Hi all,
While I would not stand in the way of free choice and support it even, I do
know that there is a lot of movement iin the current screen reader
environment for a number of reasons, but the most basic and simple reason is
that there are applications which cannot be used effectively with any other
screen reader.
Having said that, if this is not or will not be the case for you, the sad
thing is that there is no legal recourse although there should be. Our
issues along tese lines began when employers began to successfully push us
to use windows instead of dos or some other accessible means of carrying out
the duties of productivity and further insisted on microsoft office products
over products which were just as capable and at the time, more accessible
than microsoft's products. About the only thing we might be able to go
after a state for is some sort of anti trust violation.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Catherine Armstrong" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, July 17, 2004 5:47 PM
Subject: Employees being made to use one screen reader over another
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Hi everyone,
I am a state employee, but I'm thinking this might be happening to state =
employees as well as Federal or private employees. I work for the state =
of Pennsylvania, and I keep hearing murmurings that the state is =
eventually going to force all its blind/visually impaired employees to =
switch to JAWS if they are not already using it. This is apparently in =
an effort to streamline and standardize the software used by employees =
so that the tech people only have to learn or deal with limited amounts =
of software. While JAWS is of course popular, I reeally prefer Window =
Eyes, and I am aware that some state employees are still using DOS =
screen readers. Has anyone else been coersed by their employer to =
switch from the screen reader or other accessibility software they're =
accustomed to, over to whatever the employer has deemed "standard?" I'm =
not sure how to prevent this switch from happening, but I will thwart it =
if I can. Any ideas from others in this situation would be appreciated.
Catherine Armstrong
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<META http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; =
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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Hi everyone,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I am a state employee, but I'm thinking =
this might=20
be happening to state employees as well as Federal or private =
employees. I=20
work for the state of Pennsylvania, and I keep hearing murmurings that =
the state=20
is eventually going to force all its blind/visually impaired employees =
to switch=20
to JAWS if they are not already using it. This is apparently in an =
effort=20
to streamline and standardize the software used by employees so that the =
tech=20
people only have to learn or deal with limited amounts of =
software. While=20
JAWS is of course popular, I reeally prefer Window Eyes, and I am aware =
that=20
some state employees are still using DOS screen readers. Has =
anyone else=20
been coersed by their employer to switch from the screen reader or other =
accessibility software they're accustomed to, over to whatever the =
employer has=20
deemed "standard?" I'm not sure how to prevent this switch from =
happening,=20
but I will thwart it if I can. Any ideas from others in this =
situation=20
would be appreciated.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Catherine =
Armstrong</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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