Hi, Elizabeth and others who have posted in this thread. I'm sorry that Window Eyes can't handle toolbars yet. I hope that will be fixed soon because toolbars can have some really useful features. Jaws users can access many kinds of toolbars, especially the Google and MSN ones. The Google toolbar even has text labels for screenreader users. I have no sight and use the Google toolbar to do things like fill in forms.
Google Gadgets are not toolbars, though they can be embedded in toolbars. Gadgets are small programs that can also be used in web pages or to provide information to update rss feeds. If Bookshare staff writes a gadget, it can be added to your Google home page and used in a variety of ways that have nothing to do with a toolbar. The staff members do need to realize that many of us do not use a mouse. That doesn't preclude using a gadget though. A gadget can also be used to do custom searches using the Google Desktop. The Google Desktop software does have a toolbar, but it can be turned off during installation.
The bookmarklet John has proposed would save me a lot of time as I'm looking up books on Paperback Swap and Amazon. I wish I had that in place right now. If I knew how to code it, I'd write one for myself.
Finally, I'd like to point out that as Bookshare develops tools for searching the Bookshare site, they will design tools to work for various populations. There really isn't a one technology fits all solution to life on the internet. We do need a toolbar or search bar option for our partially sighted and learning disabled members and volunteers. They don't object when Bookshare spends time on things like the Braille translator. Why should we object to creating a tool that they can use? I think we need to let Bookshare staff explore a wide range of options to see what will work best for various groups of people. If they make a toolbar that Window Eyes can't read, you haven't lost any functionality to the site. A toolbar is just one additional method for accessing Bookshare data. You can still use the Google Gadgets with your screenreader. Gadgets are just one technology among several that were discussed, and they allow blind people to work with Bookshare data in creative ways. I hope they will keep working on solutions in this area, keeping accessibility in mind as much as possible. The thing is that accessibility is a relative term and means different things depending on your point of view. Bookshare has to walk the accessibility line, and that's going to be a balancing act for them.
Monica Willyard E. wrote:
I know that certain tools are memory hogs. I know that toolbars often interfere with speech or get on top of applications which are running making it difficult for speech programs to work properly. There has been a whole discussion about such interference on gwmicro during the past couple of weeks.E. At 11:45 AM 1/19/2008, you wrote:I think that you are putting the cart before the horse and borrowingtrouble, in my opinion. Part of the conference the other night was not only for discussion of the ideas that were being developed, but also asking foropinions. The opinions that were relevant as part of the discussion.The other night, when you asked about tools, we were told that the engineers present didn't work in that particular department. The reason why they came to us in the first place to discuss these ideas was so that there could not only be *constructive* feedback, but also that concerns about accessibilitycould be addressed. Just because the idea might be of the toolbar variety doesn't mean thatthere will not be accessibility and I think that assuming so off of the batis not only unfair but pretty shortsighted, too.I also think that we're forgetting that a lot of ideas that are discussed on this list have been taken in to consideration and end up being implemented,so let's not jump on the 'OMG this won't work' bandwagon quite yet. Meka ----- Original Message ----- From: "E." <thoth93@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Saturday, January 19, 2008 6:55 AM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: geewiz improvements I am concerned about top down idea generation. I am also concerned that bookshare may lose "sight" (dare I pun on the word) of their audience. Recordings for the Blind did in my opinion. They went from an organization which served blind consumers to an organization who served anyone with a print disability and their teachers care givers and rehab counselors. Something a teacher who can see thinks is cool can mess up my system. We know what happened to quality when RFB became RFBD. Let's learn from flash wiz experiences of the past to create tools which are truly useful to the blind comsumer and particularly useable by blind deaf folks. Here are some ideas. 1. I have a personal downloaded tool which I can configure. It runs when I envoke it and not in the background taking up resources which normally are used by my speech package (JAWS Window-eyes whatever). 2. I can configure this application to download daily those periodicals I am interested in from bookshare. I can also configure the tool to batch download a series of books. Blind folks like tools which make working on the computer faster for us. Faster is different if you cannot see than if you can. Tools which are useful in some situations may be less useful in others depending on individual disability, computer configuration and personal preferences. E. To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxput the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list ofavailable commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line. To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxput the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.__________ NOD32 2807 (20080119) Information __________ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. http://www.eset.comTo unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxput the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.
