I'm back yet again, and I actually found time this week to update. The past 2 weeks have been very busy, but I like it. It's definitely better than being bored. My work at the library is going quite well. We're getting regular customers coming in to use the computer, and a few more are probably going to stop by soon. It's really cool knowing that you started with 0 customers, and now the technology is getting used on a regular basis.
I also attended a few other interesting things over the past week. I attended anoter presentation at SSB on JAWS for Windows this time. It was a pretty informative presentation. The presenter went over some of the cool new features of Jaws that people might not know about or generally use. He also talked a bit about the next couple updates for Jaws, and some good things are coming. Finally, we'll be able to update the software right from within the program itself like many other programs do. I've been waiting for this feature for a long time because it gets kind of annoying having to go to the website and download the whole installer again.
It should also work better for tracking the screen. Now when a Blind user surfs the Internet, a sighted person watching can't tell what the heck's going on. Jaws uses a virtual cursor that makes it easier for Blind users to navigate complex programs and websites, but doesn't make much sense to anyone else. I also hear Forms mode will be fixed so when you run across a form element, Jaws will turn forms mode on automatically, and off again when you navigate away from a form element. Yay! Forms mode always bugged me in its current state, so maybe I'll use this feature more now.
There will be a free 7.1 update within 6 or 8 weeks or so, and version 8 will be out around September, assuming it doesn't get delayed. The other interesting thing was I knew the presenter a little. I previously interviewed at Freedom Scientific a couple of times over the past few years, and I actually interviewed with him once or twice. It's good though that now I'm starting to make some connections in the industry, because it's more who you know now days.
Yesterday I also attended a volunteer fair and helped represent the library at St. Paul College. It went pretty well. There were quite a few people interested in the services, and a couple more people might even be interested in the assistive technology. There were also a lot of regular library customers there.
Finally I also started the Digital Advisory Committee at Intermedia Arts, a site where another CTEP worker is working. They're trying to get a informative and unique web presence, and want to be as inclusive to a wide audiance as possible. A couple focuses are people from other countries and cultures, and people with disabilities. I'll be helping out with that on a sort of consultant level, and doing other projects as they come up. We're also encouraged to come up with our own ideas. One cool thing I didn't even know about it until after I said I'd join is we actually get $500 over the course of a year for participation. I wasn't expecting this at all, but hey, sounds great to me.
I have lots of other stuff going on too. I'm currently trying to work on our Accessibility and Usability committee presentation, which is going well. I'm working on a fact/resource sheet as well, which I'm really just getting rolling on. Our committee is also meeting here at the library tomorrow too so everyone can see the technology we have.
I also should be working on my training module for my masters class, but that's not going too well at all. I've been super busy at work, and haven't gotten around to it much, ok, really at all yet. I also have to do some online discussion questions, which are interesting, but just haven't gotten that far yet. I guess I know what I'm doing this weekend...
So yeah, there's plenty to do. I am having a little fun though. Four people, and maybe more soon, have a Nintendo DS and Mario Kart, and we play during breaks and lunch on training days. It's a lot of fun, and it seems to be spreading. More people seem interested, so that's cool, and to think I started all this madness. Yeah! A few of us might be writing an article about the DS and our gaming sessions in our next newsletter too, so that will be fun. I've written gaming articles, reviews, and such for a few gaming websites in the past, so this will be fun.
A friend of mine is also interested in a couple upcoming CTEP positions starting soon, so I hope he gets one. He's been looking for a job for quite a while now too, and it would just be cool if he lived down here too.
Yet another long entry, but they are getting rather fun to write, so I hope they are interesting to read. Until next time...
I also attended a few other interesting things over the past week. I attended anoter presentation at SSB on JAWS for Windows this time. It was a pretty informative presentation. The presenter went over some of the cool new features of Jaws that people might not know about or generally use. He also talked a bit about the next couple updates for Jaws, and some good things are coming. Finally, we'll be able to update the software right from within the program itself like many other programs do. I've been waiting for this feature for a long time because it gets kind of annoying having to go to the website and download the whole installer again.
It should also work better for tracking the screen. Now when a Blind user surfs the Internet, a sighted person watching can't tell what the heck's going on. Jaws uses a virtual cursor that makes it easier for Blind users to navigate complex programs and websites, but doesn't make much sense to anyone else. I also hear Forms mode will be fixed so when you run across a form element, Jaws will turn forms mode on automatically, and off again when you navigate away from a form element. Yay! Forms mode always bugged me in its current state, so maybe I'll use this feature more now.
There will be a free 7.1 update within 6 or 8 weeks or so, and version 8 will be out around September, assuming it doesn't get delayed. The other interesting thing was I knew the presenter a little. I previously interviewed at Freedom Scientific a couple of times over the past few years, and I actually interviewed with him once or twice. It's good though that now I'm starting to make some connections in the industry, because it's more who you know now days.
Yesterday I also attended a volunteer fair and helped represent the library at St. Paul College. It went pretty well. There were quite a few people interested in the services, and a couple more people might even be interested in the assistive technology. There were also a lot of regular library customers there.
Finally I also started the Digital Advisory Committee at Intermedia Arts, a site where another CTEP worker is working. They're trying to get a informative and unique web presence, and want to be as inclusive to a wide audiance as possible. A couple focuses are people from other countries and cultures, and people with disabilities. I'll be helping out with that on a sort of consultant level, and doing other projects as they come up. We're also encouraged to come up with our own ideas. One cool thing I didn't even know about it until after I said I'd join is we actually get $500 over the course of a year for participation. I wasn't expecting this at all, but hey, sounds great to me.
I have lots of other stuff going on too. I'm currently trying to work on our Accessibility and Usability committee presentation, which is going well. I'm working on a fact/resource sheet as well, which I'm really just getting rolling on. Our committee is also meeting here at the library tomorrow too so everyone can see the technology we have.
I also should be working on my training module for my masters class, but that's not going too well at all. I've been super busy at work, and haven't gotten around to it much, ok, really at all yet. I also have to do some online discussion questions, which are interesting, but just haven't gotten that far yet. I guess I know what I'm doing this weekend...
So yeah, there's plenty to do. I am having a little fun though. Four people, and maybe more soon, have a Nintendo DS and Mario Kart, and we play during breaks and lunch on training days. It's a lot of fun, and it seems to be spreading. More people seem interested, so that's cool, and to think I started all this madness. Yeah! A few of us might be writing an article about the DS and our gaming sessions in our next newsletter too, so that will be fun. I've written gaming articles, reviews, and such for a few gaming websites in the past, so this will be fun.
A friend of mine is also interested in a couple upcoming CTEP positions starting soon, so I hope he gets one. He's been looking for a job for quite a while now too, and it would just be cool if he lived down here too.
Yet another long entry, but they are getting rather fun to write, so I hope they are interesting to read. Until next time...
posted by Jesse Anderson at 7:43 AM
2 Comments:
Hi Jesse! Great entry this week. It's so exciting that more and more people are using the assistive technology! You're doing great work at the library. Looking forward to our next DS match. Peace out. Ri
It's also exciting that more and more people are getting the DS, now you all just need to get Animal Crossing!
That's great to hear about all the interest and use of assistive technology at the library. Rock on!
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