[bksvol-discuss] Re: frustration among submitters and validators

Yes, although there are a lot of problems with the current bookshare system, 
especially in regard to notification, many problems people have and complain 
about can be put down to lack of experience and knowledge of the technology 
they use.  People on this list get help with those problems, so they suffer 
less from them, but people who start validating for bookshare without any 
guidance are bound to have problems, to get frustrated, and to give up.  It may 
improve a little when the validation instructions are made more comprehensive.  
Still people are likely to need some personal attention to get some questions 
and issues addressed.

The one problem that the bookshare upload page has with JAWS is that of not 
reading the check-boxes for categories well when in forms mode.  I know that 
many screen reader users know extremely little about using their software so 
they don't develop work-arounds for getting the information they need.  All 
that is required in the case of poorly read controls on the upload page is for 
the screen reader user to exit forms mode and check the boxes with the spacebar 
without entering forms mode again.  They also may have a problem because they 
have never used a page with a browse button.  If you never examined the 
bookshare submit page with forms mode off you wouldn't know what the silent 
spot was, but as soon as you exit forms mode the browse button is obvious.
When people say they can't upload using JAWS they really aren't expressing what 
the problem is at all.  They may be having a problem reading the screen and 
controls because they don't know how to use their screen reader and they may be 
running in to one of those bookshare problems we all know about.

I have to say that many problems people have with scanning and validating can 
be traced to a problem using their software as well.  There is simply too much 
to learn, so very few people know even half the features of their technology.  
They can't be expected to automatically know, but if they are determined to 
improve they should be willing to try to learn more.  If people want bookshare 
credit without much effort they are going to be unhappy.  They will either have 
to work or pay, and that's what should be expected in life.  It's just too bad 
that those who would like help can't always get it.  It's also too bad when 
someone ends up in a situation where they have neither time nor money to spare 
for bookshare.

Sarah Van Oosterwijck
Assistive Technology Trainer
http://home.earthlink.net/~netentity

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