Screen Readers = More Than Meets The Eye

Why it's important?

Ever since listening to Tim Noonan's talk at a conference a little while ago I have been on a journey of learning about accessibility.  I used to think of accessibility as a way to allow blind folk or people with disabilities to access our content.  Now I think of accessibility as providing alternative options for accessing information for everyone.

This blog post at iHeni alerted me to Glenda Watson Hyatt a blogger with cerebal palsy.  Watching her Youtube video I thought I too have been to a conference, too shy to say anything, feeling alone in a room of thousands.  For me as a participant in learning it made me feel better to know I was not the only one. 

Anyway it got me thinking about the advantages of improving accessibility

• It opens up the doors to more people from diverse backgrounds to connect with others from diverse backgrounds - this can only be good for learning and socialising
• It gives everyone more options for how they want to communicate and connect with the world.  If I'm a very good listener but a hopeless reader I can work with my strengths.  If I would prefer to listen to a webpage as a I work on an assignment or lesson plan I can.

Curriculum integration

• This term I'll be showing the kids how to use the screen reader. Which for my kids will potentially be a lifeskill that will enable them to engage with the world for their whole lives.
  
• Using a screen reader for web-based research.  Discussing what they have listened to.
• Using the screen reader as part of the audio track in movies that we make.  They can be shy.
  
• Writing text and having it played back to them.

How to do it

Apple accessibility features - select text to have it read to you on Mac

If you don't use a screen reader but have trouble reading text on your computer screen, you can have your Mac read the text you select. To turn Text to Speech on, open System Preferences, click Speech, then open the Text to Speech pane. You can even set up a keyboard shortcut to initiate Speech.

Tip: Tick the box marked 'speak selected text when the key is pressed'.  Then select 'Set Key' and choose a key to use.

Microsoft

• Accessibility features - Using Narrator
  
• Dictate text using e-Speaking

What are the challenges?

For me one of the big challenges is that by opening up opportunities for success in one area you may be taking away success in another area.  For example by giving students the opportunity to have a web page read to them instead of reading it themselves they may find that it is easier to intepret the text when listening to it but on the other hand they aren't getting the practice of intepreting written text.

Post your ideas in the comments.

Tags: research resource screenreader accessibility teachingideas literacy showme
Posted at 12:33PM Sep 30, 2008 by Concetta Gotlieb  |  Comments[4]