[blindkid] MacBook Pro

[Thea Eaton]

Yes, all Flash content is accessible to JAWS, Window Eyes and Hal, as long
as - just like in HTML- the content is tagged and set up for accessibility. 

Especially for older kids, I would choose a computer that can access Flash.
Most high school textbooks are being migrated to the web, and will have
Flash content. We have just finished a line of accessible enrichment
activities for Harcourt School, for example, that accompany their online
textbooks. All these activities are on the web, in Flash and go hand in hand
with their textbooks. Pearson education is also migrating their assessments
online, in Flash. Many of their educational eBooks are also Flash based. All
these learning materials will not be accessible on a Mac, because you will
only be limited to HTML content, which might be fine for browsing a large
portion of the web, but any interactivity such as eBooks, learning
materials, audio and video, will be inaccessible.

Thea Eaton
DoodleDoo
www.doodledoo.com   
Where early birds learn.
1-888-42 DOODLE


-----Original Message-----
From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Sally Thomas
Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 7:04 PM
To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)
Subject: Re: [blindkid] MacBook Pro

I'm interested in the usefulness of the Mac for older kids.  I hear comments

like Heather's about her friend using the Mac so I'm really curious.  My son

is past the Cartoon Network stage.

When he was younger, Flash sites he tried to access with JAWS were not 
accessible.  I guess some of it depends on how the site is designed.  I am 
sure that all Flash content is not compatible with JAWS.  I'm going to check

with the NFB Access Technology Team as Treva suggested to check on 
usefulness of the Mac for older kids.  I think the suggestion to check with 
the student division is a good one too.

Since it sounds like Apple is going to try to get the iPad placed as an 
academic tool and since NFB has worked with Apple to improve accessibility, 
I think the Mac may be a serious contender for older kids.

Sally Thomas


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Thea Eaton" <thea at doodledoo.com>
To: "'NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)'" 
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 3:49 PM
Subject: Re: [blindkid] MacBook Pro


> Apple's Voice Over screen reader is not compatible with Adobe Flash 
> content.
> Screen readers that are Flash compatible like JAWS, Window Eyes and Hal do
> not have a Mac version. This would make all Flash websites for children,
> like Cartoon Network and other accessible Flash sites, inaccessible on a
> Mac. I would therefore not recommend a Mac for children who are wanting to
> use a screen reader to access the web.
>
>
> Thea Eaton
> DoodleDoo
> www.doodledoo.com
> Where early birds learn.
> 1-888-42 DOODLE
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Sally Thomas
> Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 12:37 PM
> To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] MacBook Pro
>
> I believe that it is only the Apple mobile devices that don't support 
> Flash.
>
> Sally Thomas
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Thea Eaton" <thea at doodledoo.com>
> To: "'NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)'"
> <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 11:05 AM
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] MacBook Pro
>
>
>> As far as I know, most of the screen readers do not run on the Mac.
>> Apple's
>> own screen reader is very limited to the OS, I think, and is not
>> compatible
>> with all internet content, like Flash. Because more and more Flash 
>> content
>> is now made accessible to screen reader users, especially children's
>> content, I would not recommend getting a Mac, but a PC with an MSAA
>> compatible screen reader like JAWS.
>>
>> Thea Eaton
>> DoodleDoo
>> www.doodledoo.com
>> Where early birds learn.
>> 1-888-42 DOODLE
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Sally Thomas
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 10:27 AM
>> To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)
>> Subject: [blindkid] MacBook Pro
>>
>> Do any blind kids you know use a MacBook for school work?  My son has an
>> iPod Touch which he loves.  He is even able to type and send email from 
>> it
>> despite the touch screen.  This has convinced him that a MacBook is the
>> best
>>
>> computer for him.  I'm wondering about the limitations of the built in
>> screen reader or any other idiosyncrasies that would limit its use. 
>> Since
>> it doesn't require the purchase of JAWS or other screen reading software,
>> it
>>
>> might be a good choice.
>>
>> Sally Thomas
>>
>>
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