[blindkid] MacBook Pro

Sally Thomas seacknit at gmail.com
Fri Feb 26 16:41:42 UTC 2010 

Okay folks, I've been trying to collect information on this topic so I'll 
share what I've found so far.  Some of the information will be from outside 
sources and some will be my opinion about what I've read.  I'll try to 
distinguish between the two so you can reach your own conclusions (I know 
you will any way).

Right now Flash content can be viewed on both Windows and Apple machines 
(but not apple mobile devices).  I read a statement from
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Holloway" <rholloway at gopbc.org>
To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)" 
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2010 11:44 PM
Subject: Re: [blindkid] MacBook Pro


> The NFB actually already sued Target over web concerns back in 2006.
>
> Here is a USA Today article from when this was first filed:
> http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-10-25-blind_x.htm
>
> If you google Case No.:  C 06-01802 MHP you can find many details of  the 
> NFB case and the settlement.
>
> Part of me wants to jump on board and say yes, make everyone comply  but 
> in reality the very nature of the web makes that unrealistic or  really 
> just plain impossible. While we may be able to get a big  company like 
> Target to comply by law, we have to remember too that  many web pages are 
> setup by small groups or single individuals with  little budget or very 
> often for no money.
>
> Many people could not afford to make existing sites compliment, and if 
> they were forced, all they could do would be to take the site off- line; 
> sort of the opposite result of what I think most of us would  hope to 
> achieve.
>
> On the brighter side, I do think that over time design software 
> improvements alone will help future sites a lot. For example when I 
> upgraded to the CS3 release of Dreamweaver (web design software I like  to 
> use) they had set a default to remind you to add alternative text 
> descriptions-- something that can be easy to overlook. I really think 
> that better educated web designers and improved software are the most 
> probable ways that most sites are going to improve in the future.
>
> Richard
>
>
>
>
> On Feb 25, 2010, at 3:53 PM, Albert J Rizzi wrote:
>
>> In that vein what are we as an organization  doing to educate and 
>> mitigate
>> in these instances? Ignorance is bliss but it is putting our  community 
>> at a
>> needless disadvantage. With all the technological advancements and the
>> present legislation in place how do we effectively voice our need for
>> attention to these details? It is simple to do yet without a law  suit or 
>> a
>> screaming match it seems little attention is paid to our inter and  intra 
>> net
>> access needs.
>>
>> Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
>> CEO/Founder
>> My Blind Spot, Inc.
>> 90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
>> New York, New York  10004
>> www.myblindspot.org
>> PH: 917-553-0347
>> Fax: 212-858-5759
>> "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one  who 
>> is
>> doing it."
>>
>>
>> Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid- bounces at nfbnet.org] 
>> On
>> Behalf Of Thea Eaton
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 11:48 PM
>> To: 'NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)'
>> Subject: Re: [blindkid] MacBook Pro
>>
>> Yes, all Flash content is accessible to JAWS, Window Eyes and Hal,  as 
>> long
>> as - just like in HTML- the content is tagged and set up for 
>> accessibility.
>>
>> Especially for older kids, I would choose a computer that can access 
>> Flash.
>> Most high school textbooks are being migrated to the web, and will  have
>> Flash content. We have just finished a line of accessible enrichment
>> activities for Harcourt School, for example, that accompany their  online
>> textbooks. All these activities are on the web, in Flash and go hand  in 
>> hand
>> with their textbooks. Pearson education is also migrating their 
>> assessments
>> online, in Flash. Many of their educational eBooks are also Flash  based. 
>> All
>> these learning materials will not be accessible on a Mac, because  you 
>> will
>> only be limited to HTML content, which might be fine for browsing a 
>> large
>> portion of the web, but any interactivity such as eBooks, learning
>> materials, audio and video, will be inaccessible.
>>
>> Thea Eaton
>> DoodleDoo
>> www.doodledoo.com
>> Where early birds learn.
>> 1-888-42 DOODLE
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid- bounces at nfbnet.org] 
>> On
>> Behalf Of Sally Thomas
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 7:04 PM
>> To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)
>> Subject: Re: [blindkid] MacBook Pro
>>
>> I'm interested in the usefulness of the Mac for older kids.  I hear 
>> comments
>>
>> like Heather's about her friend using the Mac so I'm really  curious.  My 
>> son
>>
>> is past the Cartoon Network stage.
>>
>> When he was younger, Flash sites he tried to access with JAWS were not
>> accessible.  I guess some of it depends on how the site is  designed.  I 
>> am
>> sure that all Flash content is not compatible with JAWS.  I'm going  to 
>> check
>>
>> with the NFB Access Technology Team as Treva suggested to check on
>> usefulness of the Mac for older kids.  I think the suggestion to  check 
>> with
>> the student division is a good one too.
>>
>> Since it sounds like Apple is going to try to get the iPad placed as  an
>> academic tool and since NFB has worked with Apple to improve 
>> accessibility,
>> I think the Mac may be a serious contender for older kids.
>>
>> Sally Thomas
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Thea Eaton" <thea at doodledoo.com>
>> To: "'NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)'"
>> <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 3:49 PM
>> Subject: Re: [blindkid] MacBook Pro
>>
>>
>>> Apple's Voice Over screen reader is not compatible with Adobe Flash
>>> content.
>>> Screen readers that are Flash compatible like JAWS, Window Eyes and  Hal 
>>> do
>>> not have a Mac version. This would make all Flash websites for 
>>> children,
>>> like Cartoon Network and other accessible Flash sites, inaccessible  on 
>>> a
>>> Mac. I would therefore not recommend a Mac for children who are  wanting 
>>> to
>>> use a screen reader to access the web.
>>>
>>>
>>> Thea Eaton
>>> DoodleDoo
>>> www.doodledoo.com
>>> Where early birds learn.
>>> 1-888-42 DOODLE
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid- bounces at nfbnet.org] 
>>> On
>>> Behalf Of Sally Thomas
>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 12:37 PM
>>> To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)
>>> Subject: Re: [blindkid] MacBook Pro
>>>
>>> I believe that it is only the Apple mobile devices that don't support
>>> Flash.
>>>
>>> Sally Thomas
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Thea Eaton" <thea at doodledoo.com>
>>> To: "'NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)'"
>>> <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 11:05 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [blindkid] MacBook Pro
>>>
>>>
>>>> As far as I know, most of the screen readers do not run on the Mac.
>>>> Apple's
>>>> own screen reader is very limited to the OS, I think, and is not
>>>> compatible
>>>> with all internet content, like Flash. Because more and more Flash
>>>> content
>>>> is now made accessible to screen reader users, especially children's
>>>> content, I would not recommend getting a Mac, but a PC with an MSAA
>>>> compatible screen reader like JAWS.
>>>>
>>>> Thea Eaton
>>>> DoodleDoo
>>>> www.doodledoo.com
>>>> Where early birds learn.
>>>> 1-888-42 DOODLE
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org ] 
>>>> On
>>>> Behalf Of Sally Thomas
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 10:27 AM
>>>> To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)
>>>> Subject: [blindkid] MacBook Pro
>>>>
>>>> Do any blind kids you know use a MacBook for school work?  My son  has 
>>>> an
>>>> iPod Touch which he loves.  He is even able to type and send email 
>>>> from
>>>> it
>>>> despite the touch screen.  This has convinced him that a MacBook  is 
>>>> the
>>>> best
>>>>
>>>> computer for him.  I'm wondering about the limitations of the  built in
>>>> screen reader or any other idiosyncrasies that would limit its use.
>>>> Since
>>>> it doesn't require the purchase of JAWS or other screen reading 
>>>> software,
>>>> it
>>>>
>>>> might be a good choice.
>>>>
>>>> Sally Thomas
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>>
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>>>
>>>
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>
>
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