211 lines
4.8 KiB
HTML
211 lines
4.8 KiB
HTML
<HTML
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><HEAD
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><TITLE
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>The Linux Operating System</TITLE
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><META
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NAME="GENERATOR"
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CONTENT="Modular DocBook HTML Stylesheet Version 1.76b+
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"><LINK
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REL="HOME"
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TITLE="Linux Accessibility HOWTO"
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HREF="index.html"><LINK
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REL="PREVIOUS"
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TITLE="Introduction"
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HREF="introduction.html"><LINK
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REL="NEXT"
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TITLE="Visual Impairments"
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HREF="visual.html"></HEAD
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><BODY
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CLASS="sect1"
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BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF"
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TEXT="#000000"
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LINK="#0000FF"
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VLINK="#840084"
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ALINK="#0000FF"
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><DIV
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CLASS="NAVHEADER"
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><TABLE
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SUMMARY="Header navigation table"
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WIDTH="100%"
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BORDER="0"
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CELLPADDING="0"
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CELLSPACING="0"
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><TR
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><TH
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COLSPAN="3"
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ALIGN="center"
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>Linux Accessibility HOWTO</TH
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></TR
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><TR
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><TD
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WIDTH="10%"
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ALIGN="left"
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VALIGN="bottom"
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><A
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HREF="introduction.html"
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ACCESSKEY="P"
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>Prev</A
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></TD
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><TD
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WIDTH="80%"
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ALIGN="center"
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VALIGN="bottom"
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></TD
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><TD
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WIDTH="10%"
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ALIGN="right"
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VALIGN="bottom"
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><A
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HREF="visual.html"
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ACCESSKEY="N"
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>Next</A
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></TD
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></TR
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></TABLE
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><HR
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ALIGN="LEFT"
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WIDTH="100%"></DIV
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><DIV
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CLASS="sect1"
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><H1
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CLASS="sect1"
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><A
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NAME="LinuxOS">2. The Linux Operating System</H1
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><P
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>The Linux operating system has many software applications and utilities that run in the non-graphical environment. The
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graphical user interface (GUI), which is often referred to as X Windows, is clearly separate from the underlying
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non-graphical, text-only environment. One major reason that a visually impaired individual can use Linux is that network
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connectivity is built in to the operating system and provides full access to the Internet from the non-graphical interface.
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All visible text on the screen can be translated using a screen reader and speech synthesizer.</P
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><P
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>Over the past few years many improvements have been made to the GUI, and many of the desktops now
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provide features and enhancements designed for accessibility. In the following sections you will find information on the tools,
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utilities, and applications that are available to assist users in configuring their desktop environment.</P
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><DIV
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CLASS="sect2"
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><H2
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CLASS="sect2"
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><A
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NAME="AEN67">2.1. Assistive Technologies Available for Linux</H2
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><P
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>Assistive technologies are computer hardware devices and software applications that provide individuals with impairments
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access to the information and applications on a computer. Although there are not many commercial applications available
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specifically for Linux accessibility, there are free software applications that can make the computer more accessible.
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Detailed information on assistive technologies that are available has been listed in this document based on the type of
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disability.</P
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></DIV
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><DIV
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CLASS="sect2"
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><H2
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CLASS="sect2"
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><A
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NAME="AEN70">2.2. Usability</H2
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><P
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>Linux has the advantage over Windows that a large majority of Linux software has been developed for the console. Although
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many programs are now being developed for the GUI, programs continue to be written for the non-graphical,
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text-based environment. Linux originated as a programmer's operating system and, for the physically disabled, this means that it
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is easy to build and customize programs to suit an individual's needs.</P
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><P
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>The windowing system used by Linux (X11) includes many programming tools that enable further modification and customization
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of the GUI. KDE and GNOME have included many accessibility and usability features in their latest
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releases and are continuing to test, upgrade, and enhance the graphical environment. The following are links to KDE and GNOME's
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accessibility and usability projects:</P
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><P
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></P
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><UL
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><LI
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><P
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>KDE Accessibility Project - <A
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HREF="http://accessibility.kde.org/"
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TARGET="_top"
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>http://accessibility.kde.org/</A
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>. </P
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></LI
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><LI
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><P
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>GNOME Accessibility Project - <A
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HREF="http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gap/"
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TARGET="_top"
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>http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gap/</A
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>. </P
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></LI
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><LI
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><P
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>KDE Usability Project - <A
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HREF="http://usability.kde.org/"
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TARGET="_top"
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>http://usability.kde.org/</A
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>. </P
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></LI
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><LI
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><P
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>GNOME Usability Project - <A
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HREF="http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gup/"
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TARGET="_top"
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>http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gup/</A
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>. </P
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></LI
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></UL
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></DIV
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></DIV
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><DIV
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CLASS="NAVFOOTER"
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><HR
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ALIGN="LEFT"
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WIDTH="100%"><TABLE
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SUMMARY="Footer navigation table"
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WIDTH="100%"
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BORDER="0"
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CELLPADDING="0"
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CELLSPACING="0"
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><TR
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><TD
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WIDTH="33%"
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ALIGN="left"
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VALIGN="top"
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><A
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HREF="introduction.html"
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ACCESSKEY="P"
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>Prev</A
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></TD
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><TD
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WIDTH="34%"
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ALIGN="center"
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VALIGN="top"
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><A
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HREF="index.html"
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ACCESSKEY="H"
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>Home</A
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></TD
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><TD
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WIDTH="33%"
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ALIGN="right"
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VALIGN="top"
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><A
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HREF="visual.html"
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ACCESSKEY="N"
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>Next</A
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></TD
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></TR
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><TR
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><TD
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WIDTH="33%"
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ALIGN="left"
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VALIGN="top"
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>Introduction</TD
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><TD
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WIDTH="34%"
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ALIGN="center"
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VALIGN="top"
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> </TD
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><TD
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WIDTH="33%"
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ALIGN="right"
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VALIGN="top"
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>Visual Impairments</TD
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></TR
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></TABLE
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></DIV
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></BODY
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></HTML
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> |