How should we design products for the blind? Should we make them
simple and
easy to teach? Should we put as many options into a product so
that people
get the most bang for their buck? Should software be made to mirror
operating systems or is it better to create software for the blind
that is
easy to teach and use? These are just a few of the questions I
will discuss
with our special guest, Noel Runyon. He has been active in the
field of
access technology since before that term was invented. He worked
for
Telesensory when they were making the Optacon and the
VersaBraille. He then
became his own boss and designed and marketed the audapter, one of
the most
versatile stand-alone synthesizers ever built. He formed his own
company
and has for the past quarter century built and designed accessible
computer
systems for libraries, schools and individuals. I truly look
forward to
discussing these questions and others with a man of his experience
and
vision. Now here is some more information about how to find us a
little
before nine on Tuesday, February 7 in the politics room and what
to do once
you get there.
First open your web browser. Use whatever method you need to to
get to
the place where you type in a location where you want to go. Then
type
or paste:
http://ourplace.acbradio.org
When the page comes up:
Go to the rooms list and press enter.
Go to the Politics room and press enter.
Use whatever approach your browser and/or your screen reader uses to
allow you to go directly to a form or edit field that you will
find on
this page,
If you need to do something so you can actually type into the form
field, go ahead and do that. You may need to turn on forms mode with
Jaws by pressing enter. If you are a Window Eyes user, press enter on
a form field and your speech should say:
M S A A off.
Type your real name and press enter.
If you are using the chat software for the first time, there will
be a
short pause while an application that will enable the Talking
Communities software to work with your computer is downloaded.
Whether you are a new user or not, after a few seconds, you will be
announced as having joined the session. That's all there is to it!
You're done.
Now that you are in the room, notice you have several areas to
explore
including the ability to type a text message while somebody is
actually talking using a microphone. That message will go to
everyone
in the room. You can use the first list you come to to change who
you
want to send the message to and no one except the person you are
messaging will be any the wiser.
The next area of the screen is where other programs can run. For
instance, a power point presentation could run there. You could put
up samples that you wanted the group to look at or graphs and charts
that visually impaired users will only be able to benefit from if
they
are described.
To the right of that edit field there is a listing of all the people
who are signed on to this room. Further to the right there are slide
volume controls which can be used to set the microphone volume or to
adjust the volume of the output to your speakers.
Remember to get there early so you can test out your microphone.
Also,
check out the file menu and the help menu of the chat client for
ways
that you can change things.
Finally, here are some rules that we would like you to follow once
the
program has begun to be recorded. First, remember that there are lots
of people in the room and each may want to talk. So, be careful
not to
monopolize the conversation. Second, if you can, please use
headphones. That way we will not hear your screen reader in the
background
when someone arrives or leaves or when your computer says
something out
loud. It is a good idea to identify yourself to the group each time
you speak. Even though those of us who are there can figure out who
you are, people listening on ACBRADIO cannot look at the top of the
participant list which is where the name of the person speaking
always
appears. The main rule, though, is come prepared to share your
thoughts and ideas. You are what makes Tuesday Topics work. I am told
that one of the first signs of insanity is talking to oneself. Please
do not make me have to do that during Tuesday Topics.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and for deciding to give
Tuesday Topics the pleasure of your company.
Remember Tuesday Topics is broadcast starting at 8 PM on Monday
evenings
eastern time or at 1 UTC on Tuesday. It is broadcast every two
hours for
the next day and is then available on the on demand page on the
ACB Radio
web site.
Paul Edwards
Telephone: (305) 692-9206
Address: 20330 Northeast 20 Court
Miami, Florida 33179
Home Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Work Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Beauty is in the soul of the beheld
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