[Fwd: [clue-talk] Linux for the Disabled]

[Kevin Cullis]

Janina,

Thank you for your response and I was much encouraged with what you said 
below. My mother was legally blind but did not use a computer with her 
blindness but was able to get around almost normally.

My hope is that my email raised awareness of the disablities among 
computer users and that they can be just as productive as sighted people 
can be.

Since I know that most of the Linux people may be developers, including 
web developers, I read that text browsing is the best way for blind 
people to use the web, hence designing web sites with text based pages 
for text based browsers. I personally never would have thought about it 
until now.

One thing might be of interest is to have local disabled computer or 
Linux users give a talk to CLUE or other User Groups so as to see how 
things could be progressing in this area.

Thanks again for opening my eyes.

Kevin

Janina Sajka wrote:
> Dear Kevin:
> 
> Your email regarding Linux for people with disabilities was forwarded to
> me. I thought I'd give you a brief response.
> 
> First, you should know that there are some highly proficient Linux users
> in the Denver area, as well as some average users who are persons living
> with disability. The ones I know happen to be blind, as am I. I have
> cc'd this note to one of them. I'm sure they would welcome an interest
> from the local user groups. There is so much we can do when we share our
> abilities, and I have certainly found Linux to be about sharing.
> 
> There is also a developer running a LInux based startup business in
> Boulder.
> 
> I'm sure there are others. These are just the ones who come immediately
> to mind.
> 
> We are working to raise the profile of support for accessibility on the
> Linux and F/OSS platform. As you note in your email, Microsoft has a
> much higher visibility on issues of accessibility. But, it doesn't have
> to be that way. Indeed there are good reasons to believe that Linux can,
> and for some users already is, a superior environment. Today of all
> days, on the 15th anniversary of the passage of the Americans With
> Disabilities Act (ADA) is a particularly good time to stop and note
> that. So, thank you for your post to CLUE.
> 
> 
> 
> Angelo Bertolli writes:
> 
>>This was posted to another list that I am on.  I don't know if this 
>>indicates a spark of interest, but I thought you might like to see it.
>>
>>-------- Original Message --------
>>Subject: 	[clue-talk] Linux for the Disabled
>>Date: 	Sun, 24 Jul 2005 21:04:47 -0600
>>From: 	Kevin Cullis <kevincu at orci.com>
>>Reply-To: 	CLUE talk <clue-talk at cluedenver.org>
>>To: 	CLUE <clue-talk at cluedenver.org>
>>
>>
>>
>>Hi all,
>>
>>Just read in the Sunday paper today in the Parade section about John 
>>Hockenberry's experience with his disabilities. One thing he stated is 
>>that Disability employment is around 70%! Then I went to this site:
>>
>>http://www.techsoup.org/stock/
>>
>>more details here:
>>
>>http://www.techsoup.org/stock/Category.asp?catalog_name=TechSoupMain&category_name=Software&Page=1
>>
>>and see only Microsoft as THE major donator of software with only a few 
>>Linux entries. I just installed Ubutu Linux and saw Assitive Technology 
>>stuff in the menus but wondered if there are any other Linux people that 
>>have worked on or with this? Not that I need it, but just wanted to know 
>>what others have seen in the Denver area. I also found this site:
>>
>>http://www.crcamerica.org/index.htm
>>
>>for the state of Colorado.
>>
>>Any thoughts?
>>
>>Kevin
>>_______________________________________________
>>CLUE-talk mailing list
>>CLUE-talk at cluedenver.org
>>http://cluedenver.org/mailman/listinfo/clue-talk
> 
>