Breadcrumb Trail
Session B: A Screen Reading View of Vista
- Date and Time
- Tuesday, April 22, 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM
- Presenters
-
- Nolan Crabb (Director of Assistive Technology; ADA Coordinator's Office; The Ohio State University)
- Description
In 1990, the long-awaited Americans with Disabilities Act became law and Microsoft released Windows 3.0. The two events did not coincide in terms of the days of their release, and they were not related. But both had a profound impact on people with disabilities. The one event signified hope for progress on the employment, transportation, and public accommodation fronts, to name only a few. Screen reader users greeted the other event with much trepidation. Those who sought a degree of technological parity with nondisabled colleagues in the work force feared that increasingly graphical interfaces would result in fewer jobs for screen reader users and, to a lesser degree, those who required screen magnification.
Now, nearly 18 years after the passage of the ADA, Microsoft is just over a year into the life cycle of Vista, its latest operating system. Ironically enough, the angst and fear that accompanied the release of Windows 3.x in 1990 accompanies the ongoing spread of Microsoft Vista. But much has changed, and the fear and anxiety of 1990 is less warranted today.
This presentation seeks to allay some of the concerns that may exist regarding the use of Microsoft Vista by screen reader and screen magnification users. It begins with a brief description of some of the cosmetic and accessibility differences that exist between Vista and Windows XP. Next, it focuses on some of the security issues that can affect the operation of a screen reader if that screen reader isn't properly installed. While doing a full-fledged installation of a screen reader is beyond the scope of the presentation, it will look at brief tips and tricks for installation that ensure smoother operation by the screen reader.
Next, we focus on the Vista start menu, which is both radically different from Windows XP and infinitely more accessible, once the user becomes accustomed to those differences. Audience members will learn how to use the search box in the Vista start menu to enhance accessibility and quickly navigate to and open programs.
The presentation also looks at quick keyboard-oriented ways of navigating the ribbon menus in Microsoft Office 2007. Although Office 2007 isn't specifically tied to Microsoft Vista, the odds are excellent that individual computers that include Vista will likely include Microsoft Word 2007 if ordered as part of the purchase. The great groundswell among screen reader users is to purchase third-party add-ons that force Microsoft Word 2007 to behave like older versions. This presentation will take the approach that going backward is, in the long run, a bad idea. Students and professionals alike can successfully navigate and use both Microsoft Office 2007 and Microsoft Vista while experiencing productivity gains.
Finally, the presentation will look at Microsoft Vista gadgets, tiny applications which are predominantly free and enhance a screen reader user's ability to make the most of Internet resources. These gadgets run in a special sidebar unique to Vista and can provide such instant information as dictionary definitions, thesaurus entries, and on a more recreational level, instant sports scores or localized weather forecasts. The presentation will provide resources for downloading these free gadgets and some keyboard-oriented tips on how to use them.
This presentation will be structured such that beginners will be able to follow it and gain from it. It will, of course, be of value to intermediate users as well.