From: wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com (Bill McGarry)
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.l-hcap
Subject: Handicap Digest # 2592
Date: 17 Apr 92 19:38:56 GMT
Reply-To: Bill McGarry <wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com>
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Approved-By:  Bill McGarry <wtm@SHELDEV.SHEL.ISC-BR.COM>
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                          THE HANDICAP DIGEST

                               Issue # 2592

                           Friday, April 17, 1992

Today's Topics:


                                ******

                           Blink Talk Digest # 561

                         Re: Exception dictionaries
                              Word Perfect Docs
                               Chance Meetings
                           Exception dictionaries
                          Re: HAM RADIO SCHEMATICS
                       Re: Electric Cars And The Blind
                          Maryland braille bill pas
                            Re: Word Perfect Docs
                               tactile monitor
                               nls tb update.


                                ******


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Subject: Re: Exception dictionaries
From: William.Wilson@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (William Wilson)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:129/89 - BlinkLink, Pittsburgh PA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

 EB> If your screen reader supports an exception dictionary (or if
 EB> your synthesizer has a utility to support one), how are you
 EB> using it?

Eric,
    Although I'm not sure that this will be a popular position, I prefer
a speech exception dictionary that is interactive!  That is, it is
difficult enough for me to remember to add the words to the dictionary
after I have exited the application via a save command let alone
remember to add them after exiting the application that I was running
when I discovered their need!
     Actually, I have found that an exception dictionary becomes less
and less necessary as one becomes more familiar with their speech
program and synthesizer, but at the very beginning, I did find it quite
a usable option.  In particular, I found it quite easy to enter the
SoftVert dictionary menu when I was first starting out, add a word that
I found the PC-Vert synthesizer wasn't pronouncing properly, and if luck
was with me, remember to add it to the appropriate SV environment file
when I had returned to DOSS after exiting the application.
     As I became more and more familiar with the synthesizers I ran,
however, I found my use of the exception dictionary to decrease.  What I
use it for today is primarily the prounciation of common acronyms, such
as NFB and ACB, and since many of the text to speech drivers now handle
this on their own, or the screen access programs take care of it, I find
the exception dictionary even less important.   True, this has resulted
in things like me pronouncing names like "Kae" as "Kaa", rather than
"Kay" when I talk to people about BlinkTalk, but seriously, what's in a
name anyways?  Does a rose by any other name not smell just as sweet?

     Ok, the ideal dictionary option in a speech program would, for me,
be internal, meaning I wouldn't need to call up an editor to add a word,
it would be able to be added to from right within any application, it
would have a variable size adjustment, perhaps able to be determined on
the command line when one called up their speech program, it would have
the option to add the redefinition to all configurations or just the
currently active one, and it would have a warning message when one
exited the application such as, "Dictionary has been added to...Would
you like to add these changes to the configuration file or forget the
changes?".

     So then, can you add this to TinyTalk and still keep the memory use
under 30k?
                                                        Willie

... BlinkTalk, Commo and Silver in Pittsburgh!

--
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Internet: William.Wilson@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Word Perfect Docs
From: Debbie.Crafts@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org (Debbie Crafts)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:101/460.0 - VI/BUG, Holbrook MA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Hi,

Just recently, I had the opportunity to purchase Word Perfect v5.1
at a considerable discount.  It looks like it'll do anything I want
it to (and some things I never imagined wanting to do) I was able
to get some tutorials from RFB, all of which say somewhere near the
beginning "you need to read the manual."  Problem is, I can't seem
to find the WP manuals in an accessible format.  They're probably
right under my nose some place, but I can't find them!  At first I
wasn't too worried.  After all, RFB has virtually everything?
Right?  I called 'em up and was told that although they have 28
books on wp51, they don't have the manual. Wierd! Anyway, I was
wondering if someone could point me in the right direction for
getting the original docs in an accessible media.  Thanks in
advance for your help.--Debbie

--
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Internet: Debbie.Crafts@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Chance Meetings
From: Bill.Burgess@hnews.fidonet.org (Bill Burgess)
Organization: The Handicap News, Shelton CT (203) 337-1607


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

I was wondering if or how often any of you have had the experience of
meeting unexpectedly, as the president of our guide dog group has done
in Oshawa, and yes, Carla, your Chance is included here.  He stopped at
a streetcorner controlled by a stoplight, and gave a forward command
then noticed the dog hesitating and wagging his tail, and heard another
guide dog command near him.  He said " I think we have another guide dog
here" at which point the other user confirmed his presence and a great
discussion followed.  Both are now well acquainted.  Well now, any
stories to be told?  TTYL
Bill

 * SLMR 2.1a * Press any key to continue or any other key to quit

--
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Internet: Bill.Burgess@hnews.fidonet.org




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Subject: Exception dictionaries
From: David.Jackson@f99.n215.z1.fidonet.org (David Jackson)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:215/99 - Blink Connection, San Leandro CA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Hello Rick; I am David jackson.  I am currently using Vocal-Eyes
which has an exception dictionary which is altered by using an
editor like EDLIN or Word Perfect 5.0's program editor.  Then, to
use the new changes you must re-boot the system.  It is limited to
a file size of 4608 bytes.  Of course, the amount of words which
are in it is decided by the length of each entry within the
exception dictionary.  I have also worked with VERTPLUS at where I
work, (Pacific Bell) it is limited to 100 entries and can be
altered and then the changes can be used without re-booting the
system.

What some people don't realize with an exception dictionary like
the one for VERTPLUS, is that true it has foom for 100 entries;
but: you don't always get 100 entries because it can only support
1200 characters in the dictionary!  Which means: that you can run
out of space in the dictionary and still be told by the system that
there are only 70- entries but 0 characters available in the
dictionary!  I have also used JAWS version 1.66 which works
basically the same as the one in VERTPLUS.  But it has twice the
amount of entries available to the user.  Now I haven't seen it
yet, but I've been told that the dictionary in the very latest
version of JAWS is user definable as far as the size of the
exception dictionary goes!

I've used all tree of these that I've mentioned enough to know that
out of these three screen reading software packages, I prefer
Vocal-Eyes 2.0 even though you have to re-boot the system to use
the new dictionary entries.  The reason that I prefer it over
VERTPLUS or JAWS is because I prefer the command structure and
features which it has.  With Vocal-Eyes, it is easier to change the
reading hotkeys and windows and it has a lot of very powerful
features built right into it.  I could go on, but this should be
enough for what you want to know.

Dave Jackson.

--
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Internet: David.Jackson@f99.n215.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: HAM RADIO SCHEMATICS
From: Dan.Kysor@f11.n203.z1.fidonet.org (Dan Kysor)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:203/11 - The Broken Rose BBS, Sacramento CA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

well not all of us are physics or electron scientists and again,
it's unrealistic to expect the majorituy of the blind to be forced
into scematic diagram comprehention and the ham community, the
blind community and the fcc apparently agree with this.

it used to be with ham radio that one could learn to build their
radios themselves and that was more the case then now with the
suffisticated rigs & microprocessors, hams almost become appliance
operators.  i am not advocating this turn of events suffice to say
this is reality for most.  i think, however, if one were to request
the scematics portion of the exam, they'd give it to you.

that's one of the nice things of amateur radio, there's a little
something for everyone... dan

--
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Internet: Dan.Kysor@f11.n203.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: Electric Cars And The Blind
From: David.Bond@p0.f810.n104.z1.fidonet.org (David Bond)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:104/810.0 - Electronic Library, Denver CO


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

 PR> up with one technology which is a possible boon to most of society
 PR> and a bit of a problem for the blind ... the electric car.

I had a thought, not to technical here, but could a sending unit such as a
infrared or laser device be mounted on one of these cars that would scan or
sweep maybe 50 to 75 feet ahead (actual distances and range of scanning
degree t.b.d.) and would pick up and reflect off of a receiver or mirror
device installed in canes and dog collars that would omit a warning tone at
the vehicle?  Anyway, I have my doubts about the population of electric
vehicles being to numerous for us to worry about for at least 20 or 30 years.

Speaking about warning devices, I wonder if this hypethetical invention that
I have just described could also be developed a little further to also omit
a warning signal, tone, and perhaps also a message on an L.E.D. screen for
the driver of not just an electric vehicle, but conventional vehicles as
well.  Let's say the car is approaching a crosswalk where a blind person is
about to cross, and as the detector device on the vehicle scans and sweeps
up ahead it picks up the receiver device mounted on or in the cane of the
blind person.  At a certain distance away from the person, the warning tone
on the vehicle sounds so the blind person hears it and is aware of where the
vehicle is.  Further development of the warning sound would have it omitting
a different pitch or rythm to announce it's relative speed.  For instance,
loud, high, fast pulses for fast, and at the other end of the spectrum,
lower volume, lower pitch and slower rythm for slow.  Of course, an increase
or decrease of these sounds would note the vehicle's increasing or
decreasing speed.  Getting back to the initial contact between sensor and
receiver, also at the moment a signal is confirmed, again a warning could
sound inside the car itself, even perhaps before the outside warning.  This
would alert the driver in advance, before the blind person knew or needed to
know about the vehicles presence.  Ah, finally.  How about an even further
development of this device and along the lines of a warning system inside
the vehicle, why not make different receiver or reflector devices that as
there would be a certain one for blind people, and perhaps other
impariments, there would also be ones for dangerous intersections, road
conditions, hidden stop signs, etc.  The different receiver devices would
all be designed to omit there own unique signal which would translate
different sounds, eithr outside and inside, or just inside the vehicle as
well as the visual message on the L.E.D. screen.

If you've gotten this far, thanks for reading!  Just felt the need to
expound on the subject!

Dave

--
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Internet: David.Bond@p0.f810.n104.z1.fidonet.org




------



Subject: Maryland braille bill pas
From: Lloyd.Rasmussen@f432.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Lloyd Rasmussen)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:109/432 - The Idea Link, Wheaton MD


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Yesterday the Maryland Senate passed a braille literacy bill.  This
was the culmination of more than six months of work.  Before
January, all parties attended meetings to try to work out common
language.  By the time we got in to legislative session in January,
a draft bill was ready.  Representatives from the ACB went to
Annapolis on the same day as the NFB to talk with delegates and
senators about the need for better braille instruction and a
greater likelihood that instruction would be included in the
Individualized Educational Plans of kids.  The Superintendent of
the SChool for the Blind even worked with us this time.  (five
years ago, Dr. Welch led the opposition to a similar bill in
Maryland.)

In February we had the first hearing on the bill, in a senate
committee.  The school for the blind wanted a small amendment, and
the department of education wanted a major one.  The bill said that
"it is the presumption" that braille instruction would be given
under certain conditions.  The Education DEpartment wanted to just
say that braille would be considered in the formulation of the I E
P.

The Education Department got their way in the Senate, but we fought
harder in the House.  A few of us went to Annapolis another time to
inform the members of the house committe hearing the bill that if
they went along with the Senate amended version, we wanted a
further amendment that the rejection of braille instruction must be
documented, not just a check-off box on a form.  The House
committee asked for an attorney-general's opinion as to the
legality of a "presumption" in favor of braille, and would this
contradict the federal law about this being an individualized
plan.  The AG's office saw it our way, that there is already a
presumption in favor of print.  The House passed the unamended
version that we wanted. Now it was time to go back to the senate
committee, since this bill would have to go to conference committee
if differences continued to exist between the senate and house
versions.  Another trip to Annapolis, to talk to the members of the
senate committee; it looked promising that they would go along with
the house version, but not certain.

So last Monday we flooded those committee members with phone calls
asking them to support H.B.859.  By the end of the day, they did.

The association of school districts, association of school
superintendents were both opposed to the bill altogether, saying
they were already doing what it provided.  The education department
wanted to emasculate the bill with its amendments.  I think the NFB
did most of the work on this legislation, but the ACB did provide
some valuable testimony and some unity on this issue, and did not
waver in its support.  As I said at the beginning, the Senate has
now passed the unamended version as well.  The Governor still needs
to sign it.  More annual leave required to go to the signing
ceremony.

What will we get out of this bill?  School systems are going to
have a harder time if they try not to provide braille instruction
to kids who are having great difficulty working with print or have
such a prognosis.  Teachers of the blind (vision teachers) will
finally have to become certified in braille (not required
currently!).  LybCiC~?"~pow3e

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!109!432!Lloyd.Rasmussen
Internet: Lloyd.Rasmussen@f432.n109.z1.fidonet.org




------



Subject: Re: Word Perfect Docs
From: Ted.Filteau@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org (Ted Filteau)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:101/460.0 - VI/BUG, Holbrook MA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

 DC>  to read the manual."  Problem is, I can't seem to find the WP
 DC>  manuals in an accessible format.

Hi Debbie,
I got the wp51 manual from Arts computer which is now in Cambridge, Ma.
I also have heard that you can get it on disk from WP itself.  I forget
what Peter Durand is charging for it from Arts computer products.  I
haven't read the whole thing, it's fairly healthy.
Hope this helps,  Ted

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Internet: Ted.Filteau@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: tactile monitor
From: Steve.Matzura@f203.n2603.z1.fidonet.org (Steve Matzura)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:2603/203 - The Shop Mail Only, Flushing NY


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

TO: stefanis@ecst.csuchico.edu

 > I think that I have seen this product on Computer Cronicles (PBS TV
 > show) It was a few years ago. I liked the idea then and I like it
 > now, but make sure that you do a patent search so you don't step on
 > any toes. If there is no patent on it, make sure that you get one.

I wish you could have given us more information on this thing.  Is
it a pin-for-pixel monitoring scheme, in which case it would have
to be huge and hugely expensive.  Is it Braille on a 24 lines-by-80
columns display? Again, huge in size and expense--those dots aren't
cheap, they have to be dipped in a corrosion-retardant chemical
(usually gold-based--I saw bimorph-dipping being done at TSI).

 > This monitor could free lots of people from that damn Opticon
 > device that is so expencive.

The Optacon is fairly cheap for what it does--about three thousand
dollars. You cannot tell me seriously that a tactile monitor of any
size would be any cheaper.  But I'd still love to hear more about
it.

Steve Matzura

Via: FrontDoor 2.02

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Internet: Steve.Matzura@f203.n2603.z1.fidonet.org




------



Subject: nls tb update.
From: Steve.Matzura@f203.n2603.z1.fidonet.org (Steve Matzura)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:2603/203 - The Shop Mail Only, Flushing NY


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

 > squawk loudly if they drop cassettes.  Compact disks are *not*
 > portable.  You
 > can't drop a hand-full in to your purse, or tote bag, or whatever.

Cubic inch for cubic inch, CDs are more compact than cassettes.
You don't need those awful jewel-boxes, just a cardboard holder,
one for each disk, will do.  I receive an eight-CD set at my office
every month that comes in a carrying folder that's smaller than a
magazine.  That's eight discs, oodles and oodles of hours of
playing time on them!

 > You can't
 > ppack a walkman-sized unit in to the same receptical and be able to
 > "read"
 > where ever you go.

Then you haven't seen the portable CD players.  They're just a
little thicker than that jewel-box I mentioned above.

Steve Matzura

Via: FrontDoor 2.02

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                                ******

             End of Issue # 2592 of the Handicap Digest

                                ******
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU