All About Access

Those of you who use the Duxbury braille translator are undoubtedly familiar with that age old question, a question far more weighty than such trivial matters as the meaning of life and what not: Will my keyboard let me six-key?

As you may recall from my [March 8th article](http://blog.carrolltech.org/archives/12 “Another Google Access Issue: Visual Verification Systems”) and/or from [Darrell’s article on Blind Access Journal](http://nu7i.blogspot.com/2005/03/ask-google-to-unlock-visua_111012189804844249.html ” Ask Google to Unlock Visual Verification for the Blind”), Google uses a visual verification system to verify that people signing up for new accounts are really people signing up for new accounts and not automated systems seeking to exploit Google’s services. This system is also required to reset your password for your general Google account and, according to Darrell, your GMail account.

As you may already know, Joanne Wilson resigned from her position as the head of the Rehabilitation Services Administration in early February. RSA is the federal agency that administers, among other programs, Vocational Rehabilitation. Each state has a Vocational Rehabilitation agency, funded through a combination of federal and state monies, that exists for the sole purpose of providing the training and supports necessary for people with disabilities to gain and/or maintain employment and lead independent lives.

In a [recent article in National Journal Magazine](http://nationaljournal.com/cgi-bin/ifetch4?ENG+NJMAG+7-njindex+1113974-REVERSE+0+1+233+F+1+1+1+ex%2dchief+AND+protests “Administration – Ex-Chief Protests Changes for Disabled”), Joanne Wilson speaks out:

As you may have seen in yesterday’s article and subsequent comments, Yahoo has a visual verification system that requires new users to type the characters displayed in a picture in order to be approved for an account. The alternative Yahoo provides for users with visual impairments is a form through which you can request that a customer service representative call you—not as good as being able to access an audio representation of the picture immediately, like Hotmail provides, but still an indication that Yahoo cares about this issue.

[Darrell Shandrow](http://nu7i.blogspot.com/2005/03/ask-google-to-unlock-visua_111012189804844249.html “Blind Access Journal: Ask Google to Unlock Visual Verification for the Blind”) found another barrier to access at Google: visual verification to reset your GMail password. (more…)

There’s been quite a bit of discussion in the blogosphere regarding the [latest version of Google’s toolbar](http://toolbar.google.com/T3/index “Visit the Google Toolbar 3 beta site”), currently in public beta. At the center of the controversy is AutoLink, a feature which may be useful, harmless, or the end of civilization as we know it. It depends on whom you ask. A few samplings from the anti-AutoLink camp include [Dave Winer](http://www.thetwowayweb.com/2005/02/22#a272 “Google’s Toolbar and Content Modification”), [GeekNews](http://www.geeknewscentral.com/archives/003879.html “Open Letter to Google”), and [Dave’s Ramblings](http://blog.captivereefing.com/2005/02/17/googles-world-domination/ “Google’s Word Domination”). In the pro-AutoLink camp, you’ll find sentiments such as those of [Fred von Lohmann](http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/archives/003377.php “Who Owns Your Desktop? You Do!”), [Yoz Grahame](http://cheerleader.yoz.com/archives/001928.html “A response to Dave Winer about Google AutoLink”), and [Anil Dash](http://www.dashes.com/anil/2005/02/17/free_the_user_a “Free the User Agents!”).

As is often the case, I find myself in yet another camp: the Just Make It Talk Camp. (more…)

Thinking of getting an iPod? Read the review.