Hello Dave, I think one reason why Jaws is the only screen reader that some states will allow is legal reasons. With some governments, Freedom Scientific has agreements with the governments, which are contractual obligations that prohibit them from using any screen reader other than Jaws for Windows. This is only my belief, so I could be wrong. The same is the problem here in the UK. In fact, many organisations who work with blind and visually impaired people have never heard of Window-Eyes, but that’s another story.
From: Dave Bahr [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 17 July 2011 13:53 To: [email protected] Subject: Re: States that allow window-eyes Wow, just when you think you've heard it all. I've never heard of this before, wouldn't that be monopolizing in some form? If you are on a laptop or computer of your own, couldn't you just use WE? Then again, is this the civil service's equivelent of dictating what sort of computer can be used, pc or mac? I suppose they could argue on the grounds industry standard or uniformity, but that still seems cagy. I guess my course of action would be twofold. First, if you're working at a productive level in the job right along with either other blind or sighted colleagues and you feel comfortable using WE more than jfw, I would tell them that. If you're trying to learn a different screen reader which is really the only way you can navigate a computer and your productivity is at a level that is satisfactory to the managers, then why choose something that has a fairly steep learning curve? In other words, you could tell the supervisors that, for all intensive purposes the two prodducts are alike and you feel more comfortable with WE because you've been using it longer and feel you can give them your best work. They don't have to know the specific differences between the two products but it might be beneficial to say that you can give them much better work with something you don't have to spend hours and hours to learn. If they absolutely insist that under no circumstances can you use an alternative reader, then tell them that you need to go through intensive training to learn jfw and they should pay for it if they are so stuck in their ways. Then you have the advantage of saying that to get a WE license would cost x dollars while training and jfw would cost y dollars. In an economy where everything is being cut back, a savings is still a savings. of course there is also the tactic which carries probably the most weight and that is to emphasize the stability of WE and its features for your speicific tasks in the job and jfw's severe lack in both of those areas. If it really came down to it you could demonstrate such tasks and perhaps play up jfw's massive amount of keystrokes required to perform the task; keystrokes which also require that the user have 12 fingers to execute. Exaggeration in this case would benefit you i think. You could then switch to WE and glide through the task with ease thus demonstrating it's precision and streamlined approach. That's all hypothetical of course. Ok, i've probably analyzed this beyond the level necessary to make a decision, but those are just my thoughts on the matter. Dave c. bahr On 7/17/2011 7:12 AM, tony c wrote: > Hi, I never knew that there were any restrictions on what screen > reader one could use. Is it because WE will not work with their > software? I’ll check here in Saint Louis and let you know. T C > > *From:* Michael Peterson <mailto:[email protected]> <mailto:[email protected]> *Sent:* Sunday, > July 17, 2011 5:30 AM *To:* [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]> <mailto:[email protected]> *Subject:* States that allow > window-eyes > > *Hi all. I am looking in to possibley relocating to another state for > civil service employment. California restricts screen reader use to > Jaws only. Is this true of all or most states?* *The state I am > focusing on is PA currently and if I could use window-eyes the > learning curve would be easier although I am currently trying to > learn all the twists and turns of using jaws in case I work in CA.* > *At this point nothing is in stone but I wish someone had a list of > states that will allow there workers to use there choice of screen > readers or at least window-eyes as an alternative to Jaws if they > choose..* *Thanks for any helpful information.* *Mike* ** If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original sender only. If your reply would benefit others on the list and your message is related to GW Micro, then please consider sending your message to [email protected] so the entire list will receive it. GW-Info messages are archived at http://www.gwmicro.com/gwinfo. You can manage your list subscription at http://www.gwmicro.com/listserv.
