Greetings,

        In the midst of all the uproar about the inaccessibility of the new
Microsoft Dictionary, I would like to take a moment to applaud Microsoft's
efforts to make training materials available in an accessible form.  The
apparent change in policy toward electronic forms of MS Press books will go
a long way toward making blind and visually-impaired developers and system
administrators more successful in their carreers.

        Some background for those who did not attend the VIDPI business meeting
this year.  For the past several years, Microsoft has promoted several
technical certifications for computer professionals.  The most common
certifications are the MCSE (Microsoft Certified System Engineer) and MCSD
(Microsoft Certified Solution Developer).  The MCSE basicly certifies that
you are a trained system administrator of Microsoft operating systems and
applications.  The MCSD certifies that you are trained to develop software
applications or web sites on Microsoft systems.  An applicant for
certification must pass several exams, some required and some elective.
Training for these exams is provided in many ways.  Someone looking for
training can attend classroom courses (typically a 5-day seminar on some
topic or other).  A second option is to obtain self-paced materials on a
topic and study yourself.  Finally, I understand that web-based training is
available but I haven't researched it.

        As you may know, I am a software engineer.  I work developing a web site
that is hosted on Windows NT.  Therefore, I have been interested in taking
some Microsoft courses so as to learn these technologies and compete more
effectively with my sighted peers.  Other VIDPI memberrs have been persuing
similar objectives.  My most recent efforts have been to learn Microsoft SQL
Server 7.0.  This is an advanced database system used for large scale
projects.

        Armed with this background, I present the following information that I have
obtained during the last couple of weeks working with my employer, VIDPI and
Microsoft.

        As I just said,  I've been in hot persuit of training materials for
Microsoft SQL Server.  Obviously, I've wanted this material in accessible
format (preferably ASCII text or HTML).  Through some e-mail conversations
with Dick Brown of Microsoft, and some purchases of my own, I have
discovered the following.

1. According to Dick: Virtually all new training kits being produced by
Microsoft Press come with an on-line copy of the book on the enclosed
CD-ROM.  I am not yet sure what date this policy began (perhaps you can help
me out Dick?), so can't quite determine how far back you can go and still be
assured of getting the book on CD.

2. Also according to Dick: "The exceptions are beta books and other titles
that may have a limited life span."  Since computer technology is advancing
so rapidly, it seems virtually everything (including the hardware) has a
limited life span, but we'll work within whatever system of time measurement
works when discussing technology.

3. According to my research (see below): There is at least one Microsoft
Training Kit that may not conform to this rule.  The kit, released in March
of this year, is advertised on a web page that does not indicate that it
comes with the entire book on the CD-ROM.  This certainly isn't convincing
evidence that it does NOT come with the book on CD-ROM, but it is less
convincing then if the site specified.

4. While technical training materials may conform to this rule, it would
seem that user documentation may not.  I worked hard to find a kit on using
Microsoft office 2000, access 2000 or word 2000 that specificly said it came
with the book on CD-ROM.  I couldn't find one that specified it did.

        In short, the exceptions, as well as the rule, may still be difficult if
not impossible to prove without actually purchasing titles (an expensive
proposition at Microsoft's prices).  A great deal of improvement is still
necessary.  Either the advertising on the web site or the publication
process still needs work.  The steps taken to date by Ms Press are very
noteworthy!  If they are a standard practice at MS Press, and the web site
simply doesn't reflect that, it would result in many people who need the
documentation on-line not getting it simply because of a lack of publicity.
If, on the other hand, this policy is still in it's trial phase and only
applies to a small set of titles, we in VIDPI need to know what is available
so we can promote a job well done!  Through such promotion it would be hoped
that the program could be proven a success and expanded to additional
titles.

        As per discussions with VIDPI, I would suggest the following answer to the
question (raised by Dick) of whether or not Compiled HTML files (CHM files)
are accessible to blind computer users.  Although it is not terribly
difficult to do, reading of a CHM file requires a fair amount of computer
skill.  One must assume that the reader is familiar with basic windows
navigation, has IE installed, etc.  Therefore, advanced material in CHM
format is quite reasonable.  On the other hand, certain materials are
required by users prior to them obtaining the skills required to read HTML.
For example: materials on using Windows 98, IE documentation, beginner-level
application documentation (such as word, access and excel).  This material
is inappropriate in CHM files because the CHM file probably would be
teaching the skills needed to read it.  We would urge Microsoft to continue
making text-based versions of these documents available!  Perhaps, through
Microsoft's agreement with RFB&D, this can be a simple and quick process.

        Many blind computer users also use electronic note takers such as the
Blazie products or reading devices such as the RoadRunner.  These devices
are small computers that produce output in speech and/or refreshable
braille.  None of the popular devices today are able to handle HTML or CHM
files.  Therefore, it is important for people who want to carry a book with
them in their notetaker to be able to have an ASCII text version of the
book. I have worked with a CHM file to determine how difficult it is to
convert that file into ASCII text.  I found that I could generate a fair
amount of material in a short time (2 chapters of a book in about 45 minutes
including time to figure out a reasonable procedure).

        I've done some research on the Ms Press website to determine how much
material really is available electronicly.  Each of MS Press's titles has a
web page describing them.  Several web pages specificly say that the CD
included with a title contains the entire book.  Obviously I couldn't do an
exhaustive search of the MS Press site, but I did look up several titles I
was interested in (and titles I thought others would be interested in).  The
results of my research are presented below.  Note that the price I've listed
is the price on the MS Press site.  Several (if not all) of these titles are
substantially reduced at www.Amazon.com.  I obtained the SQL Server books
for $69 instead of $99.

        To find a book on the MS Press web site point your browser at:
http://mspress.microsoft.com/findabook/ and type in either a keyword or
title.  Select the appropriate radio button and then hit GO.

        NOTE: In the following listing I've included an item called "page#"
        Insert this number into the following URL to go directly to the
        Ms Press site that describes the product.  Replace the NNNN with
        the number.  Please let me know if you find more that specificly
        say they include the entire text on the included CD-ROM.
        http://mspress.microsoft.com/books/NNNN.htm

        Pages that specificly say the enclosed CD contains an online copy of the
book.

title: Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 system administration training kit
Price: $99.99
Release: 4/21/99
Pages: 672
ISBN: 1-57231-827-9
Page#: 1500

title: Microsoft SQL Seraver 7.0 Database Implementation Training Kit
Price: $99.99
Release: 4/14/99
Pages: 624
ISBN: 1-57231-826-0
Page#: 1498

title: Microsoft Exchange Server Training Kit
Price: $99.99 US
Release: 7/1/98
Pages: 1424
ISBN: 1-57231-709-4
Page#: 1468

title: Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Enterprise Technologies Training
Price: $99.99
Release: 2/16/98
Pages: 800
ISBN: 1-57231-710-8
Page#: 1448

title: XML In Action
Price: $39.99
Release: 3/3/99
Pages: 352
ISBN: 0-7356-0562-9
Page#: 2461

title: Microsoft Internet Information Server Training Kit
Price: $99.99
Release: 3/18/98
Pages: 736
ISBN: 1-57231-731-0
Page#: 1503

title: Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0 Training Kit
Price: $99.99
Release: 6/9/99
Pages: 800
ISBN: 1-57231-834-1
Page#: 1570

title: Microsoft Windows Archetecture for Developers Training Kit
Price: $99.99
Release: 3/11/98
Pages: 528
ISBN: 1-57231-708-6
Page#: 1467

        Pages that don't indicate one way or the other.

        The following titles appear to be recent releases but the web site doesn't
specificly say that the entire book is included on the CD-ROM.  I list these
titles here because they're suspect, not because I know that they do not
include the entire book on CD-ROM.

Title: Running Microsoft Access 2000/ Mastering Solutions set
Release: 6/9/99
Page#: 3678

Title: Microsoft Visual Interdev 6.0 Programmer's Guide
Release: 8/5/98
Page#: 1607
Note: This title aparently doesn't come with a CD.  This is odd because I
        know there's a  Mastering series CD on the topic.

Title: Microsoft Certified System ENgineer Core Requirements Training Kit
Release: 2/25/98
Page#: 1602
Note: This is a 4-volume set (over 3000 pages).  At least one volume
        comes with an on-line book if sold separately but ...

Title: Networking Esentials, Second Edition
Release: 11/5/97
Page#: 1051
Note: This is part of the core MCSE requirements so access to it is pretty
        important for anyone wishing to become certified.  There may be an
        optic pack version of this if you can figure out how to buy optic packs.

Title: Microsoft Visual C++ Programmer's Guide
Release: 8/5/98
Page#: 1601
Note: Includes a CD but there's no discussion of what's on that CD.

Title: Advanced Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0, Second Edition
Release: 10/28/98
Page#: 1955
Note: Portions included on the MSDN Library.  Since this book actually
        advertises its coverage of accessibility programming it would be
        unfortunate if the CD-ROM didn't include the entire book in an
        accessible form.

Title: Desktop Applications with Microsoft VisualBasic 6.0 MCSD Training Kit
Release: 3/10/99
Page#: 3162
Note: Released only days after another MS Press book that does include an
        on-line copy on the CD-ROM.  Web site does say that it includes,
        "Learn Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Now multimedia training on
        CD-ROM for fundamental skills review.

Title: Microsoft Windows 98 Training Kit
Release: 7/29/98
Page#: 1487
Note: Comes with 3 CDs, you'd expect there's enough room for the manual.
        Web site doesn't say what's on the CDs.

Title: Distributed Applications with Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 MCSD
Training Kit
Release: 6/23/99
Page#: 3635
Note: Desktop applications is also on this list ... this book is so recent
its
        hard to believe it isn't available on the CD-ROM.


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