Site Accessibility

[william.lethal]

After looking around the site for a while- specifically at the design I found 1 major flaw- accessibility!

 

Geocaching.com is making it difficult for visually impaired geocachers with:

# A tables-based layout which is difficult to access with a screen reader and doesn't scale when text is enlarged.

# 'Click here' links which provide no information about where the link leads to (when a link list function of a screenreader or notetaker is used and the text around the link is omitted)

# Without images- the search buttons on the home page just appear as 'Button'

# If the site was read with a screen reader, no difference between headers and paragraph text could be heard because header tags have not been used.

# No high-contrast options.

 

Its only fair that everyone can enjoy geocaching, not just fully sighted people.

 

What needs to be done? A healthy dose of CSS to create a new design. I'd be happy to help!

[jholly]

I think you would be better off posting this on Geocaching.com Web site. That is the forum for feature requests and site comments. You might get a better response there. I'm not blowing you off, just pointing out the more appropriate forum.

 

Jim

[+Michael]

Moved to the proper forum

[+Caching Scout]

Maybe you should actually find some caches first, before complaining about the website.

Besides they are revamping the site to version 2 soon.

[Keystone]

That is not a very helpful post. The OP is a newcomer who has given valid observations of site behavior from an unusual perspective. We have no idea whether v2/Project Phoenix will make the site easier to navigate by visually impaired users. By suggesting that this issue be looked at, the thread makes a helpful contribution to the forums.

 

And before someone else makes a wisecrack, you haven't seen true geocaching talent until you've watched a legally blind geocacher beat three other experienced cachers to a fake guardrail bolt cache just by feeling the guardrail for something that seemed out of place. I've had the privilege of being humbled by that and by many other cache finds scored by a visually impaired geocacher.

[+Confucius' Cat]

Have you tried the wap version? LINK

 

It is not pretty, but it is scalable (at least it worked for me in Firefox® )

 

(posted in large font to help out- I know a LITTLE bit about where you're coming from as my eyes are getting a little "age" on them)

[+sTeamTraen]

There are good standards for visually-impaired accessibility to Web sites and they are not especially expensive to implement if it's built in from the start. I certainly hope the new site design will incorporate them.

 

However, "just" adding CSS stuff to an existing site is likely to be frustrating, expensive, and ineffective.

 

My vote for making any Windows application easier to read - although not specifically aimed at the vision- impaired - is ZoomIt. Microsoft were so impressed, they bought the company.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

There are good standards for visually-impaired accessibility to Web sites and they are not especially expensive to implement if it's built in from the start. I certainly hope the new site design will incorporate them.

 

However, "just" adding CSS stuff to an existing site is likely to be frustrating, expensive, and ineffective.

 

My vote for making any Windows application easier to read - although not specifically aimed at the vision- impaired - is ZoomIt. Microsoft were so impressed, they bought the company.

 

Web site accessibility zealots seem to be everywhere. If the geocaching.com site were made Section 508 compliant, that's hardly going to do much to make geocaching more accessible. How man GPS receivers are 'accessible"? How many *caches* are accessible for the visually impaired? While we're at it lets eliminate all puzzle caches as they would be too challenging for those with cognitive impairments.

 

Visual-impairment is not the *only* disability but is one that easy to target due the existence of screen readers. I suspect that worldwide, the number of people that are functionally illiterate is vastly greater than those with visual impairments yet I rarely see any web sites which are constructed for someone that can't read let alone available in multiple languages.

[+Confucius' Cat]

Certainly agreed on the GPS part. I would give a few extra bucks for the ability to easily read the coord numbers on the input screen.

 

Same could be said for cellphones. Some have limited large font options but I find it strange that the higher end units don't seem to be as easy to change. The Q® for example, has a large font option that works for a few of the screens but is noticeably lacking on others and I have found that activating the large font makes SOME of the features inaccessible due to not being able to select them from the screen.

 

Good® software for the Q®, which emulates corporate Exchange® services is abysmal for large type readability. The "LARGE" font is more like "not quite so micro."

 

Large fonts on these devices is not just for the visually challenged but is a good idea to make quick reading easier and less distracting when in motion.

[Ferreter5]

Certainly agreed on the GPS part. I would give a few extra bucks for the ability to easily read the coord numbers on the input screen.

I wonder if sheet magnifiers come in small sizes and could be sticky on one side like the clear screen protectors some folks use on their GPS receivers? If so, you could stick one of those on your GPS receiver and get both magnification and screen protection!

Edited March 18, 2008 by Ferreter5

[+Thrak]

Have you considered trying ZoomText? I installed it for a friend who is blind in one eye and has truly horrid vision in the other. It can either simply blow up the screen or it can do that and also function as a screen reader with voice output.

 

I realize this doesn't address accessibility for the web site but, if you are visually impaired but can still see, it may be your best bet - not only for this site but for computing in general.

[+Phipps Family]

Maybe it is just me, but if I was the original poster I would find the large text replies offensive. Looks to me like those posters were trying to be smart-donkeys!

[Ferreter5]

Maybe it is just me, but if I was the original poster I would find the large text replies offensive. Looks to me like those posters were trying to be smart-donkeys!

I think people were just trying to be helpful.

 

Personally, I replied to Confucius' Cat using the same size font they had used in their post, especially since earlier in the thread they had said:

(posted in large font to help out- I know a LITTLE bit about where you're coming from as my eyes are getting a little "age" on them)

[OpinioNate]

This site today is basically the same core of the original site built 8 years ago, so many "best practices" we have today were not employed at that time.

 

However, the new version of the website being worked on currently is written entirely in CSS, so screen readers will find it much more friendly to work with. Hang in there a while longer and it will be music to your ears.

[william.lethal]

I'm and now have 2 caches under my belt. It's been heaps of fun. Anyway, I was just making a suggestion and its good to hear something is being done. I better buy a premium mebership to help it along.

 

PS: Thanks for the large text replies although I'm 15 so I don't need it but I'm sure some of you older ones found it helpful. And yes, they have talking GPS but its specifically designed for the blind.

 

Byebye!

[+Harry Dolphin]

Computer screens are very difficult for the visually impaired. I'm glad to see that modern technology is resolving some of the problems, and the Geocaching will be taking advantage of that.

My caching partner changed the resolution on the screen to enlarge everything, but then has to scroll the page. (And complains about my screen!) On the other hand, after cataract surgery, I am now 20/20 for distance, but wear bifocals for reading. The doctor wanted to set my focal length for the 'normal' 18". I convinced him that I needed 24" for monitor and keyboard! Our in-house software at work opens small screens at the TOP of the page. I can't read those, and have to pull them down to the bottom of the screes, every time one opens. AARGH!

It is good to see that GC will be using improved technology for the next version.

[+TotemLake]

I'm and now have 2 caches under my belt. It's been heaps of fun. Anyway, I was just making a suggestion and its good to hear something is being done. I better buy a premium mebership to help it along.

 

PS: Thanks for the large text replies although I'm 15 so I don't need it but I'm sure some of you older ones found it helpful. And yes, they have talking GPS but its specifically designed for the blind.

 

Byebye!

Nicely put for a 15 year old.

[gitarmac]

I found this thread by searching for "large fonts" because although the other sites I go to have an option for large fonts I cannot find it here. I just got a new laptop with a wide screen, the fonts are tiny and I have lots of room to make them larger. People get large screens so they can look at large words.

 

Has anyone answered the origional posters question? I'll try that zoom thing but it looks like you just typed in a larger font.

[gitarmac]

opps

Edited April 25, 2008 by gitarmac

[+sbell111]

This site today is basically the same core of the original site built 8 years ago, so many "best practices" we have today were not employed at that time.

 

However, the new version of the website being worked on currently is written entirely in CSS, so screen readers will find it much more friendly to work with. Hang in there a while longer and it will be music to your ears eyes.

Glad I could help.