays. You will find an edit field labeled "What's On Your Mind" and a button labeled "Share," where you can update your Facebook status. Finally, you will come to the status updates of all of your friends. They are found within a list, so you can use your screenreader's navigation key to jump by list item. Your screenreader will read the item number plus the name of your Facebook friend. Continue to use the down arrow to read the update and the time it was posted as well as to find buttons to comment on and "like" the update.

Other Tabs

When you are in the home tab of the Facebook application, you can choose either Newsfeed or Events and Birthdays. Newsfeed will give you all of your status updates, while the latter tab will give you a list of all upcoming events and birthdays. If you switch to the Profile tab, you will be able to read all of your wall postings from your friends. Again, use the screenreader's quick keys to jump forward and backward by list item. You can also comment on or like any wall post. The Friends tab will show you a list of all of your friends in alphabetical order, but also sorted by first letter of their last name. You can navigate by heading for each letter of the alphabet and then use the up and down arrows to move within the list of names for that letter. Each name is a link that will take you to that friend's wall, where you can post a message if you would like.

Yahoo Classic Mail

Maybe you don't use the Yahoo frontpage, but you still want to access Facebook while you are signed into your mail account. If you use Yahoo Classic mail, you can see status updates from the welcome screen. After logging in to your account, use Alt plus the number 1 across the top row of keys (not from the number pad) or activate the link called "Welcome." At heading level three, you'll find a section called "Updates." If it is not already there, do not panic. There is a link on the page called "Options." This is another one of those new dynamic links that will not cause the page to refresh, but instead, make new choices appear. After clicking on Options, your screenreader should announce that you are sitting on a link called "Mail Options." If you do not hear that, use your up and down arrows to find Mail Options and activate that link. At heading level one are all of the options for using Classic mail. With the first checkbox, you can toggle on and off the updates feature in mail, with the second, you can link your account with Facebook. Make sure both of the boxes are checked. Finally, click on the "Back to Mail" button, and you should now be able to see your Facebook status updates on the welcome page. It should be noted that you will only be able to read, comment, and like your friends' Facebook status updates. You can navigate from update to update with your screenreader's heading navigation keys. There is only enough space to display six Facebook status updates, but there is a button that you can press to display additional ones.

What Else Do You Need to Know?

Yahoo is leading the way in providing accessible, rich Internet applications to users of assistive technology. There are many new experiences here waiting to be discovered. However, because some things are new, you should be ready for some trial and error.

Not all screanreaders are created equally, so some different techniques may be required. Your screenreader must support Accessible Rich Internet Applications, and this may mean that you need to upgrade to a higher version to get this level of support. Additionally, selecting a browser other than Internet Explorer 8 might affect your outcome. Sometimes your screenreader might switch modes on you unexpectedly, in which case, you will have to manually return to your preferred mode. I suggest you check your owner's manual to see how to refresh the virtual buffer because sometimes your screenreader might have missed something or the screen may have changed without alerting your screenreader.

The Nitty Gritty

Regardless of whether we are ready, the next generation of the Internet is upon us. Static webpages that constantly refresh each time information changes or we activate a link or control are going the way of the dodo bird and argyle socks. Web 2.0 is here to stay, and as users of assistive technology, we need to get used to dynamic webpages that change without refreshing the entire page. Yahoo has put forth an exceptional effort that proves that sites can be both accessible and cutting edge at the same time. Give it a shot, and if you like what you see, why not post about it on your Facebook page?

So much to read. So many ways to read it.

For those among us who grew up as braille readers in the '50s, '60s, and '70s, the notion that we might one day have more to read than we could possibly ever consume was, well, unfathomable! Fast forward to the era of the Internet, Web-Braille, and Bookshare, and it is not surprising that it is sometimes difficult to keep all the possibilities and technologies sorted out. With the advent in recent years of downloadable audio books from sources both commercial and specifically for blind and low-vision users, many are now asking not only about content and sources, but also about the devices on which to play that content.

Talking books from the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) are the audio books most familiar to the blind. They have been around the longest, for one thing (for 77 years compared with just 10 or 15 years for commercial audio books), and they're free. When NLS books became available for download and the NLS machines for playing them were not yet available for distribution, a product called the VictorReader Stream from HumanWare enjoyed an almost unprecedented popularity when it was introduced three years ago. The product was shown at the summer 2007 conferences, and blind people everywhere were clamoring to buy them. The initial attraction was the ability to play NLS books on them, but it wasn't long before many other sources and formats were rendered compatible as well.

Since the release of the VictorReader Stream, the accessible audio book player market has changed considerably. The NLS machine became available in 2009, so all eligible NLS patrons have received or will soon receive one free of charge. Other new devices have come on the market, and a few that preceded the VictorReader Stream have scrambled to play books from additional sources to be competitive. For many blind and low-vision lovers of books, however, so much so quickly on the audio book front is confusing. Some mistakenly believe, for instance, that only the VictorReader Stream can play talking books. Others understand that NLS books can be played on the NLS machines, but are unaware that other materials can be played on those machines as well. Some have encountered only one of the many devices available and are unaware that there are competitors. This article aims to present the current line-up of possibilities, highlighting strengths and weaknesses where relevant, and alerting consumers to the good news that, for once, we have loads of choices!

Content Sources

For efficiency's sake, let's talk first about the most popular sources of audio reading material currently available to blind and visually impaired people. This is by no means a complete listing of available content, but any one of these sources could supply a book lover with more material than could likely be exhausted in one lifetime. They provide, in other words, a bountiful beginning

NLS Web-Braille

The common denominator for reading material for blind people is the NLS. The first downloadable books from NLS were books and magazines transcribed into braille. In 1999, the Web-Braille site was launched, making digital files of brailled books and magazines available for download. These files are in Grade 2 braille, formatted for production. A person downloading a book or magazine from Web-Braille could produce it in hard copy with a braille embosser or read it on a braille notetaker. With software on a computer capable of "back translating" the Grade 2 to uncontracted braille, a person could also have the file read aloud via text-to-speech software. Some of the players in this article also offer this capability (i.e., the ability to translate Grade 2 braille files for listening via synthesized speech).

NLS Digital Talking Books

The launch of Web-Braille was followed by the NLS's download site for digital talking books (DTB). Today, it's called NLS BARD, and it offers eligible patrons downloadable digital recordings from the NLS talking book collection.

Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic

Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D), the principal source for human-voice recordings of textbooks at all educational levels, was a leader in using DAISY mark-up for both audio and text navigation. Simply summarized, DAISY mark-up gave one the ability to navigate a book or other document by chapter, section, or other subheading, thereby providing an equivalent function to that enjoyed by a sighted reader using print. From the RFB&D website, books can be downloaded by eligible patrons and played on some handheld devices.

Audible.com

Audible.com is a commercial online source of books recorded by professional readers. Audible offers thousands of titles recorded by major publishers. These are the same recordings available in bookstores and public libraries on cassette or CD. Various purchase plans are available, but books are generally considerably less expensive than if purchased from retail stores. Audible has approved a number of the handheld devices used by blind people to play Audible content.

Bookshare

Bookshare.org is a tremendous source of digital books for blind or visually impaired people. These files are text only, not human voice recordings. Files can be downloaded in either DAISY or translated braille formats. A membership is required to confirm eligibility, but membership fees range from free to $50 annually.

Material from all of the above sources is encrypted. That means that files from these sources can only be played by eligible members or patrons and only on players rendered compatible by the content source. On all of the players currently available, various other types of content can also be played, ranging from music and described movies to your own text documents. Your own needs and the type of files you will most likely want to access will be factors in your choice of player.

Who Are the Players?

At this writing, there are seven known machines that play books from NLS and other sources. One of those seven is the NLS digital talking book player itself, which was reviewed in the August 2010 issue of AccessWorld. All of the remaining six are available for purchase from a variety of sources, range in price from approximately $300 to $1,400, and have an equally wide range of capabilities.

The NLS DTB machine, provided free of charge to all eligible NLS patrons, has a USB port on the right side to accommodate a USB flash drive. The NLS talking books downloaded to this drive can be played on the NLS machine. This machine can also play digital books from RFB&D, podcasts, and MP3 files.

VictorReader Stream

As the first commercially available handheld book player capable of playing the NLS DTB, the Stream is mistakenly understood by many newcomers to be the only handheld player capable of playing such books. It isn't. The Stream can also play books from Audible.com, RFB&D, and Bookshare. It can play and organize music and other MP3 files, and it can play text documents. It has a built-in speaker and microphone, and is an excellent recorder for personal notes, lectures, or other materials. It sells for $349, and its controls are intuitive and easy to learn.

Book Sense

Perhaps the smallest of the handheld players designed for blind consumers, Book Sense is a sleek product from GW Micro that plays NLS DTB, RFB&D books, books from Audible.com, and a variety of music and podcast formats. It uses the NeoSpeech voices of Paul and Kate for listening to books from Bookshare, National Federation of the Blind Newsline, and a variety of computer-generated text files, including Microsoft Word's .doc and .docx files. The Book Sense has a built-in speaker, microphone, and excellent recording capability. There are two Book Sense models. The basic Book Sense offers the above features, whereas the Book Sense XT has the addition of an FM radio tuner and 4GB of internal memory.

Icon and Braille Plus Mobile Manager

These two devices come from the same root product, the Icon created by LevelStar, but have some distinct differences. Unlike the other players in this article, these two players are far more complex in the features they provide. They are basic personal digital assistants with wireless capability, and thus the ability to search the Web, read and write email, download podcasts, and stream audio content from the Internet. Each also includes a word processor, address manager, planner, calculator, and Web browser. For data input on the Icon, the telephone keypad is used, similar to the method used to text message on cell phones. The Braille Plus Mobile Manager adds a Perkins-style braille keyboard for data input. The Icon is available from its original developer, LevelStar, and the Braille Plus Mobile Manager is available from the American Printing House for the Blind.

These two devices are included here because they are also excellent tools for playing books from NLS, RFB&D, Bookshare, Audible.com, as well as a variety of music and podcast files. They are the only players on this list employing the Eloquence speech synthesizer, familiar to many blind computer users. Each contains a 30GB hard drive, an internal speaker, and a microphone for recording capability. Each sells for approximately $1,400.

PlexTalk Pocket

The PlexTalk PTR1 was one of the very first portable digital book players appearing on the market nearly a decade ago. It weighed just over two pounds and was noted for its superb engineering quality. Available from the same Japanese manufacturer, Shinano Kenshi Corp., the PlexTalk Pocket is the size of an average cell phone and incorporates many of its predecessor's features along with new upgrades to make it competitive with today's handheld book players.

The PlexTalk pocket plays digital books from NLS, RFB&D, Audible.com, and Bookshare. It can play your music and other MP3 files as well as text files. It has a built-in speaker, microphone, and excellent recording capability.

Book Port Plus

The newest player on the scene is the Book Port Plus, designed by the American Printing House for the Blind and intended to replace its earlier Book Port, one of the first handheld book players designed specifically for blind users. The Book Port Plus uses the same hardware as the PlexTalk Pocket, so it is quite similar in appearance. It can play digital books from NLS, RFB&D, Audible.com, and Bookshare. It plays text files, music, and other MP3 files. It has a built-in speaker and microphone for personal recordings.

Conclusion

The above are meant to be mere overviews of the products available to blind and visually impaired users for playing audio and text versions of digital books. Many other nuances set these machines apart from one another. Variables include the increments and ease with which one can navigate material, the degree to which music files can be cataloged and tagged, the kinds of generic sound files that can be played (WAV, OGG, WMA, etc.), and the sophistication of recording capabilities. All are in the $350 price range, with the exception of the Book Sense XT at $499 and the Icon and Braille Plus Mobile Manager, which, as outlined above, offer far more functionality than simply playing digital books.

For more detailed descriptions of any of these products, please read previously published AccessWorld product evaluations or the following manufacturer websites: VictorReader Stream, Book Sense, Braille Plus Mobile Manager and Book Port Plus, PlexTalk Pocket, and Icon.