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

Sat Nov 23 18:30:06 UTC 2013

If you go to www.empowermentzone.com/jwin.htm there is a program that 
will install JAVA and set up the Access Bridge, you can download directly at:

http://www.empowermentzone.com/jwin_setup.exe

Dave

At 01:02 AM 11/23/2013, you wrote:
>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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>>>>>>>et
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
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