Hi Stu:
Because users of assistive technologies also require use of the desktop
as a whole, we've focussed on a two-pronged approach in our "open
desktop" (i.e. OpenOffice/Solaris/Linux/Gnome/Java etc.) accessibility
solution; first, provision of rich services and APIs so that assistive
techs can get the info they need, and secondly, on the 'free desktop'
(Gnome and Sun's JDS), bundling of compatible assistive technologies.
This not only helps ensure that the users can access the application "in
context", it helps ensure the consistency of the overall speech and/or
braille interface.
Recent Linux and Solaris distributions include three such pan-desktop
assistive technologies - the gnopernicus integrated screen reader and
magnifier[1]; gok, an adaptive onscreen keyboard suite usable with head
trackers and other pointing devices and also with switch devices[2]; and
dasher, an innovative text-entry and control system driven by a pointing
device[3]. A fourth open-source AT, orca, is under development[4], and
all are available free of charge with an open license. While we look
forward to better integration and testing by a wider range of distros,
Sun for instance has integrated QA testing of blind and low-vision user
scenarios into its test matrix on an ongoing basis. In conjunction with
these existing ATs, OOo and StarOffice users can access the office suite
via speech, braille, and magnification, and the improvement of the blind
and low-vision user experience is a key ongoing part of the work of
OpenOffice and StarOffice engineering teams. Likewise, both AT
development teams and OOo teams regularly feed information to one
another on issues identified by one another in both AT and
office-productivity code.
More information about the use of the screen reader, magnification, and
other accessibility features of the Gnome desktop, all of which
interoperate with recent releases of OpenOffice.org and StarOffice, is
available in the Gnome 2.10 Accessibility Guide.[5]
Best regards,
Bill
[1] http://www.baum.ro/gnopernicus.html
[2] http://www.gok.ca/
[3] http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/dasher/
[4] http://cvs.gnome.org/viewcvs/
[5] http://gnome.org/learn/access-guide/2.10/
Bogus wrote:
Bill:
Microsoft itself is not all that friendly to those who have
disabilities. True, it has screen magnification, but does not, as of
yet, have a speech element. The Microsoft screen magnification is not
as good as ZoomText or others on the market and assitive programs like
Win Eyes, Jaws, and other programs that will "read" and output any
document in a speech format so a totaly blind person can listen to the
document.
To be a GREAT program, OOo should put a text-to-voice reader in Open
Office. It will then comply with ADA and be a program that blind more
people will use.
Stu Shear
Services for the Visually Impaired, State of Ohio
----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Haneman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, October 26, 2005 1:57 PM
Subject: Re: [ui-dev] Accessibility in OOo
Daniel Carrera wrote:
Hello all,
As you know, Microsoft is claiming that Massachusett's move to
OpenDocment would present a problem for people with disabilities. I
think their argument is based on the premise that all applications
that can read ODF are unable to address disabilities.
Could someone help me respond to this?
Can someone point me to factual information as to how OOo or
StarOffice accomodates disabilities? Especially *blind* people, as
that seems to be the core of Microsoft's argument.
Daniel:
Someone should get you a pointer to the UNO Accessibility API info,
which shows that an extensive infrastructure for disability support
is built into OOo. Also a pointer to Sun's StarOffice Sanity Test
Suite would be helpful. (Sun guys, I know we've published these test
suites for the rest of Gnome/JDS already so there's no reason not to
publish this one as well). That test suite includes blind user
scenario testing with speech and braille output on the JDS platform,
on both Linux and the Solaris operating systems.
If someone can point me to the OOo accessibility test suite info I
can add it to the Gnome tests.
Bill
I will get this information to Peter Quinn so he can support the
OpenDocument decision on Monday's meeting.
Your help would be most appreciated.
Cheers,
Daniel.
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