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Date:         Fri, 10 Apr 1992 02:01:10 EDT
Reply-To:     Bill McGarry <wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com>
From:         Bill McGarry <wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com>
Subject:      Handicap Digest # 2571
X-To:         LHCAP <l-hcap@VM1.NODAK.EDU>

                          THE HANDICAP DIGEST

                               Issue # 2571

                           Friday, April 10, 1992

Today's Topics:


                                ******

                           Blink Talk Digest # 551

                          Re: voice computers or wh
                            Re: A C B CONVENTION
                               Re: Double Talk
                                   A.D.A.
                               Re: Doggie News
                         Sight-impaired technologies
                                VIBUG meeting
                           Re: nls tb developments
                            Re: JAILHOUSE BLINKS
                                   A.d.a.


                                ******


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Subject: Re: voice computers or wh
From: Daniel.Murphy@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org (Daniel Murphy)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:101/460.0 - VI/BUG, Holbrook MA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Actually, since I know next to nothing about the Amiga computer, I
can't say anything about it's speech capabilities.  I know the
Mackintosh has a speech synthisizer in it as well, but from what I
can gather, these are mainely for games, and other less important
things.  Probably your manuscripts didn't sound so hot because the
synthisizer isn't designed to read text well.  It can probably
handle a sentence or two, but really, I don't know.  Most speech
synthisizers except for maybe Dectalk, don't sound quite like real
human speech.  If you are working on a computer, and youare trying
to get something done, you usually aren't too picky about the
quality, just as long as the pronounciation is reasonable.  You can
also make the system spell a word or words if necessary.

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!101!460.0!Daniel.Murphy
Internet: Daniel.Murphy@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: A C B CONVENTION
From: Curtis.Delzer@f11.n203.z1.fidonet.org (Curtis Delzer)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:203/11 - The Broken Rose BBS, Sacramento CA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

The obvious advantage of the KPR is that you don't have to be a
computer wizzard to run it.  For all others including the PC-KPR
you must be able to run your own screen reading software package,
is not portable and I've experienced while reading with a computer
that the screen reading packages make the reading less natural than
the KPR.  so, now that I've put in my 2 cents, (which turned out to
be around 50 or so)  have a superlative day and keep reading!

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!203!11!Curtis.Delzer
Internet: Curtis.Delzer@f11.n203.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: Double Talk
From: Linda.Iverson@p0.f5109.n124.z1.fidonet.org (Linda Iverson)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:124/5109.0 - National Amputee Co, Dallas TX


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Phil, I am currently using DoubleTalk with ASAP.  I like DoubleTalk very
much.  I realize speech is subjective and what pleases my hearing may
not please someone else, but for its price I think it can't be beat, as
they say.  If you have questions call or we can go into chat mode if
you're available next time I call your board.
     Say hi to Sandy.
     Linda

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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!124!5109.0!Linda.Iverson
Internet: Linda.Iverson@p0.f5109.n124.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: A.D.A.
From: Carl.Zebooker@p7.f349.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Carl Zebooker)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:109/349.7 - PerManNet, Washington DC


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

This may already be obvious, but I think each sign should
have a "translation" to ensure that the sighted person who
may place or move it will know what it means.

I suggest mounting a Braille label on a plastic plaque with
a sight-accessible "translation."

Carl Z.

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!109!349.7!Carl.Zebooker
Internet: Carl.Zebooker@p7.f349.n109.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: Doggie News
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]

 CC> These dogs are *all* individuals.  What my dog or Carol's dog
 CC> or Willie's dog or anyone else's dog does or doesn't do or need
 CC> may be completely different from the behavior and needs of your
 CC> dog.

Carla,
    Your advice to Bill was of course excellent, and I couldn't agree
more that no matter what all the guide dog users here tell him, it will
be only of limited value till he goes through the training and receives
his pooch.  Not only are there very few hard and fast rules, each dog
and person is different, and thus the relationship in each case is quite
unique!
     For example, you explained to Bill how people food is a no no, and
how Chance developed an attraction to popcorn due to your room mates
feeding it to him while you were a college student.  Well, it is my
theory that this attraction is built into the canine species, and short
of a doggie lobotomy, there ain't no way you're going to get rid of this
one!  I never fed Strider or LeeRoy table scraps or anything like that,
but bring a bowl of Orville Reddenbacher out in front of either of them,
and it was starving labrador act time!  PPizza could sit on the coffee
table untouched and be basically ignored, and chips and dip didn't even
provoke a rise from the floor, but POPCORN...now that was a different
matter.
     Strider, as you insinuated, sort of learned that other people food
was in general not something he could even consider, while LeeRoy is
more specific in his descrimination.  That is, he has learned that
nothing in the kitchen is fair game, and most definitely, anything on
the coffee table is off limits, but untill recently, he must have
thought the end tables were ok territory!  I have never put the munchies
there myself, but at a board meeting of our VIPACE group here last
weekend, somebody decided to place the cheese dip on the end table.  A
few minutes later, one of the winks commented, "Oh, I guess LeeRoy likes
the dip!", and when I checked out the scene, he was standing there,
quite gently for him I might add, lapping up the mixture!
     He obviously got a reprimand that should implant in his mind the
fact that the end table is off limits as well, and I can guess by his
behavior that he won't make this mistake again.  Unlike his
predecessor, however, I don't think he'll ever make the global
conclusion that people food is a no no!
     I'm not trying to say that LeeRoy is stupider than Strider was, as
he honestly does learn some things very quickly, and some things he does
causes me to think I underestimate his cranium power.  He just doesn't
seem to be able to generalize very well though, and his avoidance of any
food substance seems based more upon where the item is than WHAT the
item is!
     Thank goodness he does seem to realize that the steak on that guys
plate next to us in the restaurant isn't a reward for him getting me to
the table in one piece, and even that it isn't polite to crawl under the
adjoining booth to get that french frie that somebody dropped, but
develope the overall conclusion that such things arn't for him in any
situation???  Well, I ain't holding my breath!

     Anyways, thanks for the excellent message Carla, and give old
Chance a pat for me, will ya?
                                                        Willie

... Have you smooched your pooch today?

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89!William.Wilson
Internet: William.Wilson@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Sight-impaired technologies
From: Chris.Shubert@p0.f810.n104.z1.fidonet.org (Chris Shubert)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:104/810.0 - Electronic Library, Denver CO


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Hello,

I am new to this conference, and not sight-impaired (unless you count
extreme but correctable nearsightedness).

I am looking for information regarding sight-impaired access technologies
for Unix systems.  I work for AT&T, and the information will be used to help
design a project called Operator Services for the Deaf, which expects to use
sight-impaired operators.

Any information or leads will be quite well appreciated.  Thank you in
advance.

Sincerely,

X

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!104!810.0!Chris.Shubert
Internet: Chris.Shubert@p0.f810.n104.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: VIBUG meeting
From: Jamal.Mazrui@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org (Jamal Mazrui)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:101/460.0 - VI/BUG, Holbrook MA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

The next meeting of VIBUG (Visually Impaired and Blind User Group)
will be held on Saturday, April 11 from 1 to 4 PM at National
Braille Press--located at 88 St. Stephen Street in Boston (phone
266-6160).

Tyler Carpenter, an engineer at the Institute on Applied Technology
at Children's Hospital, will demonstrate a computer system that may
be operated with voice input and output.  VoiceType is a new IBM
product that enables the user to control a computer through his or
her own verbal commands.  The computer will respond with high
quality synthetic speech, produced by the IBM Screen Reader
software and the MultiVoice speech synthesizer.

Articles are needed for Look and Feel, the newsletter of VIBUG and
the Disabled/Special Needs Group of the Boston Computer Society.
The average piece is about a page in length.  You can write about
experiences, opinions, or tips related to adaptive technology.  It
is a way of sharing information with others and becoming known as
an author or consultant, yourself.  Send submissions to

Charlotte Corbett, Editor Look and Feel Adaptive Computer Lab UMASS
Boston, Harbor Campus 100 Morrissey Blvd. Boston, MA  02125 Phone:
(617) 287-5227

	    For more information, contact:

	    Jamal Mazrui
	    VIBUG Director
	    745 Somerville Ave, Apt. 2
	    Somerville, MA  02143
	    Phone: (617) 666-9856

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!101!460.0!Jamal.Mazrui
Internet: Jamal.Mazrui@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org




------



Subject: Re: nls tb developments
From: Christopher.Hill@p233.f4115.n124.z1.fidonet.org (Christopher Hill)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:124/4115.233 - Southern Crossroads, Grapevine TX


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

 GP>      The Reader Project tried that and went nowhere.  I
 GP> tried sounding Baen of Baen books out and he expressed
 GP> grave concerns about copy protection problems.  Don't get
 GP> me wrong, I'm all for any system which will get more
 GP> books/magazines into our hands, as long as the
 GP> authors/publishers aren't screwed.  Got any ideas?

I could see where ascii formats could be useful for some
information-based book or magazine (non-fiction especially).  I've
scanned several books, myself, and I've got to say that it's almost
impossible to tie myself to the computer and get interested in a
book.  I've only had it happen for a few, Tom Clancy's Clear and
present danger being one of them.  A real human voice makes it much
more pleasant.  Maybe the one of the biggest problems with
synthesized voice for pleasure reading is that the computer can
never really get the stressed syllables right.  But maybe, what
about a system where the book was scanned, then a human or program
went into the text and inserted unseen synthesizer controls, so it
would sound more like a person...  No, I must be dreaming :-) Chris

... its only a hobby, only a hobby, only...

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!124!4115.233!Christopher.Hill
Internet: Christopher.Hill@p233.f4115.n124.z1.fidonet.org




------



Subject: Re: JAILHOUSE BLINKS
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]

this brings up the issue of "being treated the same as everyone
else", then i guess the blind convict has the right to read in
his/her medium, the right to participate equally in prison
activities such as machine shop, lwood crafts etc so if so, i
wonder if being "treated equally" means the prison must make
reasonable accomidations?  dan

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!203!11!Dan.Kysor
Internet: Dan.Kysor@f11.n203.z1.fidonet.org




------



Subject: A.d.a.
From: Roy.Zuvers@f333.n280.z1.fidonet.org (Roy Zuvers)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:280/333 - Sound Advice BBS, Gladstone MO


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Tim, I know that the ADA guide lines say that a sign for a room
should be on the latch side of the door or the closest wall to that
latch side if there isn't room on the wall in which the door is
located.  The center of the sign is to be sixty inches from the
floor.  I do not know if specific material is called for but a
quick call to David Andrews at the NFB's national braille and
technology center would give you more answers.  The number is:
410-659-9314.

Also, raised dot computing has a program which will put the dot
pattern out on a laser printer for a sign when you enter the print
text. Roy Zuvers

===
 * DeLuxe 1.21 #6289  Sysop not found! Please notify computer

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!280!333!Roy.Zuvers
Internet: Roy.Zuvers@f333.n280.z1.fidonet.org




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                                ******

             End of Issue # 2571 of the Handicap Digest

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