Rebecca's Blog

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Freedom Scientific have just announced that they are to release a public Beta for version 9 of Jaws. We'll be able to download it from 1st October so I'll be doing that and will report back. However here's a flavour of what they are promising:

1. A new startup wizard that will allow us to set those parameters that those of us who have been using Jaws for a while change straight away like start-up options (which the latest build of version 8 now does) and then speech settings, braille settings,…

I've recently taken delivery of a new computer - a Compaq laptop from PC World , by the way - and took the plunge into the world of the latest Operating System from Microsoft. enter Windows Vista. "Ta-da!" So starts my latest learning curve and...

I thought I would share some of that learning here and report back on the implications for Assistive Technology. So watch this space for my experiences of:

• Vista and Freedom Scientific's Jaws;
• Vista and Dragon Naturally Speaking from Nuance;
• Vi…

Magic is a great piece of software for people with low vision. It comes in 2 versions, one with speech and the other magnification only and will magnify the screen up to 16 times.
If you are using Freedom Scientific's magnification software, I can help you get the most out of it and customise it for your needs. This will include:

• setting the level of magnification to suit you;
• getting the general screen colours right for your eyes including text colours;
• changing the flashing cursor so it i…

Magic is a great piece of software for people with low vision. It comes in 2 versions, one with speech and the other magnification only and will magnify the screen up to 16 times.
If you are using Freedom Scientific's magnification software, I can help you get the most out of it and customise it for your needs. This will include:

• setting the level of magnification to suit you;
• getting the general screen colours right for your eyes including text colours;
• changing the flashing cursor so it i…

For those of you not in the know, magnification software "does what it says on the tin". That is,it magnifies the details on the computer screen, typically from two times to 16 times. Most software packages will also allow you to magnify in different ways. For example, magnifying the whole screen as a whole, allow you to split the screen either horizontally or vertically, and some also allow you to use the mouse like a handheld magnified.

The market leaders are probably Magic (from Freedom Scie…

There is so much that Jaws can help you do on your computer and I can help you achieve it.

• got the new version - want to know what you might be missing out on;
• want to do an online shop at Tesco, Sainbury's, Asda, Waitrose (through Ocado);
• need to acces your organisation's website and Intranet
• get frustrated using Microsoft Word;

I've been training people how to use jaws ever since it came out as "Jaws for Windows".

At the beginning of each training session you and I will decide exactly what…

Looking for friendly personalised computer training?

Are you looking for training for somebody with a visual impairment?

Are you blind or partially sighted and looking for computer training?

Do have a disability and want help to make using a computer easier and more productive?

Do you use Jaws and want to shop on-line but don't know where to start?

Afraid of RSI, or suffering already and want to use the mouse less?

Do you want to know how to use Microsoft Office products more effectively -…

Just a quick one for car drivers out there in the UK. My car had its MOT recently. The DVLA has computerised the system, which meant that I was able to renew my car tax online instead of queueing in the Post Office. It was fab! and the new disk arrived within a week. Brill!

The place to do it is: http://www.vehiclelicence.gov.uk.

And a whole heap of people celebrated by going online - 7 million of us at one time. If you don't have Skype yet, it's worth looking at if you've got a broadband connection. You get calls to other Skype users in the whole world for free. And that's got to be good, I reckon. You can also use Skype to call "real" phones for a fraction of what most telecoms companies charge - they call this Skype Out. I think really is worth checking out.

There's also Skype In for those time when you haven't got a…