From: nmcb@dante.nmsu.edu (Yolanda Thompson)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Talking Books, Electronic Text Books, etc.
Keywords: Study Aids
Date: 30 Dec 92 15:28:59 GMT
Reply-To: nmcb@dante.nmsu.edu (Yolanda Thompson)
Organization: New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM
X-Fidonet: Blink Talk Conference
Originator: wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com

Index Number: 26919

In article <1992Dec27.160129.8905@panix.com> patth@panix.com
(Patt Bromberger) writes:
>Just wondering, for those who are attending classes, which textbooks
>you are using, how do you get them translated into braille or
>electronic text (scanner?) or do you use a human reader instead.
>
>Is anyone using a closed circuit television set to magnify text in
>regular text books?
>
>Does anyone have any experience ordering textbooks from Recording For
>The Blind in Princeton, New Jersey or any of their other offices?
>

Well, being a rehabilitation counselor, I can answer yes to all of
the questions...I have students using CCTV's, students using RFB,
and students using readers...Here's a little we've discovered about
each..

CCTV's are wonderful for those who can use them, and work well for
such sciences as Math, Chem, etc.  However, they are very slow, and
are not necessarily used at a competitive rate for studying...Plus,
eyes get tired, and it is nice to have an alternative media to fall
back on...The difficulty comes with someone who is "newly"
blinded...It is very, very difficult for them to make the
transition from learning  to absorb things visually to being able
to absorb them audibly...It is much easier to look at the equation
2x-3y/6 = "?" than it is to have someone interpret that
verbally...So, CCTV's prove good for assisting in that
transition...They are also wonderful for maps, diagrams, etc.

RFB...Well, it is much better than it was in its beginnings...If a
student can find their textbooks already recorded RFB is
fabulous..Often times, you can find your textbook or an earlier
copyright that means some of the text was simply cut and pasted in
different places...If RFB doesnt' have the book, it becomes time
consuming and "ify."  In order to have a textbook recorded by RFB,
you need to purchase 2 copies of your textbook in print and send to
them..This is for excellent reasons...They take 1 copy and tear it
into sections, and have different readers work on different
sections, they keep the other copy of your text in tact to
proofread what has been taped thus far...You get the "in tact" copy
of your textbook back...But, when we last checked with RFB (in
December of this year), they were estimating a 6-month lead time in
order to begin your textbook...Well, there isn't a way for my
students here to predict 6 months in advance (and obtain the book)
what text they are going to need...Professors change their mind
frequently, and use the latest copyrights...So, this ruled out RFB..WE
went to Disabled Student Services with the texts, and they are
beginning taping the books right now, so that by the time the
student begins her classes in January she may have enough information
to get her work done.

Readers are possibly the most efficient way to get yoru textbooks
done, however finding a good reader is difficult...Being a reader
for someone is very different than reading for yourself, simply
because when you read for yourself, you read what you feel is
important, often scanning the areas that you know arent'
crucial...But, when you read for a blind student you need to read
all the information that is there, and they'll decide what needs to
be skimmed over...I've been working with my secretary for 3 years,
and still occasionally when I'm installing software and don't have
access to speech, I have to remind her to read "the whole" screen
to me....It just takes training, and usually the money in it isn't
significant enough to keep good readers...

Braille textbooks..There aren't any...They stop with Braille
textbooks in highschools, if they even have them there...Many
states are working on a "Braille Bill" which mandates that
elementary and secondary schools make textbooks available in
Braille for their students...But, at college level I've never found
a Braille text...

  Hope this helps...