Fisk Brett tackles fundraising database accessibility for visually impaired users
Howard Lake | 2 February 2005 | News
Software suppliers Fisk Brett and sight charity Action for Blind People have worked together to product “the first charity CRM database for visually impaired employees.”
Fisk Brett’s Progress CRM database has undergone extensive development to allow those with visual impairment to use the system alongside those with full sight.
The software company claim that “this is the first charity specific database that is fully compatible with screen reading software and can be used extensively by visually impaired users”.
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Developed against the backdrop of the extensions to the Disability Discrimination Act that came into force in October 2004, these enhancements to Progress will mean that charities with visually impaired staff will be able to choose a database that is inclusive to all employees and will help reduce discrimination in the workplace.
![[Action for Blind People logo]](https://www.fundraising.co.uk/graphics/logos/actionforblindpeople.gif)
The collaboration began in early 2004 when software developers at Fisk Brett met with the database team at Action for Blind People to discuss the requirements needed.
“The key requirement was to make necessary changes to Progress to allow it to work alongside screen reading software, namely Supernova”, explained Morris Evans, a developer working on the project.
“This meant rewriting codes, making all actions accessible from the keyboard via shortcut keys, and making the tab key intuitive to the flow of fields within Progress screens. With over 350 screens in Progress this work was time consuming but with the end result meaning that Progress is more accessible it has been extremely rewarding.”
The database team at Action for Blind People then tested the redeveloped database.
Stephen Remington, Chief Executive of Action for Blind People, said: “The advancements made at Fisk Brett complement the work we do informing employers of the great contribution that blind and partially sighted people already make to the success of businesses throughout the country.”
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.