Thunder Dog - Michael Hingson [78]
5. Catherine Mabe, “Blind Artist Wins New York City Photography Contest,” Disaboom (a network community providing information and resources for people with disabilities), September 9, 2010, http://www.disaboom.com/blind-and-visual-impairment/blind-artist-wins-new-york-city-photography-contest-exposure.
6. Kenneth Jernigan, “Blindness—A Left-Handed Dissertation,” http://www.nfb.org/Images/nfb/Publications/convent/blndnesl.htm.
Chapter 12
1. Editors of LIFE magazine, One Nation: America Remembers September 11, 2001 (LIFE, 2006).
2. Nancy Lee, Lonnie Schlein, and Mitchell Levitas, eds., A Nation Challenged: A Visual History of 9/11 and Its Aftermath (New York: New York Times/Callaway, 2002).
3. Ibid., 234.
GLOSSARY
OF TERMS RELATED
TO BLINDNESS
Adapted with permission from BraillePlus, an organization that provides alternate format documents to print-disabled individuals. For a complete version of the glossary, visit: http://www.brailleplus.net/visually_impaired_resources/Glossary/.
Accessibility: Most definitions of this term emphasize the ease of use. In the United States, several laws govern requirements for accessibility. Each of these laws, and even portions of them, is overseen by different federal agencies. Each agency is responsible for writing and publishing rules and guidelines that implement the particular law.
Accessible Format: A term that most frequently applies to visually impaired and blind users of print material. Its partner term is “Alternate Format.” Standard print is usually published in either 10-or 12-point fonts. However, 10-or 12-point type is completely inaccessible to those individuals with limited or no vision. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) sets 14 point (5 characters per inch) as the “minimum” font size. However, many other resources emphasize that this font size is only a minimum and a legally blind individual may only be able to read the largest fonts starting at 18 point (4 characters per inch). At some point (around 36 point), a print document will become nearly unusable because of the sheer volume of paper required to hold the very large print. Imagine a novel, letter or government report printed with just a very few large font words per page.
Accessible Web Design: Accessibility in web design is a measure of how easy it is to access, read, and understand the content of a web site. Accessibility is complicated by different browsers, different platforms, use of speech synthesis or indexing robots, graphics, movie clips, and sound files. Consideration must be given to many aspects of the site including fonts, color, spacing, background colors, use of tables, and animation.
ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act): The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a complex set of laws. The law assigns regulatory and investigative responsibilities to various agencies. Each responsible agency has published its regulations and complaint processes. Complaints and/or lawsuits can be filed on any discriminatory act within certain time frames.
Adaptive Technology, Assistive Technology: In the broadest sense, this term addresses the use of some sort of tool to deal with limitations presented by a disability—wheelchair, magnifier, talking computer.
Assistance Animal: A generic term referring to those animals specially trained to help people with disabilities with various activities. Such trained animals and their use are protected under the ADA. No such animal may be excluded from lodging, public accommodations or public agencies. The use of a guide dog by blind people is covered by this provision as well as the use of a Hearing Dog, Animal Companion, and Service Animals by those with other disabilities.
Audio Tactile: Cutting edge technology that combines the use of a tactile (raised line) graphic, a touch screen or drawing pad, and computer software. A file is loaded into the computer that has commentary associated with different areas of the touch screen. The tactile graphic