2 March 2005
A new internet tool is set to be introduced to libraries throughout the UK aimed at assisting blind and visually impaired users to send e-mails, use word processors plus spreadsheets and navigate their way through the Web with much greater ease.
Access software jaws 5.0 and magic 9.0 is currently receiving broad social praise in the US for its ability to provide a reliable, quality service for visually-impaired people.
The two software packages have both been developed by assistive technology designer Freedom Scientific and cater for varying degrees of visual disabilities.
The magic software has been launched for those with low vision and increases text size whilst a voice synthesizer turns text into audio.
The second new online product, jaws software, has been produced for those with complete visual impairment and features a multilingual speech synthesizer.
"As communication becomes increasingly digitised and reliance on computers and the internet increases, it is essential that people with disabilities not be left behind," commented Susan Kent, director and chief executive of branch libraries.© DeHavilland Information Services plc
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