Navigating Ubuntu for the blind

Hey all.

I'm working with a blind student at my college at getting him to be able to use programs which are linux only. I've come across Vinux 1.4 and have installed it on a laptop to test out Orca and Ubuntu for the blind in general.

Which leads me to my problem....

I'm sighted, and in over 2 years of using Ubuntu as a visual screen, I've never had to use the keyboard only in order to navigate the desktop. I've found a couple of shortcuts through random pecking, like opening the menu bar (alt+f1) or opening the terminal(ctrl+shift+t for Vinux), but I really havnt been able to find any of the other keyboard shortcuts for real navigation. Now, I'll ask, specifically what he needs tomorrow, but until then, can anyone lecture me on the proper way to...

change between windows on a screen? move to the desktop?

and any other useful things?

thanks again, Hrusk

this link may help

[HTML]http://www.techotopia.com/index.php/Ubuntu_Desktop_Keyboard_Shortcuts[/HTML]

the link contains

Contents

• 1 Viewing Keyboard Shortcuts
• 2 Changing a Shortcut
• 3 Disabling a Keyboard Shortcut
• 4 Summary

I support a lot of blind customers but in windows. Ever since listening to Orca after loading up the Live CD with screen reader I got amazed with the sound quality of Orca. Jaws, the best screen reader for Windows, has this standard synth voice that sucks compared to Orca's default.

Jaws does have other voices though, with the same quality as Orca's but, big but, they have their effect on the system performance and since Jaws is commercial... not only costs money, but is somewhat expensive.

Ubuntu/Orca is a real option, but what stops many of them to even try it is having to re-learn everything again. I'm going to check those links as well, who knows, maybe one day one of my clients decides to give it a go.

ELP

SR_ELPIRATA said: Jaws is commercial... not only costs money, but is somewhat expensive.

Somewhat expensive? It cost more than my computer hardware, Windows XP, and Microsoft Office 2003 combined. (Atherton 64 bit chip, 2GB RAM, 500 GB drive.)

Ubuntu/Orca is a real option, but what stops many of them to even try it is having to re-learn everything again.

I"ll underscore that. A blind person has to learn a new browser, email client, office suite, AV player, IM client, etc. Visually, the software might look the same. The tactile experience is very different.

jonathon

I found ESpeak difficult to understand at first, but I'm getting used to it. I still prefer Viavice, but have never had the guts to try installing it for Linux. It's kind of a daunting prospect for me. Can't beat the price of Ubuntu, but it's still not quiiiite stable enough for me to feel comfortable using it exclusively. I would or will; believe me, when I feel confident in my ability to get around in it as nimbly as I do in Windows.

It cost more than my computer hardware,

Keep in mind that most (at least those who I support) of them have applied for government subsidies (not sure if its the right word) which basically absorb the cost of Jaws. Some of who I know... even the computers are provided to them.

@Pipi: I find eSpeak a bit annoying, but mostly over headphones, using speakers sounds better, IMHO.

But aside of re-learning everything, I think Orca has a lot to offer, it has many options that other screen readers dont have. I remember reading on the gnome website that there were more voices available, got to check that out too.

One thing that Ubuntu has that windows version dont... is the language. At least the whole interface/programs is available in every language (or close to and the work keeps being done), so for my users, their main language is spanish, but we know that the spanish version of windows is hard to support, so people end up buying the english version (many times also is the suppliers fault).

Windows might NEVER have all the programs and utilities that you use all in the same language. Its really a mess when you try and use an OS that is in english and try and use or see spanish content even thru the web.

Having ubuntu say in spanish, their programs in spanish its a big plus.