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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'>I agree with Terry’s message. Also, this
is not a “website” in the same sense that Amazon and Safeway grocery.
This is simply a tool that offers an alternative for finding the most accessible
sites. Really, consider what screen-readers such as JAWS and Window Eyes do to the
visual display with a video intercept. I now use both regular Google and the Accessible
search Google. I wish there was an equivalent for Google Scholar.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue'> </span></font></p>
<div>
<p><font size=3 color=blue face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
color:blue'>Terri Hedgpeth</span></font><font color=blue><span
style='color:blue'> <br>
Academic Research Professional <br>
Cubic, iCare box 87-8309 <br>
Arizona State University <br>
Tempe, AZ 85287-8309 <br>
(480) 727-8133 (voice) </span></font></p>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3 color=blue
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:blue'>(480) 965-2751
(fax)</span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 color=blue face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
color:blue'><a href="http://cubic.asu.edu">http://cubic.asu.edu</a> <br>
<br>
The positive thinker sees <br>
the invisible, feels the intangible, <br>
and achieves the impossible. </span></font></p>
</div>
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face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>
<hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
athen-bounces@athenpro.org [mailto:athen-bounces@athenpro.org] <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Kestrell<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Friday, August 04, 2006 6:28
AM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> Access Technologists in Higher
Education Network<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: [Athen] Google tests
web search for blind</span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>I agree with feeling that tools such as the accessible Google one
present the unfortunate possibility of encouraging the scenario for a
"separate but (not-quite) equal" approach to Web site. design.<br>
<br>
My best example at the moment is the Amazon accessible site, which doesn't seem
to allow me to actually use any of the tools I always use, such as my wishlist.<br>
<br>
Kes<br>
</span></font></p>
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margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt'>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><br>
<br>
----- Original Message ----- </span></font></p>
</div>
<div style='font-color:black'>
<p class=MsoNormal style='background:#E4E4E4'><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> <a
href="mailto:skeegan@htctu.net" title="skeegan@htctu.net">sean keegan</a> </span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>To:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> <a
href="mailto:athen@athenpro.org" title="athen@athenpro.org">'Access
Technologists in Higher Education Network'</a> </span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> Thursday, August
03, 2006 8:28 PM</span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> Re: [Athen] Google
tests web search for blind</span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>I have seen the new google accessible search and have some mixed
reactions<br>
about it. From the user's perspective, it is much easier to use with a<br>
screen-reader and can be "reflowed" reasonably well. TV Raman
seems to be<br>
the one who really put some work behind this (he is the blind developer who<br>
created Emacspeak), so it is not surprising that it is designed for those<br>
using screen-readers.<br>
<br>
My concern about this, however, is how Web developers will interpret this<br>
new search function. There is a difference in search results between the<br>
accessible search and the regular google search - the accessible search<br>
relies on a different page ranking algorithm to identify Web sites that are<br>
"screen-reader friendly". There is a whole field of Web
"professionals"<br>
dedicated to giving their company the highest ranking possible for the<br>
google search results. It would be unfortunate if we saw the reappearance<br>
of "text-only" sites in an attempt to get the ranking high on both
the<br>
regular google search AND the accessible google search.<br>
<br>
It will be interesting to see how this plays out...<br>
<br>
Sean Keegan<br>
Web Accessibility Instructor<br>
High Tech Center Training Unit, California Community Colleges<br>
<br>
-----Original Message-----<br>
From: <a href="mailto:athen-bounces@athenpro.org">athen-bounces@athenpro.org</a>
[mailto:athen-bounces@athenpro.org] On<br>
Behalf Of James Bailey<br>
Sent: Thursday, August 03, 2006 2:43 PM<br>
To: Access Technologists in Higher Education Network<br>
Subject: [Athen] Google tests web search for blind<br>
<br>
<br>
Interesting article at:<br>
<a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3739435a28,00.html">http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3739435a28,00.html</a><br>
<br>
Here's a teaser:<br>
"TV Raman, a research scientist at Mountain View, California-based Google,<br>
said his project sorts search results based on the simplicity of page<br>
layout, the quality of design and the organization and labeling of<br>
information on each page."<br>
<br>
James Bailey<br>
Adaptive Technology Access Adviser, University of Oregon<br>
1299 University of Oregon<br>
Eugene, OR 97403-1299<br>
Office: 541-346-1076<br>
<a href="mailto:jbailey@darkwing.uoregon.edu">jbailey@darkwing.uoregon.edu</a><br>
<br>
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