Greetings and felicitations:
I submit for your edification an item of correspondence I received
from Microsoft regarding access to some of its development
software. This correspondence was generated as a result of an
inquiry I made to Microsoft concerning whether or not Microsoft
Access was compatible with screen reading technology for the blind.
The question I raised was this:
"What development tools do you know about which are
either inimical to or friendly toward access technology
for the blind....Will there come a time when MS
development tools will incorporate accessibility features
as an integral part of their design?"
In retrospect, it seems that I may have inadvertently left out an
important point--that being the ability of Microsoft development
software to generate applications which, in and of themselves,
follow the Microsoft accessibility guidelines.
If I may be permitted a certain amount of editorial license, I am
encouraged by the Microsoft response. All of us wish that
Microsoft had acted sooner to address accessibility issues. Be
that as it may, the fact is that the company is now making a good
effort. For this, it should be commended.
Here is the correspondence.
Regards,
Curtis Chong
chong99@concentric.net
=================================================================
Date: Fri, 5 Sep 1997 14:58:21 -0700
From: Howie Dickerman <howied@microsoft.com>
To: "Charles (Chuck) Oppermann" <chuckop@microsoft.com>,
'Curtis Chong' <Chong99@concentric.net>
Subject: RE: Microsoft Development Tools and Accessibility
The Microsoft Access team is definitely working on improving
accessibility with each new version of the product.
This means that the next version of Access will include a number of
accessibility features that didn't exist in previous versions.
The work that we're doing includes:
* easier ways to use all of the product's functionality via the
keyboard
* use of system colors in high contrast mode
* integration of msaa (Microsoft Active Accessibility)
interfaces into Access forms, controls and datasheets
One of the difficulties that we've encountered is that our products
and accessibility aids do not evolve at the same pace. For
example, we incorporated msaa interfaces into Office 97 Command
Bars, (that version's replacement for toolbars and menus,) but
there were no screen readers on the market that were able to work
with these interfaces at the time that Office 97 shipped. Several
screen readers that work with these interfaces have (or will soon)
become available since that time.
I'd like to assure you that we have made a firm committment to
making sure that the accessibility of the Microsoft Access product
improves with each version.
If you'd like to discuss this further, please feel free to give me
a call.
Thanks,
Howie Dickerman
Program Manager, Microsoft Access
(425) 936-9664
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