[Journalists] Screen reader for blind Arabic speaking journalists

[Campbell, Elizabeth]

HI Pat,

Please feel free to ask questions on our list.
We are happy to be a resource for your organization. I'm glad you are beginning to work with disabled journalists.
I hope this will encourage more to enter the field.

Elizabeth Campbell
(817) 390-7696
liz at star-telegram.com
Fax: (817) 390-7789

-----Original Message-----
From: journalists-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:journalists-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Pat Chadwick (PChadwick at INTERNEWS.ORG)
Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 4:19 PM
To: Blind Professional Journalists List
Subject: Re: [Journalists] Screen reader for blind Arabic speaking journalists

Hello Elizabeth,

Thanks for your email. I think iphones or ipads would work great but there is no support for Apple products where these journalists are. They can get PC laptops though. So I think finding a screen reader would be the best option. I just found out that NVDA, which is free, has an Arabic version but I have to find an Arabic speech synthesizer to go with it.

Internews works in about 40 countries (mostly developing countries), training journalists, supporting an open Internet and setting up and supporting community radio stations. In the West Bank and Gaza we are working with local media outlets on business planning and management training, journalism trainings, focus groups, onsite consultancies, and a small grants program. The journalists we train there report on a number of issues including elections, health, environment and social problems.

Internews has not worked very much with disabled journalists - I would like to see us do more but I don't work on the program end of things, I work in communications. I know we've trained some blind journalists in China, we have a disability issues radio program in Afghanistan and we've done some work on communicating about disability and HIV in Ethiopia. 

I will investigate approaching other journalists' organizations. Thanks for the suggestion.

Best, Pat
http://www.internews.org


-----Original Message-----
From: journalists-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:journalists-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Campbell, Elizabeth
Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 12:53 PM
To: 'Blind Professional Journalists List'
Subject: Re: [Journalists] Screen reader for blind Arabic speaking journalists

Hello Patricia,
Thank you for writing to our list.
I don't have information regarding funding sources for screen readers that support Arabic, but I'm wondering if you have approached other journalism organizations?
Also, have you investigated Apple and VoiceOver? I know the software supports several languages, although I'm not sure if Arabic is one. The reason I mention VoiceOver is that it is included on the Mac, IPhone and other Apple products.

If you don't mind, can you tell us more about your organization and the work you are doing to help the blind journalists? What kind of reporting are the journalists involved with from Gaza and the West Bank?

Sincerely,





Elizabeth Campbell
(817) 390-7696
liz at star-telegram.com
Fax: (817) 390-7789
-----Original Message-----
From: journalists-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:journalists-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Pat Chadwick (PChadwick at INTERNEWS.ORG)
Sent: Monday, January 10, 2011 1:19 PM
To: journalists at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Journalists] Screen reader for blind Arabic speaking journalists

Hello,

I'm hoping someone on this list can help me. I work for a nonprofit that supports independent media worldwide. We are trying to find low-cost or free screen reader software that works with Arabic for some blind journalists we are working with in the West Bank and Gaza.

Does anyone have a recommendation for the type of software - I have looked at SuperNova (aka Hal) that runs about $900 and Arabic Jaws which costs $1800. If there are no free or low-cost Arabic screen readers, does anyone have recommendations for funding sources for this type of project?

Thank you, Patricia Chadwick
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