Bringing the Blind into the Workplace
By Robitaille, Suzanne; Business Week Online,Publication Date: January 2002
Article on persons with visual disabilities in the workplace, and assistive technology (AT) that can facilitate careers. The author begins by pointing out that while people who are blind and visually impaired people can do everything that those with full vision can do, statistics still show that only thirty percent of legally blind working-age people are employed in the US. The article then covers etiquette for employers when interviewing or hiring someone with a visual disability. It also provides a few tips for job seekers with visual disabilities, and gives a brief overview on high and low tech assistive technology. Window-Eyes from GW Micro, a Windows 2000-based screen reader, and JAWS (Job Access With Speech) for Windows from Freedom Scientific are used as examples of high tech products. They are described as screen readers that can read text aloud with the help of text-to-speech processors, which are generally clear and easy to understand. The programs are described as helping to perform functions such as word processing, calculating spreadsheets, composing Web pages, and surfing the Internet.
Assistive Products Discussed: WINDOW-EYES PROFESSIONAL
JAWS FOR WINDOWS
Published by: McGraw-Hill Companies (Website:http://www.mcgraw-hill.com)
Link to text: http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/jan2002/nf20020123_3614.htm
