A month or so ago, I met a wonderful person named Robyn. She had asked me for some help - she was not receiving her newsletter. I fixed the problem but was intrigued by something that she told me in her email. Robyn is blind.
This raised some interesting questions in my own mind. How does a blind person use the internet? I was, of course, aware of the recent standards for disabled (including blind) access to the internet and the new laws put in place to force the government to upgrade their websites as well. However, i had never really given it much thought.
Until now. Since I was curious and I don't have any problem asking anyone anything at any time (which can certainly be embarrassing to people with me), I asked Robyn if she wouldn't mind asking a few questions. She was happy to do so, and this interview is the result. These are her own words, with only a few minor corrections here and there.
Are you completely blind? Please tell me a little about yourself.
I am so glad you asked me to show you how a blind person can use the PC and web. I am a blind 43 yr old women who didn't have a clue how to use this brand new Gateway business PC. I got this PC in Oct, 2000 equipped with a HP office jet and camera for my new business. I have a large vending route in Lansing, mi. I needed this PC to keep track of this business.
How does a blind person surf the internet?
I have a screen reader called JAWS. That is - Job Access With screen reading.
Please explain the technology - do you use brail keyboards, how does the screen work, and so on? Do you use a mouse or touch pad? If so, how do you know where the cursor is on the screen?
It is an $850 program for your PC. It's manufacturer is Freedom Scientific. I can use the mouse or the key pad. There are a set of keystrokes for every command. It takes a lot of learning to remember all the key strokes and it is easy then that way. If you use the mouse you may miss things you can't see on the screen. I am fully blind and sometimes use the mouse. It talks out loud every thing you need it to do . It has several different voices to choose from and several different languages also. I am pretty good with the mouse and like to let it read my email and scroll it for me at the same time. All I do is listen.
Why is my site better than others for a blind person? What makes a site good for the blind?
Richard your website is so full and close together that it is easy to use. You have a very full website and I don't have to move to much and I have another link to click on. Those are actually the best for me. My brother introduced your website to me because it had so much learning about the PC and web. I have learned just about everything I know from your website. When I first started in October 2000 I didn't have a clue about the PC or web. I would like to thank you for this great opportunity to learn from your website. My favorite is the tips and secrets that I receive daily. I have all of them on file. I am receiving a new cd-r and an upgrade on memory in the mail from Gateway and I will use your website to make back-up cd's of everything I have stored and free up some space.
What makes a site bad for the blind?
Some websites are far and few between that I couldn't tell if I miss anything or not. Do you understand what I mean.
Are the search engines such as Google, excite and AltaVista set for the blind? What about yahoo?
Google, Excite and Altavista are good websites but yours I am so familiar with and like I said it is crammed full of info that it is hard to miss a thing. That is the kind of website I need and like best. Yahoo is one of my other favorites but it still has so much empty space on it that I sometimes I miss a thing or two. I will continue to use your site for as long as it is available.
How did you get the equipment? Where does a person get this kind of thing?
I am taking classes correspondently thru the net at The Hadely school for the blind. For the blind they have text to speech programs that contain pronunciation rules and exceptions for the synthesizer.
The computer Braille code is normally used when commanding a computer with a Braille input device. Computer speech can be produced using digitized or synthetic speech. There is also the Braille embosser that is usually used like a printer. The user inputs info into the PC and then embosses the finished document. In order to get well formatted Braille you would need Braille translation software, which you run prior to embossing. Too time consuming for me. Some embossers can emboss tactile graphics.
Do you have your own site and if so, how do you do it?
I do have my own sites but they are thru other websites. I soon will be able to do my own and all because the info is there at your website. Also I will have my new cd-r and memory upgrade. Then I will attempt to do my own.
are there special versions of programs for blind people or, well, how does it work?
With all of these programs you have to have your PC compatible to them and you can also use some of them together. I just use the screen reader, which is the speech synthesizer, a Braille keyboard, and dragon dictate. Dragon dictate is software that you can dictate into and it writes it down so you don't have to do anything but hit the print when you are ready. There also came with my PC - accessibilities which are magnified screen reading. I am typing this one myself. So it may not be perfect. There are a few different programs out there but because there isn't a great demand for them they are very expensive.
Anything else you want to add?
I have severe asthma also and that is another reason I like your website. I have received so much info on that part of your site also. So all in all I need your website. You have been so helpful when I email you with a problem and that also makes for a wonderful website. I have got everyone I know to use your website when they all come to me with questions. It's kind of funny when everyone I know thinks I am a wiz so they always ask me how to do this or that and I go to your website and get that info and tell them.
I think after I have created my very own website then I will have totally conquered the world of PC's and the net. I will let you know when that time comes.
Unless otherwise noted, all photos and text is Copyright © Richard G Lowe, Jr.