Towards an Open Source Screen Reader: Screenreader Usability Extensions (SUE)

More and more educational institutions, authorities, and companies adopt open source software, especially Linux. Unfortunately, at the moment, no Linux based screen reader provides adequate and sufficient functionality as the ones of Windows. This means that visually impaired people are disadvantaged in the labour market. The focus of the project is the development of a screen reader for the graphical interface using Linux. The screen reader will allow the visually impaired to work with Linux for typical office tasks and the desktop (GNOME) itself. A special training course will instruct teachers and pupils at institutions for the blind and the partially sighted in using the screen reader. The content of the programme is based on the 7 modules of the ECDL (European Computer Driving Licence).