From: Hing Yip Lau <HYL697@NOVELL4.BHAM.AC.UK>
To: VICUG-L@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
Subject: The effectiveness of screen readers with Internet tools
Date: Wednesday, June 25, 1997 7:13 AM

Hello everybody,

        I apologise for cross posting.  My name is Hing Yip Lau and I am a
postgraduate student in the School of Education, the University of
Birmingham.  This summer I am conducting a project with the Research Centre
for the Education of the Visually Handicapped concerning the effectiveness
of screen readers for use with Internet tools for visually impaired people.
 I am asking for your valuable help with this project and hence request
your support.  I would be very grateful if you could answer the following
seventeen questions.  Your answers will be kept confidential and when I
have finished the project, I will send a message to you displaying the
results that I have gathered from the questionnaires.  You may respond by
replying to this message directly, sending a message which only includes
the number of each question followed by your answer, or posting your reply.

My electronic mail address and postal address are as follows:
Electronic mail address:
H Y L 6 9 7 @ b h a m . a c . u k
( If you want to copy my electronic mail address and paste it on the 'TO'
field, please use the one below. )
HYL697@bham.ac.uk
Postal address:
To: Hing Yip Lau
Research Centre for the Education of the Visually Handicapped
The School of Education
The University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham B15 2TT

Beginning of Questionnaire:
1. Please indicate if you are a
( Please type a letter of your choice or put a X next to your answer )
a  person who is blind
b  person with low vision
c  sighted person

2. In which country do you live?

3. What kind of screen reader would you prefer, the textual or the
Graphical User Interface?
Please explain why.

4. Please rate the factors below that you would consider when buying a
screen reader for access to the Internet.
( 1 means very important, 2 means quite important and 3 means not
important)
a Cost
b Product's documentation format
c Technical support
d Compatibility with software and hardware
e Crash proof
f  Ease of use
g Functionality
h Responsiveness
i Others ( Please specify )

5. Which screen reader do you work with?
If not appropriate, please jump to question seventeen.

6. Do you use your screen reader with a Web browser?
If yes, please specify otherwise jump to question nine.

7. Do you have any difficulties in using your screen reader with this Web
browser?
If yes, please say what they are.

8. What tasks do you often do on the Web?
For example, reading electronic newspaper.

9. Do you use your screen reader with a mail programme?
If yes, please specify otherwise jump to question eleven.

Ten. Do you have any difficulties in using your screen reader with this
mail programme?
If yes, please say what they are.

Eleven. Do you use your screen reader with a newsreader?
If yes, please specify otherwise jump to question thirteen.

Twelve. Do you have any difficulties in using your screen reader with this
newsreader?
If yes, please say what they are.

Thirteen. Do you use your screen reader with an Internet Relay Chat
programme?
If yes, please specify otherwise jump to question fifteen.

Fourteen. Do you have any difficulties in using your screen reader with
this Internet Relay Chat programme?
If yes, please say what they are.

Fifteen. Do you use your screen reader with any other Internet tools?
If yes, please specify otherwise jump to question seventeen.

Sixteen.  Do you have any difficulties in using your screen reader with
these tools?
If yes, please say what they are.

Seventeen.  Have you got any strategies to enhance access to the Internet?
If yes, please describe them.

I thank you in advance for any message you send to me, your efforts are
very much appreciated.

Yours sincerely,

Hing Yip Lau

End of Questionnaire