Ten Yandex services now accessible to blind users
Ten Yandex services now accessible to blind users
09.12.2022
Ten Yandex services and applications now support screen access programmes.
The first Yandex service fully to work with screen readers was Taxi introduced in November last year. The list has since been expanded to include Search, Yandex Shop, Browser, users of Disc for computers and smartphones, a web version of Maps, Mail and Translator applications, Yandex with Alice and Smart Camera.
Special software – screen readers – read a screen’s contents out loud, thereby enabling blind users to access the basic features of the ten services without needing any help.
For example, the web version of Maps enables you to find the nearest shop, know how far away it is and check its opening times. In Shop, you can order your favourite cheese or a whole meal. The Smart Camera makes it easier to interact with the world around you and can be used to find out what is written on labels, documents and notices.
“We always translate Yandex services into the local language when launching new ones abroad. Adapting for screen readers is the same as translation. This is how blind people can learn about our services’ features and then how to use them. However, accessibility cannot always be guaranteed as it is important to carry out regular checks to ensure everything is working properly. Yandex has made such checks part of our routine work to ensure our services remain accessible with each update”, said Valeria Kurmak, Yandex’s Head of Inclusion.
Yandex representatives confirmed that more adapted services will be available in the future. A team of experts that includes blind people is monitoring work in this area, regularly assessing how easy it is to use the various services and where improvements need to be made.
