Beyond the Inherited Red-Green Colour-blindness Issue
I introduced Richard and his Website to you last week, as Richard provided a means to examine individuals who suffer from inherited types of red-green colourblindness, which is the most common colour-blindness condition. Throughout the explanations, I also provided samples of how anamolous trichomats and dichromats view flickr’s Website. The tests were provided by Colour-blind Web Page Filter, and the results showed that the most severe problem in Website design and development concerned a lack of contrast between background colours and text, or between links and surrounding body copy. Without this contrast, some viewers might experience difficulty when they attempt to read content on your site.
This week, I’ll introduce you to Vickie, a woman who also suffers from colour-blindness. Like Richard, she talks about this issue on the Website that she created below. This link leads to a very down-to-earth explanation about how she struggles with colour choices in her Website development and how she reacts to colours in other Websites as well as in her daily life.
Vickie’s Website
Unlike Richard, who states that most Website colour issues were not a concern to him, Vickie writes that some Websites are so repellent to her – especially sites which use bright colours – that she has to surf past those sites. Vickie doesn’t name her condition like Richard did, but she offers a chance to discover more about other colour-blind issues and about other vision problems as well. She also represents the gender which exhibits a smaller percentage of the colour-blind population; therefore her statements provide an alternate voice to Richard’s perspectives.
Linda Goin carries an A.A. in graphic design, a B.F.A. in visual communications with a minor in business and marketing and an M.A. in American History with a minor in the Reformation. While the latter degree doesn't seem to fit with the first two educational experiences, Linda used her 25-year design expertise on archaeological digs and in the study of material culture. Now she uses her education and experiences in social media experiments.