Many websites use Captchas as a way to prevent unwanted registrations, forum entries, or blog post comments.

reCAPTCHA is one of the most widely used tools for Captchas on websites.  It is easy to implement, it is easy for users to solve and updates/enhancements are provided by the author.

Another valuable feature that is built into the security device is an audio captcha challenge.  The audio challenge allows vision impaired people to solve the Captcha on the website.

Unfortunately, many vision impaired internet users report that the reCAPTCHA Captcha is difficult due to a lack of information about the components.  As a result, users become frustrated and may be unable to negotiate the Captcha and proceed with their original goal on the web site.

For example, the visual Captcha is a set of two words that must be entered into an edit field within the reCAPTCHA space.  The audio challenge is in the form of a complete phrase.  In order to solve a reCAPTCHA audio challenge, the user must type in as much of the phrase as possible (upwards of 10 words).  Many users express confusion and do not understand why reCAPTCHA asks for two words, yet they hear a phrase that contains ten words.  In a sense, the instructions contradict the information provided to solve the puzzle.

What it comes down to is a lack of documentation that addresses the components in reCAPTCHA and how to properly use them.

In an effort to address this issue, Solona Accessibility established a reCAPTCHA Training Tool that provides practical information to vision impaired users regarding the reCAPTCHA interface.  In addition, a user can practice solving reCAPTCHA audio challenges over and over and keep score of their progress with game scorecard.  This tool is easy to use over and over since there is no online form to fillout before arriving at the Captcha.  The only element on the tool page is the reCAPTCHA Captcha.