okay, point taken David! I'm actually grateful for this dialog, because it helped me understand the boundries of the group, being somewhat new and all.
Thank you. Janet ---------------------------------------- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: WebAnywhere screenreader installed on servers! > Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2008 15:06:49 -0400 > > it could also be argued that we should discuss the guts of windows and > screen readers too because you can use them on the Mac. I've nothing > against anyone here, just pointing out that this crosses the boundaries of > the list. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Jane Jordan (Gmail)" > To: "General discussions on all topics relating to the use of Mac OS X by > theblind" > Sent: Friday, June 27, 2008 9:37 PM > Subject: Re: WebAnywhere screenreader installed on servers! > > > Actually I think it could be argued that it's very relevant. It's a > different way to surf the net. > > Jane > > > On Jun 27, 2008, at 8:24 PM, Janet and Felix * wrote: > >> >> Okay. I won't share future news I find here then. This applies to >> everyone though, regarless of what kind of computer you're using, >> since it has to do with public servers that are available to everyone. >> >> No worries. >> janet >> >> ---------------------------------------- >>> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>> To: [email protected] >>> Subject: Re: WebAnywhere screenreader installed on servers! >>> Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2008 20:20:11 -0400 >>> >>> I'd rather not discuss this here it has nothing to do with the Mac. >>> >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> From: "Janet and Felix *" >>> To: >>> Sent: Friday, June 27, 2008 7:14 PM >>> Subject: WebAnywhere screenreader installed on servers! >>> >>> >>> >>> Online service lets blind surf the Internet from any computer, >>> anywhere >>> >>> Visions of future technology don't involve being chained to a desktop >>> machine. People move from home computers to work computers to mobile >>> devices; public >>> kiosks pop up in libraries, schools and hotels; and people >>> increasingly >>> store everything from e-mail to spreadsheets on the Web. >>> >>> But for the roughly 10 million people in the United States who are >>> blind or >>> visually impaired, using a computer has, so far, required special >>> screen-reading >>> software typically installed only on their own machines. >>> >>> New software, called WebAnywhere, launched today lets blind and >>> visually >>> impaired people surf the Web on the go. The tool developed at the >>> University >>> of >>> Washington turns screen-reading into an Internet service that reads >>> aloud >>> Web text on any computer with speakers or a headphone connection. >>> >>> "This is for situations where someone who's blind can't use their own >>> computer but still wants access to the Internet. At a museum, at a >>> library, >>> at a public >>> kiosk, at a friend's house, at the airport," said Richard Ladner, a >>> UW >>> professor of computer science and engineering. The free program and >>> both >>> audio and >>> video demonstrations are at >>> http://webanywhere.cs.washington.edu. >>> >>> Ladner will demonstrate the tool next week in Dallas at the National >>> Federation of the Blind's annual convention. WebAnywhere was >>> developed under >>> Ladner's >>> supervision by Jeffrey Bigham, a UW doctoral student in computer >>> science and >>> engineering. The research was funded by the National Science >>> Foundation. >>> >>> Free screen readers already exist, as do sophisticated commercial >>> programs. >>> But all must be installed on a machine before being used. This is >>> the first >>> accessibility tool hosted on the Web, meaning it doesn't have to be >>> downloaded onto a computer. It processes the text on an external >>> server and >>> then sends >>> the audio file to play in the user's Web browser. >>> >>> "You don't have to install new software. So even if you go to a >>> heavily >>> locked-down computer, say at a library, you can still use it," >>> Bigham said. >>> >>> In May, Bigham was named the winner of the Accessible Technology >>> Award for >>> Interface Design for the Imagine Cup, a student programming contest >>> sponsored >>> by Microsoft Corp. The prize comes with $8,000 and a trip to Paris >>> in early >>> July. >>> >>> For the past month WebAnywhere has been available on request. >>> Bigham said >>> he's received inquiries from librarians who would like to make all >>> their >>> machines >>> accessible on a limited budget. He's also had interest from >>> teachers who >>> struggle to find the time to locate free software, get permission >>> to install >>> it >>> on a school computer and then maintain the program so that a single >>> computer >>> is accessible to a visually impaired student. This software would >>> make any >>> computer in the lab instantly accessible for Internet tasks. The >>> Web-based >>> service also eliminates the need for local technical support: there >>> is no >>> software >>> to install or update because each time a person visits the site he >>> or she >>> gets the latest version. >>> >>> To test the software, researchers had people use the tool to do >>> three things >>> typically done at public machines: check e-mail, look up a bus >>> schedule and >>> search for a restaurant's phone number. People using WebAnywhere >>> were able >>> to successfully complete all three tasks, using a variety of >>> machines and >>> Internet >>> connections. >>> >>> Like other screen readers, WebAnywhere converts written text to an >>> electronically generated voice. So far the system works only in >>> English. But >>> the source >>> code was released a few weeks ago and a Web developer in China has >>> expressed >>> interest in developing a Chinese version. >>> >>> The UW team plans to create updates that will allow users to change >>> the >>> speed at which the text is read aloud and add other popular >>> features found >>> in existing >>> screen readers. The service is currently hosted on a server at the UW >>> campus. >>> >>> Bigham is also working with Benetech, a Palo Alto, Calif., technology >>> nonprofit that distributes free electronic books, to make its >>> collection of >>> more than >>> 30,000 books accessible to blind users without them having to >>> install any >>> screen-reading software. >>> >>> He believes this could be the first of many Web-based accessibility >>> tools. >>> >>> "Traditional desktop tools such as e-mail, word processors and >>> spreadsheets >>> are moving to the Web," Bigham said. "Access technology, which >>> currently >>> runs >>> only on the desktop, needs to follow suit." >>> _________________________________________________________________ >>> Earn cashback on your purchases with Live Search - the search that >>> pays you >>> back! >>> http://search.live.com/cashback/?&pkw=form=MIJAAF/publ=HMTGL/crea=earncashback >>> >>> >>> >> >> _________________________________________________________________ >> The other season of giving begins 6/24/08. Check out the i’m >> Talkathon. >> http://www.imtalkathon.com?source=TXT_EML_WLH_SeasonOfGiving > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ Need to know now? Get instant answers with Windows Live Messenger. http://www.windowslive.com/messenger/connect_your_way.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Refresh_messenger_062008
