Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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A list for technology for the blind & visually impaired ... (self.Blind)
submitted by I_kaizen_my_life
Is there a listing of opensource/freeware software and/or apps for the visually impaired including the blind that will make it easier to use the internet?
I lost hearing for over a ear recently. During that time I discovered that there were technology readily available on both my Android smartphone and Windoze computer that helped me stay close to normal day-to-day even though I couldn't hear. I use that knowledge I picked up to help others whenever I can. Also, I'm blessed that CI restored my mono hearing this year.
In the course of helping others with technology, I am helping a person who is blind. She became blind later in life.
The goal here is for her to use the internet. She didn't even have Email so I started there but I see the Gmail client may be a bit too much options - easy to navigate for the seeing but perhaps a little challenging for some who is blind ... please correct me if I'm wrong.
To help her, I am learning from her like how he uses a software/contraption called "jaws" to use her computer. I started doing research to better help her with other software, preferably opensource or freeware as that will help her financially, but frankly I don't know where to even begin.
If there are such lists out there, I'll apppreciate a heads up. I will continue my own research as I'm an old geek.
Next time we meet, she will come to our meeting place with her laptop & jaws(?) so I can see how she uses it for starters.
Thank you!
I lost hearing for over a ear recently. During that time I discovered that there were technology readily available on both my Android smartphone and Windoze computer that helped me stay close to normal day-to-day even though I couldn't hear. I use that knowledge I picked up to help others whenever I can. Also, I'm blessed that CI restored my mono hearing this year.
In the course of helping others with technology, I am helping a person who is blind. She became blind later in life.
The goal here is for her to use the internet. She didn't even have Email so I started there but I see the Gmail client may be a bit too much options - easy to navigate for the seeing but perhaps a little challenging for some who is blind ... please correct me if I'm wrong.
To help her, I am learning from her like how he uses a software/contraption called "jaws" to use her computer. I started doing research to better help her with other software, preferably opensource or freeware as that will help her financially, but frankly I don't know where to even begin.
If there are such lists out there, I'll apppreciate a heads up. I will continue my own research as I'm an old geek.
Next time we meet, she will come to our meeting place with her laptop & jaws(?) so I can see how she uses it for starters.
Thank you!
CloudyBeep 2 points 1y ago
If you're in the U.S., JAWS costs $90 a year and includes tech support and training that covers using the internet. NVDA is a free alternative. In my experience, people new to blindness generally find JAWS easier to learn.
I_kaizen_my_life [OP] 3 points 1y ago
Thank you!
Since she has jaws, I will ask her if she knew about the free training, including the use of internet, that is included. I can definitely assist her if she has not gone through the training yet & learn as she learns.
Since she has jaws, I will ask her if she knew about the free training, including the use of internet, that is included. I can definitely assist her if she has not gone through the training yet & learn as she learns.
CloudyBeep 2 points 1y ago
To access the training, in the JAWS window, open the Help menu and select Training.
FaerilyRowanwind 2 points 1y ago
Jaws is the best program in regards for what you are looking to do. Yes it costs money. Nvda is a free program but I’d say is a bit more buggy. The issue for the internet isn’t going to be her software it’s going to be the websites themselves. For accessibility people usually choice outlook. It works really well with a screen reader. You can also put gmail into html and that will make it way more accessible as it takes all the extra junk out. Microsoft products work the best and are less buggy when it comes to screen readers. So if she wants to write or do data or anything like that than Microsoft programs are far better than google.
I_kaizen_my_life [OP] 2 points 1y ago
Thank you!
That "gmail into html" bit is reminding me that I have to think outside the box. I now can't wait to see how he uses jaws & her laptop.
So Outlook as in the fat client and not the browser access method when it comes to screen readers?
That "gmail into html" bit is reminding me that I have to think outside the box. I now can't wait to see how he uses jaws & her laptop.
So Outlook as in the fat client and not the browser access method when it comes to screen readers?
FaerilyRowanwind 2 points 1y ago
You can do both. The actual client always works better but you can use the browser one too. It’s built to work with jaws.
I_kaizen_my_life [OP] 1 points 1y ago
Thanks!
DHamlinMusic 1 points 1y ago
I am glad to find I am not the only person to have noticed this fact about Microsoft products, I use it a Google Pixel 4 running Android 12 yet use Microsoft Outlook, edge, News for all of those specific needs as they work significantly better than the Google alternatives with talkback. I have found this to be the case as well that the Microsoft apps are just much friendly or towards screen readers then Google in most cases.
I_kaizen_my_life [OP] 1 points 1y ago
I installed jaws late last week on my laptop. The first thing that came to my mind was this: is it basically reading HTML when using the browser?
As a seeing person, I could see the words highlighted as Jaws read, for example, the search (googling) results. Then I think I caught on to frequent mention of "level" & this was why I thought reading of HTML tags as there was no word "level" in the sentences.
As a seeing person, first thing that came to my mind was "wow, that's a lot of reading!"
Today, I was able to watch her use her laptop. Even before Jaws, she was having trouble starting up a browser so I thought maybe Cortana can handle the operating system functions like starting a program while Jaws can do the screen reading.
So my question tonight is whether people use Cortana this way? Or does Jaws provide other than screen reading functions?
Thanks!
As a seeing person, I could see the words highlighted as Jaws read, for example, the search (googling) results. Then I think I caught on to frequent mention of "level" & this was why I thought reading of HTML tags as there was no word "level" in the sentences.
As a seeing person, first thing that came to my mind was "wow, that's a lot of reading!"
Today, I was able to watch her use her laptop. Even before Jaws, she was having trouble starting up a browser so I thought maybe Cortana can handle the operating system functions like starting a program while Jaws can do the screen reading.
So my question tonight is whether people use Cortana this way? Or does Jaws provide other than screen reading functions?
Thanks!
OldManOnFire 1 points 1y ago
Great user name!
I_kaizen_my_life [OP] 3 points 1y ago
Thank you. I believe that the day I stop improving, I'm dead. Cheerfully optimistic is great as I believe in glass is always only half full.
alinastar21 0 points 1y ago
Yes there is.
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