Below are links to options for non-visual drawing tools that allow blind people to independently draw. They are useful for maps, wireframes, logos, sketches, geometry, or for fun. The physical options will require you to take a picture if you want to digitize the image. The digital options require a level of comfort with using
List of Non-Visual Drawing Tools Read More »
This guide presents the steps on converting a PDF or picture map to vector data using free software that is computer readable and accessible.
How to Convert from PDF to Geojson Using QGIS Read More »
Many maps are created using paint or other drawing tools and then saved as PDFs for sharing. The issue is that PDF maps are not computer-readable, which creates several barriers. This post will discuss why you should convert PDF maps to vector data and show how to do this process. What is Geographic Vector Data?
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Understanding the accessibility of digital map tools is essential for creating inclusive and accessible maps on your app or website. This is a systematic comparison of the accessibility of top digital map tools. This post is a partial summary of the journal article titled: Systematically Evaluating Digital Map Tools Based on the WCAG (Opens a
Digital Map Tool Accessibility Comparison Read More »
This post explains how to create detailed map descriptions and discusses their pros and cons. The instructions are based on both the landmark, route, and survey knowledge framework (Opens in a new tab) and the audio description guide from UniDescription project (Opens in a new tab). Detailed map text descriptions provide a comprehensive description of
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Maps are complex visual tools that convey a lot of information. But how can we ensure their text alternatives are accessible? Traditionally, making geographic maps (Opens a new tab) accessible involves focusing on the “point” of the map. Is the alternative text conveying the primary objective? However, this approach is neither legal nor compliant with
How to Systematically Evaluate The Text Accessibility of a Map With Examples Read More »
These three questions will save you hours of time, make the world more inclusive, and help your business be welcoming and accessible to everyone. I’m often asked for my thoughts on business technology. It’s fantastic that a blind employee is asked for their input. The problem is neither I nor any other blind person has
The First Three Questions to Ask Before Considering Any Digital System for Your Business Read More »
On July 7, 2024, the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) (Opens a new tab), passed a “resolution” asking all federal agencies, and universities/colleges to use inclusive digital maps (Opens a new tab). These inclusive digital maps need to allow both accessible viewing and creation. The NFB is the largest blindness and low-vision consumer organization
Understanding an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) is super important in today’s world. Accessibility isn’t just a nice thing to have; it’s a must. ACRs show how companies make sure their products can be used by everyone, but not all ACRs are the same. A report that’s not done well might not truly show how accessible
One of the first questions when studying data representation is to understand what exactly is meant by a particular term, in this case, a “map”. Most dictionary definitions are visual centric emphasizing a visual representation (Opens a new tab), drawing (Opens a new tab), or flat surface (Opens a new tab), but I like the definition by Wikipedia (Opens
What is the Definition of a Map? Read More »
