Just to add to what Greg has said, beyond the populations that
utilize VoiceOver, it must be noted that the Mac itself is gaining
more and more market share. This, in turn, also goes for blind users
of the Mac and others who rely on VoiceOver. Thus, overall, it is
logical that it would be in Adobe's best interest to take VoiceOver
more seriously in its interaction and usability of their products.
Yes, there are plenty of myths and misconceptions about VoiceOver
and the Mac and how it relates to the blind in general in not being
accessible or limited in accessibility, but one needs only read
through the list traffic of the VoiceOver related email lists to
become aware that we use our Macs in the same ways as any sighted
user, or any blind Windows user for that matter. I am, personally, at
the point in which Windows use is only for maintaining my knowledge
and skills for the business I run. I now do just about Everything for
both the business and for hobbies on my Mac. So, to ask how blind
users actually use VoiceOver is, as someone has already stated, asking
a musician how they use their instruments.
Take Care
John D. Panarese
Managing Director
Technologies for the Visually Impaired, Inc.
9 Nolan Court
Hauppauge, NY 11788
Tel/Fax, (631) 724-4479
Email, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Internet, http://www.tvi-web.com
AUTHORIZED DISTRIBUTORS FOR PORTSET SYSTEMS LTD, COMPSOLUTIONS VA,
PREMIER ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES, INDEX, PAPENMEIER, REPRO-TRONICS,
DUXBURY, SEROTEK AND OTHER PRODUCTS FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
AUTHORIZED APPLE STORE BUSINESS AFFILIATE
MAC VOICEOVER TRAINING AND SUPPORT
On Jun 10, 2008, at 9:33 AM, Andrew Kirkpatrick wrote:
I've received comments and feedback from a few of you as a result of
this thread, and I really do appreciate the information and
comments. I
apologize for my less-than-tactful reply to Greg's email, and hope
that
VoiceOver users continue to let me know how they use the product.
Supporting the Mac Accessibility API is a substantial engineering
effort, and I need to be able to back up the request with compelling
data since this feature request competes with other requests due to
finite resources.
Just to make more of the email thread between Greg and myself public -
Greg replied:
<GregReply1>
I must beg to differ about VoiceOver on a couple of points. My wife is
totally bind and uses VoiceOver daily for all of her computing need. I
could put you in contact with many more blind users of Mac as well.
Have you worked with the latest version of VoiceOver?
Further VoiceOver is also used by dyslexics such as myself and
dyslexics use Macintosh almost exclusively so dyslexic users would
impose the cross platform rule even if the blind did not. Under
Australian law dyslexics have the same rights to demand
accessibility as
the blind do.
Also VoiceOver is used by some with motor disorders such as
Parkinson's
they too have similar rights under the DDA.
I would urge Adobe to reconsider this. VoiceOver is only bound to be
more improved over time, it supports braille displays better now than
any windows option. The cost advantage over windows solutions is
substantial.
</GregReply1>
In response, I sent the following:
<AndrewReply1>
I am aware that the various users who may use screen reading software
such as VoiceOver may not be blind, and certainly I am not suggesting
that such users should not have access.
I'm happy to discuss how your spouse makes use of VoiceOver - I'm
pleased to hear that she is, although your report differs from what I
have heard in other quarters, so I'm interested to learn what works
well and what needs improvement about the tool.
</AndrewReply1>
To which he replied:
<GregReply2>
Well I'm the first to admit that VoiceOVer needs improvement. As the
co-author of the Louis braille translator I am in contact contact with
Apple about issues I find.
Both my wife, who is blind and myself use VoiceOVer on a daily basis.
In my wife's case she uses it for routine computing tasks such as
email,
web browsing, instant messaging and such. She has not as yet found
anything which she is unable to perform. She uses a braille display
quite extensively.
Of course she is living the in the same house with a VoiceOver
trainer.
But still there is little, out side of Flash content that she had not
been able to access with it.
One point with should be made is that I advise people to download and
install WebKit as it corrects several VoiceOver bugs which the
released
version of Safari has not yet implemented. That and the use of Spark
will give features needed by the blind.
One aspect of VoiceOver that differs from window screen readers such
as
Jaws is that VoiceOVer does not replace OS functionality with it's own
but rather give the user tools which non-visual or non-readers might
need. In VoiceOVer the user should still understand the basics of
Macintosh functionality.
</GregReply2>
Andrew Kirkpatrick
Senior Product Manager, Accessibility
Adobe Systems
[EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
