[Social-sciences-list] reply to Maha's questions.

Fri Jul 27 06:50:30 UTC 2012

Hi Maha and all,

While the experience of using SPSS with JAWS is not perfectly
semaless, I would like to point out that, with a few work-arounds,
even the latest version of the program, SPSS 19, is quite usable for
the blind. As a Psychology graduate student who primarily works with
quantitative data, I use SPSS as my main analysis tool and have not
run into any major problems. As others have already mentioned, certain
steps are required before SPSS becomes usable with JAWS; in the case
of version 19, it is necessary to download a patch from the IBM
support site in addition to modifying the path variable and replacing
the accessibility.properties file. Furthermore, it is best to import
data from Excel into SPSS (rather then entering them directly into the
data editor), and all output must be exported into Excel or Word
before they can be read. I have heard that R and SAS are more easily
accessed with JAWS, but from what I understand they both have a bit of
a steeper learning curve since all analyses need to be performed using
syntax (whereas most functions of SPSS can be accessed either through
the menus or  command syntax). Another issue to consider while
choosing a statistical package is the norms of your field of study.
Given that most of my colleagues use SPSS, it is farily easy for me to
find technical assistance if I'm struggling with carrying out a
particular analysis, whereas it might be more difficult for me to find
help if I were using a different statistical software. I have not
worked much with qualitative data so unfortunately do not have much
information about the accessibility of programs used to handle them.

Katie

On 7/26/12, cheryl fogle <cfogle at unm.edu> wrote:
> Hello Maha, Faiz, and list,
>
> Statistics questions come across the blind science and blind math lists
> all the time.  I'd suggest subscribing to those lists if only for access
> to the archives.  Some questions may have already been answered.
>
> I used an older version of spss for qualitative and quantative analysis
> for my dissertation.  It was version 15 because that was the one I
> bought several years ago.  My student license expired so I'm giving
> advice from memory.  I generally imported excel files and then selected
> the row and column ranges for the different analysis dialog boxes.  Then
> I always exported the output back to excel.  The results are still
> readable and I'm still referring to them as I revise my manuscript.
> Sorry I don't have experience with 18.
>
> Cheryl Fogle
> Ph.D. candidate, Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico
>
> On 7/26/2012 3:52 AM, Faiz Rasool wrote:
>>
>> Hi Maha,
>>
>> Unfortunately, SPSS is not completely accessible with jaws. It is
>>  claimed by IBM that from version 18 you can use the software by
>> making few changes in the path variable and replacing the
>> accessibility. Properties file. After making  the suggestive changes
>> to improve the accessibility of SPSS with jaws, I found that I could
>> use the menus  e.g. open the  analyze menu to request for a cross
>> tabulation or run a simple linear regression. But  few aspects of the
>> programs e.g.   entering data directly in the data editor window of
>> SPSS was not possible  at least for me. When you try to use the arrow
>> keys to navigate in the data editor windows of SPSS jaws does not
>> always correctly report the location of the row  and column you are
>> in. The workaround I found was to first enter my data in excel, and
>> then import it to SPSS. Please note that I did not experienced any
>> major difficulty in assigning variable and value labels  in SPSS. The
>> second major issue was that   visually impaired users cannot directly
>> read the content of the output window of SPSs. Your option to read the
>> output window is  to  export the  output window as a  word or pdf
>> file. Personally I found the option of exporting as a word file very
>> helpful as I could copy and move the tables in other files e.g. course
>> assignments. Please note that other users have reported few problems
>> in setting up the location of the path variable and replacing the
>> accessibility.properties file. Dr. Jonathan who's on the list has
>> always   maintained that R is the best software option for blinds. I
>> personally have very limited experience of using R so I cannot offer
>> much advice myself.   But I think Dr. Jonathan has maintained a
>>  website where information on using R can be found. I'd  suggest that
>> you should explore R if possible. I used stata    for a limited time
>> and found it to  work well with jaws. My problem was that  course
>>  instructor wanted  all the assignments in MS word and I could not
>> work out how to get the output of R or Stata directly to mS word. With
>> workarounds I was able to get the output of SPSS to MS word though.
>> Please note that it is not that the output of R and stata cannot be
>> sent to MS word it was just that I could not learn how to in the
>> limited time I had and there was no accessibility support office to
>> come to my help.
>>
>> Hope this helps,
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Faiz.
>>
>> *From:*social-sciences-list-bounces at nfbnet.org
>> [mailto:social-sciences-list-bounces at nfbnet.org] *On Behalf Of *Maha
>> Khochen
>> *Sent:* Thursday, July 26, 2012 11:48 AM
>> *To:* Blind Social Scientists List
>> *Subject:* Re: [Social-sciences-list] introduction
>>
>> Hi everyone,
>>
>> My name is Maha. I am currently reading for my MPhil/PhD at the
>> Institute of Education, University of London- UK. My research is
>> looking at the inclusion of visually impaired learners in mainstream
>> education in Lebanon, my home country. It is so interesting to see
>> this mailing list up and running.
>>
>> I have been looking for some advise on accessible qualitative software
>> package for a while. And was wondering if there is anyone on the list
>> who can advise? I have tried the NVivo but unfortunately it appeared
>> that it is not accessible with Jaws, the screen reader that I use to
>> access information. Any advise with this regard is very much
>> appreciated. Note that I have no residual vision.
>>
>> Another thing, I am taking training on the SPSS software very soon, it
>> would be very much appreciated if I can have some advise based on your
>> experience whether it is accessible and that blind researchers can use
>> it with no problem. Alternatively, any advise for an accessible
>> quantitative software package would be very much appreciated too.
>>
>> Looking forward to hearing from you.
>>
>> Maha
>>
>> *From:*Morman, Ed <mailto:EMorman at nfb.org>
>>
>> *Sent:*Wednesday, July 25, 2012 4:01 PM
>>
>> *To:*social-sciences-list at nfbnet.org
>> <mailto:social-sciences-list at nfbnet.org>
>>
>> *Subject:*[Social-sciences-list] introduction
>>
>> Dear Listmembers---
>>
>> I'm pleased to see that my colleague Anna Kresmer has already joined
>> the list.  Like Anna, I am a sighted staff member at the NFB Jernigan
>> Institute in Baltimore.  I have a PhD in History of Science and worked
>> for many years in the field of history of medicine as a librarian,
>> occasional teacher, and not terribly productive researcher.  I know a
>> wee bit about social science research methods and have an avocational
>> (extremely avocational) interest in cognitive science.  Curiosity
>> about how people construct their internal model of the world without
>> sight was part of the reason I was interested in working for an
>> organization related to blindness---especially a blind-led
>> organization of blind people.  I've been here for four years now and
>> I'm enthusiastic about NFB philosophy and its notion of what
>> constitutes proper training.  With Anna Kresmer and our colleague Lou
>> Ann Blake, I've developed something of an understanding of the history
>> of the blind in the U.S. and more specifically the history of the NFB.
>>
>> I'll mainly be lurking, but might occasionally have something to say.
>> With any luck it will be intelligent and even possibly helpful to
>> other listmembers.
>>
>> Cordially,
>>
>> Ed Morman
>>
>> Edward T. Morman, MSLS, PhD
>>
>> Director, Jacobus tenBroek Library
>>
>> NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND JERNIGAN INSTITUTE
>>
>> 200 East Wells Street
>>
>> /   at Jernigan Place/
>>
>> Baltimore MD 21230
>>
>> 410.659.9314 x2225
>>
>> 410.685.2340 (fax)
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
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