[Blindmath] STATA

Tue Feb 28 08:43:36 UTC 2012

Hello Mazhar et al.,

I'd like to ask two questions for clarity.

1. You said that sighted assistance to get rid of the variables list 
was needed. I certainly didn't need sighted assistance to set myself 
up for my experiment in Stata at the Summer University last year. Is 
this modification actually necessary? Perhaps we circumvented it by 
working through the browser.

2. Are you actually serious that extra software is required to get 
the data into Stata if it is in Excel format? And people pay for it!?

And one comment about code...

I often hear that R has a steep learning curve, especially from 
sighted people who want to point and click a mouse around the menus. 
If a blind person is going to use most statistical software (fully) 
they are going to need either great access to the menus, or learn the 
syntax, possibly both. I don't know of any statistical software that 
can claim to not have a steep learning curve when it comes to the 
command syntax. For me, the issue is whether I can get at resources 
that will help me when I get into trouble with coding. This is now my 
main criticism for those people who may want to use Minitab or SPSS, 
which if you are prepared to work in command line mode are accessible 
but painful.

Jonathan

At 08:26 p.m. 28/02/2012, you wrote:
>Hi
>As an  Economics doctoral candidate, I have been using Stata 
>regularly for some years with various versions of Jaws. Currently 
>using Jaws 11 and Stata 11 with Windows7.
>My impression of Stata is that it quite handy for blind users after 
>a little tweeking:
>
>The command line and menus are completely accessible
>
>the output screen is accessible with Jaws cursor. Results can be 
>saved in txt format. There are also some commands to export results 
>in publication-quality Excel tables.
>Stata by default has a variables bar on the left of the output 
>screen. This is kind of useless for a blind user, better get it 
>removed through sighted assistance.
>
>The data editor is not very accessible, but can be bypassed. I get 
>my initial data in excel or text format and convert it into stata 
>format with the Stat transfer program (a paid software).
>
>I have also tried my luck with R. R is of course free, and 
>everything on it presumeably be done through command line. But I 
>find its learning curve for an occasional user quite high.
>
>Does someone know if Eviews is accessible or not? This software is 
>commonly used in research on monetary and financial Economics.
>                                    kind regards Mazhar
>
>
>--------------------------------------------------
>From: "David Andrews" <dandrews at visi.com>
>Sent: Tuesday, February 28, 2012 12:33 AM
>To: "NFB in Computer Science Mailing List" <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
>Cc: <blindmath at nfbnet.org>
>Subject: Re: [Blindmath] [nfbcs] FW: STATA
>
>>It might be a good idea to ask on our BlindMath list, where people 
>>who use this kind of thing hang out.  In fact, I will forward,  -- 
>>if you or anyone else wants to subscribe:
>>
>>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindmath_nfbnet.org
>>
>>Dave
>>
>>At 09:06 AM 2/27/2012, you wrote:
>>>Does anyone have information about this program and its functionality with
>>>JAWS?
>>>
>>>Gary
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>   _____
>>>
>>>From: Schafer, Carmen [mailto:schafercg at missouri.edu]
>>>Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2012 2:28 PM
>>>To: jfettgather at alphapointe.org; Gary Wunder (gwunder at earthlink.net)
>>>Subject: STATA
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Hello Jim & Gary,
>>>
>>>We have a Grad student who is using Jaws and will be taking the class
>>>"Research Methods" in the Fall. This class requires the use of Stata a data
>>>analysis and statistical software program. She wants to learn the software
>>>before she takes the class in Fall 2012. We are in search of someone who is
>>>proficient with Jaws who can help try her on how to use the Stata program.
>>>Do either of you know of anyone in the Columbia area or someone that we
>>>could pay to come here and work with her and hopefully one of the
>>>statisticans in our Mathamatics department?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Thank you,
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Carmen Schafer
>>>University of Missouri - Division of IT
>>>Adaptive Computing Technology Center
>>>Direct Phone: (573) 882-8838
>>>Office Phone: (573) 884-2828
>>>Toll free: 866-396-2380
>>>  <mailto:schafercg at missouri.edu> schafercg at missouri.edu
>>
>>
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_____
Dr A. Jonathan R. Godfrey
Lecturer in Statistics
Institute of Fundamental Sciences
Massey University
Palmerston North

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