There was a time when it appeared that, despite some glitches here and
there, Microsoft was really getting the accessibility message. However,
there has been actual regression in the area of accessibility with the last
several releases of Windows, and the release of the long-awaited Windows 10
is sadly no exception. Despite determined efforts by some access technology
manufacturers to remediate some of the issues, the problems with the Windows
10 rollout are a matter of grave concern for all blind Windows users, as
well as for enterprise users with blind employees who are considering
company-wide upgrades to Windows 10. Indeed, Microsoft has publicly
acknowledged that access technology users will encounter accessibility
barriers on its own accessibility blog, although of course the company tries
to put the best possible face on things. Nonetheless, Microsoft's
euphemistically branded upgrade considerations for those using access
technology reveal that:
.The new Windows 10 internet browser, Internet Edge, is not accessible.
Users are encouraged to continue using Internet Explorer.
.Users will still need to download a third-party PDF reader, such as Adobe
Reader, because Windows 10 support for PDFs is not accessible.
.The new Mail application is also inaccessible; blind users are advised to
stick with Outlook.
Problems not mentioned by Microsoft, but which any potential Windows 10 user
who is blind will quickly discover, include the continued inaccessibility of
the Windows app store, and the fact that a blind user can never be sure
whether or not apps downloaded from said app store will be accessible.
Finally, Windows 10 is the third successive iteration of the Windows
operating system with no built-in Braille support whatsoever, a blow to
Braille readers and a showstopper for the deaf-blind.
It's worth reiterating that the above "considerations" pose several problems
for Microsoft's enterprise customers, who cannot simply deploy Windows 10
throughout their offices if they have blind employees. They will need to
individually configure blind employees' computers to retain access to
Internet Explorer and Outlook, and they will need to install third-party PDF
readers on each blind employee's machine.
We continue to hope that recent developments at Microsoft, including
progress in increasing the accessibility of the suite of Office applications
for Apple computers and devices, hail better accessibility news ahead. The
Windows 10 launch, however, can only be described as discouraging and
disappointing. Enterprise administrators considering Windows 10 upgrades,
beware of the accessibility issues in Windows 10 and the harmful
consequences that they will have for your blind employees, as well as the
risks they may pose to your organization. We suggest that all individuals
and entities affected contact Microsoft and let the company know that its
continued failure to maintain and improve access to Windows is unacceptable.
Chris Danielsen
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