RE: usability issues with JavaScript (fwd)

["Jose M. Alvarez" <jalvarez@coqui.net>]

Hi Kelly,

Your point about the cost is a valid one.

Specially when you deal with blind persons outside the Umited States. For
example, I work with a lot of spanish speaking blind persons from latin
america, and the only way they can access the net is in a text way.

We usually adapt old PC's (donated from other countries), with a slow modems
(that will work fine to us) and then install the freeware version of JAWS
for DOS with and old external speech synhtetyzer (thats is really the hard
part to obtain, but we can buy it used more cheaper).

For a lot of countries the Internet is the only way to really access
information in an "accesible way". Reading newpappers, enciclopedias,
dictionaries, medical news, etc on line are just examples of information
that will not be available in this countries in other formats.

So, the cost of a pentium computer plus  a screen reader for Windows, it
will be impossible for most of the current DOS lynx internet users to
obtain.

I understand that in the USA are agencies like Vocational Rehabilitation and
the Department of Education, that can buy expensive assistive technology
equipment to their clients. But that alternative is not available in a lot
of other countries.

 So, is very important to put in perspective as Kelly said, the accesibilty
issue.

Thanks for your attention, and excuse me from my english language, is not
that good.

Jose

Jose M. Alvarez Caban
Access Information Specialist
Puerto Rico Assistive Technology Project
Medical Science Campus
University of Puerto Rico
jalvarez@coqui.net