The Winning Way

Good Morning!
I Have Been Thinking

Design

You probably know that writing pages for a blind group is one of the special projects that I have been doing for some time now. Designing web pages (or any type of user interface for that matter) for individuals with color vision deficiencies can be a challenge.

Design Principles: Over the next few days I will cover a few of my personal principles for designing attractive informational web pages for the vision impaired that I found to be quite helpful.

Before one would even begin to design pages for the visually impaired it is important to understand at least a little bit the Americans with Disabilities Act. The purpose of this act is of course to help make life as accessible to people with disabilities as it is to people with no disabilities. The web and using the web is just one of those things that is becoming as much a part of life as the telephone or other forms of communication.

The blind use screen readers to make the web accessible to people who cannot see, but who can hear the written word. The key is therefore everything a designer can do to make the site – well accessible to the screen readers.

We spend a lot of time on design and on the graphics used, even on background colors and the exact positioning of the graphics for the most impact. The can still have the effect you want by following some new to you rules.

Opportunity is never lost
It goes To Those Ready to Accept It!

Carolyn

Ice Breakers

Car Wash

A church choir was putting on a car wash to raise money for a special trip to Bethlehem.They made a large sign that read:

CAR WASH FOR CHOIR TRIP.

On the scheduled Saturday, business was very good. But, by two o’clock the sky clouded, the rain poured, and there were hardly any customers. Finally, one of the soprano singers had an idea.

She printed a very large poster with the words:

WE WASH. GOD RINSES.

(Next to the words was an arrow pointing skyward.)
Business boomed!

Thought for Today:
“Age is just such an incredible blessing, the softening and the rounding of corners. And the sort of meat-tenderizing effects of aging. Like being a stone in the river – the sanding down of the sharp edges. ”
-Anne Lamott

Tips and Techniques

Goal: I want to lose 40 pounds
Purpose: So I can feel good and feel better about myself
Things to do:
1. Decide that I am going to do this no matter what
2. Keep track of calories in and calories out. There is a neat little tool available at 24 hour Fitness called the bug that will help do this.
3. Get in 15 – 20 minutes exercise twice a day. Fun kind of exercise like Sweating with the Oldies with Richard Simmons. This is available again from Time Life online.
4. Keep a daily journal
5. Put a picture of slimmer me on the refrigerator

Happy designing!

Tags: Anne Lamott, designing, goals, low vision