Re: jfw for the blind or visually impaired
- From: "Brandon Keith \(Biggs\)" <brandonboy13@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2011 08:45:30 -0700
I actually say the same to the sighted people, I can't believe they use a mouse
even though it is much slower and less efficient.
I asked my sighted family why they still use the mouse for most functions and
they told me that it makes them more comfortable to just use one thing to
maneuver around the screen. I'm not sure why that is, but breaking that habit
should be what sighted or semi sighted students learn.
Although I do think that anyone that needs to magnify above 20 font and who has
their face closer than two feet away from a screen should learn Jaws because it
will be at least 10 times faster than using their eyes.
Thanks,
Brandon Keith (Biggs)
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From: kimsan
Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2011 8:30 AM
To: jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: jfw for the blind or visually impaired
I am responding to this comment because it made me remember when one of the
tech guys were here in my office and he was upgrading my XP to windows 7 and
was observing me use the computer.
He said, "I'm amazed how efficient you are with the computer and you are so
quick at typing but using a keyboard must be frustrating, because you cannot
perform all of the functions a mouse can."
Thankyou.
From: jfw-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:jfw-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
angel238@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2011 4:44 AM
To: jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: jfw for the blind or visually impaired
Using keyboard commands far surpasses the use of the mouse. Challenge your
students to a race with you. Demonstrate with your own facile use of the
keyboard the speed and proficiency with which you use Jaws. This will soon
convince them that they will more efficiently and effectively complete their
assignments without the use of the mouse. Being able to excel beyond their
sighted peers in a skill their seeing peers take pride in mastering will raise
his self esteem enough to want to throw away the mouse altogether and to fully
embrace controlling the computer solely through use of the keyboard. The best
way to accomplish this if his sight is limited is through the use of a screen
reader. I did this with my own sighted children. They understand my
superiority regarding the speed with which I accomplish various computer tasks
without either sight or through the use of the mouse. An African friend told
me a friend of his did the same thing in Africa when a sighted employer
hesitated concerning hiring him. Of course, he used manual typewriters. But,
he asked to type something. The upshot was he typed better and more quickly
than did the man seeking to employ him. Needless to say he got the job.
----- Original Message -----
From: Kimsan Song
To: jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2011 9:55 PM
Subject: RE: jfw for the blind or visually impaired
Adrian:
That has been a large discussion between my coworker and myself every time
these evaluations come up.
The students are struggling to accept the vision lost they are experiencing
and the use of a cane, large print, screen readers, anything that will "make
them feel different" the student will not embrace, which I can attest too.
Seeing as I am not in any position to tell the powers that be what to teach
or how to accommodate the students with which screen reader or magnification
program, I just do as I am told.
I am going through one heck of a time right now teaching jaws to the students
because they are always reaching for the mouse of which I had to disconnect
after a while and having to remind the students the pros of using a screen
reader.
Let me relay this back to the topic of the mailing list so the mods will not
hatch me, seeing as I am blind I was wondering for someone who has relatively
good vision, not 20-20 but how would using jaws be like? compared to someone
who is completely blind?
Adrian, thankyou for your comments.
Take care.
From: jfw-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:jfw-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Adrian Spratt
Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2011 5:44 PM
To: jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: jfw for the blind or visually impaired
Kimsan,
I believe that on the one hand, ideology plays a large part in decisions of
this kind, and on the other, that psychology either does or ought to. whether
one likes it or not, children and adults don't like being associated with
anything connoting blindness. The white cane is the perfect example. I imagine
resistance to JAWS comes from a similar place. In the same vein, my experience
tells me that adults and children will also avoid magnification devices if they
think they can get away without them.
I get a sense that as a JAWS user, I tend to get a lot more information than
very low vision people who struggle with magnification devices. Screenreaders
are by no means perfect, and I for one hate reading fiction with JAWS,
especially if it contains a lot of dialog. But I can zip through academic and
popular articles, so long as they're in accessible form.
I'm suggesting that whatever the practical arguments for a screenreader or
other adaptive aid, it could be damaging to students of any age to introduce
them to these aids until they can accept the necessity. Some will do so right
away, others will resist. To my mind, nothing interferes more with education
than resistance to the methods imposed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: jfw-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:jfw-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Kimsan Song
Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2011 8:30 PM
To: jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: jfw for the blind or visually impaired
Mike:
Thankyou for your input.
I am aware of the several magnification programs that exist but it seems as
if the powers that be are pushing for jaws training with my visually impaired
students and I think jaws will not be a good idea because the students are
mouse users using 28 pt font.
I just finished explaining to someone off list that I am just suppose to
teach jaws to my middle and high schoolers and if I even bring up screen
magnification programs or any other screen reader, it would just be shot down.
Back to the original inquory, it seems as if jaws is for the blind (which I
knew so don't laugh at me) I just get confused when the teachers for the blind
are having me teach jaws to students who depend and work with the mouse.
Thankyou.
From: jfw-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:jfw-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
mike grove
Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2011 4:40 PM
To: jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: jfw for the blind or visually impaired
there are a number of different kinds of software for visually impaired use.
jaws is by far the best screen reader i have found for an individual that can
nolonger read the print inspite of size. there are some products that magnify
the screen. One in particular is zoom text. i am now blind, but for the last
thirty years i could see enough to still read larger print. Now that i can't, i
have switched to jaws. those are just a few of the options. i am sure that
there are more. i hope this was of some help for u.
----- Original Message -----
From: Kimsan Song
To: jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2011 6:18 PM
Subject: jfw for the blind or visually impaired
Hello:
I wanted to post this here seeing as this mailing list gets lots of traffick.
My question is concerning the use of jaws and is the "screen" reader mainly
used for completely blind individuals or partially sighted individuals?
I am not a teacher for the blind, so it is interesting to me when a person is
told due to his or her "lack of vision" jaws will be reccomended. So, the
question raised here is where would a persons vision need to be at in order to
use jaws? If someone can read 20 point font or higher would jaws be necessary?
Any feedback would be appreciated.
Take care.
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