[nabs-l] MS Excel and accessibility

Âris Nusbaum dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com
Fri May 20 20:01:22 UTC 2011 

Steve,

Thanks for the great advice! I'll definitely try that.  I have 
made graphs a lot before and still am when needed.  I read graphs 
and graphics more than I make them in math and science, so I have 
a pretty good handle on what a graph looks like.  However, 
tactile graphics isn't my strongest area so I'm working with my 
TVI on that.  I'll forward your email to my TVI and see what she 
thinks of it.  Again, thanks!
 Chris

"A loss of sight, never a loss of vision!" (Camp Abilities motto)

--- Sent from my BrailleNote

 ----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Jacobson" <steve.jacobson at visi.com
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Thu, 19 May 2011 20:28:01 -0500
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] MS Excel and accessibility

Chris,

In some ways, this is really a more complicated question than it 
might seem on the surface.  Excel does work pretty
good with JFW and with Window-Eyes and even some other screen 
readers.  If you are not at all familiar with
spreadsheets, and if Excel is used as a tool in your school, 
taking some time to learn about spreadsheets is a good
idea.  I believe there are still tutorials that are free or low 
cost from the Iowa Department for the Blind.  Check out

http://blind.state.ia.us/assist/

and I think there are other tutorials around.

One also has to look at the reason for graphing.  If your teacher 
is having students graphing in excel, the chances are
that the students are entering numbers into Excel and then using 
Excel to display the graph.  The purpose is therefore
not to have students draw graphs but to show them what the graph 
will look like.  This means that the extra work you
are doing to make a graph on your braille writer is probably 
beyond the call of duty in a way.  Unfortunately, even
though Excel is accessible, you won't know what the graph looks 
like.  How numbers relate to each other on a graph
is important for some concepts.  Therefore, even if you don't 
make the graph, it is important that you understand what
they look like.  If what I have said is accurate, you should talk 
to your instructor and whatever resources to see if there
is a more efficient way for you to handle this.  There are 
drawing kits that people can use to make tactile drawings, but
this isn't always necessary.  I believe the American Printing 
House for the Blind still has graph paper, and one can do a
lot with that and pipe cleaners.  The goal here would be to find 
tools that someone else could use to show you what
the graphs look like if the kids are letting Excel generate the 
graphs for them.

Try to get an idea of what the true purpose of this particular 
exercise is, to have you draw a graph or to have you see
what it looks like.

Best regards,

Steve Jacobson

On Wed, 18 May 2011 16:09:11 -0400, -ris Nusbaum wrote:

Ok.  Before I ask for the link, how much does it cost? Are there
any free ways I can learn to work it, like an FS Cast or
something?

 Chris

"A loss of sight, never a loss of vision!" (Camp Abilities motto)

--- Sent from my BrailleNote

 ----- Original Message -----
From: "dreicer, zachary" <z.dreicer at emissives.com
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing
list<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Tue, 17 May 2011 15:46:32 -0600
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] MS Excel and accessibility

pretty good! there's a carroll tech class if you want to pay for
instruction.  Let me know and I can get you the link to their
site

Sent from my BRAILLENOTE Apex

 ----- Original Message -----
From: ?is Nusbaum <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing
list<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Tue, 17 May 2011 17:18:21 -0400
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] MS Excel and accessibility

Good...  so, how does it work with JAWS?

 Chris

"A loss of sight, never a loss of vision!" (Camp Abilities motto)

--- Sent from my BrailleNote

 ----- Original Message -----
From: "dreicer, zachary" <z.dreicer at emissives.com
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing
list<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Tue, 17 May 2011 15:07:32 -0600
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] MS Excel and accessibility

excel is pretty good with jaws

Sent from my BRAILLENOTE Apex

 ----- Original Message -----
From: Chris Nusbaum <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com
To: NABS list <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Tue, 17 May 2011 15:57:02 -0400
Subject: [nabs-l] MS Excel and accessibility

Hi, all!

Lately in science class, we've been doing a lot of assignments
involving graphing data from an experiment, or lab, into MS
Excel.  Since we haven't tried it on my computer, and my TVI
doesn't know a lot about its interaction with screen readers
(JAWS in particular) we make the graph manually on my
Braillewriter, which is tedious and time-consuming (at least more
time-consuming than doing it in Excel.) This can amount to be
pretty annoying.  My classmates are getting the graph done on the
computer in no time and are moving on to notes that are homework
if not finished in class, and having enough time to finish the
notes and have no homework! However, I didn't even have time to
start on the notes because the graph took so long to make (from
scratch) on the Brailler, and had to do it all at home.  * Frown.
So, I'd like to know how accessible Excel is to screen readers,
especially in making graphs or spread sheets.  What have your
experiences been with Excel and are there any tips or tricks you
use with it? Or do I still have to go old-school and do it on the
Brailler? (smile) Any help would be apreciated! Thanks!

Chris Nusbaum

"A loss of sight, never a loss of vision!" (Camp Abilities motto)

--- Sent from my BrailleNote

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