screen reader users cannot cast votes in this dialogue!
How on Earth can we be having an online dialogue about improving implementation of Section 508 using a platform that, itself, is not compliant with Section 508? Those of us who use screen readers cannot even vote on the ideas! Giving us an inaccessible platform on which to cast our votes for aspects of an issue that is so vitally important to our ability to access information and participate in the federal workforce ...more »
How on Earth can we be having an online dialogue about improving implementation of Section 508 using a platform that, itself, is not compliant with Section 508? Those of us who use screen readers cannot even vote on the ideas! Giving us an inaccessible platform on which to cast our votes for aspects of an issue that is so vitally important to our ability to access information and participate in the federal workforce is extremely insulting and demoralizing, and seems to show a callous disregard for those who are most affected by these issues, or a blatant and inexcusable lack of knowledge about what is and isn't Section 508 compliant.
A person using a screen reader cannot vote using keystrokes. A more advanced user, trying some features of the screen reader that try to make up for the fact that many applications are not developed using accessibility standards, can think that she has managed to vote. She will hear the "I agree" link change to "you agree", hear the number of votes increase, and get a "retract" link for her supposed vote. But she will later return to the site to find that her votes appear to have been cast for comments for which she didn't vote, and even for those, she will not see her name listed in the voter activity.
I call on the sponsors of this campaign to please remedy this situation ASAP! Offering us an e-mail address isn't sufficient. It isn't sufficient for any federal agency trying to remedy a Section 508 violation, and it certainly isn't sufficient or appropriate for the sponsors of a campaign for improving implementation of Section 508!
There is another comment related to this issue: "IdeaScale screen Reader Accessibility". I tried to vote for it, but since I can't, I'm forced to resort to posting my own comment.
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