GW Skype is a new software to use popular Skype chat service in an accessible interface without additional script. Additional scripts are needed to use skype's own software with screen readers to use all the functionalities. This software is created by GW Micro who the creater of Window-Eyes, a popular screen reader. This is a happy news for the visually impaired community. Read more about GW Skype taken from GW Micro.
Ever since the initial release of the Skype client in mid 2003, people from all around the world have used it to initiate high-quality voice and text conversations,
send and receive files, and stay in touch with one another. The visually impaired community, likewise, has used Skype since then to facilitate equal communication
with each other and their sighted counterparts.
However, as the service has grown, so too has the program. For years, screen reader users have kept up with Skype's ever-morphing interface either with
custom patches, scripts, or apps. While largely successful, such utilities must be constantly maintained as any new version of Skype can, and often will,
cause previously working scripts or apps to stop functioning properly.
In mid 2011, Skype announced its SkypeKit developer program. This service allows program developers to directly access nearly all Skype services without
the additional need of traversing its user interface. Developers, therefore, can create their own interface to Skype and seamlessly integrate it into their
own products. And, because the underlying Skype services are much less likely to change on a whim, GW Micro decided to take advantage of this service and
create a simple, elegant, fully accessible interface to Skype which is designed with the visually impaired community in mind.
Having full control of the user interface also means that unlike the official Skype client, GWSkype's interface will not dramatically change from version
to version. When you learn how to use GWSkype today, you can be confident that your knowledge will continue to apply in the future as new versions are
released.
Why GWSkype?
• GWSkype will always make the Skype service available to blind and visually impaired computer users regardless of new versions of Skype that are released.
• GWSkype is a demonstration of the power of interfacing with Window-Eyes.
• All blind and visually impaired users who are running Windows can use GWSkype at no cost. Even those consumers not running Window-Eyes can still download and use GWSkype.
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