Lion Brand customizes Web site for their blind and visually impaired visitors

Manhattan, New York – December 9, 2006 - The Lion Brand Yarn Company has redesigned their Web site to accommodate the needs of the blind and visually impaired. Through recent surveys, the company found that about 16% of their users were visually impaired in some way and would benefit from the improvements.

The most popular feature is the “Pattern Finder,” a unique search tool that locates patterns from an archive of over 1,450 knit and crochet patterns, most of which are free. Every one of over 1,100 free knit and crochet patterns on the Web site is available in three formats: standard, large type and brailler.

As part of a program to create a Web site that is designed to serve the needs of different customers and is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act(ADA), the company asked for information about their Web site visitors preferences in viewing patterns. Since that time, 49,139 (13.5%) have requested large type, 5,994 (about 2%) say they use jaws (this is text-to-speech system for those that are blind but can hear)and 2,176 (about 0.6%) say they use input in the format for the Duxbury brailler. The brailler is used by people who prefer braille or they may be people who neither see nor hear. A Yahoo group of blind knitters guided the company’s web developer, Nancy Miracle, in creating the specialized software.

All told, 57,309 persons (about 16% of Lion Brand's new subscribers) indicate that they are vision impaired in one way or another to the point where they appreciate the new special formatting of the Lion Brand Web site.

Press Contact:
Ilana Rabinowitz
The Lion Brand Yarn Co.
(201) 804-3999
Ilana@lionbrand.com

About Lion Brand Yarn
The Lion Brand Yarn Company, is a 128-year-old entity and is America's oldest hand knitting yarn company. Founded in 1878, the company began operation in New York and has been a leading supplier of quality hand knitting and crochet yarns ever since. Throughout its history, Lion Brand Yarn has been at the forefront of yarn trends while consistently providing its customers with the highest quality product, service and inspiration.

This release was published on openPR.