RE: mouse replacement software?

True enough Phil, but remember, visually impaired users are not the only
people we develop for.
 
Users with mobility impairments[1] benefit from this technology, and
readers/contributors to this list need always remember that we are doing
more than building web pages for blind people...
 
Cheers!
 
JF
 
[1] A partial list would include quadriplegics, amputees, hands free
computing areas such as warehouses, vehicles, etc., and more.  
 
 

-----Original Message-----
From: w3c-wai-ig-request@w3.org [mailto:w3c-wai-ig-request@w3.org] On Behalf
Of Phill Jenkins
Sent: Tuesday, October 12, 2004 12:52 AM
To: Derek Featherstone
Cc: 'Patrick H. Lauke'; w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
Subject: RE: mouse replacement software?



Let's all understand that this may well work for sighted users who cannot
use the mouse, but it is a very inefficient compared to what a screen reader
provides with keyboard navigation and short cuts for a blind user.  In my
opinion, mouse replacement software still really requires that you know
where your mouse pointer is and more importantly where you want to go. 

If you can't see the screen, then how do you know which quadrant you want to
go into?  Would you expect the user to memorize everything on the screen
after exploring every quadrant and sub quadrant?   That's what a screen
reader does for the user.   

Regards,
Phill Jenkins
IBM Worldwide Accessibility Center





"Derek Featherstone" <feather@wats.ca> 
Sent by: w3c-wai-ig-request@w3.org 


10/11/2004 12:50 PM 


To
"'Patrick H. Lauke'" <redux@splintered.co.uk>, <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org> 

cc

Subject
RE: mouse replacement software?

	





Patrick H. Lauke wrote:
> From what I remember, it superimposed a numbered grid over the page,
allowing the
> user to activate or further refine (adding additional grid
> subdivisions) specific sections of the page by invoking the related
> number. I was wondering if anybody here on the list knew the name of
> said software, or could point out applications that do a similar job?

Not sure what they were actually using, but it sounds very much like the
mechanism used by Dragon NaturallySpeaking from ScanSoft. The user speaks
the voice command "mouse grid" to show the initial grid (3 by 3 overlay,
numbered 1 through 9) and then speaks additional numbers to further refine
until they have zeroed in on their target...

Hope this helps...

Cheers,
Derek.
-- 
Derek Featherstone     feather@wats.ca
phone: 613.599.9784;   toll-free: 1.866.932.4878 (North America)
Web Accessibility:  http://www.wats.ca
Personal: http://www.boxofchocolates.ca