Hi Martain It would be a good idea if we carry this on the vi-genaccess list. That list is made for topics like this. I'm going back into education in September and I am denied the opportunity to use my System Access key as SA is my preferred choice of screen reader. They say I can't use my U3 key as using portable devices is an security issue and I must use a copy of the recommended Jaws which I hardly ever use. Their argument is that Jaws is installed on one of the machines and that covers their arse as far as supplying accessibility. What if it isn't the latest version of Jaws and doesn't work well with the latest internet content which no doubt I'll be using for researching materials online? Do I still have an argument in which I want to use SA as I feel totally at ease using that screen reader. ----- Original Message ----- From: "martin wilsher" <m.wilsher@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Thursday, July 30, 2009 6:04 PM Subject: [access-uk] Re: action for blind people employment officers
HIBarbra and all. I am in a similar situation to will, and have gone for job interviews and also have gone on govt schemes to help get into work. Now let me relay aafew stories. I went on the new deal for disabled people. The DEA basicallythrew me at employers and said, the law says you cannot discriminate, soemploy him. Most employers were enthusiastic until they actually had to do soemthing to help me over and above their usual, then they binned me, after about three days in one case. Then I went on another scheme that afbp told me was accessible to blind. Turned out they weren't, and that they were in it for the EU money. I went in dressed in a suit, with laptop, copy of jawson pendrive, for SATOGO and SA weren't known to me then, and with NRA in hand. I was first asked, where's your carer, then when I told them I'd lived on my own for years, they dropped that question. I explained about jaws for windows, and about what it was. They wouldn't let me install it. In the end, I had to jobsearch with my own computer. They could not even make the course amterials in accessible format. About the only thing this place did was give me funding to do voluntary work with a riding stable.Now they were meant to come to the stable to check I was actually doing the work, and did they? No. They were meant to get in touch with my boss, but tdid they? No. I spent six mmonths doing my part of the thing, while they did nothing. This was another govt scheme btw, and at one point, they triedto claim that giving me an ethernet cable to allow me to connect to their intrnet was accessibily, and they'd complied with the Dda because of this.Hmm, no. AFBP blew hot air at this company, but that was it. And yes, this was new labour. I am going for an nvq this september, and I wonder if AFBPwill help me if I get into trouble with access? Probably not. ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq
** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq
