[nabs-l] {nabs-l:Question about Blackboard

Tue Jan 24 23:37:42 UTC 2012

Joshua,
Your operating system should not impact your ability to use blackboard;  I 
used it with windows xp and now windows 7. Check with I T if you are having 
difficulties.

-----Original Message----- 
From: Joshua Lester
Sent: Tuesday, January 24, 2012 12:17 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: [nabs-l] {nabs-l:Question about Blackboard

I haven't used the discussion portion, but Blackboard is a nuisance,
because it doesn't respond to my computer, like it's supposed to.
When I log in, it says, "Page has no Links."
I think it's because I need to update to Windows 7.
Blessings, Joshua

On 1/24/12, Gloria G <gloria.graves at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi,
> Has anyone used blackboard for classes? I have to post questions in the
> discussion portion of the site and am not sure how to do that with using
> jaws. I no when surching for other things like powerpoints posted by
> profesors I have little trouble, but when posting discussion or replying 
> to
> a post I have difficulity. If anyone can help that would be great. Thanks 
> a
> bunch
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Nicole B. Torcolini at Home" <ntorcolini at wavecable.com>
> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, January 24, 2012 12:31 AM
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Microsoft product accessibility
>
>
>> Yes, Access in Office 2003 was accessible. As a matter of fact, I used it
>> to do a project that was geared toward blind users.
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Katie Wang" <bunnykatie6 at gmail.com>
>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Monday, January 23, 2012 10:29 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Microsoft product accessibility
>>
>>
>>> Hi, Ashley and all,
>>>
>>> While I agree that having to re-learn where all the features are in MS
>>> Office 2010can be pretty annoying for both sighted and blind users
>>> alike, I have to  say that, having transitioned from MS Office 2003 to
>>> 2010 recently, I don't believe that the newer version is less
>>> accessible. As someone suggested earlier in this thread, the Virtual
>>> Menu feature of JAWS 12 or later makes the ribbons behave in a manner
>>> that is pretty similar to traditional menus, thereby eliminating a lot
>>> of the confusion Ashley was referring to. Although I did run into a
>>> few instances where I'm not sure how to perform a certain task, it was
>>> easily resolved by a quick Google search, and I believe this is simply
>>> part of the process of learning to use a new program.
>>>
>>> As a graduate student who relies heavily on the MS Office suite and
>>> someone who is not always eager to learn the most recent technology,
>>> I'm by no means discounting anyone's frustration. However, I do think
>>> that, since Windows XP and MS Office 2003 have been around for a long
>>> time, (they were here when I was first introduced to JAWS), it is easy
>>> for us to claim that something new is not user-friendly simply because
>>> we are not used to how it works yet. Some of you may remember me
>>> posting about alternative email clients in Windows 7 a while ago
>>> because I was confused by Outlook 2010 and missed the simplicity of
>>> Outlook Express a lot. I'm pleased to report that I have since figured
>>> out the basics of Outlook 2010 and found that the email program
>>> actually works pretty well (in fact, it has some features I do
>>> appreciate that were not available in Outlook Express). In short, I
>>> would encourage everyone to be patient when approaching a new
>>> program-- We all need to upgrade to the latest version of Office
>>> sooner or later to keep up with mainstream users, and you might be
>>> surprised by the benefits of a new program once you allow yourself
>>> time to play around with it.
>>>
>>> Katie
>>>
>>> PS: As far as I know, MS Office Access is not accessible, but I don't
>>> believe it has ever been accessible in the past so this is not really
>>> a 2010 issue. I have never really used Access for anything though so
>>> don't have much to say about it.
>>>
>>> On 1/23/12, Jewel <herekittykat2 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> A quick tip: Use TAB instead of the arrow keys when in the ribbons.
>>>> This will mean going through all of the options int hat ribbon, but
>>>> you won't miss anything, as you would if you used the arrow keys. I
>>>> learned this in a short class on using ?Word 2010 with JAWS. Also, the
>>>> 1 of 4 is a grouping. For example, Cut copy past would all be in one
>>>> grouping. If you use the TAB, you can ignore this grouping and go thru
>>>> the options without worry of missing anything. It takes some practice
>>>> to get used to, and it takes extra time to get thru all of the
>>>> options, but it is accessible...just not as accessible, as was stated
>>>> before.
>>>>
>>>> ~Jewel
>>>>
>>>> On 1/22/12, Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>>>> Peter,
>>>>> You are not a student and further probably do not use Office suite
>>>>> everyday;
>>>>> I don't even know if you have a job.
>>>>> Yet you seem to discount our collective experience.
>>>>>
>>>>> No one said Office suite was not accessible. David Dodge said that it
>>>>> was
>>>>> becoming less accessible.
>>>>> That is true. The layout is confusing and again, Access is not
>>>>> accessible.
>>>>> I
>>>>> talked to a tech trainer about it and he told me so.
>>>>> It is also less user friendly. Certainly the basic word processing
>>>>> stuff
>>>>> work well; the short cut commands still work i.e. control S for save,
>>>>> control n for new document, Others like cut, copy, and paste are the
>>>>> same.
>>>>> Yet, as you use the ribbons more its confusing.
>>>>>
>>>>> For instance: go to the reference tab. You hear a group saying 1 of 5
>>>>> and
>>>>> then you tab again; jaws says 1 of 4. Okay, what exactly is the group?
>>>>> One
>>>>> of four what?
>>>>>
>>>>> How do you get to the box options? Jaws says  group box. For instance,
>>>>> you
>>>>> tab to footnote or table of contents. If you down arrow, there are no
>>>>> options.
>>>>> Sure, I suppose word is accessible, but it is not user friendly.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: Peter Donahue
>>>>> Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2012 10:26 PM
>>>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Microsoft product accessibility
>>>>>
>>>>> Hello David and everyone,
>>>>>
>>>>>     And especially when others are using these products without any
>>>>> trouble.
>>>>> Might I suggest checking your software and screen reader's
>>>>> documentation
>>>>> for
>>>>> procedures and work-around to possible accessibility issues before
>>>>> declaring
>>>>> this or that product blind-unfriendly? We do that here and have found
>>>>> fixes
>>>>> for many presumed inaccessibility concerns.
>>>>>
>>>>> Peter Donahue
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>> From: "David Andrews" <dandrews at visi.com>
>>>>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2012 8:37 PM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Microsoft product accessibility
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> I would urge people to be more careful with how they word
>>>>> things.  Everyone is saying Office 2010 is not as
>>>>> accessible.  Strictly speaking, I don't think this is true.  You can
>>>>> get to all the controls and identify them with most screen
>>>>> readers.  I think the product may not be as usable for a blind
>>>>> person, but it is not inaccessible.
>>>>>
>>>>> I am increasingly seeing a tendency on the part of the blind
>>>>> community to brand software or a web site inaccessible when it is
>>>>> that they just don't know how to use it, or their assistive 
>>>>> technology.
>>>>>
>>>>> Surely there are problems out there, but we must be accurate when
>>>>> reporting them.
>>>>>
>>>>> David Andrews
>>>>>
>>>>> At 08:25 PM 1/22/2012, you wrote:
>>>>>>David,
>>>>>>I really agree! 2003 with its menus was more accessible. 2007 wasn't
>>>>>>too bad from what I heard. I did not try it though. I have 2010 and
>>>>>>feel its less accessible. As someone already said, access is not
>>>>>>accessible and in 2007 it was. Microsoft just had to change things; go
>>>>>>figure.
>>>>>>Does anyone have a point of contact for them in the accessibility
>>>>>>department or whomever handels access issues there.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Ashley
>>>>>>
>>>>>>-----Original Message----- From: David Dodge
>>>>>>Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2012 9:12 PM
>>>>>>To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>>>>>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] microsoft product accessibility
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Microsoft programs appear to me to be getting less and less accessible
>>>>>>as
>>>>>>time goes on.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>If you are having accessibility issues with these products I recommend
>>>>>>contacting Microsoft from their website. It is unlikely that they will
>>>>>> take
>>>>>>the feedback into consideration, but still.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>2003 and 2007 or certainly more accessible than 2010.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>David
>>>>>>----------------------------------
>>>>>>David Dodge
>>>>>>Doctoral Degree Granting Institutions Rep.
>>>>>>State University of New York Student Assembly
>>>>>>English Major
>>>>>>University at Buffalo
>>>>>>306 Clemens Hall
>>>>>>Buffalo, NY 14260
>>>>>>daviddod at buffalo.edu
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>On Sun, Jan 22, 2012 at 9:08 PM, Nicole B. Torcolini at Home <
>>>>>>ntorcolini at wavecable.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>As far as my experience, there is no advantage to using 2007 or 2010,
>>>>>>>especially if you find 2003. Files created using 2007 and 2010 can
>>>>>>>still
>>>>>>>be
>>>>>>>read and edited using 2003. I will leave it up to you, but my
>>>>>>>recommendation is to use Office 2003. There are ways to have both, 
>>>>>>>but
>>>>>>>they
>>>>>>>are not easy or convenient.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Ashley Bramlett" <
>>>>>>>bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
>>>>>>>To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" <
>>>>>>>nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>>Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2012 4:56 PM
>>>>>>>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] microsoft product accessibility
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>its my computer. Gee would be nice to have both versions
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>-----Original Message----- From: Nicole B. Torcolini at Home
>>>>>>>Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2012 7:46 PM
>>>>>>>To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>>>>>>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] microsoft product accessibility
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>No, you cannot. Is this your computer? If so, I would strongly
>>>>>>>recommend
>>>>>>>just uninstalling the current version of Office and installing Office
>>>>>>>2003.
>>>>>>>If it is not your computer, then maybe you could talk to someone who
>>>>>>>has
>>>>>>>the
>>>>>>>authority to do it and explain that it would make things a million
>>>>>>>times
>>>>>>>easier.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Ashley Bramlett" <
>>>>>>>bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
>>>>>>>To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>>>>>><nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>>Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2012 4:18 PM
>>>>>>>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] microsoft product accessibility
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Nicole,
>>>>>>>I think I have an old cd with office 2003 around. Do you know if I 
>>>>>>>can
>>>>>>>have
>>>>>>>them concurrently on the computer?
>>>>>>>It just would be nice to have both options; so if I cannot figure out
>>>>>>>where
>>>>>>>something is in the ribbons, I can go back to the nice, simple menus
>>>>>>>of
>>>>>>>2003.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>-----Original Message----- From: Nicole B. Torcolini at Home
>>>>>>>Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2012 7:10 PM
>>>>>>>To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>>>>>>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] microsoft product accessibility
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Yes. The excerpt is from the "What's New in JAWS 12.0" section. I do
>>>>>>>not
>>>>>>>have Office 2007 or 2010, so I unfortunately cannot tell you how well
>>>>>>>it
>>>>>>>works, but it is probably better than nothing.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Arielle Silverman" <
>>>>>>>arielle71 at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>>>>>><nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>>Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2012 4:00 PM
>>>>>>>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] microsoft product accessibility
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Does JAWS 12 have this?
>>>>>>>Arielle
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>On 1/22/12, Nicole B. Torcolini at Home <ntorcolini at wavecable.com>
>>>>>>>wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Do you know how to use the quick settings in JAWS? Copied from the
>>>>>>>>JAWS
>>>>>>>>13
>>>>>>>>help:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Virtual Ribbon Menu
>>>>>>>>The Ribbon is a new style of menu available in many new applications
>>>>>>>>being
>>>>>>>>released today. Ribbons first appeared in Office 2007 programs, but
>>>>>>>>are
>>>>>>>>now
>>>>>>>>becoming more common in other applications tailored for the Windows 
>>>>>>>>7
>>>>>>>>operating system. Ribbons create an accessibility challenge due to
>>>>>>>>inconsistent navigation between various groups and items. For
>>>>>>>>example,
>>>>>>>>when
>>>>>>>>you enter the Lower Ribbon and press the ARROW keys to move between
>>>>>>>> items
>>>>>>>>in
>>>>>>>>a group, you can skip items and unexpectedly move into another 
>>>>>>>>group.
>>>>>>>>Pressing TAB gives no indication that you have left one group and
>>>>>>>> entered
>>>>>>>>another. Using first letter navigation to find items can be 
>>>>>>>>difficult
>>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>>>frustrating. Finally, because of a group's layout, you do not know 
>>>>>>>>if
>>>>>>>> you
>>>>>>>>should navigate up, down, left, or right to select an item.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>The new Virtual Ribbon Menu provides predictable navigation, lets 
>>>>>>>>you
>>>>>>>> see
>>>>>>>>everything in the Ribbon, and offers consistency when navigating 
>>>>>>>>with
>>>>>>>>ARROW
>>>>>>>>keys. For example, the ARROW and TAB keys move focus from the Upper
>>>>>>>>Ribbon
>>>>>>>>tabs to the Lower Ribbon groups. Once in a group, the ARROW, TAB, 
>>>>>>>>and
>>>>>>>>SHIFT+TAB keys move through all items in a group, move from one 
>>>>>>>>group
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>to
>>>>>>>>the
>>>>>>>>next, and wrap to the beginning of the Ribbon. For submenus, 
>>>>>>>>SPACEBAR
>>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>>>ENTER expand menus, and ESCAPE collapses menus. The Virtual Ribbon
>>>>>>>>Menu
>>>>>>>>is
>>>>>>>>off by default and can be switched on or off from within Settings
>>>>>>>>Center
>>>>>>>>or
>>>>>>>>the JAWS Startup Wizard. When it is on, the Ribbon is navigated 
>>>>>>>>using
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>a
>>>>>>>>traditional menu and submenu format familiar to most JAWS users.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>----- Original Message -----
>>>>>>>>From: "Ashley Bramlett" <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
>>>>>>>>To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>>>>>>><nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>>>Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2012 3:30 PM
>>>>>>>>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] microsoft product accessibility
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>  jaws 13
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>>>>>>>From: Nicole B. Torcolini at Home
>>>>>>>>>Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2012 6:23 PM
>>>>>>>>>To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>>>>>>>>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] microsoft product accessibility
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>What version of JAWS are you using?
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>----- Original Message -----
>>>>>>>>>From: "Ashley Bramlett" <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
>>>>>>>>>To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>>>>>>>><nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>>>>Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2012 3:08 PM
>>>>>>>>>Subject: [nabs-l] microsoft product accessibility
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>  Hi all,
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>Seems like the office suite is less user friendly with the new
>>>>>>>>>> ribbons.
>>>>>>>>>>Occasionally I find a button unlabeled.
>>>>>>>>>>Anyway, is access and Publisher accessible at all? I'd like to
>>>>>>>>>>create
>>>>>>>>>>simple charts with publisher and maybe brochures if I volunteer 
>>>>>>>>>>for
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>pr
>>>>>>>>>>somewhere.
>>>>>>>>>>Is excell still accessible?
>>>>>>>>>>I'll need the access database for work probably.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>
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>>>>>
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>>>>
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