RE: What html authoring tool is best for blind students??????

Not trying to flame but I disagree with using HoTMetaL Pro 4.  I think it 
is awful.  It pretty much forces you to write to HTML 3.2 and the "WYSIWYG" 
editor is pretty far off from what actually shows up in any browser. 
 Though there are of course quirks I recommend Front Page 98.  It allows 
you to change the code to things (like HTML 4.0) that HoTMetaL Pro won't 
stand for.  Additionally, one can use the insert HTML feature to insert 
anything that Front Page wouldn't normally allow.  I've found this only 
necessary to insert alt attributes to links in client side image maps. 
 Though HoTMetaL Pro has the accessibility checker built in there is always 
Bobby for use with editors not containing such a rule checking set.

-Jamie Fox


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From:  Geert Bormans[SMTP:Geert.Bormans@esat.kuleuven.ac.be]
Sent:  Tuesday, September 01, 1998 2:25 AM
To:  Prof Norm Coombs
Cc:  w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
Subject:  Re: What html authoring tool is best for blind students??????

Dear prof Coombs

>I am looking for advice as to which software to write html would be the
>best for a blind student using windows95 and a screen reader to use.  I
>want to teach html to some blind students, not college just high school.
>Any suggestions?

>From my point of view: go for HoTMetaL Pro 4.
from SoftQuad (http://www.softquad.com/products/pc-hmp4.htm)
you can download a trial version for some 60 days I believe
it is by far the best html editor I am aware of
HoTMetal comes now with some interfaces to softbraille etc.
so it became very accessible as a product
HoTMetaL PRO 4.0 is a validating editor,
that enables the generation of high quality HTML.
Using the 'Check HTML' command one can verify
that the markup in a document is correct and complete.
Furthermore, HoTMetaL PRO has implemented a 'Check Accessibility'
command which checks documents against a set of accessibility guidelines.

good luck,


Geert Bormans
E-mail: Geert.Bormans@esat.kuleuven.ac.be

Received on Tuesday, 1 September 1998 10:08:42 UTC