Google Asked to Make Its Visual Word Verification Accessible
Published: Jun 22, 2007An online petition asking Google to make its word verification scheme accessible to the blind and visually impaired is being circulated to all Internet users to collect their signatures.
The Blind Access Journal has called upon all Internet users to sign the Google Word Verification Accessibility Petition asking Google to provide an accessible alternative to the visual verification scheme. Google’s implementation of word verification currently denies blind and visually impaired users the ability to access to important features, such as the ability to create accounts and blogs, change passwords, and post comments to most blogs that use the Blogger service. America Online, Microsoft, PayPal and SpamArrest have already provided accessible solutions to visual verification. The petition asks Google to follow this lead with an audio playback implementation now, followed by the creation of new innovative approaches that meet the needs of all users, including the deaf-blind population.
The signed petition will be sent, via certified mail, to Dr. Eric Schmidt, Google’s CEO, after collecting a significant number of signatures. Visual verification without accessibility represents an immediate and growing concern to the continued ability of the blind and visually impaired to participate in all the Internet has to offer on terms of equality with their sighted peers.
The Blind Access Journal wants the press release to be widely distributed to all independent and mainstream media outlets. Email and telephone queries are welcome from all interested in this vital effort.
Source: Magnifiers.org
