[nabs-l] Using a Mouse as a Blind Individual

[Ignasi Cambra]

This type of things are also doable on Mac OS X. I have used the mouse in several occasions to click inaccessible buttons etc. Very good point.

IC
On Oct 6, 2010, at 1:32 AM, Jewel S. wrote:

> Dear list,
> Have you ever considred using a mouse as a blind individual? I
> haven't...I mean, what's the point of using a mouse if you can't see
> the pointer, right? Wrong!
> 
> Today, I found a new reason to use NVDA...not instead of JAWS, but at
> the same time as JAWS. No, I'm not using two voices together (have you
> ever done that accidentally? It's hard to understand anything because
> of the dual voices). I set NVDA to silent (Insert + N, Preferences,
> Synthesizer, then chose Silent from the first menu). Keep your JAWS
> running (or if you use NVDA or another as your primary, keep that
> voice going...you'll need it still!). Now, go into Mouse Setting
> (Insert + N, Preferences, Mouse Settings). Here, you can tell it to
> use audio coordinates, speak when you're over text (character, word,
> line, paragraph), speak when you're over an icon (like on the
> desktop), and it will also speak that you are over a link, button, or
> other element.
> 
> Now, this next part is for people with some residual vision. No, you
> don't have to have much. My vision is 3/350 in one eye and light
> perception only in the other, so if your vision is better than mine,
> you'll likely benefit from this.
> 
> In Control Panel, go to your mouse settings (this is different
> depending on which system you have. I type mouse in the search box,
> but I have Windows 7). You'll probably want to have high contrast, so
> if you have a black on white theme, pick the extra large black mouse.
> If you have white on black like I do, which is higher contrast, choose
> the extra large white mouse pointer (this is in pointer option). Check
> the box for it to locate the mouse when you press control, and give
> the mouse a trail for extra size (for me, this makes the mouse look
> like it's moving, which is a need of mine, since I have trouble seeing
> things that are not moving). You can give the mouse just a little
> trail or a very long tail, depending on your preferences. You'll also
> want to change the speed to 10 percent (the slowest speed) until you
> get good at moving the mouse, as the faster the mouse, the harder it
> is to be accurate.
> 
> Now, with your black background and white mouse, or white background
> and black mouse, look closely at the desktop. Press the control key to
> locate the mouse, or move it around to listen to what NVDA says. It
> will tell you when you are getting close to icons. The higher and
> louder the beep, the closer to an icon or window.
> 
> Using these tools, I was able to click and drag a window, choose a
> colour from a color wheel, and click an inaccessible drop-down menu.
> It wasn't easy, and it probably took me about 5 times as long as a
> sighted person would take (maybe longer), but I did it, and thus many
> previously inaccessible sites and features of programs are not
> accessible to me, and they can be to you, too! Even if you don't have
> any sight at all, NVDA's mouse features will allow you to, with a bit
> of practice, manuever around the desktop and click inaccessible items
> with your mouse!
> 
> I hope you find this helpful, and I'd love to hear how it goes for you
> guys. If this is something that everyone except me already knew about,
> sorry. I'm just so excited that I can use a mouse again after 2 years
> (since I lost my sight), and I wanted to share with you guys.
> 
> Good luck and have funm,
> 
> -- 
> ~Jewel
> Check out my blog about accessibility for the blind!
> Treasure Chest for the Blind: http://blindtreasurechest.blogspot.com
> 
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