X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.3 PL11]
Approved-By:  Bill McGarry <wtm@SHELDEV.SHEL.ISC-BR.COM>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.l-hcap
Date:         Tue, 13 Oct 1992 02:00:27 EDT
Reply-To:     Bill McGarry <wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com>
From:         Bill McGarry <wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com>
Subject:      Handicap Digest # 2968

                             THE HANDICAP DIGEST

                                 Issue # 2968

                          Tuesday, October 13, 1992

Today's Topics:


                                ******


                                   Howdy!
                                    hello
                                VERSABRAILLE
                               On Signing....
                               Krown Research
                             Iowa Relay Service
                                 Need TDD ?
                          Close of Call for Papers
           Re: Wedding cake toppers w/bride & groom in wheelchairs


                                ******


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                              Bill McGarry (Moderator)
                              (203) 337-1518



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Subject: Howdy!
From: Ann.Sab@f603.n322.z1.fidonet.org (Ann Sab)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:322/603 - Alphaville, Worcester MA


[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

i'm deaf-blind user--the only deaf-blind one to use bbs's in my
area and already i'm very popular. i already madde friends here and
had a few sysops vist me. so dont be shy--just try it. i cant
waleither--am wheelchair bound. and yet i know how to conduct
myself.

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!322!603!Ann.Sab
Internet: Ann.Sab@f603.n322.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: hello
From: Ann.Sab@f603.n322.z1.fidonet.org (Ann Sab)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:322/603 - Alphaville, Worcester MA


[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

hi kim. i just noticed a message of yours to someone anwant to tell
you i could not resist. people ask me "do you want your
hearing/sight/balance back?" no!!!!!!! i want to stay this way. i
dont want my hearing because it can be very annoying--i dont have
to listen to ugly junk and i dont have to wqcatch ugly movies.
there are advantages and disadvantages.

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!322!603!Ann.Sab
Internet: Ann.Sab@f603.n322.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: VERSABRAILLE
From: Stu.Turk@p2.f26.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Stu Turk)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:129/26.2 - SoundingBoard, Pittsburgh PA


[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

AS>SURE. A VERSABRAILLE IS COMBINATION CASSETTE RECORDER AND

 ML>  So, am I understanding this correctly, this plastic plate then
 ML> makes the  braille combinations, how big is it?  How many
 ML> characters across is it?  Can you describe it a little bit more?
 ML>  How fast does it change from one  screen to the next?  etc...

  The one I saw looked pretty much like the TDD we use except that
instead of the LED letters, it has 6-dot braille 'cells' moving
across the screen, teletype fashion.  I think the braille cell was
about the same size as our LED letters and the one line display held
about the same number of characters.
   Note that not all deaf/blind people can use a versibraille.  Some
can't feel the braille dots and even many of those who can cannot
read it fast enough because, unlike regular braille on paper were
you set your own reading speed, the versibraille display moves at
the speed of the person typing to you.

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!26.2!Stu.Turk
Internet: Stu.Turk@p2.f26.n129.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: On Signing....
From: Ann.Stalnaker@f2120.n124.z1.fidonet.org (Ann Stalnaker)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:124/2120 - Fingers Talk, Irving TX


[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

 KK> It's interesting that there's a Deaf Culture, but there seems to be no
 KK> Blind Culture---at least not in the same way.
 KK> Regardless of what the Deaf Community thinks, deafness
 KK> is definitely a handicap that can be potentially
 KK> dangerous.  Hearing is a sense that's necessary for our
 KK> safety as well as for communication.  For example, the
 KK> rattling of a poisonous rattlesnake is a danger signal
 KK> that's a slight sound, not a loud, vibrating sound.
 KK> I've had people pull me aside very roughly to avoid
 KK> dangers that I could not hear.

I've found out that the Deaf Culturists do not feel deafness is a
disability.  It really is, an invisible one.  But, it doesn't have
to be potentially dangerous because one can be trained to become
very alert.  I think this is also one reason why many of us are
under a great deal of stress and often become mentally exhausted
by the end of the week (such as on Friday...for example, I'm often
so exhausted that night I can't even lipread anymore!).  I sometimes
wonder if one of my eyes is spotted going one direction and the other
the opposite way!  (grin)  To be honest, I've always been very alert.
That brings to mind the first and only (knock on wood) time I've
been stopped by a police officer (actually, it was a police woman).
I've had my driver's license since I was 15 years old and had been
driving for 25 years when I was stopped just after going through
a double yellow light in a major intersection going home after work.
I was tired, suffering from a bad cold, and the sun was in my eyes.
Well, here comes the flashing red light of the police car...so I
pull over.  In OK, the cops don't get out of their cars, you have
to get out of yours and go to the police car.  She asked me if I
knew I went through a red light and I explained to her they were
yellow, not red.  She then asked me for my driver's license.  I
told her I was hearing impaired and this was the first time I had
ever been stopped in the 25 years I had been driving.  She then
wrote up a ticket on me (GRRRRRR!) and turned to look at me and
said, "I'd like to commend you for being very alert.  You pulled
over right after I turned the lights on."  I thanked her and got
out.  GRRRR!  Didn't feel too bad after I found out at the office
the next day that I was one of five she had stopped and given a
ticket to from our office.  It was a trap.

Anyway, to get back to deafness being a potentially dangerous
disability.  We can't avoid every day living because we can't
hear but I do believe we can avoid certain known hazards such
as heavy machinery work, etc.  I don't fear anything and I
do everything and have done everything but then I'm very
independent, perhaps too much so at times.  I don't let anyone
tell me I can't do this because I can't hear, there are always
other alternatives.

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!124!2120!Ann.Stalnaker
Internet: Ann.Stalnaker@f2120.n124.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Krown Research
From: Ann.Stalnaker@f2120.n124.z1.fidonet.org (Ann Stalnaker)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:124/2120 - Fingers Talk, Irving TX


[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

I have just been informed that Krown Research has gone belly up.
I have also been informed that AT&T will still repair or provide
names of technicians who repair Krown units.

Looks like UltraTec is the major TDD/TT manufacturer right now.
Perhaps soon the video phones will be perfected (I saw a demo of
one not long ago and while the screen was a little jerky, it was
nice.)  I suspect laptops and CPU's will be taking the place of
TDD/TT's sooner than we think.

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!124!2120!Ann.Stalnaker
Internet: Ann.Stalnaker@f2120.n124.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Iowa Relay Service
From: Ann.Stalnaker@f2120.n124.z1.fidonet.org (Ann Stalnaker)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:124/2120 - Fingers Talk, Irving TX


[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

 KK> Your comments brought to mind an article in HEARING HEALTH Magazine
 KK> (August/Sept 1992) (formerly VOICE) entiled 'The Sonic Challenge,' by
 KK> David Coco.  The Sonic is a drive-in hamburger joint
 KK> where you order from an intercom box.  That's the only
 KK> way you can order---you can't walk up to the window to
 KK> order.  The article is very humorous with the trials and tribulations of
 KK> a hungry man trying to order his food.  He used his
 KK> finger on the box to feel the vibrations and to sort of
 KK> 'finger-read' the responses.  It wasn't always
 KK> successful.  Once one night he ordered and waited and
 KK> waited and waited.  One by one the other cars left
 KK> until he was the only one in the parking lot.  Finally
 KK> a man came out of the Sonic building and told him that
 KK> he told him 5 times already that they were closed!
 KK> The Sonic joints are found in Texas (where else!).

Karen, The Sonic has been around for years and is a nationwide
franchise.  I believe it was started on the east coast some 40+
years ago.  In fact, their carhops used to wear roller skates
to tote the meals out to the cars.  We do have a lot of them in
Texas as well as in OK, AR, LA, MO and many other states.  I
love their cherry limeades.  There are quite a few drive-ins
that use the intercom system nowadays and I just pull in and
flip the light on (the one that is used to pick up the trays)
and here they come running to my car.  (grin)  It works every
time.  Ah, life is hard in the valley of carhops!

 KK> Didn't you say you had no really 'usable' hearing that
 KK> you could make sense of?   That should be INTERESTING!
 KK> I wish now I had tried the AudioLink device at the Iowa
 KK> SHHH convention.  I have heard recently that they are
 KK> better than the FM systems with better sound and
 KK> clarity.  Oh well, maybe next time.

I cannot distinguish between the sounds in the voice range but
when it comes to different musical instruments, I usually can
recognize what they are, with the exception of the high frequency
sounds of the horns and string instruments.  I guess what I'm
trying to say is I hear all of the low frequency sounds, some
louder than the average hearing range.  When I am attending a
musical play or concert and sitting quite a ways from the stage,
earphones do help amplify the sound for me.  I've always been
able to recognize the beat and have lots of rhythm.  I love to
dance.  Live music, especially jazz, rock, etc., is easier for me
to hear.  (mostly vibration)  My type of hearing loss is very
difficult to explain and is so very puzzling to audiologists
and otologists due to the quality of my voice and to this
day, they are not sure my audiograms are exactly accurate
as they feel I along with my brother and sister must hear
more than the tests show.  I really don't let it concern
me.

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!124!2120!Ann.Stalnaker
Internet: Ann.Stalnaker@f2120.n124.z1.fidonet.org




------



Subject: Need TDD ?
From: cynthia@homxa.att.com (Cynthia Jeffery)
Organization: AT&T





Do you need information about these devices:
                            TDD's
                            Vibrating
                            Clocks
                            Phone signals

Please give me your full name and address and I will be
happy to send you copies of flyers including prices.

homxa!cynthia
TDD - 908-949-4571

FAX - 908-949-6825






------



Subject: Close of Call for Papers
From: VFOAO073@VAX.CSUN.EDU (Harry Murphy)

The closing date for the CALL FOR PAPERS for CSUN's mini-conference
on Virtual Reality and Disability is October 15.  The conference
itself will be held in Los Angeles, March 17-20, 1993.  Last year's
conference was keynoted by Jaron Lanier of VPL and a conference
Proceedings of a dozen papers was published (one copy free for
the asking via email).

Anyone with an interest in presenting a paper should give their
fax number.

                          CONFERENCE INFORMATION

CSUN's Eighth Annual, International Conference, "Technology and
Persons with Disabilities," March 17-20, 1993, Los Angeles Airport
Marriott Hotel.  Features special sessions on Virtual Reality, and
Speech Recognition.

For information:  Dr. Harry Murphy, California State University, Northridge,
18111 Nordhoff Street - DVSS, Northridge, CA 91330, Phone: 818 885 2578;
FAX: 818 885 4929.  EMAIL: VR@VAX.CSUN.EDU





------



Subject: Re: Wedding cake toppers w/bride & groom in wheelchairs
From: GODS%IRTCORK.bitnet@HEARN.nic.SURFnet.nl (Chris)
Organization: Regional Technical College, Cork, Ireland

Dawn,
Perhaps you could get someone who does cake decorating to make the
toppers from icing.  I made a (regular) bride and groom from piped
royal icing for a friend's wedding cake.  I think that's called
filligree work.  You could also make runouts of the bride and
groom. i.e. draw the outline of the bride on paper, cover with waxed
paper and fill in the design with slightly runny royal icing.  When
dry peel off paper, turn figure over and do the other side.  Some
American book (think it was The Wilton Way of Cake Decorating) I read
called this 'color-flo icing'.  A good cake decorator would know more
about this stuff and could hopefully come up with a solution to your
problem.    Best of luck.

Chris (gods@irtcork)




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                  End of Issue # 2968 of the Handicap Digest

                                ******