[acb-hsp] question regarding agency-record softwareandaccessibility

[J.Rayl]

Hi.  I am really not sure what the actual regs. are on this, however I do 
believe you'd have a legitimate suit here.  I can get you in direct contact 
(after this week) with a blind attorney who will know and who will be more 
than happy / willing to assist, however, if you like.
Just let me know . . . your choice.
Me?  I'd go for it because I can tell you, until we do, we'll never have 
access and its only going to get worse as Agencies move from paper to 
electronic--and they all are / will be by 2014 if HIPAA has its way.
So again, are we going to let this inaccessibility slam the door on the 
mental health profession for blind / visually impaired, or, are we not?
I would not.

Jessie Rayl
EM: thedogmom63 at frontier.com
PH:304.671.9780
www.facebook.com/eaglewings10

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall
mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run, and not be weary"--Isaiah 
40.31

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Louise Pearson" <frogdog at iinet.net.au>
To: "Discussion list for ACB human service professionals" <acb-hsp at acb.org>
Sent: Friday, July 08, 2011 8:15 AM
Subject: Re: [acb-hsp] question regarding agency-record 
softwareandaccessibility


Hi there,

Ah, this is difficult for you.  I have never been able to use
Citrix with JAWS, and people in my workplace use that to access
our Client Database, which is called The Care Manager.  Now on my
computer, we run The Care Manager in its own right, rather than
through Citrix.  In its first version, I would start the Care
Manager, and it would simply sit there, not reading at all.  It
is what all of our workers use to write case notes,
electronically file reports and letters, etc.  I applied for some
funding through the Workplace Modifications scheme, basically
arguing that my job would be in jeopardy without being able to
use this program.  I was very lucky.  There is a man employed by
Vision Australia here (our main blindness agency), who writes
scripts for programs that JAWS won't work with.  I got $10'000
towards his work, and we then had a working program.  What was
then amazing, was that two years later it had a major upgrade,
and so we have just had to go through the whole thing again.  At
the time I was sick with worry.  I need not have been.  I got
more funding, thank God ...  perhaps courtesy of the fact that I
have also demonstrated my own willingness to buy equipment for
myself where I can, such as the BrailleNote Apex, my JAWS, etc.
This latest version of The Care Manager was a little more
accessible than the first version, but ...  the scripting makes
it so much better.
So, I am telling you all of this as a round about way of saying
that I think that JAWS is the best option we have, but even that
sometimes needs coaching.
If it's any consolation, I can tell you that right now, at this
minute at work, it does all I need it to, and it's fabulous to be
able to read other worker's Case Notes, for the occasions when I
need to check up on something for one of my clients.
Louise,
Melbourne Australia.
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