<div dir="ltr">Thank you, I wasn't aware of those barriers. While I am aware that the university has strict rules around applications. I believe there could be a way to get around it, if it's used in an educational and collaborative environment. The person I need to check with about this, I am going to send them an email tomorrow since it's pretty late. Oh, and I tried accessing the IRC and Matrix but the channel isn't accepting anyone else, is there a way for me to get around that? I think it'd be a lot easier then email</div><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Tue, Jun 3, 2025 at 10:03 PM Benson Muite <<a href="mailto:benson_muite@emailplus.org">benson_muite@emailplus.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><br>
<br>
On Wed, Jun 4, 2025, at 8:49 AM, Bridger Reed-Lewis wrote:<br>
> Well I don’t think it would be useful particularly for UAA, it’s just I<br>
> feel a collaboration could be set up depending on the person. And with<br>
> everything going on federally, a lot of folks at my work are pretty mad,<br>
> it’s the reason why I got my article. What I’m going to do is reach out to<br>
> the engineers/tech departments, to see if anyone is interested in working<br>
> on this project. Along with connecting with student clubs, I am also going<br>
> to install and test what I can with the applications you sent.<br>
<br>
Thanks.<br>
<br>
><br>
> Oh, about the mentoring program you mentioned. I don't think it's a good<br>
> fit for me since I have dyscalculia. I've tried with no luck to learn<br>
> coding. It's just not my thing, what it would be testing along with setting<br>
> up times to chat around ideas, along with networking which i am scary good<br>
> at.<br>
<br>
We do use mailing lists, apps also have chat channels, typically on Matrix or IRC.<br>
For Season of KDE, making students and people new to open source aware of it<br>
would be helpful. It provides a structured way for people to contribute improvements<br>
to software that they use, these need not be limited to coding contributions.<br>
<br>
In the US, many applications require accessibility testing reports before they can be<br>
used in an institution. This can be a barrier to adopting open source software since<br>
the administrative burden of procuring software which has accessibility testing done<br>
is low compared to getting open source software and improving it to meet accessibility<br>
standards for which the financial cost would likely be ultimately lower, thereby allowing<br>
institutions to make more effective use of their limited funds.<br>
<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> On Tue, Jun 3, 2025 at 21:37 Benson Muite <<a href="mailto:benson_muite@emailplus.org" target="_blank">benson_muite@emailplus.org</a>><br>
> wrote:<br>
><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> On Wed, Jun 4, 2025, at 7:58 AM, Bridger Reed-Lewis wrote:<br>
>> > I have heard of him, and it’s one of the reasons why I want to get<br>
>> > involved, at the moment I don’t think the university allows Linux to be<br>
>> > used, but I could be wrong. At the moment, I am running KDE on my Steam<br>
>> > Deck. But I’m planning on purchasing a think-pad x1 carbon Gen 10 soon.<br>
>> One<br>
>> > area I’d like to see get added is dictation. There's an abandoned project<br>
>> > here --> <a href="https://github.com/abb128/LiveCaptions" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://github.com/abb128/LiveCaptions</a> that could be forked<br>
>> into a<br>
>> > simple dictation tool, it's surprisingly, very accurate.<br>
>><br>
>> This seems to build on another library which maybe worth incorporating into<br>
>> KDE applications:<br>
>> <a href="https://github.com/abb128/april-asr" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://github.com/abb128/april-asr</a><br>
>><br>
>> There are ongoing discussions withing KDE about using tools trained on<br>
>> data of unknown origin.<br>
>><br>
>> ><br>
>> > Outside of that, I would need to look because right now there's not a<br>
>> lot,<br>
>> > and disability itself is a spectrum. without seeing what you are already<br>
>> > working on, giving feedback might be hard. But I am more than willing to<br>
>> > test anything you can give me, as long as you make the install process<br>
>> easy<br>
>> > or give me command props.<br>
>><br>
>> KDE applications are listed at:<br>
>> <a href="http://apps.kde.org" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">http://apps.kde.org</a><br>
>> Some will work on Windows and Mac. Applications that might be useful in a<br>
>> university<br>
>> setting include:<br>
>> - <a href="https://apps.kde.org/labplot/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://apps.kde.org/labplot/</a><br>
>> - <a href="https://apps.kde.org/ktechlab/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://apps.kde.org/ktechlab/</a><br>
>> - <a href="https://apps.kde.org/accessibilityinspector/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://apps.kde.org/accessibilityinspector/</a><br>
>> - <a href="https://apps.kde.org/krita/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://apps.kde.org/krita/</a><br>
>> - <a href="https://apps.kde.org/okular/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://apps.kde.org/okular/</a><br>
>> - <a href="https://apps.kde.org/kdenlive/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://apps.kde.org/kdenlive/</a><br>
>> - <a href="https://apps.kde.org/digikam/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://apps.kde.org/digikam/</a><br>
>> - <a href="https://apps.kde.org/glaxnimate/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://apps.kde.org/glaxnimate/</a><br>
>><br>
>> It seems there are faculty members familiar with open source software:<br>
>> <a href="https://pradeeban.github.io/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://pradeeban.github.io/</a><br>
>><br>
>> Maybe you could contact them to see if there are ways to also involve<br>
>> students in<br>
>> improving software accessibility? Season of KDE (<br>
>> <a href="https://mentorship.kde.org/sok/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://mentorship.kde.org/sok/</a>)<br>
>> would be one structured way to do this for KDE software that is useful at<br>
>> UAA.<br>
>><br>
>> Krita, Kdenlive and Glaxnimate may also be useful to people in your art<br>
>> department:<br>
>><br>
>> <a href="https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/academics/college-of-arts-and-sciences/departments/art" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/academics/college-of-arts-and-sciences/departments/art</a><br>
>> and to the student clubs in the art department:<br>
>><br>
>> <a href="https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/academics/college-of-arts-and-sciences/departments/art/clubs/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/academics/college-of-arts-and-sciences/departments/art/clubs/</a><br>
>><br>
>> Finally, in terms of testing, is there a KDE application you use and would<br>
>> be willing to help<br>
>> test? One-off contributions are welcome, but sustained involvement is most<br>
>> helpful.<br>
>><br>
>> ><br>
>> > On Tue, Jun 3, 2025 at 20:28 Benson Muite <<a href="mailto:benson_muite@emailplus.org" target="_blank">benson_muite@emailplus.org</a>><br>
>> > wrote:<br>
>> ><br>
>> >><br>
>> >><br>
>> >> On Tue, Jun 3, 2025, at 11:15 AM, Bridger Reed-Lewis wrote:<br>
>> >> > Good evening, I am interested in becoming a tester, and help<br>
>> collaborate<br>
>> >> > together on ideas to ensure accessibility in future kde iterations.<br>
>> Nate,<br>
>> >> > one of the board members, let me know about your sub-group, and I<br>
>> >> emailed a<br>
>> >> > few folks listed as contacts. Just didn't hear back, figuring reaching<br>
>> >> out<br>
>> >> > directly to this email would be more effective.<br>
>> >> ><br>
>> >> > Before getting involved though, I should introduce myself. I am the<br>
>> >> > disability advisor for The University of Anchorage Alaska, and while<br>
>> I am<br>
>> >> > doing this on my own time. I do hope to get the university involved<br>
>> since<br>
>> >> > we have a very active disability, and accessibility work groups at<br>
>> UAA.<br>
>> >> ><br>
>> >> > Recently, the university wrote a article about me which goes in detail<br>
>> >> > about myself you can read about it here...<br>
>> >> ><br>
>> >><br>
>> <a href="https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/news/archive/2025/05/chd-disability-advisor-bridger-r-reed-lewis.cshtml" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/news/archive/2025/05/chd-disability-advisor-bridger-r-reed-lewis.cshtml</a><br>
>> >> ><br>
>> >> ><br>
>> >> > I'm very passionate about what I do, and I believe Steam OS as a whole<br>
>> >> > could be a massive benefit to ensure a better market share, this comes<br>
>> >> with<br>
>> >> > some challenges though because while steam os is great for gaming,<br>
>> once<br>
>> >> > it's released to the masses later this year.<br>
>> >> ><br>
>> >> > The OS as a whole will have some disadvantages mainly the lack of<br>
>> >> > accessibility tools, which as someone with a disability has been the<br>
>> >> > largest reason they haven't moved fully to linux. Ended up on Macs<br>
>> >> because<br>
>> >> > of how much i hate windows, but once thing apple has about them is<br>
>> there<br>
>> >> > gold star for supporting disabilities in there OS.<br>
>> >><br>
>> >> Thanks for your interest. Are there any KDE applications that you use<br>
>> where<br>
>> >> support could be better? Do you have any computer labs where linux is<br>
>> used<br>
>> >> or KDE applications are used?<br>
>> >><br>
>> >> KDE e.V. recently appointed Ritchie Frodomar as accessibility engineer:<br>
>> >> <a href="https://mail.kde.org/pipermail/kde-community/2025q2/008193.html" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://mail.kde.org/pipermail/kde-community/2025q2/008193.html</a><br>
>> >><br>
>> >> ><br>
>> >> > I also want this in Linux, and I'm here to help along<br>
>> >> > with assisting with networking with professionals to ensure<br>
>> >> communications<br>
>> >> > and collaboration with developers/companies alike. Let me know if you<br>
>> >> have<br>
>> >> > any questions, and I hope to chat with you soon.<br>
>> >> ><br>
>> >> > Sincerely,<br>
>> >> ><br>
>> >> > Bridger R. Reed-Lewis<br>
>> >> > Disability Advisor | Advocate | Speaker<br>
>> >> > He/Them<br>
>> >><br>
>><br>
</blockquote></div>