[blindkid] Why JAWS?

[Erin Teply]

Hi Brandon,

I don't have all the answers and I'm sure someone on this list is likely an expert, but I can tell you what my son (1st grade) is doing and I've been pleased with his progress.

First, we discussed PacMates vs. laptops/PCs because the school district has both in house.  Our TVI pushed for a laptop for a few reasons.  One, long term a laptop will be what people use (generally speaking).  Two, it's easier for sighted parents to 'work along' with their kids on laptops where we can see a screen.  JAWS is a screen reading software based on the entire platform of Windows, not just for the internet.  If any of you have opened a browser up with JAWS running, it's enough to drive you crazy (likely due to a learning curve on my part).  My son, who is in first grade, has a computer (PC) at home and at school with JAWS.  Note that our home version is just the demo where you can run it for 45 minutes and its free.  My son can open a word document, do his typing (spelling words, sentences, etc), save and print, along with booting and shutting down the computer.  Microsoft Word for Windows that I can tell is fully accessible.  We are a Mac family and have Mac's at home and have not tried voice over with him.  I thought I had heard that Windows on Macs is not fully accessible, but I may be wrong.  I'm sure someone on this list can answer that more firmly.

Anyway, that's what I know.  I think with time I will allow my son to choose whether or not he would like a note taker vs. laptop, but for now, I can tell you that the laptop with JAWS is working!

Good luck--it is overwhelming.

-Erin


On Mar 6, 2013, at 5:28 PM, Brandon and Sarah wrote:

> I'm trying to make sense of a recent conversation with our daughter's
> TVI, who I realize is not up speed on technology - to be fair, neither
> am I. We were discussing a braille notetaker vs. braille display +
> computer. The TVI thinks she can justify the cost of a notetaker to
> the district by not having to get JAWS. Her impression is that JAWS is
> only for screenreading of internet material, which a notetaker can
> theoretically do. Here is my question for those who are ahead of us on
> this issue: If you have a notetaker at the elementary level and home
> computer access with Voiceover, is there a strong reason to have/learn
> JAWS? We have the MS Office for Mac on the home computer, so I'm less
> concerned about Emilia missing out on the Windows experience than I am
> about her getting more acquainted with accessing school curriculum,
> doing school work, etc. by electronic means. Thanks. Brandon
> 
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