Downloading from NLS BARD using JAWS and Windows 7

Tap onto the Windows Key to access the Start Menu.
Down Arrow until you hear JAWS say All Programs.
Press Enter.
Tap on the Down Arrow Key until JAWS says Internet Explorer
Press Enter.
Hold onto the Ctrl Key and Tap on the O Key to Open the Internet Address Window.
Type www.google.com.
Press Enter.
Once in Google’s search field, type NLS BARD.
A list of links will appear in Google’s results page.
Tap on the H Key to navigate this list.
Once JAWS says, BARD, press Enter.
You will be taken to BARD’s Login Page.
Tap on the F Key until you hear JAWS say Email Address.
Either tap on the Space Bar or the Enter Key.
You will hear a Pop Sound.
You can now begin typing in your email address.
Once you have finished typing in your email address, tap on the tab key.
You should now be in the form field for your password.
Type in your password.
Press Enter.
You should now be taken to BARD’s Main Page.
Tap on the Ctrl Key to stop JAWS from speaking.
Then, tap on the F Key until JAWS says Search the Collection.
Once JAWS says Search the Collection, tap on the Spacebar or the Enter Key to enter forms mode.
Type in search terms for the book you want.
Common search terms are the title, the author or the book number.
Once you have entered your search terms, tap on the Enter Key.
You will be taken to the search results page.
Tap on the H Key until you hear the title of the book you want to download.
Hold onto the Insert Key and tap on the F7 to call up the Links List.
Down Arrow until JAWS says Download followed by the title you wish.
After a few moments JAWS will say: File Download, Do You Want to Open or Save this File?
You want to Save the file.
Tap on the Tab Key until JAWS says Save.
You will hear the Download window open.
In addition, the Save As Window will open.
This is where you choose the location where you want the book to go.
In this case, you want it to go to your Removable Disk.
Hold onto the Alt Key and tap on the D Key.
You will be in the Address Bar of Windows Explorer.
Tap on the Escape Key.
Down arrow once and you will not hear anything (this is a bug within windows and JAWS, you’re not missing anything of significance only JAWS is not announcing the appearance of an additional menu).
Down Arrow an additional time and you should hear JAWS say Menu, Computer.
Tap on the Enter Key.
Tap on the Tab Key until JAWS says Tree View, Tree View
Tap on the R Key until JAWS says Removable Disk.
Tap on the Enter Key.
JAWS will not say anything, but you should now be in the appropriate spot to save the BARD book onto your removable disk.
Now, hold onto the Alt Key and tap on the S Key and the Saving process should begin.
It may take several minutes to download the entire book depending on your internet connection.
Once the process is completed, you will hear JAWS say One Hundred Percent and begin copying the material to the removable disk.
Once that process is finished, the Download Complete window will appear.
Tap on the Tab Key until JAWS says Open Folder.
The window containing the contents of the Removable Disk will appear, although JAWS will remain silent.
If you want to make sure you are in the correct location, hold onto the Insert Key and tap on the T Key and JAWS will tell you the title of the current window you are in.
The book you downloaded should already be selected.
Now, the book is in a format called Compressed or Zipped.
Zipped files allow for the transfer of large sets of data.
However, the NLS Digital Player will not be able to read zipped files and you will have to Unzip or Extract them.
To do so, tap on the Applications Key.
The Applications Key is to the left of the Ctrl Key on the right hand side of the keyboard.
To find it, locate the Spacebar and move three keys to the right.
Once you have used the Applications Key, you will hear JAWS say Context Menu.
Once in the Context Menu, tap on the Down Arrow Key until JAWS says Extract All.
JAWS will begin to read a lot of information, including the title and author of the book you want.
Go ahead and tap on the Ctrl Key to stop JAWS from speaking.
Tap on the Tab Key until JAWS says Extract Button.
Tap on the Enter Key or the Space Bar to start the extraction process.
JAWS will announce how many items it is extracting and the amount of storage space they use.
In addition, JAWS will keep you posted on the process, by announcing the percentage of material extracted.
Once the process is completed, the file will open showing the items inside.
Hold onto the Alt Key and Tap on the F4 Key to close this window.
Make sure all the windows pertaining to the removable disk are closed.
Now, you need to safely remove the disk from your drive.
To do so, hold onto the Windows Key and tap on the B Key.
JAWS will say, Notification Chevron Button, to Activate Press the Space Bar.
Go ahead and tap on the Spacebar.
JAWS will not say anything, but a menu will have opened containing a number of items.
Tap on the Up Arrow Key.
JAWS will say Customize.
Continue to tap on the Up Arrow until you hear JAWS say Safely Remove Hardware.
Press Enter.
You will hear JAWS say Context Menu, Open Devices and Printers.
Tap on the Down Arrow until you hear JAWS say Eject Flash Disk.
Press Enter.
JAWS will announce that it is Safe to Remove the Hardware.
You can now remove the device from your computer.

Mobile Sites Make the Internet Accessible

Mobile websites have had the unintended consequence of making the internet more accessible to screen reader users. For context, the webpages of large organizations can be complex and confusing for screen reading applications such as JAWS, Window Eyes, NVDA etc. They are non-linear, filled with graphics and advertisements, have popups, etc. However, many of these large organizations have a mobile website designed for designed for cellular telephones.

These sites, while designed for cell phones, can be viewed on a standard computer. Why is this important?

Mobile sites are universal design in reverse. While they were created for the benefit of a sighted population, they are advantageous to the blind community and other screen reader users. They bring webpages back to their fundamentals. They are clean HTML, in liner format, that can be read with greater ease by screen readers.

The best part is, because these are used by a large number of major organizations, if you are having trouble viewing a standard site of such a group, try typing m and a period before that group’s standard web address.

For example, the Washington Post is typical of large media organization’s websites. The Home Page is very crowed and difficult to navigate for screen readers. Instead of typing washingtonpost.com type m.washingtonpost.com.

While the Post’s mobile site is one good example, there are ton’s more. Linked to the blog is a list of mobile sites you can access. In addition, here are some of my favorites:

• Yahoo

  Yahoo’s mobile site is making me reconsider teaching Gmail . It is much simpler to navigate than their standard page. You can use Yahoo to search the web, get the latest headlines, email and more

  m.yahoo.com

• Foodler

  You can use Foodler to search and order from nearby delivery places in your area. Contains menus of the restaurants and prices.

  m.foodler.com

• The Washington Post

  Good listing of national and local news. Very well structured for screen readers with few, but well placed headings.

  m.washingtonpost.com

• Facebook

  In their accessibility statement, Facebook makes the point to include its mobile site as an accessible option for screen reader users. And many screen reader users already use it

  m.facebook.com

New Training Website

I have constructed a new pilot website tutorial to teach JAWS users internet basics. Please visit Adaptive Services Internet Classroom.
I invite you to make comments and suggestions on the site and point any errors I have missed.

I plan to add additional lessons in the near future.

Introduction to the Victor Reader Stream.

The Victor Reader Stream is a multimedia device produced by Humanware. The device allows users to play Talking Books Produced by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, other downloadable audio books, text files created on Microsoft Notepad, downloadable music files, and audio notes. The Adaptive Services Division of the DC Public Library has created a basic curriculum for the device for the benefit of our users. This curriculum includes an introduction to the functions of the device and how to use the device to download NLS talking books.

The Top of the Player

On the top right is the power port.

It is a small circular hole.

The SD Card is in a long horizontal slit on the top center of the player.

The USB port is located on the top left hand side of the player it is a small rectangular shaped hole.

The Left Hand Side of the Player

On top of the left hand side of the player is a small circular button.

That button is the player’s power button.

Hold down on the power button until the Victor Reader Stream beeps.

It will say "Welcome to Victor Reader."

The Victor Reader Stream will pick up from its last location before it was turned off.

Below the power button are the volume control and speed control keys.

The key facing the top of the player increases the volume and speed wile the one facing the bottom decreases the volume and speed.

The Right Hand Side of the Player

Toward the top of the player there are two small holes arranged vertically.

The hole on the top is for headphones.

The hole on the bottom is for a microphone.

On the lower half of the right hand side of the player is the record button.

Users are able to locate the record button by finding the patches of raised dots.

The button is in the center of those patches of raised dots and has one raised dot in its center.