Easy Chirp : web accessibility for the Twitter.com website application

skip to sign in | skip to main content

Kickstarter succeeds!

The Kickstarter for Easy Chirp 2 was successful. Thanks to everyone who supported this campaign! Due to the Twitter API change, I may be out of service starting June 2013, but look for Easy Chirp 2 to be launch soon after that.

Web accessibility for the Twitter website application

Easy Chirp is a web-accessible alternative to the Twitter.com website. It is designed to be easier to use and is optimized for disabled users. It also works with keyboard-only, older browsers like IE6, lowband internet connection, and without JavaScript. Learn more about web accessibility.

Refer to the development tasks further down this page for items currently in progress. Learn more about Easy Chirp on the About and Features pages. You may also read an extensive list of user feedback and blogs/articles about this application.

Sign in with Twitter

Donate to Easy Chirp

Latest Tweets from Easy Chirp

The Top 15 Countries Ranked by #Twitter Growth [worthy, but longdesc fail] http://t.co/WHPVbewzvm #sm #stats
MT @lordjeff Dolphin: first to provide magnification, speech & braille on Windows 8 http://t.co/ckH6nMjj6T #a11y #win8
Web/doc Accessibility Specialist wanted in #Austin http://t.co/DG2tbBOAMt #a11y #jobs via @Accessible_jobs
Lessons learned from the #gamification of #accessibility http://t.co/tYzWHyMtFL #a11y HT @jkiss @gdkraus
@knowbility Thank you. @dboudreau @CharJTF @karlgroves @LFLegal
Five more years of inaccessibility? http://t.co/kXagSiI566 by NFB's Lauren McLarney on the need to pass the TEACH act. #a11y

Follow me on Twitter at: @EasyChirp.

Share

Article & Blog Mentions

Report: Sociability, Social Media for People with a Disability (Preparedness For All)
Accessible Twitter: how it should have been done to start with | Digg this!
Accessible Twitter: Advancement through technology (Nomensa)

View more on the Articles & Feedback page.

What People Are Tweeting

@MacMac725 Besides ttytter, Easy Chirp and Pidgin, are your best bet.
from Trenton Matthews (TrentonTheTMan)

@KevanGP I got it but not too sure how to use it.or if I like it...I use #EasyChirp.
from blindnascarfan :D (blindnascarfan)

To discuss @EasyChirp and other tools that make social media communications more accessible @ Tech Trends Panel #mlanet13
from Andrew Youngkin (hrvstrofinfo)

EASY CHIRP: Web accesible para manejo de Twitter multiplataforma http://t.co/52ejn9kSko vía @manuelcortez00
from Manuel Cortéz (manuelcortez00)

A huge thank you goes out to everyone who helped donate to the kick starter program for this lovely accessibility tool @EasyChirp is awesom
from J.R. Bjornson (theonewhocares)

I would not B on Twitter 'tall, if not 4 Twitter app: @EasyChirp, makes Twitter simple even rock in space can understand. #SavePlanetPluto
from Pluto Major Planet (plutosgems)

@mmora_official @Cmdr_Hadfield Use screen reading or magnification software. Check out @easychirp as an example of a Web user interface.
from Jennifer Sutton (jsutt)

@mollydotcom @karlgroves @scenariogirl @easychirp @StamfordUX @whitneyq Thanks for the inspiration! http://t.co/iHasGBpsLf
from Karen Mardahl (kmdk)

I use Easy Chirp (http://t.co/xrvEtkC2UC) to tweet when Twitter is inaccessible. It is an awesome website and application. Kudos @EasyChirp
from Brendan (brendanbendavid)

Accessible twitter client must be rebuilt due to Twitter's API changes. Dig deep! It's a great cause http://t.co/behHH8iCx9 #a11y @EasyChirp
from Meera Pankhania (Meera404)

Testing out @EasyChirp, a great twitter application for the #access community. Worth supporting! http://t.co/Ll9Rf26z4T
from Matthew Bennett (MJBennett16)

New blog post: Help build an inclusive Twittersphere with Easy Chirp 2: http://t.co/qkzccYh2QE #a11y #webdev #kickstarter #Twitter
from Laura Legendary (Accessible_Info)

It would cost @twitter's lawyer more to read this than to support @easychirp to make it happen. Do what's right. http://t.co/keqSOZf4Oq
from Chad Leaman (chadleaman)

@EasyChirp (formerly Accessible Twitter) is a good app - allows you to run Twitter in Lynx - funding needed http://t.co/Me7muAupFT
from Carl Trachte (infixum)

.@EasyChirp is an alt. UI to Twitter with good design, + accessibility and keyboard access. Pledge to the Kickstarter http://t.co/c3FS58csyt
from SteveALee (SteveALee)

View more on the Articles & Feedback page.

Notable Features

A built-in shorten URL tool, now with choice of service!
Search, user search, and saved searches.
Daily and weekly Trends.
View, subscribe, and create Twitter Lists.
Ample Direct Message short-cut links.
Quick and easy "Go to User" feature, with choice of profile and timeline.
Works great with or without JavaScript.
Fully keyboard accessible.
Inline threading of tweets; displays reply "conversation".
In addition to modern desktop browsers (and IE 6), I work on virtually any user-agent (even Lynx, a text-only browser), with screen readers and Braille displays, and tablets and mobile devices.

Awards!

Recipient of the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) 2011 Access Award.
Recipient of the 2009 Access IT @web2.0 Award.
RNIB Website of the Month, December 2011.

Read more about awards on the About page.

Development Tasks

Known Issues

Sessions may time out unexpectedly.
Data errors and error handling for Trends data.
When replying to all, user's handle will appear in tweet text if it's in the original tweet.
Special characters may incorrectly induce error with 140-character limit.
Can't view accounts with all numbers in user name.
Cannot search quotation marks.

Current Tasks

Re-implement functionality to add image to tweet.
Quick way to report a spammer account.
Enhance List functionality with Ajax.
Ability to undo retweet.
Add inline notice and update of new tweets.

Wish List

Ability to view full URL of a shortened link.
After reply, return user to original place in timeline.
Return audio cues on tweet character counter, but make optional.
Translation and/or multi-language support.
Filter Tweetroll to skip tweets from specific sources e.g. foursquare.
Offer optional light-on-dark or other color scheme.
Add geolocation support.
Caching Popular Links pages.
Deleting of multiple Direct Messages at once.
Mute user (hide for session).
Ability to sort your "following" list alphabetically.

View completed development tasks.