Volunteering with Visibility Scotland

Two of our accessible communications volunteers – Sandro and Charlotte – tell us what being an accessible communications volunteer means to them, and why accessibility is so important to those with a visual impairment.

Sandro

My name is Sandro, and I am originally from Peru. I like to share my experiences and collaborate with others. This is why I am volunteering at Visibility Scotland, where I met people and got important advice to improve my day-to-day life as a visually impaired person.

It is important to find accessible websites, apps, and proper document formats where people can use them with no issues. Let’s continue improving access for everyone!

Charlotte

Why Volunteer?

How many of you spent time over Christmas indulging in on line shopping?

How many of you discovered some web sites were totally accessible to a Screen Reader but others were almost impossible to use? For example, one site I visited brought up raincoats when I had used what I’d assumed was its Search Option to find hats!

I could go on. And on! Nothing brings on a bout of swearing more than a web site which either I cannot use or is so clunky with the Screenreader, it’s not worth the effort.

To make things even more complicated, a web site may be accessible to one Screenreader but not another. Or accessible to one type of device or a particular version, but not what you are using.

This is why Visibility Scotland offers to test the accessibility of web sites and documents. And, why users of the widest possible range of Screenreaders and devices are required.

I test accessibility using Supernova on a laptop running Windows 11. Other volunteers use Voiceover running on a range of Apple products. Still others use a variety of other smartphones.

The more volunteers using more types of screenreaders, the better.

Testing the accessibility of a document or web site doesn’t take long. And, one of the bonuses is having the opportunity to read articles on a wide range of subjects; from projects on town planning to leaflets for charity organisations. An excellent way to keep the brain working and do something worthwhile. Sitting comfortably at your own desk or in your own armchair.

Thank you to Sandro and Charlotte for giving their thoughts about volunteering and to all our fantastic accessible communications volunteers.