[CVALE] About screen readers and other accessability stuff.

[Gaijin]

	Dennis Baker wrote:
		> I have a off topic question for you.  A close friend of mine had a stroke
> about 18 month	s ago  as a result he suffered some brain damage and can no
> longer read.  He is by no means blind,  he just can't read.

	At the moment I'm running a screen reading program called, "Window-Eyes"
from www.gwmicro.com.  Basically, it reads what's on the currently active
window, dialog box, or menu.  Tap the [Alt] key, for example, and it'll say
"File," as you'll usually activate the File menu in Windows.  The Question
is whether he can
use the keyboard.  Win-Eyes isn't really the tool to use if you can't use a
keyboard, and he may need an even more specialized  User Interface.  Maybe
speech recognition?  Win-Eyes adds a navagation feature to the web
interface.  Press [H] and you can cycle through the Headers on the web
page, [F] for Frames, [Tab] for links, etc.  To enter text iin an edit box,
this "Browse Mode" needs to be toggled off (or on again) by pressing
[Ctrl+Shift+A].  If he'll have problems with pressing multiple key
combinations, Win-Eyes will only get in the way.  Freedom Scientific offers
a similar program called "JAWS."  Job Access With Sound.  I can't tell you
much more about it, because I can't install the dumb thing.  It may be
because I have Win-Eyes iinstalled.  I don't have the URL handy, but their
phone number's a good one.  800-444-4443.  That's for ordering JAWS.
Contact either place for a free demo CD.  Even blind as a bat with
laryngitis, it'll walk you through the install if all you have is a working
sound card.   I hear JAWS is a better program, as it uses a Python
interface for adding special program
interface routines that can make using a particular program easier to use.
  Many Python people have already added their own interfaces to the list of
"additions" to JAWS.  I'd like to be able to run the thing myself.  Only
problem is the price.  Both cost $950 and include three free upgrades.
Best thing to do is get into contact with the Dept. of Rehabilitation.
They'll get his own personal needs evaluated and get him set up with what 
he can use.  Their number in Modesto is: 209-576-6239.  Teresa Gardener is 
a very nice blind woman who'll come over and help get him started with the 
paperwork. If he qualifies, it should take about three months to process 
everything and then go from there with rehab training and equipment. 
Windows has a "sticky-keys" feature that might help with keyboard usage. 
With that turned on, you can operate the keyboard with a single finger, pen 
tip, etc., in case he's disabled enough to need that service.  There's also 
a magnifier to help people with some sight left.  I'm just getting into all
this myself, and can't help much more than that.  Seems I'm gonna have to
purchase a $1000 speech synthesizer just to get Linux running.  There's a
great kernal mod called Speak-Up for Linux.  It echos everything from the 
screen to ttyS0, and to the speech synth connected there.  You can hear 
*everything* that happens during bootup and shut down.  Still haven't 
figured out how to get access to the BIOS setup screen, though.  If I get 
into C deep enough, I'll write an editor that can access the fool settings. 
<grins>  HTH a little, Dennis.  The demos above are free, and you can try 
them yourself...and become just as frustrated at the 30 minute time limit. 
    I've had to reboot twice just to get this much typed using Win-Eyes. 
Can't wait to get Linux operational.

		Michael