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Date:         Sat, 15 Aug 1992 02:00:49 EDT
Reply-To:     Bill McGarry <wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com>
From:         Bill McGarry <wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com>
Subject:      Handicap Digest # 2878
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                             THE HANDICAP DIGEST

                                 Issue # 2878

                          Thursday, August 13, 1992

Today's Topics:


                                ******

                           Blink Talk Digest # 689

                                 Jaws stuff
                               GUIDE DOG BLUES
                              Mutating Keyboard
                             You might not know
                            Braille and spelling
                                  Nfb books
                          Flipper may lead the way
                                 Re: Spanish
                           Re: DOGS AND LANDLORDS
                               GUIDE DOG BLUES


                                ******


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                              Bill McGarry (Moderator)
                              (203) 337-1518



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Subject: Jaws stuff
From: Mary.Parker@f24.n3602.z1.fidonet.org (Mary Parker)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:3602/24 - ADAnet One (tm) Net, Pinson AL


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

BK>Hi Mary,
BK>I noticed that you are a Jaws user.  I was wondering if you might be
BK>able to give me a clue or 2 about seting the smart screen?  When I had
BK>an earlier version of the smart screen it seemed that the names to and
BK>from on my silver xpress used to be spoken, but now they aren't, and I
BK>believe I checked for any windows and I don't think there were any.
BK>Thanks for your help and if you are a new user here, welcome. Hi Bill,

When I first got my Jaws enhancement--not that long ago really--I
was having problems with my mail reader, OLX. Here is what I had to
do. When you to to your mail reader turn smart screens off by
pressing insert and s at the same time. Then it will work like it
did before Jaws 2.2. Let me know if this works for you because if
it does not I will try to download your mail reader and play with
it and the speech.

Mary

===
 * OLX 2.2 * Honesty is the best image.

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!3602!24!Mary.Parker
Internet: Mary.Parker@f24.n3602.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: GUIDE DOG BLUES
From: Vixen@f11.n203.z1.fidonet.org (Vixen)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:203/11


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Hi all,

Just a bit of a comment pertaining to my previous posts on the
matter of Dog guides, pet deposits, hotels and state legislation.

I am sad to report that after some contact with N.F.B., Sue
Sullivan at the Social services department of Guide Dogs for The
Blind and the California State Guide Dog Board as well, that dog
guide legislation is not exactly as seriously applied and as
functional as it seems exacting in the way that it is written.  In
short, despite legislation seemingly to the contrary, landlords, if
they really want, can most certainly get away with charging a pet
deposit because of a dog guides presence!

The good news is, after January 1st, dog guide legislation will
become more clearly prohibitive in the matter of charging applying
pet deposit to a dog guide. At least, that will be so in
California.

To darken things further, as some of you know, I am leaving for a
trip to Maine and Massachusetts Wednesday morning. Interestingly,
Kris, who will be my traveling companion, decided it might be fun
to spend a night at very nice hotel in Cape Cod Mass.

Kris made arrangements through triple A and they contacted two very
nice hotels at the cape. Both hotels had vacancies. Sounds good,
right? Well, guess what gang, as soon as they found out we were
traveling with a dog guide, both hotels said "no way!"  The triple
A travel representitive told each hotel manager or owner that
Massachusetts law prohibits refusal of occupancy in a motel or
hotel because of the presence of a dog guide. Just the same, and
even though each hotel is aware of the law, one manager simply
refused to discuss the matter with the triple A agent and the other
manager was very polite but offered some Jive story about someone
having an allergic reaction. Massachusetts law says such refusal of
occupancycan cost them fines of up to three hundred dollars. On top
of this, these hotels are triple A affiliated!

The triple A agent is helping file compliants against both hotels
since they specifically told the triple A agent, who is a third
party, that we are being refused occupancy because of my Guide Dog.
Even so, such parties can often get around the dog guide
legislation by claiming that they are disallowing occupancy for
some other reason.

So folks, we are'nt as well protected as we might think we are!
Vixen is begining to think she has found a cause that just might
deserve some militancy! By the way, the hotels that are refusing me
occupancy because of my Guide Dog are, "The Coral Sands and the
Seaside Village" both in Cape Cod Massachusetts. I think they
should be prized with the International Ignoramus of the year
award!

See you all soon!

Keepin' the faith!

.                            Vixen

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!203!11!Vixen
Internet: Vixen@f11.n203.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Mutating Keyboard
From: Jeff.Belina@p91.f20.n3603.z1.fidonet.org (Jeff Belina)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:3603/20.91 - Mercury Opus NEC360, St Petersburg FL


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

01 Aug 92 14:19, Walter Siren wrote to Tandy Way:

 WS> I wonder if that programable keyboard will work with jaws?  The reason
 WS> that I am wondering is once I heard of a program which would allow you to
 WS> swap the control key and the capslock key on these 101 keyboards, and I
 WS> was told if I got it, that jaws might not work if I used it.

I believe the way it would work is if the scan codes are the same
as they would be on a normal keyboard they should work just fine.
The problem with programs that change the way the keyboard works is
that they are intecepting keystrokes, and that is what JAWS is
doing, that's where the problem comes in.

Bfn,
Jeff Belina
Technical Support
Henter-Joyce, Inc.

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!3603!20.91!Jeff.Belina
Internet: Jeff.Belina@p91.f20.n3603.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: You might not know
From: Patrick.Gormley@f432.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Patrick Gormley)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:109/432 - The Idea Link, Wheaton MD


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

One thing you might like to know is that Blazie has a $600 library
of support programs for the braille'n speak.  Amoung them is a
scientiffic calculator and a c compiler so you can tailor the bns
to your needs.

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!109!432!Patrick.Gormley
Internet: Patrick.Gormley@f432.n109.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Braille and spelling
From: Patrick.Gormley@f432.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Patrick Gormley)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:109/432 - The Idea Link, Wheaton MD


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

The other day I was doing some editing and I found out that I was
writing an amount in dollars and not leaving a space between the
dollar sign and the amount which when you write braille you write
them together.  Also a number of years ago, I was trying
unsuccessfuly to get my proofreader certificate from NLS and
believe it or not I subconsciously develloped my own short form
method for writing some words that weren't correct according to the
NLS standards. 73- KK3F

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!109!432!Patrick.Gormley
Internet: Patrick.Gormley@f432.n109.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Nfb books
From: Patrick.Gormley@f432.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Patrick Gormley)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:109/432 - The Idea Link, Wheaton MD


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Both those books are $10 each and there is a literature order form
available from the matterials center at 1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, Md. 21230.  Also, there is an aids and appliances order
form in braille and print. 73- KK3F

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!109!432!Patrick.Gormley
Internet: Patrick.Gormley@f432.n109.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Flipper may lead the way
From: Patrick.Gormley@f432.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Patrick Gormley)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:109/432 - The Idea Link, Wheaton MD


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Keith I've not seen the flipper demo but  my feeling is that my
screen reader has to perform double duty to be used at home, at
work, or on other computers that I may need to access.  Anything
that hinders this flexibility for me as far as I'm concerned
negates the worth of the product in my eyes.  I'm in the process of
changing screen readers from VOS and when I get my grant money, I
plan on purchasing either asap or vocal-eyes.  I'm leaning towards
vocal-eyes since I want to purchase an audaptersince I think my
need for portability will increase in the future.

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!109!432!Patrick.Gormley
Internet: Patrick.Gormley@f432.n109.z1.fidonet.org




------



Subject: Re: Spanish
From: Bill.Burgess@p0.f401.n229.z1.fidonet.org (Bill Burgess)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:229/401.0 - The Connection HST!, Oshawa ON


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Yes, Steve, I am a self taught sighted grade two braillist.  Back in the
fall of 1986 i met a sweet young blind woman who I assisted in terms of
technical needs.  In December of that year, I bought a slate and stylus
and a booklet on braille that was printed by the Royal National
Institute for the Blind in Britain and contained grade one, two and all
abbreviations commonly used in braille.  I first tackled grade one and
brailled Christmas cards in full to her and a few other blind persons I
had met.  I also used it for other purposes and then moved on to grade
two.  I now own two braillers, a Hall's Brailler and an IBM Electric
Braillewriter as well as three slates and stylus's.  Don't leave home
without it.  The most that I have brailled in one session was 23 pages
of grade two, and got heck for saying too much in that letter.  I
enjoy using and reading braille and confess that I sight read, rather
than touch read for most of it.  I braille across Canada, the United
States and Australia at the moment.  And if I visit your residence and
find nobody home, I can leave a note that nobody else can read including
a potential burglar.  And you cannot get in the door without being aware
of it, for I tape a card with braille over the keyslot so it cannot be
missed.  A trade mark of sorts.  So that gives you an idea of what I am
up to in terms of braille.  TTYL
Bill

... If it wasn't for C, we would be using BASI, PASAL and OBOL!

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!229!401.0!Bill.Burgess
Internet: Bill.Burgess@p0.f401.n229.z1.fidonet.org




------



Subject: Re: DOGS AND LANDLORDS
From: Vixen@f11.n203.z1.fidonet.org (Vixen)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:203/11


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Hi Ron,

The law or civil code that you post in your message to me is the
very same civil code that I am now finding that when push really
comes to shove is easily defeated by landlords and hotel managers.

The code seems quite clear and specific to me but it is apparently
not as effective as it "reads" to be. To make matters worse, and I
am really really tee'd off about this, when I have gone to the
State Guide Dog Board, to the social services department of Guides
Dogs for the Blind and the National Federation of the Blind, of
which I am a member, I have been pretty much told the same thing.
That is, "Oh well, landlords should'nt charge a pet deposit" and
"It is against the law for hotels to refuse occupancy because of a
dog guides presence."  But the reality is, that is all you get, lip
service. Apparently, when you're blind person fighting right there
and now on the street, you are on your own.

This is one blink who is just about fed up with the true
uselessness of NFB, ACB, and every other so typed organization
supposedly designed to assistand support the blind. They all have
big talk and organizational plans at meeting time, but when it
comes to getting into the real trenches with you when you need
them, forget it!

Oh well, I digress!

Keepin' the faith!

.                              Vixen

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!203!11!Vixen
Internet: Vixen@f11.n203.z1.fidonet.org




------



Subject: GUIDE DOG BLUES
From: Kristopher.Roberts@f11.n203.z1.fidonet.org (Kristopher Roberts)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:203/11


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Yes, I am a member of NFB also, though I am not blind, just an
interested supporter.  When I called the CA state office of NFB and
explained the situation about being refused reservations on Cape
Cod because of the guide dog, the president said "That is against
the law, they can't refuse you".  I told her "I KNOW what the law
is, and my travel agent informed BOTH motels of the law, one lady
even KNEW the law before it was explained, but both STILL refused
us, what should I do".

The president of NFB told me "Don't tell them you have a guide
dog".  Well, DUH, I already figured that one out.  So I asked her,
well what do we do if we are out looking for a motel at 9 or so at
night, and are being refused because of the guide dog.   At this
point, the NFB president was getting rather abrupt and had a rude
tone of voice, and like I was wasting her time said "Call the Mass.
NFB".  At this point, I did not want to argue with her,    I was so
upset, so I simple said goodbye and hung up.  Right, like there
will be someone in the NFB office in Mass. at 9 at night to help
us.  So what happens, we get stuck on the street sleeping in the
car because no motel will take a guide dog.

Now, if I was the president or public rep for NFB (An organization
which I THOUGHT was supposed to lobby for blind people's rights) I
would have asked for the names of the motels, and contacted the
Mass. NFB myself.  Or at least, I would have offered the Mass. NFB
phone number, or someone else to contact about this.  But no, all
she cared about was telling me "It's against the law to refuse a
guide dog" and then got rude with me for wanting to know where to
go to get help.  If NFB is supposed to be so gung-ho in lobbying
for blind people's rights, they sure aren't doing a damn bit of
good for the little guys out here.

Needless to say, I am seriously considering discountinuing my
support for NFB.  I don't know if it is just that our local chapter
is a sit on their behind do nothing group, or if the whole NFB is
like this.  They are always re-electing the SAME pres. and
vice-pres, and I think they seriously need some new young blood to
get out there and fight for the little people.  From what I have
seen of our chapter, all they care about is organizing a couple
fund raisers a year for the local chapter, and sending people to
the NFB conventions, and having their socials or dinners at
extremely high priced establishments where the majority of
low-income or unemployeed blind individuals can not even hope to
afford.  Basicly our local chapter is a bunch of rich "Elite"
blinks who do nothing to help the little guy or average blind
person.  I sincerely hope that ALL NFB chapters are not this way.

It is sad, because my friend Vixen and I are taking a 10 day trip
to New England and I thought it would be very nice to spend one
night in an expensive motel on the tip of Cape Cod overlooking the
ocean.  Because of the flat out disregard for guide dog laws, I was
robbed of the chance to enjoy a nice stay at Cape Cod (All the
other affordable motels are full up, these were the only two I
could find vacancies in).

The other part that disgusts me is that triple A was 100%
supportive, and tried their darndest to get us into a motel.  They
are filing complaints against the motel, and helping me file a
complaint also.  But NFB, who I thought was there to fight for
blind people's rights, couldn't care less that we were denied a
reservation at TWO different motels because of a guide dog, and
they offered no help in fighting the matter what so ever.  It is
sad when some individuals can totally ignore the law and refuse our
stay in their establishment and get away with it.  Not to mention,
ruin a special night on the cape simply because one occupant is
disabled and has a guide dog.

While I plan to make a complaint to anynoe and everyone that I can,
in addition to writing a not very nice letter to each motel, the
fact is, our plans to stay on the Cape have been ruined, and the
motel operators are being allowed to get away with breaking the
law!  Yes, I am pissed!  Imagine if a couple were celebrating their
50th wedding aniversary and wanted to live it up in a nice
oceanfront motel on Cape Cod.  They had planned this for a long
time, and it was to be a very romantic and special night for them.
BUT, they were deprived of enjoying such a simple celebration
because one of them had a guide dog.  That stinks!  And even
thought there are laws to protect guide dog users, obviously, they
don't work, and no one is there to help fight for their rights.

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!203!11!Kristopher.Roberts
Internet: Kristopher.Roberts@f11.n203.z1.fidonet.org




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                                ******

                  End of Issue # 2878 of the Handicap Digest

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