FrontlineSMS allows you to text message with large groups of people anywhere there is a mobile signal.

Accessibility with screen readers

Hi,

Recently I learnt about FrontlineSMS, and going through the site and the videos it appears that its the solution I was looking for, to scale our sms channel currently on Google having 3000+ subscribers. We use it to disseminate information to blind & low vision people in India about job openings, news trainings, court/govt orders, new products/services etc.

But after installing FrontlineSMS, I find it is not accessible with my screen reading software 'Jaws', which I use to work on computers I being partially blind. I installed Java Access Bridge but it didn't help - jaws doesn't speak a word in FrontlineSMS. Even like most softwares FrontlineSMS does not change colours as per the colour scheme being used in Windows (I use the high contrast black display in my windows based laptop).

I use a Dell machine with Windows XP and Jaws 13.

Would really appreciate if the developers could look in to this aspect of accessibility and advise. If needed, I will be happy to explain how screen readers work and about accessibility with it.

Thanks!

Pranay.

Tags: accessibility, blind, impaired, reader, screen, visually

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Florence Scialom on May 29, 2012 at 3:04pm

Hi Pranay,

Thanks for getting in touch. I've discussed this with our developer team, and they've suggested that the latest version of FrontlineSMS could potentially help with this issue. I have just emailed you some further details in follow up. Please let us know if you have any questions, and keep us posted on how you get along.

Thanks and Best Wishes

Flo

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Permalink Reply by Pranay Gadodia on May 29, 2012 at 3:34pm

Hi Florence,

Thanks indeed! Impressed with the swiftness with which the matter was looked in and also decided to be worked upon & possibly resolved in the next version.

I am sure your developers will do their research & put in their best on this front. While I was looking around for suggestions and solutions to get FrontlineSMS working for me, a friend directed me to a web page for accessibility guidelines for Java applications. So thought to share with you as well. http://www-03.ibm.com/able/guidelines/software/accesssoftware.html.

Looking forward...

Thanks again to you and the developers too!

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Permalink Reply by Florence Scialom on May 30, 2012 at 11:54am

Hi Pranay,

Thanks so much for your warm reply, and for sharing the information you've found on Java applications too.

Really pleased to hear that the later version of FrontlineSMS helped you to solve the issue. Please do stay in touch and let us know if you have further questions.

Thanks!

Flo