Test the Nation was a one-time quiz show CBC Television ran last week, hosted by Wendy Mesley and Brent Bambury, the still-remarkably-well-preserved “bachelor.” I tuned in late and got nearly all the word and number answers right, but face-planted completely on many others. Fun in a sort of Omni magazine/faux-Mensa kind of way.
Anyway, the companion site is something the CBC is so proud of it got coverage on the official blog. As it was created in Flash by nonexpert developers, without even bothering to open it up I know it wouldn’t be usable by a blind person, and probably not by a low-vision person. Really, I don’t have to check.
Was this a problem? Well, yes, because the TV show was inaccessible too. As several people wrote on the Blind Canadians mailing list:
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So, did anybody else attempt CBC’s Test the Nation program, a national IQ test?
Luckily I had sighted family around to at least read the choices to the non-visual questions. I realize some of the standard IQ test is visual, but Wendy Mesley could have at least read out the choices for the non-visual questions, not just the initial question or, in some instances, only part of the question.
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I tried to answer a few, but since the person didn’t read all the questions out I had more trouble, even though I have some usable vision. I would have failed miserably.
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I turned it on and was very disappointed with the CBC, again, on being so inaccessible to the visually impared. I realize the visuals would have been tough, but why not described audio[? Because it was a live show.] Pretty poor when the supposed Canadian Broadcasting [Corporation] ignores disabled.