Good morning!  I'm Kerry J Harrison at the business desk and it's Wednesday and time for our news round-up. 

As promised, each week we'll be publishing articles of interest to our special needs readers as requested and we thank everyone for their very positive feedback.

So, enjoy!

 

Table of contents

 

June 27 2007

 

1  The e-learning Lingo podcast #4: Alt Text
2  Vasco offers smart card Based e-Security to the Blind and Visually Impaired With Digipass 840 Comfort Voice
3  Radio shack announces Point of Sale, Web Site Initiative for Customers with Visual Impairments
4  Microsoft speech hit by serious flaws
5  Baggage pin may stop lost luggage
6  New Canadian French TTS voices from Loquendo
7  Dolphin news

 

PR.com (Press Release)
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
 
The e-Learning Lingo Podcast #4: Alt Text
 
SyberWorks, Inc., a leader in custom e-Learning Solutions and the Learning Management System industry, today announces the next episode of the e-Learning Lingo Podcast Series about the term, Alt Text.
 
Waltham, MA, June 06, 2007 --(PR.com)-- Dave Boggs, CEO of SyberWorks, states, "This week's episode of the e-Learning Lingo Podcast talks about a piece of HTML code that is instrumental in developing accessible e-Learning because it allows you to designate a text description that can be read through a screen reader."
 
The e-Learning Lingo Podcast: Episode #4 "Alt Text" http://www.syberworks.com/audio/lingopodcast4.mp3
 
is located in the SyberWorks Online Media Center at
http://www.syberworks.com/lingo_podcast.htm
 
in the About Us section of the SyberWorks web site. The transcript is located at
http://www.syberworks.com/ lingo4_transcript.htm.
 
About SyberWorks
 
SyberWorks, Inc. (http://www.syberworks.com) is a leader in the custom e-Learning Solutions and Learning Management System industries for Fortune 1000 corporations, higher education, and other organizations. Located in Waltham, Massachusetts, the company serves the multi-billion-dollar e-Learning market. Since 1995, SyberWorks has developed and delivered unique and economical solutions to create, manage, measure, and improve e-Learning programs at companies and organizations in the United States, Canada, Europe, and other countries.
 
Contact Information
SyberWorks, Inc.
Mary Kay Lofurno
781-891-1999
mklofurno@syberworks.com
www.syberworks.com
411 Waverley Oaks Road
Building 3, Suite 319
Waltham, MA 02458
 
http://www.pr.com/press-release/41299

 

PR Newswire, via EarthTimes.org
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
 
VASCO Offers Smart Card Based e-Security to the Blind and Visually Impaired With Digipass 840 Comfort Voice
By Press Release
 
Posted : Tue, 12 Jun 2007 07:02:01 GMT
Author : VASCO Data Security International, Inc. 
Category : PressRelease 
 
OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill., and ZURICH, Switzerland, June 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- VASCO Data Security International, Inc. (http://www.vasco.com/), the leading software security company specializing in authentication products, today announced that it has strengthened its Digipass product line with Digipass 840 Comfort Voice (CV). This "speaking" Digipass card reader is especially designed for blind and visually impaired Internet users. The product is immediately available.
 
VASCO's mission is to be the Full Option, All-Terrain Authentication company. This means that strong authentication has to be available for everyone. The launch of Digipass 840 Comfort Voice fits perfectly with this logic, as did the launch of Digipass 300 Comfort Voice in 2006. A person with reduced eyesight will now be able to have the same high level of Digipass security as other e-bank account holders or e-commerce users. All Digipass client authentication products are supported by one and unique core authentication engine, VACMAN Controller. This means that companies can choose which type of client authentication device they offer to their different user/customer segments.
 
Digipass 840 Comfort Voice Features: -- speech based user interface; -- speech based feedback of entered data and selected functions; -- e-signature and one-time password functionality, converted into voice; -- use of built-in speaker or headset; -- large display and keypad, with oversized tactile keys; -- supports Digipass standard, EMV-CAP, VISA dynamic password authentication 1.1, German Sm@rt TAN, Belgian eID Card
 
"Accessibility is one of the most important success factors for any e-commerce application," said Jan Valcke, VASCO's President and COO. "Unfortunately, few technology vendors have an eye for the needs of visually impaired consumers. As a consequence, this user segment doesn't reach the e-commerce vendors' offering. By offering speech enabled Digipass client authentication products, VASCO makes e-banking and e-commerce accessible for the blind and visually impaired. Worldwide, over 20 leading banks already offer speech enabled Digipasses to a part of their customer base."
 
About VASCO: VASCO is the number one supplier of strong authentication and e-signature solutions and services. VASCO has established itself as the world's leading software company specialized in Internet Security, with a customer base of over 4,800 companies in more than 100 countries, including

 

close to 750 international financial institutions. VASCO's prime markets are the financial sector, enterprise security, e-commerce and e-government.
 
Forward Looking Statements

 

Statements made in this news release that relate to future plans, events or performances are forward-looking statements. Any statement containing words such as "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," and similar words, is forward-looking, and these statements involve risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations. Consequently, actual results could differ materially from the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements.
 
Reference is made to the Company's public filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission for further information regarding the Company and its operations.
 
For more information contact:

 

Jochem Binst, +32 2 609 97 40, jbinst@vasco.com VASCO Data Security International, Inc.
 
CONTACT: Jochem Binst of VASCO Data Security International, Inc.,
+32-2-609-97-40, jbinst@vasco.com
 
Web site: http://www.vasco.com/ 
 
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,120606.shtml

 

PR Newswire, via EarthTimes.org
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
 
RadioShack Announces Point of Sale, Web Site Initiative for Customers with Visual Impairments
 
Posted : Wed, 13 Jun 2007 11:06:01 GMT
Author : RadioShack Corporation, American Council of the Blind,
 
WASHINGTON, June 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In a move praised by state and national blindness organizations, RadioShack today announced it has undertaken a nationwide initiative to improve services for RadioShack's customers with visual impairments. As part of the program, RadioShack will install new point of sale equipment with tactile keypads to protect the privacy and security of visually impaired shoppers and will make improvements to its Web site that will benefit visually impaired shoppers and other customers with disabilities.
 
Today's announcement is the result of collaboration between RadioShack and major blindness organizations including the American Foundation for the Blind, American Council of the Blind, and California Council of the Blind.
 
Point of Sale Improvements
 
It is anticipated that by the end of September of this year, every RadioShack store will have the new device, which is designed to protect the financial privacy of blind and visually impaired shoppers. The devices, manufactured by Ingenico (http://www.ingenico.com/), have tactile keys arranged like a standard telephone keypad and plug easily into existing point of sale payment terminals. The new units will allow RadioShack shoppers who have difficulty reading information on a touch screen to privately and independently enter their PIN, telephone number, and other confidential information.
 
Blind community representatives praised RadioShack's plan to upgrade its point of sale devices. "Point of sale devices must have tactile keys so blind people do not have to share their PIN with strangers," explained Melanie Brunson, executive director of the American Council of the Blind. "Today's announcement, and the collaboration that led to it, demonstrates RadioShack's understanding of this fact and its strong commitment to blind and visually impaired customers."
 
Web Site Access
 
Today's initiative includes RadioShack's commitment to design http://www.radioshack.com/ in accordance with guidelines issued by the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the World Wide Web Consortium (w3c) (http://www.w3.org/wai). The guidelines, which do not affect the content or look and feel of a Web site, ensure that Web sites are accessible to persons with a wide range of disabilities. The guidelines are of particular benefit to blind computer users who use screen reader or magnification technology on their computers and who rely on a keyboard instead of a mouse.
 
"Web site accessibility is of critical importance to both the blind community and to people with disabilities generally," said Paul Schroeder, vice president, programs and policy group of the American Foundation for the Blind. "We applaud RadioShack's leadership role in committing to address the accessibility of its Web site, thereby improving the browsing and shopping experience for a broad range of on-line shoppers."
 
"The program announced today is one way we can help customers who are blind or visually impaired enjoy a better shopping experience in their neighborhood RadioShack stores as well as on http://www.radioshack.com/ and complements our on-going efforts to improve the shopping experience of all our customers with disabilities," said Frank Espinoza, vice president-store operations of RadioShack Corporation. "RadioShack would like to thank the American Council of the Blind, the California Council of the Blind, and the American Foundation for the Blind, for their cooperation and expertise in making RadioShack a better place to shop for our customers with disabilities."
 
About RadioShack Corporation
 
RadioShack Corporation is one of the nation's most experienced and trusted consumer electronics specialty retailers. The company has a presence through more than 6,000 company-operated stores and dealer outlets in the United States, over 100 RadioShack locations in Mexico and nearly 800 wireless phone kiosks. RadioShack's dedicated force of knowledgeable and helpful sales associates has been consistently recognized by several independent groups as providing the best customer service in the consumer electronics and wireless industries. Operating from convenient and comfortable neighborhood and mall locations, RadioShack stores deliver personalized product and service solutions within a few short minutes of where most Americans either live or work. For more information on RadioShack Corporation, or to purchase items online, visit http://www.radioshack.com/.
 
About American Council of the Blind (ACB) and California Council of the Blind (CCB)
 
American Council of the Blind is a national consumer-based advocacy organization working on behalf of blind and visually impaired Americans throughout the country, with members organized through seventy state and special interest affiliates. California Council of the Blind is the California affiliate of the ACB, and is a statewide membership organization, with 40 local chapters and statewide special interest associations. ACB and CCB are dedicated to improving the quality of life, equality of opportunity and independence of all people who have visual impairments. Their members and affiliated organizations have a long history of commitment to the advancement of policies and programs which will enhance independence for people who are blind and visually impaired. More information about ACB and CCB can be found by visiting http://www.acb.org/ and http://www.ccbnet.org/.
 
About American Foundation for the Blind
 
The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) is a national nonprofit that expands possibilities for people with vision loss. AFB's priorities include broadening access to technology; elevating the quality of information and tools for the professionals who serve people with vision loss; and promoting independent and healthy living for people with vision loss by providing them and their families with relevant and timely resources. AFB is also proud to house the Helen Keller Archives and honor the over forty years that Helen Keller worked tirelessly with AFB. For more information visit us online at http://www.afb.org/. http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000518/DATH047LOGO" mime-type="application/octet-stream"/ Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000518/DATH047LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com RadioShack Corporation, American Council of the Blind, American
 
CONTACT: Lainey Feingold of AFB, ACB, CCB, +1-510-548-5062,
lfeingold@earthlink.net, Abby Manishor of AFB, +1-212-502-7615,
amanishor@afb.net, Wendy Dominguez of RadioShack Corporation, +1-817-415-3300,
Media.Relations@RadioShack.com, or Linda Dardarian, +1-510-763-9800,
ldardarian@gdblegal.com, for RadioShack Corporation, American Council of the
Blind and American Foundation for the Blind
 
Web site: http://www.radioshack.com/
http://www.ingenico.com/
http://www.acb.org/
http://www.ccbnet.org/
http://www.afb.org/
 
 
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,121574.shtml

 

 
 Techworld.com
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
 
Microsoft Speech hit by serious flaws
 
By Matthew Broersma, Techworld
 
Microsoft's speech-control engines have been hit by major security flaws, according to researchers.
 
Microsoft Speech is the company's software for voice recognition and text-to-voice, a technology the company is modernising with the acquisition of Tellme Networks a month ago. Besides allowing visually impaired users to interact with Windows, the technology is designed to run automated telephone response systems.
The ActiveX controls used by Microsoft Speech version 4.0a to interact with Internet Explorer, xlisten.dll and xvoice.dll, could be exploited by a specially crafted ActiveX object triggering memory corruption, according to researchers. This corruption could allow attackers to take full control of a victim's system, according to Fortinet, which discovered the xvoice.dll bug.
The controls are used by Internet Explorer 7 and older versions.
According to some industry observers, such vulnerabilities - affecting client-side software rather than servers - are becoming the primary target of attackers.
"We're in the midst of a revolution as attackers shift their focus from gaping server side vulnerabilities, which are becoming increasingly rare, to stealthy client side holes that make phishers salivate," said SPI Dynamics security evangelist Michael Sutton in a blog post. "This month's patches illustrated that we need to focus our efforts on better securing client side applications as there is a plethora of holes ripe for exploitation."
The bug was one of the many critical flaws patched with Microsoft's monthly security update on Tuesday. The update included a large number of critical flaws, including the first Vista-only patches, and security experts haven't come to a consensus on which should be patched first.

 

http://www.techworld.com/security/news/index.cfm?newsID=9139&pagtype=all

 

 

 

Saffron Walden Reporter (UK)
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
 
Baggage PIN may stop lost luggage
 
By WEB EDITORIAL
 
webdesk@herts24.co.uk
   
Extract: "We have developed tags with Braille that are available for those travellers who may need them."

 

LOSING your luggage at the airport could be a thing of the past thanks to one innovative man from Dunmow.
 
Dave Pearce, from Woodlands Park Drive, has worked with colleagues at Bytec Solutions Ltd for six months to develop an owner identification service that he hopes will be taken up by airlines throughout the world.
 
"We've called it Baggage PIN and it's a simple concept," he explained. "First of all, you have to subscribe to the system online by going to
 
www.baggagepin.com
 
paying anything from £6 for one month's membership up to £12 for a full year. Once that is done, you are allocated an authenticated unique digital code and sent a corresponding code tag and security strap in the post which can be securely attached to each of your suitcases. We have developed tags with Braille that are available for those travellers who may need them."
 
The data keyed in by members can be accessed by authorised airline system users, which currently can only be accessed by Baggage PIN, giving the airlines the information they have previously lacked to take the necessary steps to return lost baggage to the legal owner or forward on to the required destination. This information also includes the preferred method of being contacted, so, even if several months have gone past since the bags went missing, they can be reunited with their owners.
 
Mr Pearce said: "We are currently in talks with some of the major UK airline companies to fully adopt Baggage PIN as the method of finding the legal owners of mislaid baggage. Baggage PIN even offers an inbuilt SMS system allowing baggage handling agents to contact the owners of mislaid baggage quickly and free of charge."

 

It is thought the new service is also likely to prove to be popular with insurance companies who deal with a growing number of claims each year resulting in escalating premiums.
 
If it proves a success, Mr Pearce hopes it could also be applied to operators of other forms of travel, such as rail, coach and ferry.
 
According to data from the Associate of European Airlines (AEA), across the 24 largest airlines more than 5.6 million bags went missing in 2006, an average of 15.7 bags per 1,000 travellers.
 
Bytec Solutions Ltd is a group of computer technologists who are particularly experienced in creating and analysing secure data systems, in conjunction with baggage handlers at various airports.
 http://www.saffronwalden-reporter.co.uk/content/saffron/news/story.aspx?brand=SAFOnline&category=NewsSaffron&tBrand=cambs24&tCategory=NewsSAF&itemid=WEED13%20Jun%202007%2014%3A25%3A03%3A437

 

TMCnet.com (Technology Marketing Corp)
Thursday, June 14, 2007
 
New Canadian French TTS Voices from Loquendo
 
By Stefania Viscusi
 
By Stefania Viscusi, TMCnet Assistant Editor
 
Speech recognition and text-to-speech (TTS) technology provider, Loquendo, has announced the latest voices in their family of TTS voices, Oliver and Charlotte.
 
Their latest addition is a bid to better serve their customers in the North American market and rounds out their number of offerings to 20 languages and 50 voices.
 
The new voices are Canadian French and offer the same expressive, emotional speech capabilities as other voices from Loqunedo.
 
Loquendo's TTS technology includes "expressive cues" that give an added level of emotion and expressiveness to the various voices. With the appropriate punctuation, a voice can, for example, be made to sound more lively and life-like.
 
Loquendo's TTS voices are available in both male and female voices and in number of additional languages including: U.S. and U.K. English, French, Castilian Spanish and Catalan, Mexican, Argentinean, Chilean, Brazilian, Italian, German, Dutch, Greek, Swedish, Mandarin Chinese and Polish.
 
Loquendo made headlines recently when their Spanish TTS Voice was utilized by Mexico's Credito Real in their newly powered telephony application to help them increase collection rates while also improving their overall customer experience.
 
Carlos, Loquendo's Spanish speaking TTS voice, also featuring expressive cues, provided the whole Latin-American Spanish sector with a voice to help guide them through the collections process more easily.
 
Related Articles:
Loquendo American Spanish TTS Voice Increases Collections Rates
Loquendo Text to Speech Breathes Voice into As An Angel Virtual Assistants
Loquendo TTS Enhances Multimedia Navigators from Magneti Marelli
Loquendo TTS Helps Bring 'Ask Anna' to Life for IKEA Website
Loquendo: Enhancing TTS with Mixed Language Support
The Features and Functionalities of TTS Director: A Q&A Session with Loquendo's Ornella Ambrois
Achieving Perfect TTS Intelligibility
 
-----

 

Stefania Viscusi is an established writer and avid reader.
 

 

http://www.tmcnet.com/channels/speech-recognition/articles/7598-new-canadian-french-tts-voices-from-loquendo.htm

 

 Dolphin Computer Access (UK)
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
 
Dolphin Computer Access Newsletter, June 2007 Edition.
 
By Sarah Jones
 
It's been a while since we've been in touch; it goes without saying that the Dolphin team have not been idle during this time and so we have lots of news to update you with which will explain why we've been so busy!
 
EasyConverter released.
 
Creating accessible text just got easier with our latest addition to the altformat family - EasyConverter. With a wide range of input and output file formats; EasyConverter enables you to offer your readers the choice of format that suits them best. Need to turn printed papers into Braille, PDFs in to MP3 audio? - no problem. With the new disability equality laws in place this tool is invaluable for Employers, Schools and public sector organisations alike.

 

LINK: Read the full story
http://www.yourdolphin.com/newsitem.asp?id=189#main

 

LINK: Visit the EasyConverter product page
http://www.yourdolphin.com/productdetail.asp?id=25#main
 
Registered for your free Vista Upgrade?
 
Users of Dolphin Hal, Lunar, LunarPlus or SuperNova version 7 will qualify for a free of charge upgrade to the new release of version 8 which will include support for Windows Vista. Please note: You need to register for this so don't delay, get your name on the list!
 
LINK: Read the full story and terms of this offer
http://www.yourdolphin.com/newsitem.asp?id=192#main
 
Listen again to Smart Hal on ACB Radio.
 
Dolphin's Mobile Product Manager, Dave Williams, made a live appearance on ACB Radio's Main Menu, talking about Smartphones, Windows Mobile 6 and of course Smart Hal. Here's your chance to listen again.
 
LINK: Read the full story
http://www.yourdolphin.com/newsitem.asp?id=168#main
 
RNIB's Access-IT review Smart Hal - Part Two.
 
RNIB's Access-IT magazine released their own independent review of Dolphin's new screen reader for Smartphones, Smart Hal. In this two part series, trainer and sessional tutor for Modern Eyes, Sue Allard, takes her first steps with a Smartphone and quickly gets to grips with the basics.

 

LINK: Read the full story
http://www.yourdolphin.com/newsitem.asp?id=186#main
 
LINK: If you missed the first part, here is Part One
http://www.yourdolphin.com/newsitem.asp?id=170#main

 

Dolphin Tip of the Week.
 
If you have visited our website in recent weeks you will notice that the homepage now contains a link to a tip of the week. Updated every Monday, this tip is designed to teach users of our software tools some new tricks to help get the most out of your software.

 

Tips in recent weeks include:
 
 
§ Using Forms on the Internet (applies to: Dolphin Access Software version 7).
http://www.yourdolphin.com/online_tutorials.asp?id=60#main
 
§ Using Lists to get information from Excel Spreadsheets (applies to: Dolphin Access Software version 6.5 and later).
http://www.yourdolphin.com/online_tutorials.asp?id=61#main
 
§ Making use of Application Notes (applies to: Dolphin Access Software Version 5 and later).
http://www.yourdolphin.com/online_tutorials.asp?id=62#main
 
§ Using Microsoft Word with EasyConverter (applies to: Dolphin EasyConverter version 1.0).
http://www.yourdolphin.com/online_tutorials.asp?id=80#main
 
§ Making use of Magnification modes (version 5 and later).
http://www.yourdolphin.com/online_tutorials.asp?id=84#main

 

§ Useful Resources and Keyboard Shortcuts (all versions).
http://www.yourdolphin.com/online_tutorials.asp?id=86#main
 
§ Using Lists to get information from Word documents (version 6.5 and above).
http://www.yourdolphin.com/online_tutorials.asp?id=87#main
 
Have you updated your Maps recently?
 
New map files for SuperNova, Hal, Lunar and LunarPlus customers are now available, and they're free!
 
LINK: Read the full story
http://www.yourdolphin.com/newsitem.asp?id=182#main
 
Sightsavers take the Dolphin Pen to Africa.
 
Visually impaired Africans are set to have their lives transformed by the arrival on the continent of the latest generation of accessibility software for computers.
 
LINK: Read the full story
http://www.yourdolphin.com/newsitem.asp?id=176#main
 
Get more from your Smartphone - Try a Free Smart Hal Tutorial.
 
A Windows Mobile Smartphone loaded with Smart Hal is a palm-sized powerhouse that can educate, inform, and entertain you at the touch of a button. Over the next few weeks we aim to show you what you can do with Smart Hal, aside from making and receiving telephone calls that is. In the first tutorial, we check out "Orb" which enables Smart Hal (or Pocket Hal) users to remotely access and play their music collection at home directly from their Smartphone or Pocket PC.
 
LINK: Read the full story
http://www.yourdolphin.com/newsitem.asp?id=188#main
 
Lunar wins RNIB Battle of the Magnifiers - Hands down.
 
At this year's CSUN conference in California, two accessibility experts from the RNIB in the UK took on the daunting challenge of comparing seven screen magnification software products, live and in front of a large and experienced CSUN audience.  The seven included the three market leaders including Dolphin's Lunar version 7.
 
LINK: Read the full story
http://www.yourdolphin.com/newsitem.asp?id=169#main
 
EasyProducer reviewed on Emptech.
 
This month Emptech has released a glowing review of Dolphin's DAISY and MP3 creation tool, EasyProducer. The review is in the shape of an audio Podcast which you can listen to online.
 
LINK: Read the full story
http://www.yourdolphin.com/newsitem.asp?id=193#main
 
LINK: Visit the EasyProducer product page
http://www.yourdolphin.com/productdetail.asp?id=10#main
 
Dolphin U.S. on the Move.
 
Goodbye San Mateo, we've moved to New Jersey! Please update your records.
 
LINK: Read the full story
http://www.yourdolphin.com/newsitem.asp?id=171#main
 
At the business desk, I'm Kerry J Harrison wishing you a pleasant day.