Open the windows

A new guide through the information technology for the people with impaired sight

The civil society association “Open the windows” which is active in the field of promoting and alleviating the access to the information technology for the disabled people, has recently published the guide for using a computer for blind people, containing a specially designed computer programme called JAWS – screen reader. The screen reader is a computer programme which reads everything that is on the screen. The guide consists of two parts. The first part of the manual, which is designed for trainers, explains how to approach the blind people first. Then follows the curriculum. The second part is designed for the potential users of the screen reader and is kind of a textbook with practical exercises. The goal of this manual is to help the blind people use a computer. At the “Open the Windows” centre, several people with impaired sight have already learned how to use this programme successfully.

“Open the Windows” has published two manuals so far: “How to make….”, which is an adaptation of accessible computer devices (adapted mouse and joystick), which are placed in electronic version on the associations web-site: www.openthewindows.org; and “How to make your computer easier to use: accessible options in Windows XP”.

The publishing of new manuals comes as a result of the need to constantly improve the quality of work with the beneficiaries who visit the centre every day, as well as from the desire to overcome the obstacles and to make information accessible to everyone.

The printing of this manual was supported by the foundation “Macedonia” of “AD Makedonski Komunikacii”.

You can contact “Open the Windows” on the telephone number 02/3068-630 or via e-mail at: contact@openthewindows.org.