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Date:         Fri, 10 Apr 1992 00:45:28 EDT
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From:         Bill McGarry <wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com>
Subject:      Handicap Digest # 2566
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                          THE HANDICAP DIGEST

                               Issue # 2566

                           Tuesday, April 07, 1992

Today's Topics:


                                ******

                           Blink Talk Digest # 548

                         Re: Blind fold the sighted
                             Re: New Technology
                         Re: Voice computers or what
                           Voice computers or what
                           Voice computers or what
                           Ada And Money Printing
                              Discover Article
                                 Re: Survey
                    wanted: Blind man computer tools inf
                                 Re: Survey


                                ******


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                              Bill McGarry (Moderator)
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Subject: Re: Blind fold the sighted
From: Ann.Lemke@f9.n381.z1.fidonet.org (Ann Lemke)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:381/9 - Sky's The Limit BBS, El Paso TX


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Hi Roy,
Your comments were so complete that I can really add nothing.
Simulating sensory impairments (blindness or deafness) or learning
disabilities or other cognitive impairments usually does more harm than
good as you have pointed out.  I believe this sort of "show and tell"
does no good and a great deal of harm to the dignity of disabled
persons.  I heard of a sensitivity activity once that I thought really
did sound good.  It was a road rally where each team had a sighted
driver and a blind "navigator"; i.e., the blind person had the braille
instructions for the route and the sighted driver had to rely on his
ability to communicate with the blind navigator to get the instructions.
That sort of thing that teaches cooperation between the disabled and
non-disabled is positive and certainly imparts messages about the
disability experience.
Ann

--
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Internet: Ann.Lemke@f9.n381.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: New Technology
From: Ann.Lemke@f9.n381.z1.fidonet.org (Ann Lemke)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:381/9 - Sky's The Limit BBS, El Paso TX


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

As I'm sure you'll also hear this from others, the absolutely greatest
need is access to graphics-based programs/operating systems.
Ann

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!381!9!Ann.Lemke
Internet: Ann.Lemke@f9.n381.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: Voice computers or what
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]

Hi.  I thought I had sent a reply, but then I remember that I
accidentally trashed the reply file, so here it is.  from my
experience, most speech programs that run with computers need to do
a bit more then just speek what the person types.  the usual way it
is done is that there is a speech synthisizer which works in
conjunction with a screen reader program.  the screen reader
program tells the user information like attributes, and location of
characters on the screens.  From what I have seen, and that's
rather limited to 2 programms, there are usually 2 modes of
operation.  Screen review, in which the screen is frozen so the
user can look carefully at a part of the screen, or all of it, and
an interactive, or communications mode in which the user can
interact with the computer and the speech system will speak what is
coming in.  I am using a program called Softvert, and the only
other one I have seen is Flipper.  there are numerous speech
systems used here, so hopefully you will get lots of feedback from
users about how they do it.

--
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: Voice computers or what
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]

 > I sent a message that never got answered, sob, sob. Someone on
 > another echo who is dyslexic and has vision problems was interested
 > in knowing what kind of computers people with serious sight porblems
 > use. Thanx.

If they have >some< sight, a Macintosh might do them better because
you get a wider variety of type fonts from which to choose, and
those large paperwhite monitors are real easy to read.

Stuff like that's also available for the IBM Personal COmputer (and
100% compatibles, of course), if you can deal with running Windows,
which is a hellish process in and of itself.

If you're totally blind, it's either an Apple or a PC, or a Mac
using Outspoken if you're really brave and want to get involved
with new and as yet unpolished technology.

Steve Matzura

Via: FrontDoor 2.02

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




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Subject: Voice computers or what
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]

I use a text magnification program called "ZoomText."  Some
other text magnification programs are "InFocus" and "PC
Lens." There are more, but I don't know their names.

If your friend has usable sight, try issuing the following
command at the DOS prompt:

      mode con: cols=40

This will configure the display for 40 columns, and display larger characters.

If your friend requires speech synthesis, some of the
popular programs are "VocalEyes," "Artic," "Jaws," and
"DoubleTalk."

Since I don't use speech synthesis, I can't be of much more
help here.  Scan the topics of messages for the names of
speech synthesis packages.

I hope this helps.

Carl Z.

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Internet: Carl.Zebooker@p7.f349.n109.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Ada And Money Printing
From: Darrell.Shandrow@f59.n114.z1.fidonet.org (Darrell Shandrow)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:114/59 - Bob's Place, Mesa AZ


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

I feel that it should be required that new paper bills have a
braille indication as to their denomination.  73

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!114!59!Darrell.Shandrow
Internet: Darrell.Shandrow@f59.n114.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Discover Article
From: Nancy.Feldman@p0.f605.n105.z1.fidonet.org (Nancy Feldman)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:105/605.0 - Purgatory BBS, Salem OR


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

A friend of mine told me that he saw an article in the December Discover
discussing speech software that allowed the blind computer user to use
Windows and other similar programs.  Does anyone have a copy of this
article in a format I can read?  Does anyone know which speech synthesizers
the program would work with?  Does anyone know anythig about this?

 * SLMR 2.1a * Warfare is the most important stat!

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!105!605.0!Nancy.Feldman
Internet: Nancy.Feldman@p0.f605.n105.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: Survey
From: David.Tanner@f168.n129.z1.fidonet.org (David Tanner)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:129/168 - Braille Bank BBS, Pittsburgh PA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

 >shaving my face, slicing my baked potato, dialing my phone, etc., so I
 >guess I shouldn't be surprised that higher level courses like liquid
 >pouring would be included in their rehab program!
 >
 >     Seriously, I don't really mean to sound THAT sarcastic, and I
 >suppose there are cases where things like this need to be taught, but I
 >honestly feel that in many cases rehab organizations spend alot of time
 >teaching things that simply seldomly need to be taught!

I guess that is a tough one to decide.  I consider myself pretty
well adjusted to my blindness, but dammed if I will go out to eat
and have a baked potato because I can't manage the thing without
making a fool of myself.  And, I don't care whether the president
of the U. S. is at my table I still use the finger technique to
find out if the cup is full or not.  But, then I never had any real
formal rehab training.  But, I have attended a lot of important
dinners with a lot of sighted people and have never had anyone make
any kind of comment about my checking the liquid level with my
finger or asked why I had french fries with my steak.  Guess we all
learn to adapt one way or another?

        D. T.

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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!168!David.Tanner
Internet: David.Tanner@f168.n129.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: wanted: Blind man computer tools inf
From: David.Tanner@f168.n129.z1.fidonet.org (David Tanner)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:129/168 - Braille Bank BBS, Pittsburgh PA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

In response to your request for information on talking computers
for blind persons I would suggest that the number of software and
hardware solutions to this problem is far to big to attempt to
answer in one message.  If you can get your name and address or
phone number to me I will be glad to provide you with information
on speech hardware and software vendors and whatever other
information you might need on this subject.  There are now more
than 10 speech software packages for the MS DOS based computer, 3
speech packages for the Apple IIE GS, and 1 speech package for the
Apple Mac.  Speech also exists for the Comodor Amiga.  More than 12
speech hardware systems exist with costs starting at less than $100
UP TO $3000 with speech quality from very poor to very human
sounding.

        You may contact me at:

David Tanner (412) 221-2200 or (412) 655-0257 or write me at
Greater Pittsburgh Guild For The Blind, 311 Station Street,
Bridgeville Pa. 15017

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!168!David.Tanner
Internet: David.Tanner@f168.n129.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: Survey
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]

 DT>     myself pretty well adjusted to my blindness, but dammed if
 DT>  I will go out to eat and have a baked potato because I can't
 DT>  manage the thing without making a fool of myself.

David,
    Hey, this is Willie you're talking to!  I too eat alot of french
fries when I got winks sitting all around me!
    Actually, the potato the Guild used to train me with was cold, and
it was supposed to simulate cutting a hunk of meat!!!  Hey, I couldn't
handle baked potatos when I was sighted!

 DT>  don't care whether the president of the U. S. is at my table I
 DT>  still use the finger technique to find out if the cup is full
 DT>  or not.  But, then I never had any real formal rehab training.

Tell you what...I don't think there IS any way a rehab agency could
teach us anything in this line that would modify our behavior, be it
the finger technique or drinking 8 one quarter cups of coffee instead of
two full cups, which is what I usually end up doing trying to be on the
safe side!

 DT>  asked why I had french fries with my steak.  Guess we all
 DT>  learn to adapt one way or another? D. T.

Yep, that's what I was trying to say!
    If rehab agencies would spend more time training us in things like
computers and resume writing, we could all go out there, get high paying
jobs, and tip so well that nobody would say anything if we stuck our
faces in the soup bowl just like our dogs!
                                                        Willie

... If you're looking for blind people you came to the right place!

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




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                                ******

             End of Issue # 2566 of the Handicap Digest

                                ******
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