[blindlaw] law library accessibility

[Susan Kelly]

When I first started losing my vision 4 years ago, I used a program
called WinZoom - it was a very helpful magnification / narration program
which is quite useful to persons who still have a decent amount of
residual vision.  It is fairly intuitive and does not have the learning
curve of JAWS or Zoom Text.  While it probably wouldn't help users who
need JAWS or a similar heavy-duty program, it would be good on the other
terminals - magnification is much more clear than that I remember being
standard on a Windows computer, and is useful even to folks who still
have the eyesight to be driving, etc.

It does seem that at least one terminal should have JAWS, though - and
maybe the braille output option as well?  And MAGic or some other
magnification program.

Good luck - I still have problems convincing others in the profession
that I can still use a computer just like before.  

-----Original Message-----
From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel
McBride
Sent: Thursday, April 11, 2013 6:43 PM
To: Blind Law Mailing List
Subject: [blindlaw] law library accessibility

Members:

 

I live and practice in Tarrant County, Texas.  The county has a law
library in the courthouse.  The library has four computer terminals for
use by the public.  Not one of the four is accessible for blind persons.

 

Tomorrow, I intend to call the chief county administrator to discuss
making at least one of those four computers accessible for blind
persons, if not all four.

 

As my own personal use of computers has been through JAWS, I wouldn't
know what to suggest otherwise.

 

I would appreciate your comments regarding two issues.  First, should I
be discussing any accommodation other than JAWS?  Secondly, your views
on the Americans With Disabilities Act, the concept of reasonable
accommodations and how these concepts apply to the public access law
library and blind persons.

 

Thank you

Daniel McBride

Fort Worth

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