[blindlaw] ZoomText versus JAWS

[David Andrews]

You are right that ZoomText is marketed as a magnification, or screen 
enlargement program, but not by Freedom Scientific.
They have a competitor called Magic, so wouldn't market ZT.

Dave

At 01:43 PM 7/8/2015, you wrote:
>good points as Zoomtext is actually marketed as a screen 
>magnification program by Freedom Scientific.
>Chuck    t
>
>-----Original Message----- From: Rod Alcidonis, Esquire via blindlaw
>Sent: Wednesday, July 8, 2015 8:03 AM
>To: 'Anita Keith-Foust' ; 'Blind Law Mailing List'
>Cc: Rod Alcidonis, Esquire
>Subject: Re: [blindlaw] ZoomText versus JAWS
>
>The point not being made here is that ZoomText is not a screen reading
>program in the sense that JAWS, NVDA, and Window Eyes are. There is a gross
>misunderstanding about the technology if someone were to say that you can
>replace the functionality of JAWS with ZoomText. They are not the same thing
>at all.
>
>I don't believe any totally blind person should agree to that form of
>accomodation.
>
>
>
>
>Rod Alcidonis, Esq.
>
>-----Original Message----- From: Susan Kelly via blindlaw
>Sent: Wednesday, July 08, 2015 10:26 AM
>To: 'Anita Keith-Foust' ; 'Blind Law Mailing List'
>Cc: Susan Kelly
>Subject: Re: [blindlaw] ZoomText versus JAWS
>
>Thanks for the contact name.  If this happens, I will be sure to pass along
>the information to the techs from IT assigned to our agency.
>
>My bigger fear is the learning curve, as the only time that I will have to
>learn this program, if it is determined to be what will be provided, is when
>I am at home.  I run JAWS and MAGic at home, which were initially provided
>to me by the state VocRehab agency, along with the training to learn JAWS
>basics.  Because my case is now considered closed, and because I am too
>young (or too old, being already employed) to be a priority for re-opening
>the VocRehab case, that also means learning without the program available to
>me to practice on, unless I take time away from my family and ask them to
>bring me to the office after hours and on weekends.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Anita Keith-Foust [mailto:anitakeithfoust at gmail.com]
>Sent: Tuesday, July 07, 2015 7:10 PM
>To: 'Blind Law Mailing List'
>Cc: Susan Kelly; AnitaKeithFoust at gmail.com
>Subject: RE: [blindlaw] ZoomText versus JAWS
>
>Dear Susan:
>
>If you have to use ZoomText, get to know the technical support person named
>Lloyd. He is the best and he takes time with you. He is very patient and
>helpful.
>
>ZoomText only reads text, not pictures of text. This will be the first
>problem that you will run into.
>
>If there is any way possible, get them to keep JAWS. I do not understand why
>they would eliminate JAWS rather than just adding ZoomText. Make sure that
>they get ZoomText with Speech.
>
>I hope this helps.
>
>Thank you.
>
>Anita Keith-Foust
>919-430-1978
>
>
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Susan Kelly
>via blindlaw
>Sent: Tuesday, July 7, 2015 7:18 PM
>To: Blind Law Mailing List
>Cc: Susan Kelly
>Subject: [blindlaw] ZoomText versus JAWS
>
>The IT department for our county appears to be considering replacing the
>JAWS ply MAGic accessibility package I use, to replace it with ZoomText.  I
>still have a small amount of useful vision, but this is a progressive
>condition and within a few years (or sooner), I will be completely reliant
>on screen narration.  I am trying to learn Braille in the interim, but as a
>busy assistant public defender in the juvenile courts, time is not my
>friend.
>
>My understanding is that JAWS is the most full-featured narration for a
>Windows / Word environment.  This change is primarily due to the fact that
>the county does not want to permit me any variance from the standard (and
>definitely not unique, but definitely incompatible with adaptive software)
>network environment that is run here.  Will ZoomText provide me with the
>same benefits as JAWS?  Also, how / where can I learn the necessary keyboard
>commands, as I will almost certainly have to do this in my "free" time at
>home?