Code Factory releases DAISY reader for Symbian mobile phones, includes 30-day free demo

Wow! The tech staff at Code Factory never slow down. They've released a DAISY reader for mobile phones such as those from Nokia that are running the Symbian operating system. They promise that a version is on the way for Windows Mobile as well.

This news is a great innovation in several aspects.

1. Allows people with print disabilities the ability to access DAISY documents and books on their mobile phone without needing to purchase some other, free standing hardware device


2. one of the most usable features the product offers students is it allows them to place bookmarks for specific locations, including the ability to include voice annotations to accompany the bookmark


3. Does not require a screen reader to operate, but does work in conjunction with either the Mobile Speaks screen reader or those produced by other companies
4. Includes adjustable font and color configurations, maximizing usability by users who are dyslexic


5. Automatic unpacking of books from Bookshare.org, eliminating the need for a seperate unpacking utility.

Below is the Code Factory press release which I've copied from the email announcement. Or, go to the
Code Factory page
for a version that includes working links.


--
Caroline Ragot - Marketing Director
Tel. +34 93 733 70 66 - marketing@codefactory.es
Mobile DAISY Player V2.0
Mobile DAISY Player V2.0, the only DAISY Book reader for Symbian 9 Phones is available!
Download the free trial
Barcelona (Terrassa), August 8th, 2008
Code Factory, the world's mobile accessibility provider, today announced the release of version 2.0 of Mobile DAISY Player, the only DAISY reader to work with mainstream mobile phones.

This release is just one more way in which Code Factory shows its commitment to enabling reading on a mobile device as an easy and pleasurable experience.

"We at Code Factory have always realized that mobile devices have the potential to give blind and visually impaired users unprecedented access to reading material wherever they are”, explains Eduard Sánchez, Code Factory's CEO. "Mobile DAISY Player has a unique role to play in allowing access to books from many different sources on many different mobile phones. A short time ago, a blind or visually impaired user was at a distinct disadvantage in that he/she had to carry large Braille volumes, many cassette tapes, or a specialized player if he/she wished to read on the go. With Mobile DAISY Player, however, a blind or visually impaired user, with a DAISY book, has an even more portable method of reading than his/her sighted colleagues, since he/she can carry many books on a mobile phone which he/she would be carrying in any case."



Why is Mobile DAISY Player unique?


• Mobile DAISY Player V2.0 is the only accessible application which reads DAISY books on Symbian Mobile Phones. A version compatible with Windows Mobile devices will soon be released.

• Reading books in Mobile DAISY Player V2.0 is very easy: simply create a folder on the memory card, usually known as (E:), called "books", and copy each of the books into a subfolder of that books folder. Book content is generally either downloaded from the web or available on CD, in either case, copy all of the book contents into the destination folder.

• Includes support for DAISY 2.0 and 3.0 formats, allowing access to a wider variety of content and providers.

• Automatic unpacking of Bookshare.org books, making it unnecessary to install and run a separate application just to decompress Bookshare files.

• You can record your own voice annotations as bookmarks within the content. These voice notes will appear in the bookmark list, and the sound recordings will be heard automatically when the book is in normal playback mode.

• Configurable font sizes and screen colors have also been implemented to provide maximum readability of on-screen text, especially for dyslexic persons.

• Mobile DAISY Player can be used with or without Code Factory’s world-leading screen reader, Mobile Speak. When combined with Mobile Speak, Mobile DAISY Player becomes a fully-accessible e-book solution, providing speech feedback of the screen prompts and menus as well as speaking the book contents. For those users who do not need a full-fledged screen reader, Mobile DAISY Player can still take advantage of the Nokia’s built-in text-to-speech support on S60 phones to read text content. In either case, Mobile DAISY Player is an independent product, and is licensed separately from Mobile Speak.

• Two modes of navigation: the normal reading mode and the virtual cursor mode. The normal reading mode is active when the book is in continuous playback mode, and is playing either audio or text content. When playback is paused, the virtual cursor mode is active, allowing you to navigate the text content of the book, if any, using the screen reader.

• Rewind and forward in cassette or digital mode.

• Mobile DAISY Player can be used with other screen readers, although other screen readers may not offer the same level of integration as Mobile Speak, particularly when reading text books. For example, all of the normal screen prompts and menus will be accessible within Mobile DAISY Player. However, other screen readers may not recognize the book text as a special type of content, and may attempt to read it at the same time as Mobile DAISY Player. For this reason, we recommend that users of other screen readers temporarily mute speech while in book reading mode, and then resume speaking when switching to other applications or when using the application menus. Mobile Speak does recognize the book contents and will mute itself automatically during playback.



Apart from all these unique features, Mobile DAISY Player V2.0 also includes:


• Variable playback speed allowing audio content to be reproduced faster or slower than the speed at which it was recorded without changing the sound’s pitch.

• Variable navigation levels (e.g.: by chapter and/or by page).

• Quick and easy navigation to any point in the book.

• Support for text-only, audio-only, or mixed-mode books.

• Ability to set bookmarks to favorite places in the content.

• Auto-bookmark and resume to last point in the book.

• Variable volume level.

• Customizable Text-To-Speech support via Mobile Speak.


Mobile DAISY Player 2.0 supports the following Nokia Symbian 9 phones: 3250, 5320, 5500 Sport, 5700 Xpress Music, 6110 Navigator, 6120 Classic, 6121 Classic, 6124, 6210, 6220, 6290, E50, E51, E60, E61, E61i, E62, E65, E66, E70, E71, E90 Communicator, N71, N73, N75, N76, N77, N78, N80, N81, N82, N91, N92, N93, N93i, N95, N95 8GB, N96.



Visit http://www.codefactory.es/downloads and install Mobile DAISY Player on your mobile phone and it will automatically work free for 30 days. While using a trial license, you cannot change the date or the time of the phone. Changing the date or time will automatically lock the trial license, without any chance to recover it. Please make sure that the time and date are set correctly on the phone before installing the software.


To buy Mobile DAISY Player, contact your closest distributor:
http://www.codefactory.es/en/purchase.asp?id=54


Don’t miss the Reading on the go competition, more than $20000 worth of prizes to be divided among ten winners. To learn more go to http://www.codefactory.es/en/page.asp?id=251. To join the competition, go to
http://www.codefactory.es/en/page.asp?id=251. To join the competition, go to http://www.codefactory.es/contest .
http://www.codefactory.es/contest .



About Code Factory
Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Terrassa/Barcelona, Spain, Code Factory is the global leader committed to the development of products designed to eliminate barriers to the accessibility of mobile technology for the blind and visually impaired. Today, Code Factory is the leading provider of screen readers, screen magnifiers, and Braille interfaces for the widest range of mainstream mobile devices including Symbian-based and Windows Mobile-powered Smartphones as well as Pocket PC phones and PDAs. Its product line is the only one to support phones working on the GSM, CDMA and WCDMA networks. Code Factory's success lies in giving excellent customer support and in responding immediately to the needs of its end users.

Among Code Factory’s customers are well known organizations like ONCE, and carriers such as TMN, Vodafone, SFR, Bouygues Telecom and AT&T. The company also collaborated with leading TTS providers and Braille manufacturers, thus enabling Code Factory to provide excellent text-to-speech technology in many languages for Mobile Speak products, and to incorporate support for over twenty wireless Braille devices into the software.





For more information, feel free to contact Code Factory S.L.:


Code Factory, S.L., Rambla d'Egara 148 2-2, 08221 Terrassa (Barcelona)
Tel. +34 93 733 70 66, info@codefactory.es, www.codefactory.es
Code Factory, S.L. - 2008

Updated: Xerox includes accessibility on copiers via USB port

If you’ve read any of my previous posts concerning the iPhone, then you probably understand that I believe that this device has helped touchscreens to grow in popularity and this type of input method will, undoubtedly, continue to proliferate in the future technology and electronics landscape. But, that popularity is something that has to be taken in stride, especially when accessibility is not a consideration, such as with the iPhone.

However, touchscreens and their visual display predecessors are not new for operating office machines. If you’ve ever worked around any of the high end office copiers that are out there, you can understand just how inaccessible these can be. Even when I still had sightnearly 15 years ago, there were visual displays on copy machines that one had to be able to see by viewing from a vantage point of standing with one’s head above the machine. Operating a machine with this type of display would pose problems for people with myriad visual disabilities, as well as anybody who uses a wheelchair.

Peter Abrahams has written a great article, with a good discussion of relevant issues, on how
Xerox has implemented USB accessibility
On an assorted selection of their copier products.

The key to accessibility lies in the Xerox Copier Assistant™, software that runs on a compatible Windows machine and connects to the Xerox machine via a built-in USB port. The software allows for providing accessibility to people who have various disabilities, of which Abrahams provides a good overview of as well. Input is allowed via mouse, keyboard, or with the proper combination, voice command.

This article offers a good examination of touchscreens and lists how they provide a superior user experience. Additionally, Abrahams lists how they make good business sense, but balances this all out with how they have been inaccessible in the past. He wraps up by looking at the under-promotion Xerox is giving this landmark achievement and offers some tips to help make the most of what they have done.

Hat’s off to Xerox. You rock.

(Thanks to T. Reid at
Reid My Mind
For the initial information about this news.)

Update: 05/28/08

Thanks to an anonymous commenter, I am reminded that, back in March and July of 2006, the American Foundation of the Blind’s great bimonthly magazine
Access World
Discussed this problem in two articles and offered an accessibility review of some conventional brands of office copiers. While these articles are two years old, I believe the information is still relevant and appropriate to share in this post, so here they are:

March 2006

July 2006

I personally recall reading those articles and don't know why it didn't dawn on me before to include them in this post originally. I appreciate the useful feedback.

Updated: MathTalk program integrates assistive technologies to make higher level mathematics accessible

I just learned about the following software that definitely has its place as a tool for students with disabilities.

On its home page,
MathTalk
Proudly proclaims “Do math without keyboard or mouse.”

MathTalk operates with either the Dragon NaturallySpeaking or the Microsoft Speech voice input systems to allow the user to use speech input to write math calculations. And, we’re not just talking basic, four function arithmetic here. MathTalk allows users to correctly write and work through pre-algebra, algebra, calculus, trigonometry, graphing, and statistics problems.

One feature I find particularly interesting is that there is a specific math to Braille program,, employing the Duxbury Braille translator. Using this, students could do their work in MathTalk and export it into a Braille file so that it can be loaded into a Braille notetaker. That's definitely some cool technology integration.

There are several
Videos on the MathTalk web site
demonstrating the program in action. Take a little time and check these out for yourself. Most of the videos are short and won’t take long to watch. They will give you and idea of what the program does and also what it doesn’t do.

I checked out several of the videos and was generally impressed with the MathTalk program. It would take some work for those who are unfamiliar with either of the voice input programs to get the voice files set up and running correctly, but once that was done, MathTalk appears to have a definite niche as an assistive technology.

As one disability does not preclude a person from having another, it is easily possible that somebody who already uses Dragon NaturallySpeaking could also have a Learning Disability that would make this program a great fit for them. The same goes without saying for somebody who is blind and a Braille user. For purely mental processing reasons, the ability to take in the Braille display of the problem and your work would be priceless, I would think. Also, just as well, being blind doesn’t exclude a person from having an LD which could again make berballizing one’s work a very realistic and accessible option.

From watching the last video link on the demo page, which is for MathTalk for Visually Impaired, I don’t believe that the program was working with an additional screen reader. It sounds like the developers have an integrated screen reader that works within the program.

The MathTalk for Visually Impaired program is still under development, so it is difficult to draw concrete conclusions, but, it apparently does not require visually impaired users to be Braille users. This is good, as it is widely reported that only about ten percent of blind people use Braille. Still, the ability to mentally process, verbally state, and then hear your work read back to you is a definite plus when working complex equations. Also, the ability to work through problems using correct mathemathical language is always a benefit.

There are only a few downsides of the Math Talk program that I can see. First, in the event that there is a speech disability, I don’t see where this would be the best alternative path for obvious reasons. Additionally, the user must be sufficiently cognitively sophisticated and able to manage the proper diction with a clear speaking voice. And, blind users will need to get an interface like J-Say to allow their screen reader to work with Dragon NaturallySpeaking first, just to get their voice files working properly before even working with MathTalk. Any of these problems could arise when working with students with disabilities and render this as an unworkable solution. However, for many others, it should be a very realistic solution.

Thanks to Lon Thornburg’s
No Limits to Learning blog
for this information. And, I hope this post answers some of your questions, Lon.

* * * * * * * * * *
Update 05/21/08
The additional information is basically the text of my comment replying to Lon's initial comment. After thinking about it, I feel there are some worthwhile points in the additional thoughts I had. RG

Speaking as a man who was totally blind when taking classes in macroeconomics, algebra, and two semesters of statistics as an undergrad, as well as another year of graduate statistics, I personally know how important it is to have correct phrasing of algebraic and statistical expressions. For that reason, I requested somebody who was knowledgeable in the language, when taking these classes, to proctor my exams as an accommodation.

When using MathTalk to work through problems, that correct expression is one aspect of the program that I see as a strength, but don’t believe they tout strong enough as a feature on the MathTalk web site.

Being I am not a Braille user, I used a Type ‘n Speak to take notes in class. I had my professors read aloud the problems they were writing on the board so that I could write them down. And, because I needed to be able to understand the correct phrasing when later reviewing my notes, I would write these problems out in long hand. One example might be: 325 plus (x) squared, all over (T minus 1). If you’ve ever taken statistics, you know that this is just one part of some of the problems you need to solve and that a complete solution would require an extensive amount of typing of text along with the correct numbers when solved.

With all that said, I again emphasize my point about this program having a lot of value with the blind population that doesn’t use Braille. It gives feedback of your work in a form that is correcty enunciated.

However, I think that also has to be traded off with the need to learn a voice input program in order to use MathTalk. Additionally, that also has the need to implement an integration tool like J-Say to do that. It’s a trade-off, for sure, but I firmly believe that MathTalk presents another option for some people, and it is one that is a better solution than anything that is currently available, at least that I'm aware of.

Some Q&A on WebAnywhere - a screen reader on the go

Last week, I read a post on
Fred’s Head Companion,
about a new and innovative screen reader being developed at the University of Washington.

After reading that, I was interested enough to visit the official
WebAnywhere – a screen reader on the go
site to learn more about this forward-looking web-based application.

Here is the initial information presented on the site:

“WebAnywhere is a web-based screen reader. It requires no special software to be installed on the client machine and, therefore, enables blind people to access the web from any computer they happen to have access to that has a sound card. No $1000 software program required!”

“WebAnywhere runs on any machine regardless of what operating system it is running and regardless of what browsers are installed. This is its advantage over existing products like SA-to-Go. “

The launch date for this ambitious project is late May, 2008. Keep watching the product’s site for the official release.

Additionally, there is a link on the home page to a Youtube video demonstrating the product in use by a blind student. Alternatively, one can also download the file and play it on your own computer.

Okay, as a screen reader user for over 10 years and having a keen interest in assistive technology, I’ll admit that after reading that on the home page and checking out the video, I was even more intrigued by the promise of what they were presenting. I had a few questions I wanted answered and emailed Jeffery Bigham, a graduate student with WebAnywhere who is listed as the project’s contact person to find some answers. Below is our dialogue.


Q: This is a web-based application that serves as a screen reader. Do I understand correctly that it is only in the web browser that this application speaks, not in any other application?
If this is true, are there plans to make it more functional in future generations, so that it might also read email in pop3 clients or documents in .doc, .pdf, or even .txt formats?

A: WebAnywhere speaks only the web, but the web is becoming a platform on which all the other applications on your desktop will be running in the coming months and years. Only having web access would not be sufficient now, but web trends indicate that it may enable access to almost everything users want to do in the near future. Currently, you can already access your email, PDF files, etc. using various available web applications.


Q: This appears to be cross platform, as I do not see a specific web browser mentioned. Is this correct, or is it maximized to work better in one browser over another?


A: Our goal is to make a screen reader available on any computer or device that would provide a sighted person web access. WebAnywhere is entirely web-based and will work on any web-enabled platform using any web browser. That means it will run on the Linux, Windows, Mac operating systems and in Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Opera, etc. And, not only on full computers, but also on mobile devices like smartphones and PDAs.

One current problem with screen readers is that they're always playing catchup. A new physical device is released and screen reader users have to wait until someone comes along to write a screen reader for that device before they can use it. With WebAnywhere, access is immediate on any web-enabled device.


Q: I assume your team is familiar with the recent announcement of the Accessibility Is a Right (AIR) Foundation, which provides the System Access To Go screen reader by Serotek free of charge to any blind computer user with a web-enabled computer. What sets your application apart from the SAToGO software?

A: The SAToGo software is a great development and for some people it may be most appropriate. But, SAToGo will only run on Windows from Internet Explorer, and SAToGo won't run on locked-down public terminals because it requires permission to run new software. SAToGo takes 3-4 minutes to download, compared to almost instantaneous loading for WebAnywhere. WebAnywhere is also open source, which means that anyone out in the community can improve it.

All of that said, in cases where users can run SAToGo in the short term it might be more appropriate for them.

Our initial goal is to provide a base level of accessibility to the web on ANY computer or device that is available. As we move forward, we'll work to improve this interface to make it even better.


Q: I don't recall reading anything regarding cost for using the WebAnywhere application. Will it be offered free to the public or will there be a cost involved?

A: The short answer is that WebAnywhere was designed from the start to be free. We've also released it with a minimally-restrictive open source license, which means that anyone that wants to use it, modify it, or host it, can do so.

But, the devil is in the details, and we're still sorting some of them out. For example, we don't yet know how we'll actually support a public version of WebAnywhere if it becomes popular. The costs of such a system are relatively low per user when compared with other systems, but, depending on how popular the service becomes, it could still require a lot of resources. This isn't to say that it's impractical - popular existing services like YouTube, MySpace, Gmail, etc. also require a lot of resources. They, however, are fortunate enough to be supported by large companies with many servers. We've been actively talking to a number of companies and organizations who have expressed interest in trying to get this off the ground. Nothing is final as of yet.

Q: Will there be any registration process?

A: Initially there will not be a registration process, but, as the system matures, we might move in that direction. Many of the components used in the system could be used for both good and bad purposes. Without a registration process, it's difficult to control which purpose are using it for. One of the traditional ways of getting past this is to use a CAPTCHA - we'll obviously not do that.
Registration also has benefits in preserving users preferences regardless of what computer they're accessing their information from.
Registration would not, however, affect the cost of the system (it would still be free), and we hope to always make some version of the system available for free.

Q: Realizing that WebAnywhere is being built with the trend towards the future use of web apps, will it work on release with any of the already available web-based apps, such as Google docs or Google Spreadsheets?

A: WebAnywhere does not yet support Google documents or Google spreadsheets, but it's definitely one of the things (among many) that we're working hard to support. One of the advantages of WebAnywhere being a web application is that in many ways it's easier for it to interact directly with other web applications.

One of the reasons why we made the project open source is to hopefully attract other developers to the project.

Q: I think the work you are doing is definitely worth sharing. I would like to publish a post about WebAnyWhere and include some information from the answers you've shared on my blog and in email correspondence with both my professional and blind peers. Would that be all right.

A: Feel free to share my responses with whoever you want. To make the project really successful, we need to get the word out and hopefully get some people to contribute to its development!

My sincere thanks to Jeff for taking the time to answer my questions, even when in the middle of a trip to China.

So, do you have any questions I haven’t covered here? In one of my next few posts, I’ll share my initial thoughts on the on the go accessibility that WebAnywhere promises to bring.

Also, please share this with anybody you know interested in assistive technology in general, or screen readers specifically.

Freedom Scientific updates thumb drive version to JAWS 9.0

Freedom Scientific has finally updated the portability of JAWS. Yes, I’m talking about the USB thumb drive version that allows blind users to run JAWS on any computer that has the video intercept file installed. I loved it when they originally released this, but that was JFW version 7.0, and the computer world has evolved a good bit since then.

First, JAWS itself has evolved two full upgrades since then, and there is now even an update for JFW 9 toJFW 9.0.2152. Also, since that first portable version of JAWS, Internet Explorer 7 launched with lots of new features, and Microsoft launched the Windows Vista operating system.

For my own use, I still use Windows XP and have come to love the tab browsing features of Internet Explorer 7, but when on a public computer with IE 7, the portable version of JFW 7 doesn’t work with the tab browsing. Now, that’s all about to change.

If you would like to download the portable version of JFW 9, and the necessary video intercept file, you can find that information, as well as the latest improvements in JFW on the following link.

http://www.freedomscientific.com/fs_products/software_jaws90fea.asp

Freedom Scientific also offers the following notes on the USB thumb drives:

The JAWS 9.0 and MAGic 11.0 thumb drive releases run on Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000. However, when using the thumb drive version on a Windows Vista computer, keep the following in mind.

It is recommended that you disable User Account Control (UAC) by opening the Control Panel and selecting User Accounts. The thumb drive version works when UAC is enabled, but speech and tracking are limited for elevated programs.

The Microsoft Ease of Access Center loads when you start the thumb drive release on a Windows Vista computer. Once JAWS or MAGic loads you can close the Ease of Access Center window by clicking the Close button or pressing ALT+F4.

Accessible PDF Reader from Claro

The following appeared on the
Fred’s Head Companion
Blog. I found the post enlightening and useful and am offering it here for your information.

PDF files are great for printing but they can be really difficult to use if you want them read out to you or you want to change the colours and fonts used.


People who have low vision or dyslexia find it easier to work with text when it is spoken aloud or has different colours or contrast. Accessible PDF is
a free program from Claro Software that lets you read PDFs with the colours and fonts you want and makes it easy to read the text aloud with other programs such as
ClaroRead
. You can zoom in and out, use high- or low-contrast colours, and save your PDF as text or a web page for future use. You can even follow internal contents links to let you navigate the document.


Click this link to download Accessible PDF Reader from Claro.

Cell phone application has potential for being useful tool for blind diabetics

Its been interesting to watch cell phones evolve into the mini computers that they have become. Today’s mobile phones are running more and more computer applications and letting their users do computing tasks without the computer.

There is a story in today’s Houston Chronicle reporting on how
more people are using their phones for data services.
(The Chronicle maintains its links for only a limited time, so I apologize if too many days have lapsed and this link no longer works.)

One particularly nifty tool, which I learned about in this article, is a glucometer application. As blindness is one of the serious side effects that can stem from diabetes, I’m wondering if this application would work with a cell phone screen reader such as Talks or Mobile Speak? If so, this nifty and useful gadget can allow all diabetics the freedom to travel with one less piece of equipment.

From the article:
“Through his Wellness Wireless company, the CEO and president of Diabetes Centers of America has embedded a glucometer into a cell phone so diabetics can automatically track their blood sugar when they check it. The data also gets shared with nurses back at the office. If blood sugar is especially high, a patient will get a message from a nurse asking whether he feels OK. If he says no, the nurse will call him with instructions. They might even have a video conversation.”

“Wellness Wireless also offers a health-based application for nondiabetics that uses other metrics such as blood pressure, height, weight, age and gender. The health information is used to recommend exercise plans and meals, and companies including NutriSystem and Whole Foods pay to suggest recipes and shopping lists.”

While it doesn’t appear to be initially constructed as assistive technology, if this glucometer works with the screen readers as I suggest, then it would definitely become just that. It would allow blind diabetics the same information that they currently get from their specialized talking glucometers. And, with the connectivity with the nurses that the program provides, that makes it even more useful than the glucometer.

Premiere Assistive Technology becomes Premiere Literacy

There is a new press release , announcing the name change for Premiere Assistive Technology, Inc., in which the new name will be more reflective of the role this strategic assistive technology company excels at.

The new name of the company is
Premiere Literacy.


If you’re already familiar with this company, then you know that they develop assistive hardware and software solutions to assist in reading and writing. The company’s focus of creating solutions that work has always been accompanied by the thought that these are only usable if they are affordable.

The change in name is reflective of a broader understanding of their clients’ needs, which the company has come to grasp in their years of operation, as well as the evolution of technology in the role of literacy. This is also augmented by alliances they continue to build.

This is all perhaps summed up best in the words of Dr. Steve Timmer, the company’s VP of Research,:
"It simply doesn't matter WHY you can't read, whether it's due to a cognitive processing difficulty, a physical vision problem or a cultural challenge (e.g. English as a Second Language). The fact that anyone struggles to read and write means that literacy technologies can help them. That is why Premier Literacy is making it possible for students and adults everywhere to have access to the tools that can make a wholesale difference in their life. With the accelerating shift to a world of digital content, shortfalls in literacy skills are a greater liability than ever before. Literacy in the 21st century has become so much more than just 'reading a book.' Just consider that systems like Google, Facebook, MySpace, wikis, etc. barely existed only 3 years ago. Now think about the future only 3 short years from now. There is a rapid growing universe of content that WILL NEVER APPEAR IN A HARDCOPY BOOK. Literacy skills must now include the ability to not only 'read' content, but to 'search,' 'find,' 'sort,' 'filter,' 'summarize,' 'translate,' 'download,' 'convert to audio,' 'communicate / collaborate online' and 'even publish to the Internet.' Premier Literacy's core commitment is to target our energies and resources to drive innovation in the development of solutions to meet all of these current literacy needs and those that will materialize in the future."

And, to avoid confusing anybody, even though the name of the company has changed, the address for their web site remains the same,
www.readingmadeeasy.com.

SmartNav 4 is hands-free alternative computer mouse

I notice regular traffic to this blog searching for alternative techniques to operate the computer mouse. This prompted me to do some research into these and I located the home page for
SmartNav,
A hands-free, ergonomically designed alternative mouse.

From the web site:
“SmartNav 4 allows complete computer control for users interested in ergonomic and assistive technology devices. By controlling the cursor with subtle head movements, a whole new level of independence is realized.”

The device is marketed towards computer users who are unable to use a conventional mouse due to spinal cord injury, quadraplegia, Muscular Dystrophy, or ALS, but is also targeting users with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. This assistive technology allows the user to move the cursor across the entire computer screen using head motions that are less than one-fourth of an inch. It includes a virtual keyboard that allows the user to type with the head motions as well. Additionally, it also lets users plug in a clickswitch or or footswitch to alternatively enable the cursor.

And, to answer the big question, the web site has the latest version listed for $499.

I am not endorsing this product, as I've not used it. However, I am writing about it here on Access Ability as a resource for those readers who are seeking this type of assistive technology. However, if somebody who uses this device would like to leave a comment about how it operates, I'd love to hear about your experience.

Updated: New KNFB Reader promises another advance in portable OCR abilities

**See end of this post for an available audio interview.

In October, 2006, I finally got the chance to get my hands on a KNFB Reader and take it for a test drive. The KNFB Reader is the breakthrough in portable OCR scanning that unhooked that assistive technology task from a computer. It joined a PDA running Kurzweil OCR software with a digital camera to input the graphical image as the document being scanned. This concept was landmark in that it allowed blind and visually impaired people the ability to be anywhere and scan work documents, restaurant menus, and any other document with text in standard fonts.

At that time, while I marveled at the concept of having the ability to virtually scan any document at any location, I was also struck with both the unit’s somewhat slow speed and bulkiness. I felt that the processing speed should have been quicker and also, because it was a camera paired with a personal data assistant, it was a little bulky to make it what I felt was truly portable.

It seems like I wasn’t the only one who felt this way, at least about the size concern. The latest evolution of this product is here. The new
KNFB Reader
Is about to be released and it runs on a Nokia N82 mobile phone with a built-in digital camera.

Now, that really makes some sense. Today’s smart phones are virtually running a small computer already to execute all the semi-computing tasks anyhow, which the market demands, and this is what the latest incarnation of the tool is using to run the Kurzweil software. And, of course, the camera was already built-in, so there is no need to use two digital devices to do one job.

According to the press release linked above, which is basically just announcing today’s press conference of the KNFB Reader’s advanced enhancements, the camera is implied to also be faster than its predecessor. At least that’s what I take from the words of the President of the National Federation of the Blind (the NFB in KNFB).

And, According to the below paragraph (also from the press release,) which outlines the accessibility features of the software, I’m also going to take it that the program works as a screen reader for the phone.

“Blind users will have access to all of the functions featured in the most advanced cell phones on the market including video and music playback, GPS, wireless communications, photography, e-mail, text messaging, calendar and task functions, and more. The combination Reader and cell phone weighs 4.2 ounces and can store thousands of printed pages with easily obtainable extra memory. Users can transfer files to computers or Braille notetakers in seconds.”

This all sounds wonderful, but I want to know what this will cost and when it will be available. I’ve check both the press release and the official
KNFB Reader web site,
For more information. However, I have not found any specifics about when this dreamy piece of assistive technology will be available, nor what the price will be.

Hopefully, the unit’s price will not be stratospheric ($3,500) like its predecessor. This is especially applicable when the
Mobile Speaks screen reader
For smart phones, including two Nokia models, Is available commercially through AT&T for only $89. Yes, the AT&T offering doesn't include the OCR capabilities, but it gives everything else. Given that blind consumers have something to compare it to, that makes the price tag for the OCR software stand out and may make some wonder how much that is truly worth. If the access to the phone's features can be had for only $89, that makes it imperative for the KNFB Reader to be priced somewhat competetively.

I feel certain more will be revealed in coming days. Check back here soon for updates.

***
Update 01-28-08 7:15 pm

Okay, here is the updated information on pricing and shipping.

Celia Black, Director Marketing Communications for the KNFB Reader, read my post and sent me the following information for the new KNFB Reader.

“The retail price of the knfbReader Mobile software is $1595 US. The NOKIA N82 sold separately, ranges between $530 and $600.”

She provided the following web sources to check for pricing the phones:

http://www.egizmo.com/servlet/the-910/Nokia-N82-5.0-MP/Detail

http://www.mobilecityonline.com/wireless/store/productdetail.asp?productid=22925&refid=GG-N82&gclid=CNztrJGDmpECFQI2sgod5mfFOw

She also informs me that the new KNFB Reader will begin shipping on Feb. 15, 2008. There is
authorized dealer information
on the KNFB web site.

Additionally, according to
The Ranger Station
one vendor is selling an all set up, ready to use mobile phone with the KNFB software and either the TALKS or Mobile Speaks screen reader, which will run a cool $2,495.

***
Update 02/01/08

The Blind Bargains web site
has an audio interview available, with James Gashel, Vice President of marketing for KNFB Reading Technologies. Mr. Gashel discusses the changes that have been made, as well as what may lie ahead for future versions of the technology.

AMIS and GOCR: two free assistive technology programs

I’ve got a couple of free assistive technology applications to share with you today.

My reason for sharing them is that I was reviewing the
1 Stop for Free Assistive Technology
site this morning, looking over the list of free programs. After reading what they do, these two programs sure sound like tools I could make use of.

I’ve previously posted about this web site, basically a clearinghouse of free assistive technology, here on Access Ability and it is definitely a site worth noting again.

Now, about the software…

First, I will grab
AMIS,
The acronym for the Adaptive multimediaInformation System.

AMIS is open source DAISY playback software that is free to download and use. So, instead of needing to purchase software to playback DAISY files, I’ll give this community-built player a whirl. If it works as it should, this can help the pocketbook of blind and visually impaired people who need to access books in the DAISY format.

Additionally, the web site has downloads of the scripts needed to make the program play nice with the JAWS screen reader.

The second piece of software I’m going to download is
GOCR,
“an OCR (Optical Character Recognition) program, developed under the GNU Public License. It converts scanned images of text back to text files.”

After I’ve downloaded and installed these utilities, followed by a little time to familiarize and used them enough to discuss them, look back here later for reviews of these two assistive technology tools.

Utah State showcasing features of Dragon Naturally Speaking 9.0

There is an interesting article in The Utah Statesman, the newspaper of Utah State University, about an upcoming series showcasing the
Functional applications of Dragon Naturally Speaking 9.0.

The purpose of this event, sponsored by the university’s Assistive Learning Technology Center, is to demonstrate how the speech-to-text application can be used by people with a broad range of disabilities, but won’t stop at just that. Jacob Miller, the coordinator of the center is promoting it as software that can be used by anybody. He claims that Dragon has helped him improve his typing speed by 430%, although he considered himself a decent typist even before using it.

The article goes on to give some pretty strong endorsements from other users of the assisstive technology software, emphasizing different features of the program that one might not know about unless he were a regular user of it. This also serves to demonstrate the applicability of the software across a wide range of disabilities.

One point Miller makes about the broader use of this specific program is that the state of Iowa now requires high school students to learn how to use it. Hmmm. Interesting concept there, mandating use of assistive technology by all students.

Miller also discusses a possible alternative use of Dragon in that article which my former colleague and I had begun to explore last year----------- using Dragon to provide real-time captioning of a professor's lecture on a deaf student’s laptop.

Aside from providing a good informational article about Dragon Naturally Speaking 9.0, the concept of having an open series of events where all students are encouraged to stop by to see what this powerful software can do is a fresh idea for an innovative outreach program. In a world where good ideas are often sought out and emulated, I think this is one definitely worth a repeat.

Good work, Mr. Miller.

New game device may be promising as assistive technology

There is interesting news in computer gaming that may have broader future applications as an assistive technology peripheral device.

At the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, Emotiv Systems introduced a breakthrough brain-computer interface system that allows the game player to interact using only their thoughts and facial expressions with the computer via a helmet wired to the pc.
The Project Epoch
Reflects the user’s facial expressions and excitement/calmness level, and also allows the person to move computer objects with their thoughts.

According to the article linked above:
“Sensors in the helmet pick up on electric signals in the brain. The system software analyzes the signals emitted by the brain and then wirelessly relays what it detects to a receiver. The receiver is plugged into the USB port of a game console or PC, according to Randy Breen, Emotiv's chief product officer.”
“As with handwriting or voice recognition, the machine itself has a learning curve, improving as it better understands what the player is thinking, but there is also a skill level involving visualization on the part of the gamer.”


Can you imagine the potential of this system if it were applied to a situation where the person were quadraplegic or missing a limb? I’m sure there are other uses that can be realized, but these are the ones that immediately came to my mind when I read this news. By Joining the functionality that the Project Epoch employs with the latest innovations in robotics, a person with some particular disabilities can see a quality of life that could only be dreamed about in previous times.

Early anecdotal feedback of the Project Epoch System reports that children do better using this device than adults. Might this be due to the ability of children to imagine possibilities beyond their normal limitations? If this feedback is correct, and this system can be used in the situations I’ve described above, then it would be essential to instill the belief in the person with a disability that he/she can do things that were previously impossible. Come to think of it, that's not necessarily a bad state of mind for any of us to have.

Two assistive technology resources

Today, I present two leads for assistive technology, one I discovered on my own and the other is a user review describing his adaptation of a gaming keyboard, turning it into an assistive technology device.

After a recent hard drive crash on my old computer, I was forced into looking at getting a new pc. In doing this, the one thing that I knew I wanted to avoid was getting a computer with the new Microsoft Vista operating system. I use JAWS as my screen reader and the newness that is Vista was something JAWS wasn’t quite up to handling just yet. I had no problem finding a pc with Windows XP and was soon back in the digital world.

One thing I took for granted on my old computer was the CD burning program, Record Now. That program had come installed as part of the manufacturer’s package and I was happily surprised when first using it because I found it was designed with accessibility in mind. There was even an accessibility heading under the help menu which told how the manufacturer wanted the software to work with screen readers.

When I first attempted to burn some files onto a CD on the new machine, I had to look around the programs to find the one to use. There are actually three applications on here that can do the job, but, unfortunately, none of them are very accessible, nor are they designed to be intuitive in their operation. This brought me to search for an accessible CD burning program.

Fortunately, this search didn’t take too long. I quickly found the Premiere CD/DVD Creator manufactured by
Premiere Assistive Software.
The program was easy to locate and download and, best of all, it was free. More than that, though, is that it was designed to be accessible to screen readers.

I instantly recognized the Premiere Assistive Software name, as it was the manufacturer of some software programs we used in providing DSS to students at my last position. The main draw of their software for our job was that they did the tasks we needed very well and were affordable. The link above will take you to a page listing all the available titles. Some, like the CD/DVD Creator and talking calculator, are free.

The other item I want to share is how somebody took a
Logitech G11 gaming keyboard
that was not intended as assistive technology, but after he saw the device’s abilities, quickly understood how it could be made to meet his AT needs. The focus is the keyboard’s additional, programmable function and mode keys. Instead of assigning game functions to these keys, the user assigned executable macros to them and made it function as AT to assist him in overcoming his physical limitations.

Again, technology not specifically designed to work as AT fits well into the DSS domain. This is the true beauty of designing products with universal access. If only the manufacturer’s could see this, they could open up new markets for their products.

Adaptech Research Network-- a great DSS resource

I have just recently learned about a Canadian web site that seems very promising in what it brings to the table for DSS. While it is from our northern neighbor, the information presents a strong parallel to U.S. colleges and universities.


The Adaptech Research Network
Has information that should be of interest to any DSS provider. It offers resources that would fit in with any program. They are also seeking input that DSS providers should have thoughts on.

On its website, ARN is seeking informational input about free or low-cost software programs that would be beneficial to students with disabilities. By low-cost, they mean under $200. If you have names of software titles you would like to share, email
catherine.fichten@mcgill.ca

She would also like the name of the companies that manufacture the software, if you have it.

The reason for this query is to expand the ARN’s
database of free and low-cost software.
They have recently updated their database, but are continuously seeking to expand the listings. They would also like any input you might offer on the usability of the library. If you have any comments, please email Catherine at the email address above.

Additionally, the ARN has recent data that is of interest to DSS professionals. They have conducted research into graduation/employment rates of students with disabilities, comparing these rates to the non-disabled student population.

Here is a synopsis of the study from their website:
“The Adaptech Research Network in collaboration with our partners recently completed three studies whose goal was to explore obstacles and facilitators to college studies and examine what happens to college graduates with and without disabilities a year after graduation. Participants were: 182 graduates with and 1304 without disabilities from three large junior/community colleges, 57 college based professionals providing disability-related services, and 300 students with disabilities who were registered to receive disability related services from their college. While current students with disabilities indicated that disability-related accommodations such as extended time on exams were important facilitators, for the most part these students, as well as graduates with disabilities, mentioned the same facilitators as their nondisabled peers. The same was generally true for obstacles. The main difference here was that students and graduates with disabilities cited disability-related issues, such as health, as a major obstacle. Graduates with and without disabilities continued their studies and obtained jobs at the same rate as nondisabled graduates.”

You can download the executive summary of their report in either MS-Word or PDF format from their web site linked above.

Section 508: gripes and suggested alternative solutions

In my career as a correctional supervisor, I led with the philosophy of “I’m not perfect and my decisions are not always the best, but don’t gripe about my decisions unless you can propose a workable alternative.” It left the door open for good input of ideas and also demonstrated a reasonable allowance for critique. In this same vein, I offer today’s post about accessaibility.

Last week, I posted a couple of times about Section 508. The reason for those posts was by necessity, as too many web sites still exist that limit access to people with disabilities. Following my own advice, while I don’t think I was necessarily griping, I continue the 508 discussion and suggest some alternative solutions to inaccessible web sites.

Granted, Section 508 only requires that entities that receive federal funds make their web sites compliant with 508 standards for access, but according to the
ZoomNews
Newsletter, 18 states have already adopted the statutes set out in Section 508. Additionally, one private website, www.target.com, is being sued for having an inaccessible website. So, it is becoming obvious that the trend of requiring access is growing.

And, wouldn’t it be nice if people just did the right thing and made their web offerings accessible to all from inception?

With all that said, there are still 32 states that don’t require web access standards and, at this time, the private business sector is only required to provide access if the individual business deems it a nice goodwill gesture on their part.

It is understandable that businesses want to market their wares using the snazziest and latest whiz-bang marketing technology. This often means using Flash media on their web sites, which is a graphical interface and, in the method usually offered up, is very inaccessible to users of screen readers.

However, it doesn’t need to be inaccessible. Methods exist to make the graphical content accessible.
Layers Magazine
Offers a site where web developers can read the
Flash 8 Accessibility Design Guidelines.

According to the site:
“Whether using ActionScript or the Accessibility panel in Macromedia Flash, creating accessible Flash content can be quick and easy. Using text and text equivalents, designers and developers can create exciting content for users of screen readers and other assistive technologies.”

“At the same time, the screen reader environment poses new challenges. Just as designers and developers are mindful of the user experience in a browser or stand-alone environment, it is important to consider how users of assistive technologies such as screen readers will interact with Macromedia Flash content.”

The site clearly demonstrates that just because it is made accessible, web content doesn’t need to be boring. Web designers can still use whiz-bang technology like Flash media; they just need to think with a little forethought to make it accessible. The guidelines shows interested parties how to install a virtual curb cut that allows everybody to gain access to their on-ramp of the information superhighway.

If web developers aren’t going to make the effort to make inclusion a forethought, then at least they can incorporate offering a web page text-only translator, such as the
Lift Transcoder,
offered by the
University of Florida’s Disability Service Office
web site. This useful application allows the user to take any web page and translate it into a version that is text-only.

While this software tool has the potential to make any web site accessible, I’m sure there are limitations. It falls into the category of the last, best solution under 508 standards, but a text-only version is better than one where no access is allowed.

With my pardons to Dr. King… I have a dream of a world where one day there will be no need for discussion about accessibility, a day where inclusion will be the norm.

More Section 508 information

A couple of days ago, I wrote a post about Section 508 being under review. I have a few other comments and links about Section 508 which I’d like to share with you.

I was originally pointed in the direction of the news about that review by a link in
ZoomNews,
A monthly newsletter of AI Squared, the manufacturer of the ZoomText screen magnification software. If a reader prefers, there is a link on the page for an audio version of the newsletter available that plays in the ZoomNews Audio Player.

An interesting factoid from the ZoomNews site:

Every 24 hours, more than 3.2 million pages and 715,000 images are added to the internet.

Whew! That figure’s enough to boggle the mind all by itself.

Now, look at those numbers and think about how many of those pages and images are accessible. That’s what Section 508 is about. I don’t have the data, nor the intellect, to figure the accessibility of those pages and images, but, by my own experience, I would venture to guess that the percentage of accessible pages is probably pretty low.

ZoomNews also offers a brief overview of the issues considered to be critical by the Access Board to make web sites accessible. Here is their list.

• Documents must be organized so that screen readers, like ZoomText, can speak them to the user (without dependencies on associated style sheets or other external formatting information).
• Page frames and tables must be titled with text, including row and column headers.
• Electronic forms must be designed to allow the user to access all the information and functionality. In other words, to allow the user to navigate, read and complete the form in an intelligent manner.
• When timed responses are required, the website must alert the user and provide a method to give them additional time if necessary.
• All graphics must have a text element to identify them. This element can be alternate text that appears when hovering the mouse over the graphic and also able to be spoken by a screen reader.
• Information conveyed with color, such as charts, graphs and data legends, must also be comprehensible without identification by color.
• If compliance cannot be established any other way, the web site must provide a link to a text-only page, but this is only as a last resort.

If you want to brush up on your knowledge about Section 508, you can always do so via the official U.S. government
Section 508 Site.
A very useful feature for visually impaired readers of the site is the adjustable font selection and font size at the top of the page. I might add, these are easily recognized as user-selectable combo boxes, even by those who can’t physically see the page and access the page with screen reader software, a great point for others to emulate for access and inclusion.

This site also offers
The Section 508 Universe
an on-line training program, which you may find useful to share with others on your campus who are not as enlightened about federal law as you are.

Using the training site does require the user to register with a user name and password. No other information is gathered. The user name is used to allow users to pick up in courses at the same location they might have had to leave in a previous web session.

There are 11 courses offered through the Section 508 Universe. If you would like more information about what these are each about, check out the Section 508 Universe web site. These classes are:
• Designing Accessible Websites
• Accessible Conferences
• Buying Accessible E&IT (Requiring Officials and Contracting Officers)
• Section 508 Coordinators
• Additional Accessibility & Usability Concerns
• Accessible Video and Multimedia
• Building and Buying Accessible Software
• Buying Accessible Computers
• Opening Closed Products
• Micro-purchases and Section 508
• IRS Course on Software Development

Finally, there is also a
Section 508 Awareness CD
That is available through the website as a download. This CD contains general information about section 508 for all employees, and includes a self-test and copies of the statute and accessibility standards.

Even if you’re not the person in charge of purchases and development, such as those specified in the list of classes offered through the Section 508 Universe, as the DSS coordinator, you have a duty to ensure that the persons making these decisions do so with as much knowledge and insight to Section 508 as possible. Help these folks make informed decisions and share the knowledge of your expertise.

The exact requirements of Section 508 may change to some degree in coming months, depending on the recommendations of the review committee, but the general principles offered in the training and the CD download will still be in place. Stay tuned to see what happens.

Olympus introduces three accessible recorders

As anybody who has done so would know, purchasing an accessible digital player/recorder in the past has required one to buy either a specially modified, otherwise commercially available product or a specialty product made specifically for the glind. In Both cases, the recorders have been expensive, often costing several times more than what an off the shelf model would cost. Now, that experience is changing.

Olympus is introducing
three accessible digital recorders.
The electronics company is launching its DS-30, DS-40, and DS-50 models, which the company claims are “optimized for downloading, listening to, and creating podcasts.” Olympus is pitching these units as the “all-in-one audio device,” noting that the high sound quality makes them ideal for listening to audio books and music.

What sets this line of recorders apart from any competition is that they are accessible to blind consumers off the shelf.

According to the Olympus press release linked above:
“The three new devices offer a voice confirmation function that can be turned on or off. When turned on, the function enables the devices to speak, helping users to navigate the folders and various set-up options. The pleasant automated voice guides users through the onscreen menus for setting date, time and other menu selecting modes. It also confirms by stating the folder name as the user moves from one folder to another. This enables visually challenged users to easily move through the device's menus, folders and set-up options. An instruction manual will also be available to users as an audio file. Much like any audio book, this option enables users to listen to the instruction manual for quick and easy use.”

The recorders connect with users computers via a USB cable and, via the included software, podcasts are automatically downloaded to the unit when it is connected to the pc. Additionally, the digital recorders are designed to work with
Audible.com,
A commercial site for audio books and spoken word content many blind consumers are already familiar with.

The primary difference between the three units are the storage capacities. The DS-30 holds 256 Mb, the DS-40 512 Mb, and the DS-50 holds 1 Gb.

All of the recorders play files in either the MP3 or WMA format.

Another useful feature of the units is the ability to slow down and speed up the playback of the recordings. The recordings can be slowed down to 50% speed or sped up by 50%, assisting users to either grab specifics or to breeze through recorded lectures.

I was impressed with the devices’ claimed reported battery life. Olympus states that users can get up to 32 hours of use from 2 AAA batteries. (An AC power adaptor is also included with the unit.)

These units are supposed to be available this month. Accessories included are a USB cable, a stereo microphone, stereo headphones, two AAA batteries, and software. The DS 50 also comes with a remote control and a carrying case.

MSRP for these units: DS-30, $149; DS-40, $199; DS-50, 249.
Olympus is leading the way by making products that are accessible out of the box.

IBM continues to innovate with WebAdapt2Me

Big Blue keeps working on in-roads for access.

IBM, the company who originated the pc and later created the Home Page Reader, continues to develop and enhance software for providing computer access for people with disabilities. In the latest advent, IBM worked with a professor at California State University Long Beach to test the usability of the features of IBM’s newest software,
WebAdapt2Me.

In this small-scale study, the professor put together a team of ten students and faculty members with visual, hearing and other disabilities to test the new access tool in a trial basis. They used the personally adjustable software to read on-line textbooks. The features of the application allowed each user to change the type size, color, and contrast to best suit their individual access needs, as well as the key feature of allowing the user to change the page layout.

According to the official
IBM WebAdapt2Me press site:
“IBM WebAdapt2Me software allows individuals to view the Web in a way that's most productive for them. For example, people with low vision can change the size of the type and the colors and contrast of the page for easier viewing. People with learning disabilities can reduce the visual clutter of the page by, for example, reducing several columns to one, so they can follow the text more easily. People without full mobility can set up their system so the mouse and keyboard are easier to use. And people with learning disabilities can ask WebAdapt2Me to read the text on the screen aloud, using IBM ViaVoice technology. “

A tip of the hat to IBM for continued innovation making technology personally accessible. Another nod goes to the state of California for requiring that textbooks be made available on-line. These are examples of embracing technology and using insight to see where it can be best applied to serve a broad spectrum of people.

Internet cafe for people with disabilities

Kudos to Goodwill Industries of San Antonio for opening an
internet café for people with disabilities.

In many ways, the Good Bytes Café looks like many other internet cafes, but the shop’s computers also include assistive hardware and software such as screen magnifiers, joystick mice, and the equipment to have eye movements replicate mouse actions. This is a good idea that provides access in the community where none has previously existed for people with disabilities. The expensive cost of providing the access tools is covered by Goodwill via a grant from AT&T. The café will also be supported through food sales with labor provided by Goodwill’s disabled food service trainees.

I admit the concept is very novel and innovative, but the reasons given by Goodwill for starting the café leave me scratching my head a bit. According to the linked news article above, they say that there is a correlation between the 70% unemployment rate of the area’s people with disabilities and that 60% of that population do not have computer skills. Shouldn’t the call be for providing computer training instead of a public access point where the users would be expected to come in already possessing some level of computer competence?

Still, I’m not knocking the idea. This is a great step forward in providing accessibility. It goes hand in hand with other pieces of a much larger picture. It also provides a work training location for Goodwill to let their consumers get real work experience that can serve as a launchpad to another position.