Web App Brings the Internet to the Blind

This is nice, and no software to be installed, Software as a Service for the Blind to access the Internet. Watch the video from the University of Washington to see how it works. Web Anywhere looks to be something of real value as it continues to be developed for helping the blind with access to the web. In time, a blind individual would be able to use a service like this to review their personal health records too. BD

Unfortunately, the blind face great obstacles in getting online, especially from public computers, like those in a library or Internet cafe. Screen reading software is rarely installed on these PCs, and portable options are often prohibitively expensive. A new Web app from a graduate student at the University of Washington aims to help break down these barriers by bringing screen reading technology to any Web-connected computer. If the user can navigate, or have someone navigate, to

http://Webanywhere.cs.washington.edu/ they'll be able to launch an in-browser screen reader. The reader, called Web Anywhere, will work on any computer with any modern Web browser, such as Firefox or Internet Explorer 7.