Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att-cb!att-ih!pacbell!ames!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!bgsuvax!maner
From: maner@bgsuvax.UUCP (Walter Maner)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.x
Subject: X windows for blind users
Message-ID: <1840@bgsuvax.UUCP>
Date: 2 Apr 88 22:30:13 GMT
Organization: Bowling Green State University B.G., Oh.
Lines: 28


As soon as X windows (preferably CLX) is in a stable release, I want to
begin designing add-on software that makes the environment useful for
blind users.  (I know this must sound impossible to the uninitiated, but
the fact is blind computer users can be productive in a well-behaved
graphic environment, and X is well-behaved.) The idea would be, among
other things, to make this adaptation easier by piping voice descriptions
of window events and organization through a synthesizer chip on demand
by the user.  The blind user could then use his screen navagation
software to full advantage. 

I realize that this would (at least) require building an inference
engine which could operate on an abstract representation of X windows
plus some kind of language engine for generating descriptions from
analysis of changes in the deep structure. 

I would appreciate advice on how to proceed.

Thanks.

WALT


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