=== Vision Accessibility -- Accessibility Handbook

Link: +
link:https://gitlab.com/alfix/freebsd-accessibility[Project Repository] URL: link:https://gitlab.com/alfix/freebsd-accessibility[]

Contact: FreeBSD Accessibility mailing list <freebsd-accessibility@FreeBSD.org> +
Contact: Alfonso Sabato Siciliano <asiciliano@FreeBSD.org>

The FreeBSD Foundation is supporting a series of projects to enhance accessibility for users with visual impairments.

FreeBSD offers several assistive technologies, thanks to the dedicated work of contributors and committers.
An ongoing effort focuses on listing and documenting these accessibility features in a new handbook.
Currently, the project centers on documenting features for blind, low-vision, and colorblind users, covering both PORTS and BASE system functionalities.
For example: ports for screen magnification, screen readers (which aid users who cannot see the screen), as well as tools for adjusting colors in desktop environments.
Additionally, accessibility features available in the BASE system to enhance visibility are also being documented with examples and tips: such as the ability to modify colors, fonts, and sizes in the system's virtual console man:vt[4].

The new handbook will be organized into sections.
The first section will serve as an introduction, while the second will delve into assistive technologies for visual accessibility.
The repository mentioned above provides access to the handbook's work-in-progress, including the code (in a fork of the FreeBSD "doc" repository, accessibility-book branch) and an HTML preview.
Completion and review for publication are expected soon.
Future plans include adding a Section 3 for hearing accessibility, a Section 4 for interaction accessibility, and a "Miscellaneous" chapter in Section 1 to cover general aspects.
A discussion on this topic is available on the accessibility mailing list.

Furthermore, during this quarter, the port package:www/edbrowse[] has been updated.
This is a fully command-line web browser designed for compatibility with screen readers.
A solution is also being developed to facilitate easy color customization for TUI utilities in the BASE system, with the potential to set high contrast directly from the system installer man:bsdinstall[8].

Tips and new ideas are welcome.
If possible, send reports to the FreeBSD Accessibility mailing list, to share and to track discussions in a public place.

Sponsored by: The FreeBSD Foundation
