2) Thanks to the Access Technologists Higher Education Network for this blog post explaining in human terms why web accessibility is a good idea.
http://www.thepickards.co.uk/index.php/200710/accessibility-making-it-all-worthwhile/
3) Jamal Mazrui's latest project is a programmer's tool called IronCOM, which allows those with the skills to greatly extend the capabilities of scripting languages such as that which comes with JAWS, among other capabilities.
http://www.EmpowermentZone.com/comsetup.exe
4) OtsAV is a program for making your PC sound just like a radio station. Jim Snowbarger has updated his JAWS scripts for the earlier incarnation of the program, called Ots DJ to work with the current version, OtsAVPro version 1.77.0.1 The scripts are free to those who already purchased the scripts for OTS DJ, otherwise they cost $30.
http://personal.adiis.net/snowman/OtsAV.html
5) the Serotek blog contains a thoughtful article on the problems with open-source technology as it relates to screen readers
http://blog.serotek.com/2007/10/problem-with-open-source-access.html
6) this Fred's Head Companion article discusses the question: Online Banking, is it Right for Me?
http://fredsheadcompanion.blogspot.com/2007/10/online-banking-is-it-right-for-me.html
7) Levelator is a free program that lets you take an audio file which has portions with different volume levels and make the whole file be as loud as its loudest part. At the encouragement of some blind users, the developers have produced an accessible version of the program, which is currently in beta testing but which works very well. If you want a copy, e-mail Darrell Shandrow at
editor@blindaccessjournal.com <mailto:editor@blindaccessjournal.com>
8) Jim Grimsby Jr. has released a new version of scripts for the Goldwave sound editor, to work with the newest version of the program. You can get it from the programs section of
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net
9) An accessible mp3 player is being developed. You can read about it here
http://www.viplayer.co.uk.
and download an audio interview about it here
http://media.libsyn.com/media/bct/bct1135ViPlayer.mp3
10) A PC-based computer program called the Nemetex Nemeth Back-Translator, costing *S $99, which supports back-translating Nemeth Braille produced on an electronic Braille notetaker into print, is available from a company called AccessiSoft. Go to
http://www.accessisoft.com/nemetex.htm
11) the newest operating system for the Mac, called OS X Leopard, will be released this week. the new system is anticipated to offer many accessibility enhancements, including a new voice, improved web accessibility and other improvements. This site discusses the new release in general:
http://www.apple.com/macosx/guidedtour/
the site for VoiceOver, the built-in screen reader, will presumably be updated not long after the release
http://www.apple.com/accessibility/voiceover/
12) You can hear several new voices available for the Mobile Speak SS screen reader here:
<http://www.codefactory.es/mobile_speak_smartphone/mss_downloads.htm>
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