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

Sat Nov 23 07:02:14 UTC 2013

The java access bridge isn't to hard to install, but there's not a 
specific guide. You just have to follow a weird README and pray. Pray a 
lot, for Java broken bridge is tempermental.
On 11/23/2013 1:54 AM, minh ha wrote:
> Hi Katie and all,
>
> Thank you so much for your responses--they were extremely helpful. I
> am meeting with my professor after Thanksgiving break to discuss the
> class and what we can do to help me work with SPSS and the course
> material in general. I think the university will provide students with
> a license of the software, so I don't have to worry about paying for
> it. However, do you know if there is a guide that comes with the
> software to show how to install the java accessibility bridge that
> Mary was talking about? I'm thinking that I might have to explore the
> program on my own before the class starts as my disability services
> office is kind of clueless when it comes to technology.
>
> Cheers,
> Minh
>
> On 11/22/13, Katie Wang <bunnykatie6 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Hi Minh and all,
>>
>> While SPSS was completely inaccessible a few years ago, this is no
>> longer true - I have been using it for the past five years on a
>> regular basis and can do almost everything independently. Mary is
>> right that the accessibility set-up procedure can be a bit cumbersome,
>> but this has gotten significantly better since version 21. The
>> software license does cost quite a bit of money though (as a graduate
>> student, I just paid $95 for a one-year license), so if you are only
>> going to need the software for this one class then it might not be a
>> worthwhile investment. I'm a big fan of Excel, but based on my
>> experience it will most likely not be sufficient for a stats class you
>> would take for your sociology major. Arielle sent around a link to a
>> free, accessible stats calculator a little while ago on this list,
>> which is supposed to be quite useful and might be something worth
>> looking into (if you search the archives of this list for "SPSS" the
>> thread should come up).
>>
>> If you do end up tackling SPSS and have any specific questions, please
>> feel free to contact me off-list - I would be happy to share the
>> work-arounds and tips I have learned with you.  It might be nice to
>> enlist assistance from a reader when you are getting acquainted with
>> the software, but once you figure out the basics you probably won't
>> need much sighted help (except for when you are creating charts and
>> graphs, of course). Hope this helps and best of luck!
>>
>> Katie
>>
>>
>> On 11/22/13, Mary Fernandez <trillian551 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 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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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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>>>>>
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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
>>>
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>


-- 
Take care,
Ty
http://tds-solutions.net
He that will not reason is a bigot; he that cannot reason is a fool; he that dares not reason is a slave.