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                            THE BLIND NEWS DIGEST

                                 Issue # 1046

                           Thursday, June 09, 1994

Today's Topics:


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                    Speech synthesisers for blind users.
                          Re: screen magnification
                              ALL CAPS SOFTWARE
               A visit to Virginia School for the Deaf & Blind
                          Re: Help for blind friend
            Standards group on access for the visually disabled?


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Subject: Speech synthesisers for blind users.
From: kevin@scu.edu.au (Kevin Pollard)
Organization: Southern Cross University

Does anyone know of the DECTalk (sp?) speech synthesiser, ballpark costs.
Is it value for money compared to the cheaper ones eg Speech Thing or
Echo PC re quality of speech. I have used and heard Speech Thing and Echo PC.

What about the alternative - word processor output into SoundBlaster type
card. How can I do it? We'd like it to say the word while we're typing it
in the word processor.
--
               Kevin Pollard    Internet: kevin@scu.edu.au
          Programmer/Analyst    Phone: +61 (066) 203969   FAX: +61 (066) 224341
Student Services Directorate    Southern Cross University
----------------------------    Lismore NSW 2480 Australia




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Subject: Re: screen magnification
From: asmiller@umich.edu (Adam S. Miller)
Organization: University of Michigan

In article <32385@handicap.news>, PITCCN4.KENNED09@SSW.ALCOA.COM (William
A. Kennedy) wrote:

> We have an employee in Trinidad that has low vision.  Her question to me was
> "is there something that you can put on the screen that will enlarge the
> letters?"  I don't know if there is a device that fits on the screen.  I do
> know that there are several software solutions to the problem;  or, at least,
> I think there are.

There *are* several software and hardware solutions. What kind of computer
are you dealing with. For Macintosh, the software solution is by Berkeley
Systems and is called inLarge. I am sure Aisle 17, or whatever Apple is
calling its disability solutions department now, has this.

For the Mac Powerbook (100 series, through 180) the best solution is a
clip-on magnification screen called the PowerScreen. Clip it on, everything
is 25% bigger. Take it off for travel.

I am sure there are comparable IBM products, but I use Macintosh.

-- Adam




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Subject: ALL CAPS SOFTWARE
From: gary.sandler@ablelink.org (Gary Sandler)
Organization: Ability OnLine - Toronto Canada


BM> I HAVE GOTTEN A REQUEST FROM SOMEONE WHO IS VISUALLY IMPAIRED
BM> AND WHO CANNOT READ NOTES WRITTEN IN LOWER CASE LETTERS AND
BM> IS LOOKING FOR A PROGRAM THAT WILL CONVERT A FILE INTO
BM> ALL UPPPER CASE LETTERS (A DOS PROGRAM).

BM> ANY IDEAS?

KK> SOMEONE WROTE A PROGRAM LIKE THIS FOR GARY SANDLER ON THE
  > ABILITY ONLINE BBS.  I DON'T REMEMBER WHO.  GARY SHOULD KNOW;
  > I'LL CC THIS MSG TO HIM, WITH YOUR ADDRESS AS ABOVE.


I SENT THIS VIA INTERNET, PUT A COPY IN 385, AND ONE BACK TO YOU.
THAT OUGHT TO COVER IT!

I HAVE SOMETHING THAT DOES THIS BUT I THINK IT WILL ONLY WORK WITH
MAIL PACKETS IN THE PROGRAM 1ST READER.  THE AUTHOR WAS A GENTLEMAN ON
THE ABILITY ON LINE BOARD NAME OF STEVEN SINGER.  THE PROGRAM IS GREAT!
STEVEN.SINGER@ABLELINK.ORG

IN A WORD...GARY
---
 ~ 1st 1.11 #693 ~ Do I have trouble remembering? I dunno, I forget.




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Subject: A visit to Virginia School for the Deaf & Blind
From: tomh@events.win.net (Tom Hennigan)

Hello.  My name is Tom and I live in the NY - North
Jersey - Pocono, PA area. I have been reading the BND on the
Internet for several months now. I have a friend in
Virginia who has a twelve year old daughter who attends the
Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind in Staunton,
Virginia.

This past Friday, I flew from the Scranton airport to
Washington, DC, where I was picked up by my friend, and we
then drove the two hours south to Staunton.  Once in
Staunton, I got to meet eighteen beautiful children - all
with sight impairments (although not all were completely
blind).  It was their final full weekend at VSDB this
school year, and it was also their prom weekend.

My friend had accumulated many "extra" dresses so that none
of the young ladies would be without a "special" dress for
their big evening out. She then arranged for corsages for
all of the girls, and carnations for all of the guys.  And
then, she and the girls all got together in her daughter's
dorm room and they all had their hair curled, and nails
"done", and my friend even brought all of her finest
jewelery down so that all the girls could wear pearls and
earrings, and rings.

This left me with the guys. (there were about 12 girls and
six guys).  It was to my astonishment that not more
parents were in attendance for this special weekend.  (I
learned a lot this weekend.  It was a weekend that I will
never, ever forget.)  Anyway, the guys all wanted to play
football.  Please forgive my saying so, but for me, never
having been in this environment, this was difficult for me
to comprehend just how this might be accomplished, so it
was with some trepidation that I approached the time that
"we boys" were to spend with each other.

I told the boys that if they could find a football, that
we would then play.  I should have known better.  Within
minutes I had two footballs in front of me.  I then
proceeded to ask the guys if they had ever seen a football
game.  Although only two boys, Clinton and Witt, had ever
seen a game, they ALL had watched games on television, so
there was, as I found out, a basic understanding of the
terminology of football.

I then proceeded to ask if everyone understood HOW the
game was played.  No one really knew.  So it was from
there, at that point, that I determined that we should
begin to "play football".

I decided to teach a "crash course" in football, starting at
the opening kickoff, continuing on with the four downs
(plays) the offense is alloted in which to make a "first
down", how to block, what an offensive line is, who the
positions on the line are, how the center snaps the ball
to the quarterback, how the running back can get the ball,
and how passes are made and how (as everyone was anxious
to know) touchdowns are scored.  We then proceeded to
actually working on skills such as punting the football,
which usually takes place on fourth down and long
yardage.  This prompted the question of field goals, and
when does a team attempt a field goal?

It was the punting that brought me, and my new friends,
the most satisfaction.  By the end of the afternoon, many
of the boys had decided that they would pass on their last
chance to go swimming at the school, in favor of
continuing the "football lesson".  This allowed me the time
to work with each and every boy, on an individualized
basis, teaching them how to punt a football.

Once again, I beg your indulgence, but for me, as an
outsider here for this extended period for only the very
first time, it brought me such joy to see the excitement
and enthusiasm on the faces of these young men, as they
trusted in themselves to take on the task of punting a
football, whereby they hold the ball in front of them in
outstretched arms, position their feet, take one left
step, followed by a wind-up with the right foot, dropping
the ball from their hands, and allowing it to catch their
foot, somewhere in the air as it falls, thus completing the
kick, or punt, with a resounding (and quite satisfying, I
might add!) "THUD"!.  And to watch the ball sail through the
air, and to watch my friends listen for the distinctive
sound of the leather ball hitting the ground after the
flight through the air that their own foot had set it on,
was also satisfying.

I also taught two young men, Travis MacCauley and David
White, how the offensive line "blocks" to protect their
quarterback.  By the end of our afternoon, Travis and
David were blocking me out of both the "basic athletic
stance", and a 3 - point stance, such as those used by the
linemen in the NFL.  I finally had to explain to David
that I wear eyeglasses and that my vision without them is
pretty bad.  He was so aggressive and hard - hitting that
he almost broke my glasses!  I would certainly put David
on MY front line if I had a football team!  David is a
senior, so he will be graduating from VSDB this week. His
favorite player is Mark Rypien.

Later that evening, I showered with the guys and we all got
dressed for the Prom.  I must tell everyone that we ALL
looked pretty spiffy!  The evening was beautiful.  The
dance hall was beautifully decorated with hanging and
dangling shiny stars, a "disco" ball, streamers, balloons,
sparkles, and flowers.  The girls were so gorgeous in their
pretty ball gowns and dresses.  Some of the parents did
attend, but not too many. This made me a little sad.

All in all, I had a great weekend and I hope to be invited
for a return visit next school year.  It was for me a
wonderful and enlightening experience.  I learned so very
much over the weekend.  I hope to post here again very soon,
and if it is OK, I now have many questions that I would love
to ask. For instance, I have heard that the school may
close after next year due to a consolidation move by the
State of Virginia.  Does anyone here know anything of this?

I had been involved with the Helen Keller School for the
Deaf and Blind in Talladega, Alabama, when I used to live
in Atlanta, Georgia.  I plan on becoming more actively
involved with VSDB now that I have been able to meet and
get to know these wonderful children firsthand.  My life
is fuller as a result.  Thank you for allowing me to share
these thoughts and my time with you here in the Blind New
Digest.         Tom Hennigan       tomh@events.win.net


--
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                             _/     _/      _/ _/  _/_/ _/
                            _/     _/      _/ _/   _/  _/
                           _/     _/_/_/_/_/ _/       _/
"A ship in a harbor is safe.......
       ....but that is not where ships are meant to stay"





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Subject: Re: Help for blind friend
From: cmowen@aol.com (CMOWEN)
Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364)

In article <31774@handicap.news>, jfaircloth@DELPHI.COM (John
Faircloth) writes:

I have heard about a program that can read a gui interface such as
america online has to voice. I have a friend that uses a text to
speech program that is usable with comp u serve. She want to use
window type software. I don't think this is totally impossible, so I
think this is not just vapor ware on a wish list. Can anyone tell me
about such software? CMOWEN@aol.com




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Subject: Standards group on access for the visually disabled?
From: hksbfred@ctsc.hkbc.hk (Hong Kong Society for the Blind)



We need info on the International Standards Organization Working
Group on access of the visually disabled.  This may not be the
proper name of the group.  We know that there are 18 national
representatives.  We would like to have some more background info
on it, e.g., how were they selected, what do the blind in general
think of the work of the work of the group, or indeed what do the
blind think of tactile guide paths?

I repeat, the questions above are just examples, they are by no
mean exhaustive.  We certainly like to know as much as possible
about it.

Regards,

Fred


rMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM;
: Fred Leung           : Internet :              : Hong Kong Society for the   <
:                      :   hksbfred@ctsc.hkbc.hk :   Blind                     <
:                      : Phone  :      7788332   : 248 Nam Cheong Street       <
:                      : Fax    :      7880040   : Sham Shui Po                <
:                      : Country code: 852       : Kowloon                     <
:                      :                         : Hong Kong                   <
:                      :                         :           ***               <
: Supervisor           :                         : Centralized Braille Produc- <
:                      :                         :   tion Centre               <
: Adaptive Technology  : Time : GMT +8.00        : Technical and Advisory      <
:   Co-ordinator       :                         :   Services Centre           <
HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMI




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                 End of Issue # 1046 of the Blind News Digest

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