Anyone striving to be an astronaut is said to have “the right stuff”. It’s a combination of personal skill and knowing how to use what’s out there to get things done. The same can be said for achieving accessibility. Two powerful additions to your accessibility tool kit are products from Vispero and professional visual interpreting from Aira.
How both products work toward accessibility
Aira connects blind and low vision people to professional visual interpreters, called agents, via a smart phone app. Aira Agents read documents, assist with navigation, access computers remotely and provide any other visual information needed to accomplish a task.
Vispero produces the JAWS screen reader, ZoomText magnifier and Fusion, that combines these two Vispero software programs to support any level of vision. JAWS turns text and other screen features into audible output. The program can be customized to meet many complex work environments. ZoomText enlarges the computer screen in a variety of ways to meet the needs of people with different types of vision loss. The combination of both programs supports people as they move through progressive vision loss. Learning to use JAWS is one of the primary skills taught when someone begins blindness rehabilitation.
Having access to the computer is empowering. Blind people have used these tools in numerous careers at some of the top companies in the world. Government officials, factory workers, teachers, healthcare professionals, students and parents access the world through their computers and smart phones using Vispero products and Aira. OR Together, Vispero and Aira are a power tool.
How do Vispero and Aira work together?
It’s rare that people use only one tool to achieve access. Often it’s a combination of technology and skills. For example, what do you do when your computer goes silent? Press any key? Nothing happens, no speech, no enlarged print, no sound at all. There’s a message on the screen but what does it say?
Sometimes you know what to do, up arrow three times then hit enter, etc. Wait, that didn’t work. That’s where the Vispero offer that many of us often refer to as the JAWS offer comes in. Using the Aira app, a person connects to an agent who can then read the computer screen. Agents can even connect remotely and save work or reactivate JAWS or ZoomText. Agents can also resolve inaccessible captchas. The minutes used are covered by Vispero.
“So I’m typing away and suddenly there’s that noise that means something’s wrong. The screen has something on it but I can’t see it because I’ve got no magnification and no screen reader. I called Aira and the agent guided me by using the camera in the phone app to start the remote access program. Then they connected and took over. They were able to save my work and restart Fusion. Project saved!”
Unfortunately there are still some of those verification captchas that don’t read using JAWS and are difficult to see even with screen enlarging. Aira can also help resolve them quickly and get you moving on with your task.
“I got to the very end of the web site shopping cart and couldn’t submit my order because there was one of those captchas where you have to write the letters and numbers you see. It didn’t have an audio option. Luckily Aira’s Vispero JAWS offer is available. Now we’ve got office supplies again.”
Even people who work at an assistive technology company sometimes need another tool.
How to access the Vispero offer with Aira
- Open the Aira app, iOS or Android.
- Double tap on “Apply a Free Access Offer” on the home screen.
- Double tap on Products.
- Navigate to the Vispero product you wish to get assistance with, JAWS, Magic or ZoomText.
- Double tap on “View eligible tasks” to learn what’s covered.
- Double tap on “Apply Offer” to use Aira minutes free.
Want to learn more about Vispero products? Visit Freedom Scientific, A Vispero Company.
