The Carroll Tech Newsletter Issue Number 9 June 2005 PODCASTING AND RELATED CYBERTOPICS TABLE OF CONTENTS 01: INTRODUCTION TO CARROLL TECH 02: WHAT IS PODCASTING? 03: DRAWBACKS OF PODCASTING. 04: ADVANTAGES OF PODCASTING. 05: BEFORE PODCASTS, THERE WERE BLOGS AND RSS FEEDS. 06: FINDING AND ACCESSING PODCASTS. 07: WHO CREATES PODCASTS? 08: HOW TO FIND PODCASTS. 09: HOW TO CREATE A PODCAST. 10: GETTING HELP FROM OTHER PODCASTERS. 11: CAPTCHA AND ACCESSIBILITY. 12: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 13: PRODUCT UPDATE ANNOUNCEMENTS 14: REFERENCES [Contents Ends] +01: INTRODUCTION TO CARROLL TECH Individuals who find themselves needing additional training in the use of popular applications on Windows-based computers and who need that training to take in to account the fact that they use a screen reader or screen magnification program to access their computer will be happy to learn of the classes now available for only $100.00 at http://www.carrolltech.org. Whether you need training in the use of Microsoft Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint or the Duxbury Braille Translator; whether you are a first-time user of these programs or need to up-grade your knowledge of their use; whether you use the JAWS or Window-Eyes screen reader or the screen magnifier ZoomText or MAGic; you will find what you need at Carroll Tech. Attention Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments! The online version of "Achieving Mouselessness", an expanded version of our face-to-face workshop, is now available on http://www.carrolltech.org. We made it available online so that you can learn when you want, where you want, and at your pace. This new format allows us to expand the content beyond merely freeing you from your mouse dependency: We take the mystery out of teaching computer skills to students who are blind. In the online videos, you will see tasks performed twice, first without a screen reader and then with a screen reader. These demonstrations will enable you to differentiate Windows commands from assistive technology commands, and will help you make more sense of what the screen reader is saying. You will also be given tips and tricks that we at the Carroll Center have found helpful when teaching new
computer users. Finally, because there is actually more to screen reader access than pure mouselessness, screen reader commands for accessing Windows objects more efficiently are provided. "Achieving Mouselessness" online is a self-paced course that is offered through Carroll Tech. You can register at carrolltech.org any time and have up to four months to complete the class. You may pay the $100.00 registration fee by Pay Pal at http://www.carrolltech.org, by check maid payable to the Carroll Center for the Blind, 770 Centre St., Newton, MA 02458 or by credit card by speaking with Betty in our business office at 1-800-852-3131 Extension 243. Attention Window-Eyes users! As of December 7, 2004, Carroll Tech offers both Introduction to Outlook XP with Window-Eyes 4.5 and Introduction to Excel XP with Window-Eyes 4.5. By the end of 2005, Carroll Tech classes will expand to include Intermediate Outlook XP/2003 with Window-Eyes 5.0 and Intermediate Excel XP/2003 with Window-Eyes 5.0. Other classes will come online as GW Micro continues to update their popular screen reader to support users of PowerPointXP/2003, Access XP/2003 and other Microsoft applications. To see a list of currently available classes and starting dates, go to: http://www.carrolltech.org/classes. [Section One Ends] +02: WHAT IS PODCASTING? The online resource ―Wikipedia‖ defines podcasting as: a way of publishing sound files to the Internet, allowing users to subscribe to a feed and receive new audio files automatically. Podcasting is distinct from other types of audio content delivery because it uses the RSS (Really Simple Syndication protocol). RSS protocol is very powerful and has already enabled thousands of folks to publish and syndicate their podcasts on the web. Podcasting is different from radio broadcasting or internet streaming of radio shows. Instead of being broadcast in real-time, podcasts are stored on websites where they can be downloaded automatically and then listened to at will. [Section Two Ends] +03: DRAWBACKS OF PODCASTING. Since podcasts are not broadcast in real-time like regular radio programs, it is not possible to have live audience participation. Podcasts cannot be broadcast to large numbers of people simultaneously like radio programs. They are simply uploaded to the internet where they are then available to be retrieved either automatically or at will by anybody who has access to the internet. [Section Three Ends]
+04: ADVANTAGES OF PODCASTING. 1. Without spending much money or applying for licenses, an individual can easily create podcasts and make them available worldwide via the internet. 2. A listener who misses a week or two of his favorite podcast program can catch up on all of the updates at his leisure. 3. Users can download their favorite podcasts any time they wish, as long as they are connected to the internet. 4. Once you have downloaded a podcast, you can listen to it on your computer, or you can carry it with you on a PDA or MP3 player and listen to it whenever you feel like it, without being connected to the internet. [Section Four Ends] +05: BEFORE PODCASTS, THERE WERE BLOGS AND RSS FEEDS. The website http://www.blogger.com defines a blog as: "your easy-to-use web site, where you can quickly post thoughts, interact with people, and more. All for FREE." For over ten years now, people have been keeping journals on the internet, where they can be viewed and commented upon by other internet users. Recently such journals have become known as "blogs", previously known as "weblogs". Many thousands of these blogs are now available on the internet. Some blogs are very professional and narrowly focused, while others may include comedy, personal stories, or anything else the "blogger" feels like writing. Not all blogs are screen reader friendly. The American Foundation for the Blind website contains several articles on why some blogs are not accessible, as well as how they can be made more screen reader friendly. To read these articles, go to http://www.afb.org and use AFB's search engine to look up the word "blog". Blogging has become hugely popular, thanks in part to the development of "RSS feed reader" programs. A user can subscribe to specific blogs using an RSS feed reader, which automatically retrieves updates to the blogs as they become available. One RSS feed reader that works well with screen readers is "Accessible RSS", a free program produced by the University of Manchester, England. It can be downloaded from http://www.webbie.org.uk/download.htm#accessiblerss. It is easy to install and very simple to learn to use. It is important to note that an RSS feed reader is used to read text files, not audio files. Once blogging began to catch on, some savvy bloggers thought it would be nice to add audio files to their blogs. That desire eventually lead to the development of Podcasting. [Section Five Ends] +06: FINDING AND ACCESSING PODCASTS. As with Blogs, podcasts can be found directly on peoples' web sites, but finding them and automatically receiving them has been greatly simplified by the development of
podcatching software, also known as "aggregator" software. Users subscribe to specific podcasts, and the software periodically searches for and downloads updates. It can then sync the content to the user's portable MP3 player. Podcasts can be listened to via an Apple iPod or other MP3 player, but they can also be accessed directly from a computer. You do not need a personal digital assistant or portable MP3 player to listen to podcasts. Both a standard iPodder program and a somewhat less functional but completely accessible podcatcher program are available from: http://www.blindcast.com/downloads/. The latest version of the Accessible Podcatcher is also available from: http://www.webbie.org.uk/accessiblepodcatcher/index.htm. [Section Six Ends] +07: WHO CREATES PODCASTS? Several US public radio stations, as well as the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Radio Sweden International, and the BBC, are experimenting with the medium. In addition, thousands of individuals are creating and distributing their own podcasts on a vast array of topics. A podcast can be recorded using a personal digital assistant (PDA). People record podcasts while sitting in their cars, visiting museums and tourist attractions, and probably even while relaxing in the hot tub. Some record unofficial audio tours while visiting famous places. All it takes to become a podcaster is a desire to create audio files that others can listen to and the willingness to learn a few technical concepts. It seems that many podcasters think of their podcasts as art, but if you listen to a variety of podcasts, you will quickly discover that art is a very relative term. Some podcasters simply turn the recorder on and start chattering away, while others put a great deal of thought and creativity into their recordings. [Section Seven Ends] +08: HOW TO FIND PODCASTS. Try doing a web search for the word ―podcast‖, and you’ll be amazed at the number of hits you get. One resource I found was at http://www.podcastalley.com. On that web site you can find a list of the top ten most popular podcasts, new podcasts, and thousands of links to specific podcasts. [Section Eight Ends] +09: HOW TO CREATE A PODCAST. Becoming a ―podcaster‖ involves a few basic steps, each of which can be somewhat complicated if you’re not already adept at recording and editing audio files and writing web content. Here is a high-level description of the process: 1. Record and edit an MP3 file that you want to broadcast to the world. . You can do this with an iPod, your computer, or any other recording device that creates digital files in the common MP3 format. Other file formats can be used, but they are unpopular because they tend to be much larger than MP3 files of the same recording length. Many folks record podcasts using their computer, a microphone, and an audio editing program such as GoldWave or Sound Forge. Both programs work well with screen readers, and they
offer an array of audio effects such as echo, reverb, and compression, to give your podcast a more "professional" sound. You can learn more about GoldWave from: http://www.goldwave.com and Sound Forge is at: http://www.soundforge.com. 2. Write your Program Description and other related details. (That’s the easy part.) 3. Put your MP3 file and related information out on the web. You must either have web space of your own or have access to a site that will host your files. If you know how to write XML web content, you can create your own ―rss‖ file and post it along with your MP3 audio file to your web site. An alternative is to use a service that does most of the work for you. One such service is at http://www.feedburner.com. Once you subscribe to the service, you are prompted through a brief series of steps that get your podcast out there for the world to download and listen to. A simple web search for a phrase like ―podcast tutorial‖ will yield many results. I found a set of podcaster training videos that sells for $100.00, and I also found a brief but informative free tutorial at: http://radio.about.com/od/podcastin1/a/aa030805a.htm. If you wish to study this topic in depth, or if you have a serious desire to become a podcaster, you may want to purchase this downloadable PDF format book from http://www.amazon.com . "Podcasting: The Do It Yourself Guide", by Todd Cochrane. Although this book is readable with JAWS or WindowEyes, it is less than ideally accessible, so you may want to review how your screen reader works with PDF files before attempting to read it. You’re sure to find plenty of other resources, and new ones are being added as the popularity of podcasting grows. [Section Nine Ends] +10: GETTING HELP FROM OTHER PODCASTERS. . There are many discussion forums and e-mail distribution lists on the topic of Podcasting. One that is frequented by podcasters who are blind is called BlindCast. To subscribe, send an e-mail to: blindcasting-subscribe@jeffbishop.com. [Section Ten Ends] +11: CAPTCHA AND ACCESSIBILITY. (Editor’s note: This informative blog entry was written by CarrollTech instructor Joanie Diggs to draw attention to a problem that must be addressed if users who are blind are to have equal access to services available on the web. You can find the article below and
even enter your own comments in a CarrollTech blog called "All About Access" by going to: http://blog.carrolltech.org/archives/26.) A Call to Action: Captchas Limit Equal Access to Information If you are like most people, you’ve probably never heard of a ―captcha.‖ But if you’ve ever registered for a free service online, there’s a good chance you’ve seen one. The most frequently used captchas are pictures of somewhat distorted letters and/or numbers. You, the computer user seeking to register for the service, are told to ―type the characters you see in this picture.‖ By successfully completing this task, you are proving that you are a human being and not a computer program seeking to exploit the service in question. Of course what you’re really proving is that you are a sighted human being — or someone with access to a sighted human being. Captchas significantly limit equal access to information for users who are blind or visually impaired. Captchas — completely automated public Turing tests to tell computers and humans apart — are becoming more and more common thanks to the proliferation of spam. First there was email spam, then instant messaging spam, and now — believe it or not — blog spam. I don’t like spam any more than you do and believe that it is in everyone’s best interest that spammers be thwarted. Most people agree. And that’s why, when Google introduced a captcha as a requirement for creating a new account at blogger.com, the blog-using public was thrilled. The problem is, of course, that a blind computer user wishing to start a blog no longer can — at least not without sighted assistance. And adding this requirement to blogger.com is not Google’s only use of captcha; simply their most recent. A blind user wanting to sign up for Google News Alerts, which is a very useful way to access the information you want or need, must get sighted assistance. The same is true for using Google’s newest tool: My Search History. Google is not the only company to implement the use of captchas. For instance, Microsoft requires them of anyone wishing to sign up for a Hotmail account; Yahoo does the same for their email service. But Microsoft and Yahoo provide alternatives for users with visual impairments. Microsoft’s alternative is to provide a link labeled ―I can’t see this picture.‖ Follow it and you’ll receive an auditory representation of the characters on the screen. This, of course, does not remove the access barrier for users who also have a hearing impairment, but at least it’s a step in the right direction. The alternative provided by Yahoo is to have the user fill out a form requesting that a customer service representative contact him/her by phone. This, of course, means that the visually impaired user does not have immediate access, but again, it’s a step in the right direction. Google does not provide any such alternative: You either type the characters on the screen, or you don’t get to use the service. Period.
There are undoubtedly other companies which have implemented captchas without an alternative means of access, and that must certainly be addressed. But Google has become a leader in the field of web-based access to, and communication of, information. As a result, their use of captcha means that users who are blind or visually impaired are denied access to one of the most widely used services available. And as a leader, what Google implements is more likely to be implemented by others. That is why I feel it is critical for Google to understand that the use of captcha without an alternative means of access is not only wrong — or to use Google’s term, ―evil‖ — but it is in direct violation of their corporate mission ―to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.‖ Prior to the implementation of captcha on Blogger, I had written Google about this issue, and I know a few others have as well. Apparently we were not heard — or if we were heard, the needs of the few users who are blind were outweighed by the needs of the many users who are affected by the very real problem of spam. That is why I’m asking for your help. Google needs to hear from all of us. And not just individual consumers, family members, and service providers, but the companies for which we work, and the organizations to which we belong. If we can take a large enough stand to get noticed, perhaps we can put a stop to this latest, growing barrier to access. Ways to contact Google: Send feedback to blogger support Send feedback to Google Accounts support (signing up for an account requires passing the captcha test) Send feedback to Google labs about My Search History, the latest (and highly-publicized) Google tool that requires a Google Account Write, call, fax Google Headquarters: 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway Mountain View, CA 94043 phone: 650-623-4000 fax: 650-618-1499 Thank you for your time. –jd [Section Eleven Ends] +12: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR If you have any comments related to past issues, want to share your experiences with others, or if you have a suggested topic, please send an email to the editor at the following address: jerry.berrier@carroll.org. Your comments and ideas will be considered for inclusion in this section of future newsletters.
[Section Twelve Ends] +13: PRODUCT UPDATE ANNOUNCEMENTS Are you using the most updated version of your access technology? Have you checked out the manufacturers’ websites lately? Do you know about the new features of your product(s)? Zoomtext 9.0: Visit Ai Squared’s website to read the details about this product. http://www.aisquared.com Order Hotline: (800) 859-0270 MAGic 9.30: Check out Freedom Scientific’s website to learn about this product. http://www.freedomscientific.com Sales & Information Phone: 1-800-444-4443 JAWS 6.10: Go to the Freedom Scientific’s website to find out what improvements have been made in this version of JAWS. http://www.freedomscientific.com Sales & Information Phone: 1-800-444-4443 Window-Eyes 5.0: Visit the GWMicro website for more details about the most current version of Window-Eyes. http://www.gwmicro.com OpenBook 7.02.280: Visit the Freedom Scientific website for current information on this product. http://www.freedomscientific.com Sales & Information Phone: (800) 444-4443 KURZWEIL 1000 version 9: Check out the Kurzweil website for more information about this product. http://www.kurzweiledu.com (800) 894-5374 [Section Thirteen Ends] +14: REFERENCES http://www.carrolltech.org/classes http://www.carrolltech.org http://www.amazon.com http://www.blogger.com http://www.afb.org http://www.webbie.org.uk/download.htm#accessiblerss http://www.blindcast.com/downloads/ http://www.webbie.org.uk/accessiblepodcatcher/index.htm http://www.podcastalley.com http://www.goldwave.com
http://www.soundforge.com http://www.feedburner.com http://www.aisquared.com http://www.freedomscientific.com http://blog.carrolltech.org http://www.gwmicro.com http://www.kurzweiledu.com [Section Fourteen Ends] This newsletter is published monthly on the first Thursday of every month. Please direct any comments, questions, or concerns to the editor: Jerry.berrier@carroll.org