[Athen] Problems Using Kurzweil Read the Web with Canvas

[Robert Beach]

If you do try Read&Write, you might even try turning on the screen reading feature.  It helps read items such as buttons, links, etc. and may help with your situation.


Robert Lee Beach
Assistive Technology Specialist
Kansas City Kansas Community College
7250 State Avenue
Kansas City, KS  66112
913-288-7671
rbeach at kckcc.edu

From: athen-list-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu [mailto:athen-list-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Gaeir Dietrich
Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 7:03 PM
To: 'Access Technology Higher Education Network'
Subject: RE: [Athen] Problems Using Kurzweil Read the Web with Canvas

Screen readers (like JAWS, Window-Eyes, NVDA, etc.) read the entire screen, announce icons, verbalize menus, and read text-based documents.

Kurzweil, on the other hand, is actually a document reader, rather than a screen reader. Document readers only read documents (not the entire screen) and include programs like Kurzweil, WYNN, R&W Gold, ClaroRead, etc. Kurzweil, in particular, reads text best within its own window and on the Web only to a limited extent.

The VPAT was referring to actual screen readers, not to all reading software. A program working with a screen reader does not guarantee that it will work with other assistive technology.

If you can copy and paste the text into a Kurzweil document, the student should be able to read it that way-or if you can print the test to PDF and then bring the PDF into Kurzweil through the KESI Virtual Printer, you may be able to read it.

You can also try downloading a demo copy of Read&Write Gold. R&W provides a toolbar that "floats" over other programs and can be a bit more flexible than Kurzweil in reading on the Web.

Good luck!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Gaeir (rhymes with "fire") Dietrich
High Tech Center Training Unit of the
California Community Colleges
De Anza College, Cupertino, CA
www.htctu.net<http://www.htctu.net/>
408-996-6043

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

________________________________
From: athen-list-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu<mailto:athen-list-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu> [mailto:athen-list-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Larry Kiser
Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 8:11 AM
To: athen-list at u.washington.edu<mailto:athen-list at u.washington.edu>
Subject: [Athen] Problems Using Kurzweil Read the Web with Canvas

Dear Colleagues:

Last week a student attempted to use the Kurzweil Read the Web feature during an exam delivered through Canvas.  In this instance and during a follow-up diagnostic session with the student opening a practice quiz, Kurzweil Read the Web read information on the screen randomly and announced other information not readily viewable.  During the exam the student was able to use a Kurzweil taskbar feature, but this was slow because it required the student to highlight questions with the pointer and drag it to the taskbar.  I reviewed the VPAT for Canvas, which indicated it was compatible with screen readers.  I emailed Kurzweil and received the following response.

Kurzweil Response
Kurzweil 3000 and the Read the Web functionality provides limited recognition outside of the program itself. The current read the web add on, kesireader.xpi, can only recognized plain text/basic html websites. It is not uncommon that websites that are generated in use or that contain windows within windows to have issues recognizing text.  I would recommend that you update your current version of the Kurzweil 3000 software, update the kesireader.xpi and test the reader on plain text/basic html websites, should the problem continue within these websites, we may be able to determine what the cause is. For more complicated websites, such as script bases information or test taking websites, I'd recommend that you print them to Kurzweil 3000 using the KESI Virtual Printer. In the case of a Macintosh, print the site to PDF and then open that in Kurzweil 3000. This alternative can provide the student access to the materials for reading, however, they may need to go back to the website to introduce their answers.


We are already using the most recent version of K3000.  It is not feasible to print the exam using the Kesi Virtual Printer as suggested.  Any thoughts would be helpful.

Larry Kiser
Counseling Specialist
Disabilities Resource Center, S-233
Santa Fe College
Gainesville, FL 32606
Phone: 352-395-4429
Fax: 352-395-4100

________________________________
Please note that Florida has a broad public records law, and that all correspondence to or from College employees via email may be subject to disclosure.
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