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Re: Monitoring JAWS adoption trends for testing/support

for

From: Robinson, Norman B - Washington, DC
Date: Feb 21, 2007 9:20AM

For my two cents, we currently still test and use only version 6.X.

We have a locked-down environment and only provide our official screen
reader to users unless they have a specific individual accommodation
need for a newer version. We would purchase a license for 8.X (what the
vendor sells) and use 6.X; the vendor doesn't understand our business
need for this support, but it is required in our environment.

That said, we've been keeping track of updates and will be evaluating
8.X as our official version soon. Also, since we use more than one
operating system we will be considering adding Linux specific screen
reader(s) in our next policy update
(http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/hand/as508a/508a_c3.html#Iv8D11399mudg)

We have so many web based applications and software applications that
moving to "the latest version" is difficult and costly. Added to our
desktop environment where users cannot install software that requires
administrative rights and it becomes technically difficult. We've found
that our public users also benefit from applications that we know work
with a version (or two) behind. We can draw some accurate assumptions
that if it works in a previous version of JAWS that is works in the
current version.

Regards,


Norman B. Robinson
Section 508 Coordinator
IT Governance, US Postal Service
phone: 202.268.8246