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Phone Max is Minimal to the Task

June 29, 2005 • Darrell Shandrow Hilliker

Karen reports that her Phone Max training turned out to be a complete waste of time. The software provides only the extensions of inbound calls; it does not provide the guest’s names or other text based information. The goal is to obtain all the information (both name and number) of each inbound caller. Does anyone have any useful information that would be helpful in gaining access to NEC telephone systems?

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Phones Made More accessible, Maybe

June 29, 2005 • Darrell Shandrow Hilliker

While Karen learns a new software application called Phone Max to enable her to access information displayed to hotel employees on their telephones, I am dealing with a new application called Apropos that adds greater management capabilities to our Cisco voice over Internet telephone system. In the past, we have all taken for granted our abilities to pick up a telephone and use its tactile buttons to answer or place calls. What happens when the entire telephone system is digital and dependent on potentially inaccessible telephone hardware or soft phones?

Download and Listen

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Beating the Odds at Every Turn: Emily’s Inspirational Story

June 28, 2005 • Darrell Shandrow Hilliker

Emily is an inspiration to us all. Her story is one more of hundreds of thousands of reasons why we must continue to press for the accessibility we need to enable us to participate fully in the world around us. Keep up the great work, Emily! We at the Blind Access Journal wish you great success on your journey. If there’s anything we in the technology sector of the blind community can do to assist you, let us know.

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Freedom Scientific Releases PAC Mate Firmware Version 3.0

June 28, 2005 • Darrell Shandrow Hilliker

Freedom Scientific has just released the long awaited version 3.0 firmware update to the PAC Mate BX and QX products. Featuring PAC Mate desktop remote PC control, keyboard lock, support for AOL Instant Messenger and automatic Braille scrolling, this update is available for download free of charge to holders of ASA (software maintenance agreements) or owners of PAC Mate units still under their original warranty. Otherwise, the cost is $115. Check out Freedom Scientific’s web site right away to learn about and download this exciting new update!

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CastBlaster Public Beta Inaccessible Despite Previous Assurances

June 27, 2005 • Darrell Shandrow Hilliker

Despite previous assurances of accessibility by Adam Curry and company, several blind testers have reported that CastBlaster is actually inaccessible with today’s modern screen readers such as JAWS and Window-Eyes! The blind community is quite willing to pay to play with solid podcasting software, but only if it is reasonably accessible. Podcasting is a natural fit for blind people; it would be a real shame if the CastBlaster folks end up taking it away from us. If CastBlaster’s accessibility problems do not get resolved, this will represent yet another case where the blind community will be locked out of equal participation.

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