Sarah Blake LaRose

When I first began using computers seriously, I was a college student in the early 1990s. At that time, there were four competing products providing access to the IBM-compatible PC. This was before Windows; and it took some time for anything to be developed for the Mac at all. When Windows was introduced, some of those screen readers went out of production; and in time two products emerged as the leading competitors.

Much later, with the introduction of Linux, people began to think seriously about open source projects and to insist that access technology should not cost so much–in some cases even more than one might pay for the computer itself. People also began to insist that options be available to enable access to non-Windows systems such as Linux and Mac. The result of all of this is that today at least five screen readers exist for the Windows PC, some free or low cost with minimal or mid-range features and some more expensive with very advanced features. Screen readers also exist for Unix; and Apple has built a screen access package called Voiceover into its current systems.

Many people are proponents of the Mac because of its built-in access. I cannot comment on Voiceover in comparison with Windows access since I haven’t used it personally. I may be able to find some reviews. My personal opinion is that cost is only one factor among many that should be considered when evaluating te chnology. I admit that I speak from the perspective of a highly advanced user; and a low-end program could save me money but disable me from accomplishing some of my tasks. In that case the money saved would not be an advantage at all.

The power of choice is one of our strengths in America. We must preserve it and advise each other well.

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About Sarah Blake LaRose

Sarah Blake LaRose teaches Biblical Hebrew and Greek at Anderson University School of Theology and Christian Ministry in Anderson, Indiana. She is one of three blind academic scholars who received the Jacob Bolotin Award from the National Federation of the Blind in 2016 in recognition of innovative work in the field of access to biblical language texts and tools for people who are blind. In addition to her work as a professor, she provides braille transcription services specializing in ancient languages. Her research interests concern the intersection of disability, poverty, and biblical studies.

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