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Approved-By:  Bill McGarry <wtm@SHELDEV.SHEL.ISC-BR.COM>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.l-hcap
Date:         Fri, 16 Oct 1992 01:32:21 EDT
Reply-To:     Bill McGarry <wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com>
From:         Bill McGarry <wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com>
Subject:      Handicap Digest # 2976

                             THE HANDICAP DIGEST

                                 Issue # 2976

                         Thursday, October 15, 1992

Today's Topics:


                                ******


                              Re: HELL or NOT?
                                  Aging....
                               Re: PC as TDD?
                     Telecomm Policy Training Invitation
                          Re: ASL, SEE, PSE, etc...
                   Traumatic Brain Injuries - info wanted
                             Autoimmune Disease
                                  Neck Pain


                                ******


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Subject: Re: HELL or NOT?
From: Tony.Young@f304.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Tony Young)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:109/304 - WID East, Springfield VA


[This is from the Spinal Injury Conference]

In a message on <Oct 05 12:21>, Tim Syfert (1:114/15) muses:

TS> AH>> P.S.  Quadriplegia is no gift.  Quadriplegia with pain is
 TS> AH>> hell onearth.  Dependence and discomfort - what a
 TS> AH>> combination!
 TS>
 TS> DJ> It isn't that bad and you know it.
 TS>

 TS> Careful Derek,

 TS> had the pain problem, but after almost 20 years as a quad it
 TS> comes
 TS> close to hell. It may not seem bad to you now <which seems hard

I've been a quad for 22 years, and it's not all that bad. It's a problem when
things go wrong, especially when I have problems with an attendent, but
otherwise it's a life. It beats not having a life.

 TS> a sense of humor is always a plus.

This is for sure. There are times when life gets so absurd that a sense of
humor is a necessity. Just ask John Callahan!

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!109!304!Tony.Young
Internet: Tony.Young@f304.n109.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Aging....
From: Joe.Chamberlain@p1.f175.n150.z1.fidonet.org (Joe Chamberlain)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:150/175.1 - Busted Flush BBS, New Castle DE


[This is from the Spinal Injury Conference]

In a message to Keith Jones <01 Oct 92 10:46> Patti Bader wrote:

 PB> yourself to the shower?  I use a board
 PB> transfer and have a difficult time by
 PB> myself, what with sticking to the board,

I use a teflon coated board for the shower.  I found that a wet
towel on the board would slide or atbest prevent the sticking.

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!150!175.1!Joe.Chamberlain
Internet: Joe.Chamberlain@p1.f175.n150.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: PC as TDD?
From: nff2355@dsacg2.dsac.dla.mil (Dale Pennington)
Organization: Defense Logistics Agency Systems Automation Center, Columbus


From article <24770@handicap.news>, by WJM@utrc.utc.com (Bill):
>
> Now for my question:
>
> Is there a product available (or plans for a kit), that would allow
> me to use my PC as a TDD device?
>

Bill,

There are two such devices, that I know of.

The IBM PhoneCommunicator can be used as a TDD or slow modem,
displays both sides of a conversation on the screen at once, can
automatically dial numbers, can interpret signals from a tone phone
at the other end into words, is able to answer automatically, and
more.

To order a PhoneCommunicator convenience kit, part number 6450618
call:  (800) 426-3388 (Continental USA Voice)
       (800) 426-3383 (Continental USA TDD)
       (800) 465-1234 (Canada)

To obtain your free copy of the IBM Personal Computing Catalog and
the name of your nearest dealer, call (800) 426-2468.

For more information contact:

     IBM Special Needs Information Referral Center
     P.O. Box 2150
     Atlanta, GA  30301-2150
     USA Phone:  (800) 426-2133 (voice)
                 (800) 284-9482 (TDD)

You may also wish to ask them for "Resource Guide for Persons with
Hearing Impairments".


A somewhat more inexpensive solution is the Microflip mic300i
board.  This too has many features including slow modem, TDD,
dialing, saving conversations, viewing both sides on screen at one
time, and more.

While I am not recommending anything, this happens to be the one I
chose to be able to communicate with our hearing impaired customers,
and it does the job well.  For more info contact:

     Microflip Inc.
     11213 Petsworth Lane
     Glenn Dale, MD  20769
     Phone:  (301) 262-6020 (voice)
             (301) 262-1629 (TDD)

If I can be of any further help contact me at the e-mail address
below.


Dale Pennington
Internet:  dpennington@dsac.dla.mil





------



Subject: Telecomm Policy Training Invitation
From: janina@netcom.com (Janina Sajka)
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest)

This coming Tuesday, 20 October, World Institute on Disability will
conduct a day-long training session on policy issues concerning
disabled people's access to telecommunication technologies.  You
are invited to come and participate.

     WHEN:          8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
                    Tuesday, 20 October 1992

     WHERE:         Summit North Room
                    Ramada Inn
                    1870 Old Hudson Road
                    St. Paul, Minnesota
                    (612) 735-2330

                    This Ramada Inn is located at the intersection of
                    I-94 and White Bear Avenue east of downtown St. Paul

To reserve your place in this meeting, please

     CONTACT:       Linda Koerner
                    Minnesota STAR Program
                    (612) 296-2771 (Voice)
                    (612) 296-9962 (TDD)

This training session is the first in a series of similar sessions
which will be held in several locations around the nation.  These
sessions have been planned to provide people from different
disability constituencies with a comprehensive overview of both the
technological and policy issues affecting all disabled people's
access to telecommunication services and products.The sessions are
intended to train individuals to participate more effectively in
statewide and national telecommunication policy issues.

The Minnesota training session has been organized by the STAR
Program of the Governor's Advisory Council on Technology for People
with Disabilities and will be hosted by U S West.  The agenda
appears below.


                     AGENDA

Regional Training Session on Telecommunications Policy

           BLUE RIBBON PANEL PROJECT
          WORLD INSTITUTE ON DISABILITY

                October 20, 1992

Summit North Room:
 8:30 a.m.     Continental Breakfast available

 9:00 -  9:15  Welcome, Introductions, Purpose of the Session,
               Overview of Agenda
               Rachel Wobschall, STAR Program
               Deborah Kaplan, WID

 9:15 - 10:00  The State of the Art in Telecommunications
               Technology:  Are We Having Access Yet?
               Deborah Kaplan, WID
               Janina Sajka, WID

10:00 - 10:45  The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission:  How Do
               Consumers Make Their Needs Known?
               Dee Knaak, Commissioner, Minnesota Public
               Utilities Commission

10:45 - 11:00  Break

11:00 - 11:45  Telecommunications Programs for Persons with
               Disabilities in Minnesota
               William Lamson, Coordinator, TACIP

11:45 -  1:15  Luncheon with Speaker, Nelson Updaw,
               Telecommunications Manager, Minnesota Department
               of Public Service

Wabasha Room:
 1:15 -  2:15  Exhibits of Telecommunications Equipment and
               Services

Summit North Room:
 2:15 -  2:45  Using WIDNet as a Tool for Advocacy
               Janina Sajka, WID

 2:45 -  3:45  Panel Discussion:  How to Have a Positive Impact
               on the Industry

 3:45 -  4:00  Break

 4:00 -  4:30  Federal Policy and Telecommunications:  What's
               Going on in Washington, DC?
               Deborah Kaplan, WID

 4:30 -  5:00  Evaluations of the Session, Wrap-up




------



Subject: Re: ASL, SEE, PSE, etc...
From: vlb@apple.com (Vicki Brown)
Organization: Apple Computer Inc.


In article <25002@handicap.news> Jack.O'keeffe@f26.n129.z1.fidonet.org writes:
>Index Number: 25002
>
> SB> True, but remember all PSE and SEE is based upon ASL. ASL is
> SB> the true sign language. PSE and SEE techinally are not sign
> SB> languages.
>
>I suppose that may be the viewpoint of NAD and some narrow-minded
>Deaf cultists, Steve.  However, that doesn't make it correct.  Why
>do you say that PSE and SEE are "techinally" (sic) not sign languages?
>Can you support that statement?
>
>PSE and SEE are based on ASL (plus a whole lot more).  ASL is based
>on LSF.  LSF is based on the Latin alphabet.  Saying that a language
>is not "true" because it is based on another language is ludicrous.
>Every language I know of contains elements of other languages.
>By your standard there would be no such thing as a true language.

I wouldn't say that any sign language is based on the Roman
alphabet.  Fingerspelling is, yes, but fingerspelling isn't a
language, it's just letters.  Just as the Roman alphabet is not, in
itself, English (or German, or French, or any other language that
uses those letters in its written form).

PSE and SEE are not technically considered sign languages because,
while they are signed, they are not considered true languages.

ASL is considered a language because it grows.  New words are
created by the users and are shared among them.  ASL has its own
grammar.  But largely, it was created by its user population over a
period of time, because that community needed to communicate.

SEE is, strictly, a coding system, not a language.  It was
invented, not over time by its users, but in a laboratory, by
researchers, as a way to teach English using signs.  SEE is a way
to take signs and match them one for one with English.  From SEE we
get such amusing signs as BUTTER (the spread) + FLY (the verb!) =
Butterfly (the insect).  In ASL there is a sign for the thing:
BUTTERFLY.  So SEE is a code for English using many of the signs
found in ASL.  ASL is not a code for English.

PSE is sort of the hybrid in between.  Approximate English word
order, no special codes for endings and things that don't have
signs in ASL.  Like any other Pidgin, it's a conglomeration of two
languages, in the hopes that the two language communities will be
able to communicate.  I don't know if linguists consider Pidgin of
any sort to be a "language".  Perhaps a dialect.  There are lots of
Pidgins in the world.

The problem a lot of people have with PSE and SEE versus ASL is
this.  Let's say I know English and you know German.  So I take a
dictionary and find German words that translate to certain
approximate English meanings.  I make a one-to-one match (no fair
having a word translate more than one way; pick *one*).  Then I use
the German words, in English word order, with English grammar, and
I invent new some German-sounding "words" for any endings and parts
of speech that aren't present in German.  Is it German?  Is it
English?  It's a code; is it a language?

      Vicki Brown                  A/UX Development Group
      Internet: vlb@apple.com      Apple Computer, Inc., Cupertino, CA
              Ooit'n Normaal Mens Ontmoet?  En..., Beviel't?
        (Have you ever met a normal person?  So..., did you like it?)





------



Subject: Traumatic Brain Injuries - info wanted
Organization: North Dakota Higher Education Computer Network
From: person@plains.nodak.edu (Brett Person )

I need some general information on traumatic brain injuries.  I'm
particularly interested in recovery and re-trainning programs for
TBI victims.


Thanks

-Brett




------



Subject: Autoimmune Disease
From: Phil.Thuma@f116.n270.z1.fidonet.org (Phil Thuma)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:270/116 - The Line Source BBS, Harrisburg PA


[This is from the Rare Disorders Conference]

MM>Anyone ever hear of Chronic Autoimmune Hepatitis+ know if
MM>it's ever possible to get off the immunosuppressants
MM>afterward?
MM>Missy ;)

This is also sometimes known as chronic active hepatitis which is
Hepatitis B s antigen negative. It is usually diagnosed only after
other causes of chronic hepatitis (such as Hepatitis C, Wilson's
disease, alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency, or liver toxicity due to drugs)
have been ruled out. The diagnosis is confirmed by a liver biopsy which
shows a characteristic pathological pattern of "piecemeal necrosis". In
addition, other autoimmune problems have been seen in these
patients including colitis, hemolytic anemia, glomerulonephritis and
thyroiditis.

As far as I know, the majority of people who have this problem are on
some sort of immunosuppressant the rest of their lives, although they
may go through periods of remission when they are off the drugs for a
period of time.

Sorry that I cannot give you more optimistic information!

___
 X SLMR 2.1a X Know a little but not a lot!

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!270!116!Phil.Thuma
Internet: Phil.Thuma@f116.n270.z1.fidonet.org




------



Subject: Neck Pain
From: Joe.Rhinehart@f320.n226.z1.fidonet.org (Joe Rhinehart)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:226/320


[This is from the Chronic Pain Conference]

RH>good idea.  is it me, or does everyone's pain go through a particularily "bad
RH>time" when fall arrives?   Nawwww....I'll be we could say that about alot of
RH>different times of the year.

Oh, I don't know. I can tell you when the sap is going up & down in the trees
to within a few days. Even before the leaves start to change. Spring seems
worse for me, because its damp also. Fall is a little easier because its
dry for the most part.

Joe

 * OLX 2.2 * Give you $10.00 to take my bills!!

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!226!320!Joe.Rhinehart
Internet: Joe.Rhinehart@f320.n226.z1.fidonet.org




------






                                ******

                  End of Issue # 2976 of the Handicap Digest

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