VoiceOver icon
[Originally posted October 19, 2008]
I think.
I had the opportunity to partake in a presentation at the ACTEM MainEducation 2008 Conference last Thursday (October 16, 2008) where the presenter Mike Shebanek, Product Marketing Manager in Apple’s worldwide software product marketing group and 14-year veteran of Apple Inc. spoke on the new and improved accessibility features of the Mac OS X.
In addition to showing all of the marvelous widgets and gizmos that are built throughout the operating system, half of Mike’s presentation was on the new VoiceOver “screen reader” that is built into the new OS. VoiceOver first appeared in 2005 in OS X v10.4 Tiger, but grew a more distinct reputation when v 10.5 – Leopard appeared. The major reason was the inclusion of a new “voice” – Alex. Quoting from Apple, “…the new voice of Mac OS X Leopard, speaks English and uses advanced new Apple technologies to deliver natural intonation even at extraordinarily fast speaking rates.” My blind friend Steve noted that “Alex breathes!”
Those who know me know that “I’m a PC” and although I’ve tried not to get caught up in the hype of the OS Wars, Macs and I have not always gotten along very well. My first foray into AppleLand was in 1999 when I joined the staff at Maine ASCD – an All Mac Environment. Ironically, I had interviewed at Bates College earlier that fall – another All Mac Environment – and was assured by the folks there that I could be readily converted. I think the combination of the fervor and intensity of those from AppleLand are what I often find most troubling. Apple People from AppleLand tend to be a little over zealous and try a little too hard to find converts. They sometimes remind me of the Jehovah’s Witnesses on Fulton St. in Brooklyn when I was a kid. Stare at the ground and keep walking.
The Apple conversion did not take place in 1999 partially because I went from being fairly neutral about the Mac to downright hostile. The new iMac I was presented with actually bit me and drew blood – but that’s another story. Within a year I had divested Maine ASCD from their aging Mac fleet primarily for economic reasons. We simply could not afford the product. I admit to a little glee when the iMac kept crashing for unknown reasons and the G3 was full of macro viruses.
So with that background, I tuned into Mike Shebanek’s sermon fully expecting to find holes of faulty logic and extended examples of overreaching. While there was some of that – and I will note that Mike is a “Product Marketing Manager” – I was dutifully impressed. Not so much with all the gizmos, but I think that I actually sensed that Apple may “get it.”
The “get it” I am referring to is the concept of Universal Design that I have been preaching about for the past 8-9 years. The idea that products and services should be designed with the goal of making everything easier for everyone and in so doing, make it easier for people with disabilities.
I’ve heard many other speakers claim their respective companies were indeed modeling this behavior only to again and again find flaws in their message. My most recent experience was with the folks at Adobe who while claiming to have fully embraced accessibility, have been building and exploiting Rich Internet Applications using their new Adobe AIR development system. The best I can tell, everything they make with that product is completely inaccessible.
Unlike some of the competition – and I am now actually pointing my finger in the direction of northern Washington – Apple does appear to have practiced what they preach. The new VoiceOver does appear to really be a fully functioning – and fully integrated – screen reader AND actually has functionality that fully sighted people can use. This makes it a Universally Designed system; not an add-on or a plug in.
So, I was impressed and figured I had to make a public admission.
Now, the marketing pitch that Mike made did indeed make me a bit squeamish. But, paraphrasing the logic: “… for less than a thousand bucks, you can purchase a MacBook with OS X and not have to purchase an $800 copy of JAWS or other screen reader…” Hmm, kind of hard to argue with that.
To give the full picture – and just to prove that I was not completely co-opted – while VoiceOver is integrated into the OS, not all software made for the Mac – including many Apple-labeled products – work with it. And my colleagues and I are still testing VoiceOver before giving it our blessing. But I feel like I have drunk the Kool Aid. Stay tuned.
~j
Originally posted 10/19/08 | Posted by admin | Category Software and Applications
Maine Governor John E. Baldacci announced last night in his State-of-the-State address his intentions of expanding the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) – aka. the Laptop Program – to Maine high schools. This should be good news to the folks in Cupertino, CA as the contract for the new program will be going to Apple Computers.
