Blind Patrons Sue For Site Inaccessibility

[Dave_Z]

http://news.com.com/2100-1030-6038123.html

Sexton, along with a blind advocacy group, filed a class action lawsuit this week against Target, alleging that the retail giant's Web site is inaccessible to the blind and thus violates a California law that incorporates the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The suit, filed in Northern California's Alameda County Superior Court by Sexton and the Baltimore-based National Federation of the Blind (NFB), claims that Target.com, "contains thousands of access barriers that make it difficult, if not impossible, for blind customers to use."

For example, the suit charges that visual information is missing "alt-text," or invisible code that allows screen readers to detect and vocalize a description of an image. In addition, the site lacks accessible image maps, an impediment to jumping to different site destinations, the suit says. As a result, Sexton, who attends the University of California, Berkeley, says that while he can search the site for specific products, he's unable to associate prices with those goods.

 

[labrocca]

So any site using captcha would be in violation of California state law? Utterly ridiculous. I understand the need for the blind to have accessability but cmon..they can't see! Couldn't they call customer service on the phone if they wanted to make an order?

 

[Phoenix]

I try with all the sites that I own to incorporate good accessibility, but this is absolutely ridiculous. With Captcha images it is not possible for small companies to also have an auditory version (as some bigger companies do), but expecting sites to provide this is absolutely stupid.

Alt-tags are certainly good design practice, but in my opinion this is taking it too far.