[laptop-accessibility] Text Mode Browsers, Screen Reader

[Peter Korn]

Hi Aaron,

It needn't be an "either - or" proposition.  On GNU/Linux systems with 
GNOME and a functioning console today, blind users often use both.  
Also, some find that a screen reader focused on the console is 
preferable for use in terminal windows - as they are typically designed 
to better handle the pseudo-structure of form layouts, etc. that console 
applications often use.

Also, given some of the hurdles we have to overcome to bring the GNOME 
desktop assistive technologies to the XO, bringing some of the existing 
console approaches to it now would allow some use by the blind while the 
graphical environment catches up.


Regards,

Peter Korn
Accessibility Architect,
Sun Microsystems, Inc.

> Would it not make more sense to write a screen reader to work with the XO as
> it now exists?  Providing an alternative system for the blind or disabled
> has almost always equated to providing a lesser system to the blind or
> disabled.
>
> It may be easier to create a console screen reader, but in the long run, I
> believe that the cost to the blind users in usefulness and the cost to
> developers who must maintain two versions of their applications, will far
> out weigh any savings in up-front effort.
>
> Aaron
>
>
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> - ----- Original Message -----
> From: "big one" <bigone at qon.lao.net>
> To: <accessibility at lists.laptop.org>
> Sent: Monday, October 08, 2007 10:21 AM
> Subject: [laptop-accessibility] Text Mode Browsers, Screen Reader
>
>
>   
>> According to various developers at devel mailing list, it is impossible to
>> use XO Laptops in text/console mode only because there is no standard BIOS
>> and no VGA/EGA/CGA mode on OLPC XO Laptops.
>>
>> But according to Mr Vojtech Pavlik from SuSE Labs and maintainer of
>> LinuxConsole, the standard kernel can provide text/console mode on
>> hardware without any BIOS and without VGA/EGA/CGA.
>>
>> I do not know which one is correct.
>> I hope OLPC XO can run on Linux Console/text and use Lynx or Links
>> browsers with screen reader for blind/low vision students.
>>
>> Perhaps someone can create special Linux LiveCD for XO Laptops with
>> support for console/text and the browsers + screen reader for blind/low
>> vision students. The special Linux LiveCD can be stored in an external USB
>> flash disk or inside XO Laptops storage.
>>
>> Text only user interface is more suitable for screen reader than GUI.
>>
>> Is this idea possible?
>> Thank you.
>>
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