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Approved-By:  Bill McGarry <wtm@SHELDEV.SHEL.ISC-BR.COM>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.l-hcap
Date:         Mon, 13 Apr 1992 16:15:36 EDT
Reply-To:     Bill McGarry <wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com>
From:         Bill McGarry <wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com>
Subject:      Handicap Digest # 2576
X-To:         LHCAP <l-hcap@VM1.NODAK.EDU>

                          THE HANDICAP DIGEST

                               Issue # 2576

                           Monday, April 13, 1992

Today's Topics:


                                ******

                           Blink Talk Digest # 556

                     modified Ametter, rf watt meter etc
                         Sight-impaired technologies
                            Restaurant Etiquette
                           Blind fold the sighted
                       Re: Electric cars and the blind
                                 school idea
                          Anybody who is deaf-blind
                                 Double talk
                              Blindness classic
                               dog guide rules


                                ******


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Subject: modified Ametter, rf watt meter etc
From: Walter.Siren@p18.f5.n396.z1.fidonet.org (Walter Siren)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:396/5.18 - Pontchippi, New Orleans LA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Well, Scott, I have never seen a talking swr meter, or even any
kind of modified swr meter.  Science products use to modify
equipment for the blind, but I don't even know if they still
exist.  Radio shack has a talking volt ohm meter, but I have not
seen it.  I heard that it works good, but I can't vouch for that.
Science products for the blind, was right out of Philidelphia,
Pensylvania.  I haven't had anything to do with them for sometime
now, so maybe someone else can tell you if they still exist.

               Walter

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Subject: Sight-impaired technologies
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]

As you may already know, some people with sight impairments
use speech synthesis, while others use text magnification.

The author of ZoomText, the text magnification TSR I use,
may have, or be interested in creating, a Unix version.

      Mr. Ben Weiss
      AI Squared
      1463 Hearst Drive, NE
      Atlanta, GA       30319
      (404) 233-7065

If he is not planning a Unix version, he may know of one or
more currently available.

The Federal Government has an office which makes various
pieces of adaptive technology available for Federal
employees to try out.  People there may have information
useful to you.

I hope this is helpful.

Carl Z.

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Subject: Restaurant Etiquette
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]

 >>David, of late, I've found myself getting blatantly brave when
 >>going out to eat, either at a restaurant or for a special occasion.
 >> Wanna know how??  I ask upon ordering that the food be cut!
 > Paul,
 > avo for you.  that's not something I would want to do all the time
 > either, but there are certainly times when it really helps.

One of those times is >>>DEFINITELY<<< when I've got good clothes
on--I hate spotting ties and white shirts with drippy splattery
things, and I develop a hole in my lip at the darndest times when
drinking coffee, and boy does that stuff stain!

Steve Matzura

Via: FrontDoor 2.02

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Subject: Blind fold the sighted
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]

 >      No, blindness might not be an invisible disability in all cases,
 > or
 > even in most cases given a long enough exposure, but I simply can't
 > buy
 > your argument that it NEVER is!

OK, you brought up excellent exceptions to my argument, all of
which I agree with.  I was thinking of the totally blind person who
doesn't make eye contact or doesn't always look in the correct
direction when speaking to someone because they moved in a flash
from one point to another, or the person with deformed eyes that
just don't look right, that's what I had in mind when I wrote my
piece.  Also, wrongly so probably, I tend to think of the word
"blind" as meaning exactly that--anything other than stone-blind to
me is somewhat partially sighted, even if the "partial" is measured
in five decimal points.

Steve Matzura

Via: FrontDoor 2.02

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Subject: Re: Electric cars and the blind
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]

 PR> From: pjr@arctic.princeton.edu (Peter Rayner)
 PR> Message-ID: <20606@handicap.news>
 PR> Index Number: 20606

 PR> The recent thread on the supposed threat of emergent graphical user
 PR> interfaces started me thinking about anticipating the dangers of
 PR> new technology.  Things like capacitive touch panels (those things
 PR> you put your finger near rather than on to activate) were a good
 PR> example of genuinely difficult technology.  These can be worked
 PR> around and are becoming unfashionable anyway.  I did manage to come
 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.

 PR> Being an ivory tower university type I've been runnning into these
 PR> things (pun intended) for a decade now.  They have frequently
 PR> reminded me that crossing even quiet roads on campus is not a good
 PR> time for intellectual deliberation.  Because of legislative and
 PR> opinion changes these things are about to get a good deal more
 PR> common.  If you haven't come across them, these things are QUIET.
 PR> I have had their sound masked just by conversations going on around
 PR> me.

Couple of things I can think of:  1.  Make them come equipped with
some sort of constant whistle, this would not only be good for the
blind, but also for the sighted who happened to not be paying
attention, as well as maybe cutting down the number of animals
ashed by these machines.

Seems the major problem is the warning time will be decreased.
Maybe something could be done through ada here.  And no, I'm not
kidding about the whistle,  I believe it could be done.  No special
equipment needed by the pedestrian.

 Later..
 Chris

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

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Internet: Christopher.Hill@p233.f4115.n124.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: school idea
From: Shawn.Keen@f7014.n124.z1.fidonet.org (Shawn Keen)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:124/7014 - The Soft-Ware Haven, Rowlett TX


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

I had a idea while sitting in my 12th grade child developement class.
why not have a class that tought braille to sighted people.
as an elective.
what do you all thank.

--
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Internet: Shawn.Keen@f7014.n124.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Anybody who is deaf-blind
From: Brenda.Mueller@f1055.n261.z1.fidonet.org (Brenda Mueller)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:261/1055 - The Keeping Room, Baltimore MD


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Yes, Bill, you are quite right.  My association with the deaf-blind
has been with those who have lost their hearing at a later age, and
therefore, my knowledge of people born deaf-blind is limited as my
question obviously demonstrated.  If the person in question doesn't
know the alphabet then why he can't use a computer is rather
obvious.  Also based on what you describe, he hasn't really
mastered language as such.  I am verry much aware of the importance
hearing and sight play in the acquisition of language, particularly
hearing, since I speak a foreign language with some degree of
fluency.  I am not deaf but blind, and I know that hearing played a
major role in the learning of that language, especially when I was
in that country hearing the language twenty-four hours a day and
interacting with the people.  I was wondering, though, oral aspects
aside, if all people deaf-blind from birth are as restricted in
their use of communication systems as the individual you mentioned,
or does it depend on several factors such as the time at which
training starts, the duration of it, etc.  Obviously, for such a
person to have the possibility of acquiring communication skills,
the training would have to be highly individualized, intensive, and
start at an early age, say two or three.  The next question would
be how well the education system was set up to provide this training.o
How well it was set up would be governed by the attitudes of the people
providing the education oh, and let's not forget,the funds
available for such a project.  What have you found to be true in
this kind of situation?

Sounds as if you were in an interesting field.  Computers seem to
change so quickly, I guess you reps had to study and learn new
things all of the time.  Never a dull moment, eh?

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.  They really are
questions and not intended to be argumentative at all.  Have a good
day.  Brenda

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Internet: Brenda.Mueller@f1055.n261.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Double talk
From: Stew.Bowden@f6.n377.z1.fidonet.org (Stew Bowden)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:377/6 - T.A.B.B., Tampa Fl


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Hi Phil: nice to say hello again, and about doubletalk, I've heard
it but never tried it. It becomes a rather expensive investment,
especially if one invests in the software as well. Why can't
programers keep that issue in mind? Most of us invested in
computers, speech synthesizers, and speech software two three or
five years ago. Now, we're suddenly being asked to forgo those
earlier investments, flush them down the drain, and start over.
Will we be expected to do it all over again in the next five years.
Man! that gets to be a rather expensive bummer. Anyway, that's a
rather longwinded way of saying I've heard it but haven't worked
with it. Stew

===
 * SLMR 2.1a *

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Subject: Blindness classic
From: Bill.Reif@f12.n233.z1.fidonet.org (Bill Reif)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:233/12 - The Temples of Syri, Springfield IL


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

     In a message of 3-19-92, John Sanfilippo of the Event Horizon writes:

JS> I'd be interested in compiling a list of the ten most
JS> informative, most wanted, most necessary, etc., etc., books or
JS> magazines or articles or essays which deal with blindness.
JS>
JS> If you had to pick ten books, or even just one book about or by
JS> blindness or blind people, what would you suggest is a "must
JS> read" for anyone interested in the subject? For instance, I
JS> might choose Dialogue Magazine and a book called "The Making of Blind
Men"  (don't know the author, <blush>).

     For a comprehensive understanding of the historical issues
affecting the blind, (as opposed to some "expert"'s writings or
an autobiography, the "must-read" is a book entitled "Walking Alone and
Marching Together", written by Dr. Floyd Matson.  This book chronicles
the 50-year history of the organized blindness movement in this country
from its beginnings in 1941, through its successes and failures,
(including a detailed description of the "civil war" from both
perspectives) to a description of our status today.  This book is unique
in that it is the first comprehensive research chronicling our history
from the blinds' point of view, and therefore is the first book which
recognizes our role in meeting the challenges that face us and shaping
public attitudes about blindness.  This book, published in 1991, is
available in print in many libraries throughout the country, and may also
be available on cassette through NLS.  Both the print and cassette
versions are available for purchase at a cost of $33 through the National
Federation of the Blind's National Center for the blind, 1800 Johnston
St, Baltimore, Md 21230.  Although this is written as a refference book,
I know several people who have read it cover-to-cover and were very
impressed with it.  Several prominent bline people of the period are
quoted, demonstrating the degree to which the organized blind have
paralelled the Civil Rights movement.
___
 X BABBLE v1.0 X The NFB is changing what it means to be blind.

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Subject: dog guide rules
From: Bill.Reif@f12.n233.z1.fidonet.org (Bill Reif)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:233/12 - The Temples of Syri, Springfield IL


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

     In a message of 3-23-92 responding to your excellent post to Bill
Cappleman, legal Eagle writes:

LE>      As a ten-year dog veteran , I could not agree with your post more.
LE>
LE> I only wish there had been more
LE> explanation forthcoming, and that the instructors gave the dogs and we
LE> students the credit we deserve.

     The board through which I access the echo encourages the use of
aliases; and my off-line reader inserted the alias when I had        red
to do some editing.  I am Bill REif, the author of the message from
"Legal Eagle".  I am fairly new to this echo, FidoNet, and the use of
this off-line reader.  It was not my intention to use an alias here.

     For those who are curious: I am an attorney with the Illinois
Attorney General's Consumer Protection Devision.  (Thus: my local alias.)
 I am following, with interest, the discussion regarding the deceptive
TSI advertisement.  I would like to know whether this add has been
circulated anywhere in Illinois.
___
 X BABBLE v1.0 X Error 216: Tagline out of paper.

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                                ******

             End of Issue # 2576 of the Handicap Digest

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