IBM working on web browser for the visually impaired

Filed under: Internet, Utilities, IBM

IBM is working on a new web browser designed for blind and visually impaired users. For now, the program bears the obvious codename of "Accessibility Browser," or A-Browser for short.

You'd think that all the new multimedia content on the web would make the internet more useful for the blind. But it turns out that programs designed to read web pages usually don't know how to deal with audio and video content embedded on a web page, especially if that multimedia file begins to play as soon as you load the page. In those situations, you might be stuck listening to music at the same time as the computer is trying to read the text on a page to you.

The new program makes it easier for users to control multimedia playback with predefined keyboard shortcuts, rather than having to move the mouse to an on-screen play/pause button.

[via Engadget]

IBM working on web browser for the visually impaired originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 03 Apr 2007 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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