[blindkid] FW: [Pibe-division] Internet and JAWS-Which browser to use

Carrie Gilmer carrie.gilmer at gmail.com
Fri Sep 23 14:22:09 UTC 2011


 

 

  _____  

From: pibe-division-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:pibe-division-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Dr. Denise M.
Robinson
Sent: Friday, September 23, 2011 3:47 AM
To: Professionals in Blindness Education Division List
Subject: [Pibe-division] Internet and JAWS-Which browser to use

 


Internet
<http://blindgeteducated.blogspot.com/2011/09/internet-and-jaws-which-browse
r-to-use.html>  and JAWS-Which browser to use 


I have many browsers on my machine as each one does something
different...some very annoying features and some fantastic.

When I want a great virtual connection with video plugins and there is not a
blind child on the other end, but I will be joining a meeting, I go Chrome.
It truly is a fast browser. However, if I try to turn JAWS on while Chrome
is open.... JAWS will NOT open. As soon as I close Chrome, JAWS starts
chatting away. Let's just say there are compatibility issues here.

Internet Explorer (IE) offers some good features and in general, you can
move around quite easily and get to where you want to go. There are hotkeys
for almost everything and in general, it is very friendly. However, if you
want to do video plugins, for example, Google chat or video plugins, JAWS in
general will tell you what you are typing, if you hit backspace he may just
say blank, blank, blank. When someone replies to you, you will NOT hear what
is typed. So there are inaccessible features with IE and JAWS.

For a great browser that makes a huge majority of things accessible where
they would not be, Firefox is it. Example, if you want to chat using Gmail,
you hear everything you type, JAWS repeats the letters you erase, AND you
hear everything the other person is typing. JAWS will even tell you someone
is texting you and JAWS will tell you who it is. Firefox keystrokes can take
you far and wide easily with JAWS.

Safari is completely inaccessible...well, you can fool it in some places,
but forget it, and it is too much work.

However, none of the browsers offers you keystrokes to access video.
Shameful!

So what should a blind person do if they want to video chat to their Mom and
Dad in France or Argentina? Or a student to teach?...enter SKYPE. You can
download special JAWS scripts to allow JAWS to talk everything in SKYPE. You
can make calls, video, chat, add contacts, you name it, all for free, even
calling thousands of miles away. When someone is texting you, SKYPE tells
you their name and you hear a typing sound as they type in their text. When
they hit enter and send the text to you, you hear everything in the text.
You can disconnect and connect with ease. You can do everything you want
using JAWS. 

So for now, or at least with the knowledge I have right now, I find SKYPE to
be the best in video, chat, text, and all features accessible with JAWS
though it is not a browser but a great addition to browsers: Internet
Explorer is good for a huge majority of surfing and Firefox if you just want
everything accessible...or at least most things.

 

       Denise 

 

Denise M. Robinson, TVI, Ph.D. 
Teacher of the Blind & Visually Impaired
TechVision-Independent Contractor

Specialist in blind programming/teaching/training

509-674-1853     <mailto:deniserob at gmail.com>  deniserob at gmail.com

 

http://blindgeteducated.blogspot.com/

 

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