Glenda Watson-Hyatt is a web accessibility professional based in Canada. Amongst other publications, Glenda was responsible for the Simplified Web Accessibility Guide, making the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 easy to understand.

Book coverGlenda has recently published her autobiography: I’ll do it myself. Glenda has had cerebral palsy from birth and this book shares her thoughts, experiences and challenges growing up and living with cerebral palsy. She has a lighthearted, humours tone as illustrated in the following excerpt:


Speech therapy seemed rather bizarre to me. The therapist sat on a floor mat, with me lying on my back between her outstretched legs. My legs wrapped around her waist and her stinky toes in close proximity to my nose. She then proceeded to stick her fingers in my mouth to wiggle my lips, supposedly to loosen them. She alternated between her fingers and ice cubes. Then, for the actual speaking exercise, she pushed on my chest in attempts to improve my breathing capacity. After all those years of this hefty woman pushing down on my chest, I am convinced that was why I was such a late bloomer.

The thing that puzzled me, as I laid there on my back staring at the ceiling tiles, was what was I suppose to do when I met people outside as I got older? Was I to lay down on my back, on the floor, before speaking to them? I envisioned myself sprawled out on the ground when meeting a friend at the shopping mall or grocery store. Definitely not a dignified thought. Perhaps not surprisingly, pillow talk is some of my clearest speech!
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After the speech therapist with stinky toes, I had one for a brief time who had me sit up for the entire session. What a concept! One of the most sensible things we did was make an alphabet card, small enough to carry with me, that I could use when people didn’t understand what I was saying. I simply spelled out the word on the card. Sometimes the low-tech solution works the best. I’ve had many variations of that card through the years.

In order to promote her book she is going on a Virtual book tour with the goal to visit 40 Blogs in 40 (Business) Days Tour. This is the start of the last week and I am happy to be bringing the tour over to the UK.

  1. What do you primarily use the internet for?

    The internet is an integral part of much of what I do. I spend much time using the internet for networking and communicating with others, as well as for research. Given my physical disability, the internet has opened so many opportunities for me; I’d be lost without it now. 


  2. Which web sites do you use on a regular basis?

    I use Google and MyYahoo, which is my feed reader, almost daily. There are also several blogs I read regularly, including: Escape from Cubicle Nation, Successful and Outstanding Blogs, and AWeber Blog.

  3. What is your favorite web site and why?

    Because I use Google almost daily, I have to say it is one of my favourite websites; definitely my favourite search engine. I like its clean, crisp and simple design. There no dancing or flickering doo-dahs to annoy or distract me. I can quickly search for what I need and then move on.

  4. What are common stumbling blocks on web sites?

    With my cerebral palsy, I have an overactive startle reflex; it is simply something that I cannot control. When unexpected music or sound begins once a webpage loads, I nearly jump out of my skin! Unless I can quickly turn down or mute the volume, I hastily hit the Back button, never to return.

    
Another obstacle for me is those fly-out menus that require precise mouse movement before they vanish again. Invariably I end up clicking the wrong link and going somewhere that I didn’t want to go. Unfortunately, I cannot tab through those specific menus, which would make navigating those sites less frustrating. Again, I do not stay at those sites longer than I absolutely have to. Similarly, image maps with small clickable areas can require fine hand control. I am grateful when redundant text links are also provided.

  5. What is the one request that you would have for web designers and developers?

    I would request that designers and developers embrace universal design – design that includes everyone. Universal design is critical so that everyone can equally and fully participate in all that the internet has to offer. 



    Niqui, thank you for hosting today’s appearance of my virtual book tour. I truly appreciate it. I would like to invite your readers to follow the final week of my virtual book tour at www.doitmyselfblog.com.

Thanks Glenda for taking the time to respond to my questions and sharing your life with us through your book. I wish you all the best.