[Trainer-Talk] Training on Mac verses Windows: Urgent request for feedback

[Reginald George]

Love your signature! Grin.

Reg
Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans. Alan Saunders, John Lennon 
Sent from my self driving starship!  

On Jan 11, 2019, at 5:04 AM, Gatton, Tonia (OVR-LV) via Trainer-Talk <trainer-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:

Thanks for your feedback.  Much appreciated.

Tonia

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”  Winston Churchill

Tonia Gatton
Assistive Technology Specialist
KY Office of Vocational Rehabilitation
Division of Blind services
Charles W. McDowell center
8412 Westport Road
Louisville, KY 40242
(502) 429-4460
(502) 429-7101 (fax)
Tonia.gatton at ky.gov

-----Original Message-----
From: Trainer-Talk <trainer-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Reginald George via Trainer-Talk
Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2019 7:27 PM
To: List for teachers and trainers of adaptive technology <trainer-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Reginald George <adapt at kc.rr.com>
Subject: Re: [Trainer-Talk] Training on Mac verses Windows: Urgent request for feedback

I work primarily one on one with clients in the field here in Washington state. We do have a training center but it’s in Seattle. I often encounter clients that want to be trained on the Mac. If they have some Mac background and have used a Mac before or are going to be self-employed in a business like Recording engineering, graphic design, desktop publishing, audio editing, massage therapy, or as a computer trainer, and they know what they’re getting themselves into, then I do not have a problem with recommending training. Our center does not train on the Mac platform. They just don’t have anyone qualified to do that. If I’m working with a transitional student and they are just curious and they want a Mac for college or something I give them the proes and cons of both. but I tell them that they’re going to likely be using a Windows based PC at work and that’s what we prefer to support. 
With the order of selection looming and funding issues if they already have a Mac and it’s a decent computer I will sometimes use boot camp and set it up dual boot for Mac and windows. It is nice that the accessibility of so good on the Mac right out of the box. But for a voiceover user I still think pages is difficult.

Reg
Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans. Alan Saunders, John Lennon Sent from my self driving starship!  

On Jan 8, 2019, at 12:51 PM, Gatton, Tonia (OVR-LV) via Trainer-Talk <trainer-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:

I'm eager to hear from everyone but especially those of you providing center-based AT training.  How are you handling requests for Mac training when Windows is still being used in the great majority of workplaces?  Do you teach both? Do you share the pros and cons of each platform and let the student make an informed choice?  Do you strongly encourage them to learn Windows with JAWS if their vocational goal would most likely require the use of a Windows computer?  How do you proceed if they do not have a definite vocational goal or if their goal is perhaps self-employment, and they are adamant that they want to start out with or only learn the Mac?  What if they don't have their own equipment, they can't afford to purchase and it's doubtful the rehab counselor will assist unless they're going to college or have an actual job offer?

I guess you could say our Center has been somewhat bias toward training on Windows with JAWS since that would tend to open up more employment options for the client.  However, with the popularity of Apple products, we continue to have more and more clients requesting Mac training regardless of their vocational goal.  Due to budget constraints, in recent years, we've primarily only been serving category one clients.  Training on both platforms has therefore not been a practical or realistic option in most cases.

I'm reaching out to the list for thoughts and experiences of other trainers in preparation for a meeting where we plan on exploring new training approaches and philosophies.  So your feedback is much appreciated.

Tonia


"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."  Winston Churchill

Tonia Gatton
Assistive Technology Specialist
KY Office of Vocational Rehabilitation
Division of Blind services
Charles W. McDowell center
8412 Westport Road
Louisville, KY 40242
(502) 429-4460
(502) 429-7101 (fax)
Tonia.gatton at ky.gov<mailto:Tonia.gatton at ky.gov>

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