VisionAware

Prepared by: AFB National Technology Program

Date: June 2001

The following tutorials are available to assist people who are blind or visually impaired in learning to use Windows 95, or 98 and Windows applications. Contact the manufacturers to confirm pricing and availability.

American Printing House for the Blind
P.O. Box 6085, Department 0086
Louisville, KY 40206-0085
Phone: (800) 223-1839 (502) 895-2405
Fax: (502) 8951509
Web site: http://www.aph.org

Listening to Windows 95: This training kit contains a CD-ROM, tactile guide and manual (print, braille, cassette, and is electronic). The training kit is designed for blind and visually impaired users who want to learn Windows concepts, including key system and application features, through keyboard navigation. The kit includes a tactile guide, in both braille and print versions, that contains fourteen simplified screen layouts. The manual contains warranty information, a quick start and a section on common Windows keyboard commands. Seven units cover Windows 95 basics, including an introduction, Desktop features, Explorer, WordPad, Help, Control Panel and Internet Overview. Price: $150.

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BRL, Inc.
110 Commerce Drive, Suite 210
Fayetteville, GA 30214
Phone: (770) 716-9222
Fax: 770-716-9599
E-mail: brlinc@mindspring.com
E-Mail brlinc@wyfiwyg.com
Web Site: www.wyfiwyg.com/

A Verbal View of Windows: available in regular and large print, Braille and on 2-track audiocassette, offers extensive verbal descriptions of Microsoft Windows 95/98 and the visual cues that appear on the computer display. All the essential aspects of the PC and Windows are explained. Topics are presented independently so the reader can learn them separately and at different times. No knowledge of the PC or of Windows is assumed.

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CrissCross Technologies
110-64 Queens Blvd. #406
Forest Hills, NY 11375
Phone: (718) 268-6988
email: info@crisscrosstech.com
Web site: http://www.crisscrosstech.com

Cassette tutorials that teach basic and advanced features of Windows 98, Windows 95 and popular Windows applications with speech. Titles include: “Speaking of Windows Second Edition”, 6 cassettes, $60; “Speaking of Microsoft Word”, 6 cassettes, $75; “Speaking of Corel WordPerfect”, 6 cassettes, $75; “Speaking of the Internet Second Edition: Internet Explorer, and Eudora”, 6 cassettes, $75; “Speaking of the Internet Second Edition: Internet Explorer, and Outlook Express”, 6 cassettes, $75; “Speaking of Outlook Express”, 4 cassettes, $50; Speaking of Microsoft Excel”, 4 cassettes, $75; and “Speaking of Microsoft Access”, 6 cassettes, $75. Listening In: bi-monthly tutorial series that features short tutorials on Windows and Windows applications with the screen-reader-user in mind. Annual subscription: $60.

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Justin Daubenmire
email: justind@cboss.com
Web site: http://justin.cboss.com/vb/default.htm

An online Microsoft Visual Basic tutorial for blind and visually impaired programmers. Topics covered include: “What is an Object,” “What is a Form,” “How to Position a Control on a Form,” “How to Create a Good Graphical User Interface,” “How to Construct a Menu Bar,” and a complete listing of shortcut keys.

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Ellis Enterprises
5035 Geraldine Dr.
Lansing, MI 48917
(888) 888-9533

Adapted versions of commercially available tutorials from Fliptrack with keyboard commands added.

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Freedom Scientific
Blindness and Low Vision Group
11800 31st Court N.
St. Petersburg, FL 33716
Phone: (800) 444-4443 or (727) 803-8000
Fax: (727) 803-8001
E-mail: Sales@hj.com
Web site: http://www.freedomscientific.com

Cassette-based tutorials on using JAWS for Windows with a variety of applications. Titles available for $79.95 include: “Microsoft Excel 2000,” “Microsoft PowerPoint 2000,” “Internet Explorer 5.0,” “Microsoft Outlook 2000,” “Microsoft Word 8,” and “Forging Ahead with SoundForge 4.5. “Eudora Pro” costs $29.95.

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Iowa Department for the Blind
524 Fourth Street
Des Moines, IA 50309-2364
(515) 281-1391
Web site: http://www.blind.state.ia.us/assist

Project ASSIST with Windows produces cassette and disk-based tutorials on using popular Windows applications with particular screen readers. Each tutorial focuses on a different combination of Windows application and screen reader. Screen readers include: JAWS for Windows, Window-Eyes, Hal for Windows, Window Bridge and WinVision. The materials cover Windows 98, 95 and 3.x with Microsoft Office Suite, Corel WordPerfect Suite, Lotus Smart Suite, and Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer. Tutorials cost $35.00-$50.00.

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National Braille press
88 St. Stephen Street
Boston, MA 02115
Phone: (800) 548-7323 (617) 266-6160
Fax: (617) 437-0456
Web site: http://www.nbp.org

“Windows 95 Explained”, By Sarah Moorley. This book, available in Braille, on disk, cassette, and large print, is a tutorial on Windows 95 written with the blind user in mind. Tactile diagrams of Windows screens are also available. $18, tactile diagrams $15.

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Top Dot Enterprises
8930 11th Place SE
Everett, WA 98205
Phone: (425) 335-4894
email: deamar@eskimo.com
Web site: http://www.eskimo.com/~deamar

Tutorials are available on cassette in Library of Congress and commercial formats. Titles include: Top Real Internet Explorer 5.0; Top Win98 Basics; Top Eudora 4.2 and Before; Top Word 8 (97) Basics”, and “Top Netsearch Guide”: $19.50. Tutorials cost $19.50 for Library of Congress format and $27.00 for commercial format.