Purpose of a Screen Reader (RE: Who Needs JAWS 12 Anyway?)
- From: Ray Campbell <ray.campbell@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 15:25:14 +0000
Hello:
What this discussion comes down to is a question, what should your screen
reader do for you? First and foremost, I believe a screen reader should
provide me access to the things I need to use on my computer at work or at home
as its main function. When I say access, I mean that with the assistance of
the screen reader I should be able to perform all of the functions using
whatever applications I need to use just the same as someone not using a screen
reader. If this level of access can be achieved, then let's add useful
features. For example, I use JAWS Tandem extensively on my job. Freedom
Scientific didn't have to provide this feature starting in JAWS 10. After all,
there are other ways to provide remote assistance out there. But, Freedom
Scientific did provide this feature because they realized for the most part,
other remote assistance tools were not accessible and that there are people who
are blind working in technical support work. While I would rather have seen FS
and the other screen reader companies tackle making mainstream remote
assistance tools accessible, I'm extremely happy with JAWS Tandem.
Several have mentioned other features like Research It, and the UPS thing.
While some may say these are not essential features, for others they are useful
and helpful in the ways they use the computer. It is my feeling that as long
as providing these features does not take away from what I believe the main
purpose of a screen reader is, then they should be included.
Ray Campbell, Adaptive Technology Help Desk Technician
The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired
1850 W. Roosevelt Road
Chicago, IL 60608
312.997.3651 (Voice/Relay) or 888.825.0080 (Voice/Relay)
ray.campbell@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.chicagolighthouse.org
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