Uncategorized

Hello Everyone,

Coming up on this week's Main Menu Live, we dedicate the two hour episode to
talk all about Window-Eyes 7.0. Doug and Aaron from GW Micro will be with
us as well as many beta testers from the Window-Eyes private beta team. We
will discuss the product and the many scripts that will be available on GW
Micro's Scripting Central web site found at:

http://www.gwmicro.com/Script_Central/

We had Doug and Aaron on Main Menu in the past and it is time to bring them
back to discuss the product and to get feedback from private beta users and
scripters on the new version. Jamal Mazrui has written a significant amount
of scripts for the 7.0 product and he will be here to talk about the many
things he has developed. I will discuss the newest refinements to the
Winamp scripts that will be available including features that could replace
the ACB Radio Tuner for Winamp users that use Window-Eyes as well as much
improved access to the Auto-Tagging capabilities of Winamp. Aaron and Doug
will talk all about the GW Toolkit scripting library, the AutoComplete
script, the progress indicator script, the VirtualView script, the Weather
or Not script, and much much more.

As of this writing, Window-Eyes 7.0 is not publically available, but you
will be able to see it at the conventions this summer.

Here is how to participate in the show:

The number to call into the show is 866-400-5333.
You may email your questions to: mainmenu@acbradio.org
You may also interact with the show via MSN (Windows Live) Messenger. The
MSN Messenger ID to add is: mainmenu@acbradio.org

Would you like to interact with a group of Main Menu listeners about the
topics heard on Main Menu and Main Menu Live? You can do this by joining the
Main Menu Friends email list. The address to subscribe is:
main-menu-subscribe@googlegroups.com

Come join an already lively group of users.

Would you like to subscribe to podcast feeds for Main Menu and Main Menu
Live? The RSS feeds to add to your podcatching application are:

Main Menu – http://www.acbradio.org/podcasts/mainmenu
Main Menu Live – http://www.acbradio.org/podcasts/mainmenulive

For this next week, only the Main Menu Live podcast feed will be updated.

Main Menu can be heard on Tuesday evenings at 9:00 Eastern, 6:00 Pacific,
and at 1 universal (GMT) on Wednesday mornings on the ACB Radio Main Stream
channel.

Follow this link to listen to the show:

http://www.acbradio.org/pweb/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=8

Jeff Bishop and Darrell Shandrow
The Main Menu Production Team

Sadly, July 4th won’t  be Independence Day for some among us.

In 2005 Sprint announced Free Voice-Dialing Services for the Blind, Elderly, and Disabled ( http://www.mobiledia.com/news/32095.html ), to justifiable applause. For the first time, family members and caregivers could quickly and easily maintain on-line phone books for those who couldn’t even reliably dial cell phones, much less program phone numbers or “train” complicated voice recognition features. Now, names and numbers only had to be typed once into a web page, by a caring friend (who could be a complete klutz with technology), and a person with physical limitations had amazing new independence through their simple cell phone.

For example, my mother, blind from diabetes, lives in Los Angeles.  She keeps her phone on a thick string around her neck. I live hundreds of miles away in San Francisco. Without seeing or touching that phone around her neck, I spent just three minutes logged into her Sprint account. I typed in names and phone numbers to her eye doctor, her local taxi service, and my brother David. Just seconds later (and forever more) down in LA, mom just had to press <star> then <talk>, on her cell phone, then say “call eye doctor,” “call taxi” or “call David” and she was instantly connected.  Should my 89 year old dad have a heart attack, she could even speak numbers, like “dial 9-1-1,” , and an ambulance would be on the way. Nothing short of magical, Sprint’s “Voice Command” system was “speaker’s voice independent,” understanding any voice or accent. If my mom was incapacitated, dad could just pick up her phone and press <star> then <talk> and tell the same Sprint computer who to instantly dial. I’ll bet you know a son or daughter that could empower parents like my mom and dad this way, and make their lives safer.

As is often the case with the elderly, blind, or cognitively disabled, phones get misplaced or damaged. Not to worry, mom’s private phonebook now existed online, not on the physical phone. Mom’s caregiver in LA could pop by a Sprint store to pick up ANY cheap replacement phone. The very second the phone was activated, mom was back in business. Neither she, her caregiver, nor even the Sprint employee had to do ANYTHING. Replacement phones are assigned the same telephone number, and that’s all that matters. Nothing new to learn, no names/numbers for anybody to re-program. The same voice phonebook I spent three minutes to set-up, was right back at mom’s private service when she pressed <star> <talk> on the new phone around her neck.

Many others rely on Sprint’s “Voice Command” technology just like my parents, but it will be abruptly and quietly decommissioned on July 1st ( http://www.sprint.com/landings/voicedecommission/ ). The people most affected by this are unable to complain effectively on their own behalf, and no other phone carriers offers such functionality. They’re in trouble.

Sprint advertises: “Our mission is to provide the highest quality service for our customers with disabilities” ( http://www.sprint.com/landings/accessibility/index.html ) and “Sprint is committed to working with the Blind and Visually Impaired community to deliver user-friendly, accessible phones” ( http://www.sprint.com/landings/accessibility/vision.html ). Yet, incredibly, notification to their blind and disabled users was only by mail?  Not even a common-sense phone call or voice message? Most of Sprint’s blind, elderly and disabled “Voice Command” users can’t read mail, and will only learn they’ve lost the ability to call physicians, family, taxis, and ambulances–in the moment the need has arisen. This is very dangerous, and they’re at real risk.

Even if the service is unprofitable, how much could it cost Sprint-Nextel to simply leave it be? Are Sprint-Nextel marketing people pretending about their commitment to customers with disabilities? We should all nurture, advertise, and encourage more social advances like this, not kill them off.  Help Sprint-Nextel executives understand their civic responsibility as public service providers. If only for selfish reasons, one hopes whomever thought he or she could save a few corporate pennies will wake up and realize their own parent or loved one may need this someday. Can you make it your good deed today to send a quick email?

 john.b.taylor@sprint.com  “Sprint Public Policy, Business Continuity Office:”
 michelle.leff@sprint.com   “Sprint Consumer and Business Products and Services:”

Urge these executives to intervene, and “Please do not decommission Voice Command for the blind, elderly, and disabled.” Somebody you love, perhaps even you, will need stuff like this someday. Consider forwarding this email to anybody who may be in the position to help somebody become safer and more independent, should this free and simple service not be thoughtlessly decommissioned on July 1st.

Bill Meyer
meyerw (at) gmail.com

Now available at
http://EmpowermentZone.com/saysetup.exe

Over the past few years, I have gained experience with various programming
languages and screen reader interfaces. This package consolidates routines
I developed that enable a Windows program to speak messages beyond what a
screen reader will say automatically via default speech.
Direct speech messages, smartly placed, can significantly increase the
nonvisual usability of an application. I hope this contribution makes it
easier for interested developers to incorporate such functionality in their
software.

Jamal

SayTools
Version 1.0
June 5, 2008
Copyright 2008 by Jamal Mazrui
LGPL license

Contents

Description
Installation
Operation
Development Notes
———-

Description

SayTools is a collection of software, provided in both source code and
executable forms, for developers to conveniently add speech to an
application. It is able to detect whether the JAWS, System Access, or
Window-Eyes screen reader is running, and speak through the relevant API if
found. It can also use the default SAPI speech on the computer.
———-

Installation

The installation program for SayTools is called saysetup.exe. When
executed, it prompts for a program folder, defaulting to C:\Program
Files\SayTools. The files jfwapi.dll and saapi32.dll are also copied to the
Windows System folder to ensure they are on the Windows search path. The
installer creates a program group for SayTools on the Windows start menu,
containing choices to read Documentation, explore the program folder, or
uninstall the package. If an update becomes available, it may be safely
installed over this version — unless otherwise specified.

A SayTools subfolder contains "Hello world" samples in the following
programming languages: AutoIt, C#, JScript, Perl, PowerBASIC, Python, Ruby,
VBScript, Visual Basic .NET, and WinBatch. These demonstrate how SayTools
may be used to provide speech messages that enhance the usability of an
application for people who are operating nonvisually.
———-

Operation

Once SayTools is installed on a computer, a COM client may use the string
"Say.Tools" as the ProgID (program identifier) for creating an object with
speech related methods. These methods are as follows:

IsJAWSActive() — Test whether JAWS is active in memory

IsSAActive() — Test whether System Access is active in memory

IsWEActive() — Test whether Window-Eyes is active in memory

UseSAPI(bState) — Determine whether SAPI speech is used if no screen reader
is found, passing a Boolean parameter of 1 for True or 0 for False

JAWSSay(sText) — Say a string of text via JAWS

SASay(sText) — Say a string of text via System Access

SAPISay(sText) — Say a string of text via SAPI

WESay(sText) — Say a string of text via Window-Eyes

Say(sText) — Say a string of text via JAWS, System Access, or Window-Eyes
if found, or SAPI if that has been set as the last resort (default is False)

The command-line utilities are as follows:

SayLine.exe sLine — Say a line of text, passed as a parameter on the
command line, using a screen reader if found, or SAPI if not

SayFile.exe sFile — Say a text file, passed as a complete path on the
command line, using a screen reader if found, or SAPI if not

RunScript.exe sScript — Run an active JAWS script, either global default or
application specific, passed as a complete path on the command line
———-

Development Notes

I developed SayTools with the Python language, freely available at
http://python.org

The COM server is created using py2exe from
http://py2exe.org

The command-line utilities are written in PowerBASIC, commercially available
at
http://PowerBASIC.com

I wrote code with the EdSharp editor, freely available at
http://EmpowermentZone.com/edsetup.exe

I welcome feedback, which helps SayTools improve over time. When reporting
a problem, the more specifics the better, including steps to reproduce it,
if possible.

The latest version of SayTools is available at the same URL,
http://EmpowermentZone.com/saysetup.exe

Jamal Mazrui
empower (at) smart.net

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE – CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, JUNE 3, 2008
(202) 514-2007 [Voice/Relay]
(202) 514-1888 [TTY]
WWW.USDOJ.GOV

SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WILL ENSURE ACCESSIBILITY AT THE INTERNATIONAL SPY
MUSEUM IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced today a settlement
agreement with the International Spy Museum under the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA). Working together, the Department of Justice and the
museum have come to a settlement agreement, under which the museum agrees to
work to bring the content of its exhibitions, public programs, and other
offerings into full compliance with ADA requirements so that its exhibits
are accessible and effectively communicated to individuals with
disabilities, including individuals with hearing and vision impairments. By
focusing on visitors who are blind or have low vision and who are deaf or
hard of hearing, the agreement establishes a new level of access for
cultural and informal educational settings.

"We applaud the International Spy Museum for its innovative efforts to
improve access to its exhibitions and programs for individuals with
disabilities, and especially for those who are blind or have low vision and
those who are deaf or hard of hearing," said Grace Chung Becker, Acting
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. "This agreement will ensure
equal access for people with disabilities who want to participate in the
educational activities offered by the museum."

Of the 50 million Americans with disabilities, 16 million have sensory
disabilities. The agreement seeks to ensure these individuals will have
access to the museum's exhibitions, audiovisual presentations, and programs,
as required by law.

The museum fully cooperated with the Department's investigation and has
demonstrated an effort to find innovative solutions to work toward
compliance. It developed a proprietary technology for closed captioning of
its audiovisual presentations, and has retained experts to help provide
effective access for visitors who are blind or have low vision. When it
reaches full compliance with the settlement agreement, the Spy Museum will
become a national museum leader in welcoming visitors with disabilities.

Under the settlement agreement the museum will provide:

* tactile maps of the museum and floor plan that visitors can borrow;
* regularly scheduled tours with a qualified audio describer to
describe audiovisual presentations, computer interactives, or exhibits;
* a qualified reader to read exhibit labels;
* captions for all audiovisual, audio-only, and computer interactive
programs, or scripts or wall text to communicate the audio narration or
ambient sounds where captioning is not an option;
* a sample of models, and objects or reproductions of objects for
tactile examination accompanied by audio description;
* sign language and oral interpreter services and real-time captioning,
on advance request, for all public programs.
* advertisement of the availability of auxiliary aids and services;
* integrated wheelchair seating areas and companion seats at certain
locations; and
* training for supervisors and managers on the ADA.

The settlement is the result of an investigation conducted after the
Department received a complaint from a blind individual who visited the
museum with a group. He claimed that the museum's exhibits and programs
were inaccessible to visitors who are blind or have low vision.

Title III of the ADA applies to private entities such as museums,
restaurants and stores. It requires that public accommodations ensure that
no individual with a disability is discriminated against on the basis of a
disability in the full and equal enjoyment of the entities' goods, services
and facilities. Where necessary, a public accommodation must also provide
appropriate auxiliary aids and services in order to ensure effective
communication. Title III also requires removal of barriers to access in
existing facilities where it is readily achievable to do so. Any new
construction or alteration to any buildings or facilities, including
exhibitions, must be made in such a manner that those buildings or
facilities meet the requirements of the physical accessibility standards.

The Spy Museum is located in the Pennsylvania Quarter neighborhood in
Washington, D.C., within four blocks of the National Mall. According to
museum officials, more than four million people have visited the museum
since it opened in July of 2002.

People interested in finding out more about the ADA or this agreement can
call the Justice Department's toll-free ADA Information Line at
1-800-514-0301 or 1-800-514-0383 (TTY), or access its ADA Web site at
http://www.ada.gov.

###
08-489

The issue of quiet cars is very much in the news these days. And, it is an
issue which impacts all of us.
On the next Marlaina, I will be joined by Karen Gourgey, ACB New York, and
Debbie Kent Stein, National Federation of the Blind of Illinois.
These women have been working on the quiet car issue, and have joined
forces to move this issue along and keep it on the radar screens of those
who need to be aware of the potentially life-threatening impact these hybrid
vehicles can have on people who are blind.

This is such an important issue, I urge each and every listener to ACB Radio
to join me for this program, learn the facts and then what you can do. One
voice is power, many voices together are voices of empowerment with a chorus
of creating change.
The Marlaina show is heard on ACB Radio Mainstream.
It all starts on Sunday night at 9 PM Eastern, 6 Pacific, which is Monday
morning at 1 Universal. The program will replay for 24 hours, and of course,
is available via podcast from the ACB Radio replay page. As always, we'll
take your calls at our toll-free number, 866 666 7926.
Please either click the link below, or paste it into your browser directly
on Sunday at 9 PM Eastern, 6 Pacific or Monday at 1 Universal to listen.
As always, thank you so much for your continued support of my ACB Radio
work!
Marlaina
To listen to the show, just click this link or paste it into your browser
http://www.acbradio.org/pweb/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=8&MMN_position=14:14

Now available at
http://EmpowermentZone.com/p2tsetup.exe

After a few years since version 2.1, I have now updated the program with two
substantive enhancements that broaden the range of PDFs from which text can
be obtained. If a PDF is locked with a password that you know, type it in
the edit box that has been added to the main dialog. If the PDF is
primarily an image format without textual characters, e.g., the result of a
scan, mark the new checkbox so that optical character recognition (OCR) is
performed rather than the usual text extraction techniques. Google
Tesseract technology is used for this, which is currently the best free OCR
available.

Note that OCR should be used as a last resort, since it takes much longer
and is more error prone. Essentially, PDF to TXT now incorporates the
PDF2OCR package, which has been available at
http://EmpowermentZone.com/pdf2ocr.zip
The download size of the new installer is much larger, about 22 megabytes,
in exchange for the additional OCR capability.

The program's batch conversion features work with the latest enhancements.
Thus, all the PDFs in a directory, or all those on a web page, may be
processed with a single command if they share the same password or image
format.

Jamal