Blind Advocacy Group Thanks Steve Jobs for Putting VoiceOver in Mac OS X, iOS

The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) has issued a statement in light of Steve Jobs' passing this week. The Federation’s President thinks highly of the late Apple co-founder for including the most advanced accessibility features in the company’s products.

Both Apple’s Mac OS X and iOS operating systems include accessibility features that allow the visually or hearing impaired to use their computer / portable device.

VoiceOver is one of them. It’s a screen reader built into Mac OS X and iOS that the user can turn on to access their Macintosh or iPhone based on spoken description. It’s also build into the latest iPod shuffle players.

In the case of the Mac, it also familiarizes the blind with their keyboard.

The feature is designed to increase accessibility for blind and low-vision users, as well as for users with dyslexia. The latter was actually something Steve Jobs himself suffered from.

The National Federation of the Blind is the largest and most influential membership organization of blind people in the United States, with more than 50,000 members.

The NFB improves blind people’s lives through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs encouraging independence and self-confidence.

Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: “Like so many others, we are saddened to hear of the death of Steve Jobs and extend our condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues. Mr. Jobs demonstrated tremendous vision in leadership in many ways, one of which is the incorporation of access for the blind and others with disabilities into the design of Apple’s groundbreaking product line.”

“Virtually no other manufacturer of mainstream consumer technology has done more to build accessibility into its products than Apple has under Mr. Jobs’s leadership,” Maurer emphasized.

“Apple’s monumental access achievements include the ability for blind users, for the first time, to use touch-screen technology, as well as the inclusion of built-in support for Braille-aware devices. The National Federation of the Blind commends and thanks Mr. Jobs for his extraordinary work,” he said.