[nabs-l] StatisticalPackage for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software

Fri Nov 22 06:44:42 UTC 2013

Minh and all,
SPSS is accessible. However, it is a bit of a cumbersome, involved
program for everyone who uses it. Talk to the IT people, they must
install SPSS, Jaws and the Java accessibility bridge. at that point,
it'll be up to you to get a good understanding of the software before
the beginning of the semester. I don't believe in separate but equal
when there is a way to use the same software as everyone else. SPSS
isn't perfect but it works. As an additional accommodation, you might
want to work with a reader when running and reading your stat
analysis. A reader can be there to make sure that you have clicked
everything you intended to, and that you are reading what you think
you are reading. They should only serve as a pair of extra eyes while
you get your barings and are confident that you are gleaning all the
information that is being shown on screen.
Arielle is the expert on SPSS and always encourages contact.
Thanks.
Mary

On 11/21/13, Patrick Molloy <ptrck.molloy at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Minh,
> Funny you should mention SPSS, as I recently posted about it on this
> list. You're right to wonder about its accessibility. From what I've
> read here and what I experienced, I'd say go with Excel. SPSS is
> SUPPOSEDLY accessible in its latest version and with the latest
> version of JAWS. From what I've heard though, it's a very graphical
> program, so you'll wind up exporting things INTO Excel anyway. Excel
> is very good about statistical calculations if you're willing to sit
> down and play with it a little bit. So, long story short, see what you
> can do with Excel and if all else fails, THEN try SPSS. I'm slightly
> biased, since I had a bad experience or 2 with SPSS.
> Hope this Helps,
> Patrick
>
> On 11/21/13, Ryan Silveira <ryan.l.silveira at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Hi Minh and Emily,
>>
>> While I'm definitely not one who would take stats unless I absolutely had
>> to, I've done some research on the accessibility of SPSS for some
>> friends.
>> As far as I know, SPSS has yet to become even remotely accessible with
>> JAWS
>> or any other screen reader.  I know that it presents a lot of
>> difficulties
>> to a lot of blind and visually impaired people who either use it on the
>> job
>> or in school.  There are some other alternatives which are not nearly as
>> good or as reputable as SPSS (because let's face it, sometimes these
>> programs are used more for their reputation than for their actual
>> productivity and feasibility), but they might be better alternatives for
>> you
>> if your professor is looking for something more "involved" than Excell.
>> It
>> is important that your professor understands that you really cannot use
>> SPSS
>> and that he or she be willing to allow you to use an alternative software
>> which would allow you to do the same work and with the same level of
>> expectations as all of the other students.  If you like, I can do some
>> further research on software that would work for you and we can talk
>> further
>> off-list.  In the mean time, I think Emily's Excell solution is probably
>> your best bet.  If you're having difficulties with your professor, see if
>> you can't persuade your school's disability services people to help you.
>> I
>> hope this is helpful.
>>
>> Take Care,
>> Ryan
>>
>>
>> On Nov 21, 2013, at 8:32 PM, "Emily Pennington"
>> <emilypennington at fuse.net>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi, Minh.
>>> I'm in my second semester of Stats, and I really like it. Fortunately
>>> for
>>> me, our class is business-based, and we only use Excel, which works
>>> 99.9237%
>>> of the time. I know your professor has already designated software
>>> package,
>>> but if you're having real trouble, Excel is a great avenue to perform
>>> most
>>> statistical functions, and most Stats professors know their way around
>>> Excel.
>>> If you come across any formula questions with Excel, I'd be happy to
>>> talk
>>> some more with you off-list. I'm definitely not an expert by any means,
>>> but
>>> I've got a nice system down after nearly two semesters, and it's a
>>> fascinating subject.
>>>
>>> Take care,
>>> Emily
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of minh ha
>>> Sent: Thursday, November 21, 2013 9:23 PM
>>> To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>> Subject: [nabs-l] StatisticalPackage for the Social Sciences (SPSS)
>>> software
>>>
>>> Hello all,
>>>
>>> I am taking statistics next semester which is a required course for my
>>> sociology major. I spoke with the professor and he said that the main
>>> component of the course involves doing work with the StatisticalPackage
>>> for
>>> the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. I was wondering if any of you have
>>> had
>>> experience with this software and know whether it is accessible or not?
>>> I'm
>>> just nervous that it's not accessible and I won't be able to perform any
>>> of
>>> the assignments.
>>> Thanks for any help you can give.
>>>
>>> Cheers,
>>> Minh
>>>
>>> --
>>> "All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty
>>> recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity:
>>> but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their
>>> dreams with open eyes, to make them possible." T. E. Lawrence
>>>
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-- 
Mary Fernandez
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will
forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them
feel."
—
Maya Angelou