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Computer Access: Improved Access to the Internet

The internet is a great source of information and resources, though the information may not be as reliable as a published encyclopaedia or other reference material. There are a number of enlarging and voice output softwares that will allow improved access to the internet.

The popular search enging, Google has also set up a less cluttered and user-friendly search engine for people with low vision - http://labs.google.com/accessible/. Please note: these search engines do not have 'filtering'. Students may require supervision.

The construction of individual webpages and websites can either enhance or offer barriers to full internet access for people with vision impairments. Accessible websites are those which:

are largely text based

have a clear and consistent layout

offer good contrast between the text and the background

have few or no digital images or graphics

where digital images are included, 'alt text' descriptions, which can be read aloud by a screen reader, are provided

have minimal use of frames and tables

do not have advertising material or flashing banners

Websites which meet the highest standards for web accessibility may display the “W3C” or “Bobby Approved” logo.

Two web browsers commonly used for surfing the internet:

Both have options for increasing the accessibility for students with vision impairments. Below is a summary of those options:

Use TAB and SHIFT+TAB to move around various elements of the screen

To enlarge the print on the screen go to the View menu, select Increase Font; keep selecting until the print is at the required size. This does not increase the print size of the menu buttons.

To customise print size, colours and styles go to the Edit menu, and select Preferences, then Fonts. Here you can change the size of the print and the style of the print eg Arial font size 16. To permanently show these settings, check the box next to the words “use my default fonts, overriding document specific fonts”. To change the colour settings choose the colour heading and select the colours you want the browser to display.

Microsoft Internet Explorer

Use TAB and SHIFT+TAB to move around various elements of the screen

To enlarge print size on the screen go to the View menu, then Fonts and select Largest and the print size will increase

To set larger print size and style as a default go to the View menu select Internet Options, then Fonts, Font Size, click on Default

For advanced internet accessibility options such as turning pictures off, go to the View Menu, select Internet Options then select the Advanced tab. Find Show Pictures… etc and clear the box (deselect) so there is no tick - then the pictures will not download. If you want to download pictures then check the Always Expand Alt Text For Images. This will then show the text associated with pictures so those who want to download pictures can get the picture with a brief description.

Here's another idea to assist in controling the presentation of web pages to suit your particular needs. You can download Style Sheets which enable you to view many web pages in a format that suits you, whilst retaining the original information structure of the web page. The most common web browser, Internet Explorer allows you to easily link to your own Style Sheet via its standard accessibility options. You can use it in lieu of or in conjunction with magnification software. It features:

adjustable font size and text weight

adjustable colour scheme (including white print on black background)

Go to: www.oneformat.com

Voice and the Internet

There are many options for accessing the internet via voice software. Concepts learned in word processing, such as navigation commands, reading commands etc can be transferred to web browsers.

JAWS and Window Eyes offer full voice access including menus etc

some programs offer internet access as one of their features eg Connect Outloud

There are plenty of shareware and freeware options available so you don't have to spend a lot of money to get voice output. Whilst these programs may not have the polish and sophistication of their commercial counterparts they are a great place to start! Here is what one student with low vision excitedly declared about ReadPlease, a free demo program that can be downloaded from the internet:

“ReadPlease reads anything that has text. You copy your text and paste it into ReadPlease and press play and it will read it out to you. I get a lot of long emails and find it hard to read them off the computer screen. So it helps a lot.”

Some of the examples in the table below are FREE (shareware, freeware and/or demo) and some will work with your word processor (eg Windows: Microsoft Word or Word Pad; Apple: Notepad) and/or web browser reading out the screens as you browse the internet. For more options, please see the Computer Access: Voice Access page.

Name and Source

Availability

Comments

Aloud4ie
Aloud4ie Shareware
US$14.95 PC: Voice access for Internet Explorer
Adjustible pitch and speed

Connect Outloud
Optek Systems
VisTech A$520 PC: voice access to the internet

Cool Speech
www.bytecool.com/ Free 14-day trial
US$29.95 PC: Voice access for internet and text files
Can convert text files to a .wav file

HelpRead
www.helpread.com Free download PC: Voice access

Home Page Reader
Spectronics Free demo
A$469 PC: Voice access to the internet
Voice synchronised with moving cursor
Can speak text, frames, images and text links, text in columns or tables
Can change font size, type, colour, background
Designed for people with vision impairments

Key2Speak
Key2Speak Freeware
US$19.95 PC: Voice access for all Windows applications
Adjustible pitch and speed

ReadPlease
http://readplease.com
View: ReadPlease Free demo
Full version download US$49.95 or
CD US$59.95 PC: Speech software - reads from documents, email, internet - any text that can be copied from original
4 voices
Can save files to the ReadPlease folder - clicking on the saved file will launch the ReadPlease program
Can adjust text size and colour
VCR-style controls

Internet Training Materials

There are several training programs available, some written specifically for people with vision impairments. “Internet Training Resources for People with a Communication or Literacy Disability” is produced by the University of Queensland and is available for free on the web. JAWS training materials including are available from ATTO and Freedom Scientific.

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Website editor Deb Lewis , Statewide Vision Resource Centre - Victoria, Australia. Last updated October 2007.
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Name and Source	Availability	Comments
Aloud4ie Aloud4ie	Shareware US$14.95	PC: Voice access for Internet Explorer Adjustible pitch and speed
Connect Outloud Optek Systems VisTech	A$520	PC: voice access to the internet
Cool Speech www.bytecool.com/	Free 14-day trial US$29.95	PC: Voice access for internet and text files Can convert text files to a .wav file
HelpRead www.helpread.com	Free download	PC: Voice access
Home Page Reader Spectronics	Free demo A$469	PC: Voice access to the internet Voice synchronised with moving cursor Can speak text, frames, images and text links, text in columns or tables Can change font size, type, colour, background Designed for people with vision impairments
Key2Speak Key2Speak	Freeware US$19.95	PC: Voice access for all Windows applications Adjustible pitch and speed
ReadPlease http://readplease.com View: ReadPlease	Free demo Full version download US$49.95 or CD US$59.95	PC: Speech software - reads from documents, email, internet - any text that can be copied from original 4 voices Can save files to the ReadPlease folder - clicking on the saved file will launch the ReadPlease program Can adjust text size and colour VCR-style controls

Computer Access: Improved Access to the Internet

Netscape

Microsoft Internet Explorer

Voice and the Internet

Internet Training Materials