Hi Everybody,
I think that we need to come up with a list of reasons why blind
people
should switch to the Mac. You can find plenty of reasons why
sighted people
should switch, but what about the blind? Yes, Voiceover is
certainly one
compeling reason, but I am sure there are many more.
Chris Peppel
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Richard
Gardenhire
Sent: Monday, June 18, 2007 4:48 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Macs and a Viable Alternative for State Agencies to Consider
Josh, I changed the subject line a bit to ask about another argument
that has been used by our agency here in Alaska. Are there any
statistics that show a percentage increase or decrease in the
number of
blind and visually-impaired people--professional or otherwise, who
have
made the switch from Windows to Macs, with the development of
Voiceover? I would be curious as to what percentage, on a national
scale, for example, use their Macs for their professional line of
work?
According to what I have been told by people who work in the Alaska
school districts, for instance, the Matanuska-Susitna Valley
districts
use more Macs, per capita, of any community in Alaska, including
Anchorage; however, that number is changing as more bush and rural
schools are using them in their schools. The number of blind
students
being exposed to the Mac and VoiceOver is increasing, but that's a
slow, painstaking work in progress, because our counselors are
heavily
influenced by Windows screen manufacturers to continue pushing their
products. Our school districts here in Alaska are facing budget
cuts,
as are a lot of school districts throught the country, and our
Anchorage store gets inquiries from Division of Voc Rehab, asking how
viable VoiceOver is? In fact, one of the counselors for the blind
set
up an appointment to meet with me on behalf of a client who they are
serving, who wants to use his computer for his vending business, as
well as music. At last count, I know of eight, blind/visually-
impaired
Mac users in the state of Alaska--three in Anchorage, one in Juneau,
two on the Kenai )pronounced Keen Eye0 Peninsula, and three in
Fairbanks. That number has probably changed, for the upcoming
University of Alaska-Anchorage fall enrollment. I would be
curious to
know how other states are faring? Richie Gardenhire, Anchorage,
Alaska. I stand corrected; there are only two, in Fairbanks, and a
student in the Fairbanks School District who is learning to use one.
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