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To: Interested Persons
From: Curtis Chong
USIDS002 AT IBMMAIL
Internet: USIDS002@IBMMAIL.COM
Subject: Seamless Access and Next Generation Systems
Here are my comments to Gregg Vanderheiden.
Cordially, Curtis Chong (CURTC)
Communication Software Support Group (CSSG) Phone: 612/671-2185
IDS Financial Services, IDS Tower-10, OP4/591
Minneapolis, MN 55440
*** Forwarding note from E12303 --IDSVM1 09/09/93 18:09 ***
To: I1007330--IBMMAIL Gregg Vanderheiden
From: Curtis Chong
USIDS002 AT IBMMAIL
Internet: USIDS002@IBMMAIL.COM
Subject: Seamless Access and Next Generation Systems
Hello, Gregg:
I have read the two documents you sent me on these subjects.
First, thanks for converting them to ASCII, and further, thanks
for incorporating text descriptions of the figures.
I believe that you have a good grasp of the accessibility
problems that are posed by the up and coming dedicated function
devices. I was pleased to read your comments about the
importance of efficiency when developing any access solution.
If, in fact, a seamless access protocol can be developed (one
that the larger companies in the industry will adhere to) perhaps
the blind will not be "shut out" from the new dedicated function
devices that are sure to proliferate over the next decade.
Although I do not have any specific answers for the problems you
raised, I do believe (as I believe you believe) that it is
critical for the ultimate beneficiaries of any developed protocol
to participate actively and thoughtfully in the development
process. Only in this manner will we as consumers be able to
achieve the maximum benefit of any planning, thinking, and
research that is carried on in an effort to develop a seamless
access protocol.
If you have written anything on possible solutions to the
problem--particularly as they relate to the blind--I would be
interested in reading what you have written. Or, if you would
simply share some of your thoughts on the subject, that would be
fine, too.
Here is some of my thinking. For blind people, it is highly
important that buttons that must be pushed have a definite
tactile feel to them. In other words, there should be a way to
find a button tactually before one needs to apply any pressure to
it.
Secondly, if the surface to be pushed does not provide immediate
tactile feedback when it is pressed, the device should provide
some kind of an audible indication to confirm that, indeed, the
button has been pressed.
Does the device need to produce speech output? That is
debateable, depending upon the device. I do not advocate, for
example, that all automatic teller machines must speak--albeit
through a standard headphone jack as some have proposed. True,
it would be nice if speech output were provided, but hardly
essential if the machine has a fairly logical sequence of
operations that must be performed to accomplish an ordinary task.
Today, I am able to operate at least three ATM's to withdraw
money with little difficulty. Admittedly, if I run into trouble
(bad card, insufficient cash in account, etc.), I can only guess
at the problem. But is it really reasonable for me to "require"
all ATM's to talk? Frankly, I am not as certain as I might have
been once.
Speech output will probably be necessary in any of the
sophisticated applications you described. Only with speech
output could we take advantage of, say, a library application or
a travel reservation system. It would be nice if speech output
was incorporated into the device as an integral part of the
system as opposed to being "specially designed" for the blind.
However, I do not know how much the general technology industry
will buy into this--at least for the next while. At some magical
point in the future, I suppose that speech output will be a
natural part of all computers, but not yet.
Well, these are my thoughts--at least for now. I am glad that
you and others continue to pursue the subject. Please continue
to involve blind people in your work.
Cordially, Curtis Chong (CURTC)
Communication Software Support Group (CSSG) Phone: 612/671-2185
IDS Financial Services, IDS Tower-10, OP4/591
Minneapolis, MN 55440
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