Orca or EmacSpeak

[Bryan Duarte]

Hello,

I am new to Linux and am having some trouble getting to learn the OS due to the Orca screen reader. I will start off by letting you know I am on a Mac book running Mountain Lion. I am running ubuntu 1204 in VMware fusion. To this point I am only able to preform commands which do not require the Orca modifier key. I read that the Orca modifier key is the "insert" key, but Mac does not have an "insert" key. I have read several different posts of people describing a few key commands which simulate the insert key but none have worked for me. I also was told I can set my Orca configuration to "laptop" and then the "caps lock" key will act as the modifier, and yet again I am unable to do this. 

Now to the question at hand. Does anyone have some experience with this issue who can help me get it working? If not can someone please let me know if EmacSpeak is a better option for linux? I have read lots of good things about emacSpeak but honestly have no idea how to switch from Orca to emacSpeak. I am not bias to either screen reader I am just looking to learn linux well enough to write some programs, use the terminal, and call it a familiar OS. I would greatly appreciate any help. 
Bryan Duarte
1 Corinthians 9:24 Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one gets the prize? So run to win!
Arizona State University Applied Computer Science Undergraduate
Twitter: @blindambitions
Skype: bambryan
"Blind Ambitions"