This sort of thing would never happen in Nebraska, or any state where the
agency staff is of the NFB philosophy.
Say what you want about the NFB, no organization is without its problems,
but it is the core philosophy that formed the NFB that knows that society
has low expectations of the Blind, and this is why the NFB believes in
skills and high expectations.
And with that, comes giving respect to the Blind, like the respect of
choice.
Yeah I know about the information of recent about NFB abuse, but this is
organizational issues, unrelated to the philosophy. In fact, the fact
that
it has come up demonstrates that the NFB is no different than any other
organization in interpersonal staff issues.
And choice does not mean training center choices.
Choice isn't always an option, just like if you took a vocational course
in
college, there are things you have to take, so to me, the lack of choice
in
this regard is different than computer software, where all the choices
will
reach the same end result.
In states where the NFB philosophy is embraced, if a client said I want to
use a Mac, or I want Window Eyes, then that is what they would get, no
questions asked.
They would not have to fight to get it.
I simply cannot imagine a counselor saying that someone has to use the
software that the counselor wants them to have.
When I hear that stuff, I almost cannot believe it, but I know Butch well
enough to know he wouldn't make that up.
Glenn
----- Original Message -----
From: "Butch Bussen" <butchb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Karen Lewellen" <klewellen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: "K0LNY_Glenn" <glenn@ervin.email>; <speakup@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; "Milan
Zamazal" <pdm@xxxxxxxxxxx>; <Blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, August 16, 2022 8:18 AM
Subject: Re: "Accessibility in Fedora Workstation" (fwd)
You are right. In Nevada, freedom pushed jaws to the rehab people and
took them out for steak diners and so forth. I fought like hell to get
them to buy window-eyes.
73
Butch
WA0VJR
Node 3148
Wallace, ks.
On Sun, 14 Aug 2022, Karen Lewellen wrote:
> And where do these employers learn about jaws?
> In fact, provide if you do not mind an example of how this works
> exactly.
> after all, unless I am incorrect, these employers are not personal Jaws
> users, meaning someone they trust continues to sell them on an expensive
> program instead of a largely free one.
>
>
>
> On Sat, 13 Aug 2022, K0LNY_Glenn wrote:
>
> > Karen,
> > Most employers don't want NVDA, and will only allow Jaws.
> > In Nebraska, if an employer said put on whatever works, the
> > counselors
> > will
> > use NVDA, because of the cost of Jaws.
> > If some of the clients in a call center already use Jaws, but don't
> > know
> > NVDA, the counselor will use Jaws, because the other clients will
> > need
> > to
> > learn one of the two.
> > So it's all choice, but in the workplace, it depends on what the
> > employer
> > will allow.
> > Also, sometimes scripts need to be made, and there are more Jaws
> > scripters
> > available than there are NVDA add-on writers.
> > So this perception that Jaws is forced by rehab, from my 31 years in
> > the
> > business I can say is rubbish.
> > Now, if a counselor did not know how to use NVDA, and either may be
> > chosen,
> > the rehab counselor is able to select the one that the counselor
> > feels
> > is
> > best for the student and for the counselor's teaching.
> > When it comes to part B moneys, which is used for non-vocational
> > purchases,
> > where a lot of Jaws purchases come from, it is in the agency's best
> > interest
> > to spend as little as possible, because that doesn't come back like
> > VR
> > expenditures do.
> > Glenn
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Karen Lewellen" <klewellen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > To: "K0LNY_Glenn" <glenn@ervin.email>
> > Cc: <speakup@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; "Milan Zamazal" <pdm@xxxxxxxxxxx>;
> > <Blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > Sent: Saturday, August 13, 2022 6:15 PM
> > Subject: Re: "Accessibility in Fedora Workstation" (fwd)
> >
> >
> > The challenge with that example is that, as one often gets reminded,
> > the
> > rehab systems track record for facilitating employment for their
> > clients
> > is quite poor.
> > With a high percentage of unemployment among our clients. Making,
> > speaking personally, your buying Jaws for personal use not really
> > reflecting how the system would respond to an alternative request.
> > Now if someone from organized rehab said, okay freedom scientific,
> > we
> > are
> > creating an employment program where our clients will train in
> > Linux,
> > needing a solid screen reader solution for the system. We will give
> > you
> > an
> > exclusive development contract for s millions to create the tool.
> > Fs would likely say where do we sign?
> >
> >
> >
> > On Sat, 13 Aug 2022, K0LNY_Glenn wrote:
> >
> > > True enough, but largely, rehab people typically use Windows at
> > > work,
> > > and
> > > probably at home, but they need to cater to the needs of the
> > > client.
> > > If a client used Linux, I doubt that any rehab counselor would
> > > advocate
> > > that
> > > the client switch to Windows, unless that was needed for a
> > > specific
> > > job.
> > > In Nebraska, we purchased Jaws much more for personal use than we
> > > did
> > > for
> > > work related situations.
> > > So if FS made a JFL, and people were using Linux, rehab would
> > > indeed
> > > purchase a JFL product.
> > > Glenn
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Karen Lewellen" <klewellen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > To: "K0LNY_Glenn" <glenn@ervin.email>
> > > Cc: <speakup@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; "Milan Zamazal"
> > > <pdm@xxxxxxxxxxx>;
> > > <Blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > > Sent: Saturday, August 13, 2022 3:01 PM
> > > Subject: Re: "Accessibility in Fedora Workstation" (fwd)
> > >
> > >
> > > there was an interesting discussion a month or so back on the
> > > blinux
> > > list
> > > about how long it took completing tasks in the gui as apposed to
> > > say
> > > command line, the comments were quite informative.
> > > Still, fs has never marketed largely to the end user. Instead they
> > > market
> > > to the American rehab community.
> > > how much market research has the rehab community done to support
> > > the
> > > need
> > > for choices?
> > > How many rehab counselors support training in Linux?
> > > one comment made by the subject of this thread about poor quality
> > > speech
> > > is a fine one...out of the box Linux has few speech choices.
> > > everyone
> > > brings their needs to the table there.
> > >
> > > if you want to get fs to care about Linux, you need to prove
> > > there is
> > > money for them there, from their main source of income.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On Sat, 13 Aug 2022, K0LNY_Glenn wrote:
> > >
> > > > Well since Orca seems to work on so many distros, I don't know
> > > > why
> > > > FS
> > > > would
> > > > not be able to do the same.
> > > > If Jaws users could switch into Linux, it would be a real game
> > > > changer,
> > > > and
> > > > I think with lots more Blind Linux users, we would start seeing
> > > > accessibility in Linux not being a second thought.
> > > > Glenn
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: "Karen Lewellen" <klewellen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > > To: "K0LNY_Glenn" <glenn@ervin.email>
> > > > Cc: <speakup@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; "Milan Zamazal"
> > > > <pdm@xxxxxxxxxxx>;
> > > > <Blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > > > Sent: Saturday, August 13, 2022 1:47 PM
> > > > Subject: Re: "Accessibility in Fedora Workstation" (fwd)
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Well technically freedom scientific does not exist any longer,
> > > > being
> > > > bought
> > > > by another company.
> > > > Still, I can respect why they, or nvda have not created their
> > > > tools
> > > > for
> > > > Linux.
> > > > That is because as I understand it, Linux is quite like clay.
> > > > You
> > > > can
> > > > mold a distribution into almost anything. there are various
> > > > personifications of the system, all sorts of ways and changes
> > > > and
> > > > options
> > > > for creativity.
> > > > however adaptive tools are often extensions of physical
> > > > characteristics,
> > > > hands, eyes, ears, brains, combinations of these.
> > > > To build solid assistive tools one must have a solid foundation
> > > > as
> > > > it
> > > > were. that is part of why there have needed to be so few Apple
> > > > efforts
> > > > at
> > > > inclusion, they created with, and then created in-house
> > > > adaptive
> > > > tools
> > > > for various populations that were built into the system.
> > > > Although Microsoft did not bother until much later, in theory at
> > > > least,
> > > > the
> > > > consistency of windows is what makes it possible for freedom or
> > > > the
> > > > former
> > > > gw micro or nvda to create something that can in theory work.
> > > > Floor for the furniture is somewhat solid.
> > > > Just my thoughts,
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On Sat, 13 Aug 2022, K0LNY_Glenn wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > I would like to see Freedom Scientific make a Jaws For Linux.
> > > > > JFL
> > > > > I'd certainly pay the yearly rental fee for it, and it would
> > > > > bring
> > > > > many
> > > > > more
> > > > > users into Linux.
> > > > > FS could, with its resources, possibly make it more robust
> > > > > than
> > > > > Orca.
> > > > >
> > > > > Glenn
> > > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > > From: "Milan Zamazal" <pdm@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > > > To: <speakup@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > > > Cc: <Blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > > > > Sent: Saturday, August 13, 2022 12:08 PM
> > > > > Subject: Re: "Accessibility in Fedora Workstation" (fwd)
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > "KL" == Karen Lewellen <klewellen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > > > > > > > > writes:
> > > > > KL> What bothers me most are his lack of actual qualifications,
> > > > > and
> > > > > KL> absolute dismissal of what he has not experienced..as if he
> > > > > KL> defines Linux usage for everyone. That attitude is
> > > > > KL> dangerous,
> > > > > KL> because he is educating those outside of the accessibility
> > > > > KL> experiences, who will believe his ignorance is factual. he
> > > > > has
> > > > > KL> to be expert, it is his job.
> > > > >
> > > > > Hi Karen,
> > > > >
> > > > > I know Lukas personally and I admire his skills and
> > > > > qualifications.
> > > > > I
> > > > > also know first hand that he is open to constructive feedback
> > > > > and
> > > > > I
> > > > > believe heâ?Td be happy to be corrected about possible
> > > > > technical
> > > > > inaccuracies in the interview. It may be also a good
> > > > > opportunity
> > > > > to
> > > > > find out whatâ?Ts possibly missing in making anybody better
> > > > > informed.
> > > > >
> > > > > As for â?oabsolute dismissal of what he has not
> > > > > experiencedâ?,
> > > > > what
> > > > > reasonable free software alternatives to a less or more
> > > > > standard
> > > > > desktop
> > > > > with Orca and a software synthesizer can you see for a common
> > > > > blind
> > > > > user
> > > > > who needs to use a fully working web browser, to read and
> > > > > process
> > > > > text
> > > > > documents, to be compatible with other computer users, etc.?
> > > > >
> > > > > And letâ?Ts be realistic. We celebrate every single
> > > > > developer
> > > > > hired
> > > > > to
> > > > > improve accessibility. This tells something about the state
> > > > > of
> > > > > the
> > > > > matters. We cannot expect that a single person will fix all
> > > > > the
> > > > > kinds
> > > > > of accessibility problems in all the environments. Lukas
> > > > > works at
> > > > > his
> > > > > job focusing on certain areas currently seen there as urgent
> > > > > ones
> > > > > and I
> > > > > appreciate this opportunity. Anybody else seeing a need to
> > > > > work
> > > > > on
> > > > > other areas is welcome to contribute to whatever sees fit, as
> > > > > I
> > > > > do.
> > > > >
> > > > > Regards,
> > > > > Milan
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >