I agree with the statement in this message that agencies and governments should support other companies with cheaper software that also works well and let FS struggle a little.
From: David Goldfield Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2014 1:01 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [blind-philly-comp] Columbian Government Offers JAWS and MAGic to All blind Columbians for four Years [2 Attachments] I realize this doesn’t really affect anyone here in the U.S., but I still thought it was interesting enough to warrant passing this on. Essentially, the government of Columbia is purchasing a four-year license for all public institutions and for private citizens to have a copy of JAWS or MAGic, along with training. A part of me wonders if the Columbian government knew how much money it might have saved had it made similar arrangements by distributing Microsoft Office to all blind people, allowing them to use the Window-eyes screen reader at no cost. They’d have saved even more money by purchasing the free NVDA screen reader. Still, I have to admit that JAWS has features not currently found in NVDA, including screen enlargement. Still, if any of you know of blind or visually impaired people who live in Columbia, you can let them know they can receive free copies of JAWS or MAGic for their use. Here’s the press release. JAWS® and MAGic® Selected by the Ministry for Information and Communications Technologies (MinTIC) for the Visually Impaired of Colombia (St. Petersburg, Florida – March 13, 2014) – Freedom Scientific announces today that JAWS screen reading software and MAGic screen magnification software were selected by MinTIC as the products of choice to be included in a four-year government sponsored program, providing free access to this technology to all visually impaired people of Colombia. Our distributor, Soluciones Integrales Ver, will be playing a key role in managing this area of the initiative. This four-year country-wide license, known as ConVertic, has the potential to reach up to 1.2 million users in Colombia throughout the duration of the project. Access to this software, along with all updates, will be made available to all users on individual home PCs and to public institutions, including schools, libraries, and universities. Private business and organizations are encouraged to support this effort. “This program was developed as part of a long-term initiative of the IT Ministry, Vive Digital, aiming to reduce the digital divide,” says Valentina Wieser of Ver, adding that, “the Colombian Government has put a lot of emphasis on providing the best professional screen reading and screen magnifying software for its visually impaired population.” MinTIC recognized the need for the best possible professional solution, observing that it isn't enough to provide free access to software, thereby including high-quality training and technical support as a part of this initiative. “Training and support are an important aspect of this project. Ver is in charge of offering and coordinating all training courses throughout the country. We have contracted with a great number of trainers that are proficient in JAWS,” says Valentina, “and the fact that they are visually impaired allows them to also serve as role models and inspirations for those they are teaching.” Freedom Scientific applauds this government initiative and looks forward to working with Ver to accommodate all visually impaired computer users in Colombia. About Freedom Scientific Freedom Scientific is the leading worldwide provider of assistive technology products for those with vision impairments. The Company sells its products worldwide and has offices in Florida and Switzerland. The Company's products have been translated into 24 languages and are available in 55 countries. Freedom also has a line of software products for those with learning disabilities. Freedom Scientific®, JAWS®, and MAGic® are registered trademarks in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. __._,_.___View attachments on the web Reply via web post Reply to sender Reply to group Start a New Topic Messages in this topic (1) Visit Your Group • Privacy • Unsubscribe • Terms of Use . __,_._,___
<<attachment: Picture (Device Independent Bitmap) 1.jpg>>
<<attachment: Picture (Device Independent Bitmap) 2.jpg>>
_______________________________________________ ATI (Adaptive Technology Inc.) A special interest affiliate of the Missouri Council of the Blind http://moblind.org/membership/affiliates/adaptive_technology
