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                            THE BLIND NEWS DIGEST

                                 Issue # 918

                            Tuesday, May 18, 1993

Today's Topics:


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        Proposed library cuts for Ohio Libraries for the Blind (rcpt)
                       Up-date on RFB on-line catalog
                           Locating George Kurcher
                  Re: laptops, macs, outspoken and telnet?
                      Re: Microsoft and screen readers
                   Re: paraplegic needs help using his Mac


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                              Bill McGarry (Moderator)
                              (203) 337-1518



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Subject: Proposed library cuts for Ohio Libraries for the Blind (rcpt)
From: ni01700@zserv2.dsac.dla.mil (Brian Zolo)

Please send attached letter.  Feel free to call me if you have any
questions.

                                  Brian Zolo
                                  225 St. Christopher Lane
                                  Columbus, Ohio 43213
                                  home phone: (614-231-1303)
                                  Work phone: (614-692-9287)
                                  E-mail address: Bzolo@dsac.dla.mil




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brian zolo (ni01700) sends...



Attached file 'c:\choice\library.txt' follows next line...
-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

                                                                  May, 1993




     The Honorable Eugene Watts
     Ohio Senate
     State Capitol Building
     Columbus, OH 43215




     Dear Senator Watts-

     On behalf of the more than twenty-five thousand Ohioans who use the
     services of the two Libraries for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
     in our state, I am directing this letter to you as chair of the
     Education Subcommittee of the Senate Finance Committee.  Please do
     everything you can to find adequate money to fund these two libraries
     at or close to the requested amount.  The proposed state budget for
     1994-95, if passed by the Ohio legislature and signed by our governor
     in its present form, would seriously cripple the needed services for
     blind and print-handicapped citizens.

     Those of us who use these libraries have no other source of reading
     material, so eroding these programs will seriously damage the ability
     of print-handicapped people to read and learn.

     Please give this matter serious consideration as you go forward with
     your deliberations.



                                       Sincerely,

         Of:  Dale Pennington,  Info Center DSAC-FFB,  extension  9629









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Subject: Up-date on RFB on-line catalog
From: SLNOBL01@ULKYVM.LOUISVILLE.EDU (Stephen Noble)


University of Louisville, University Libraries
PHONE: 502-588-5659

I thought I would send out this note to the entire list.  All
orders placed this week were received by the system, and will be
forwarded to our Princeton Head Quarters next week (I hope).  We
continue to request that orders not be placed on the system just
yet.  Please be patient.  Recording for the Blind will make every
effort to process the orders that have already been received by the
on-line ordering system, but please be aware that they will be
delayed.  We continue to request that you call in orders over our
1-800 number: this is the fastest and most reliable way to order
your books at this time.

If you would like to cancelli any of the orders that you placed on
the on-line system, please send me a note indicating your name, RFB
registered borrower number, and the books you want cancelled.  This
is especially important if you ordered the same books over the
phone and over the on-line system.  Otherwise, the orders will be
processed that have already been placed on the automatic book
ordering feature of the catalog as a courtesy to our borrowers.

I am truly sorry about all the confusion.  We were just not ready
for people to start using the system just yet.  Rest assured, once
the system is running properly, I will let everybody know and then
you can order as many books as you like!  I never cease to be
amazed at the power of computer networks to get the word out.  I
don't think we could have gotten this much publicity this fast if
we had paid Madison Avenue to do it for us!!!

Thanks to all,
Steve Noble
Recording for the Blind--Kentucky Unit
Head, RFB National Network Communications Task Force
Project Member, EDUCOM Project EASI (Equal Access to Software and Information)
Assistant Moderator, AXSLIB-L (Library Access Listserv)
slnobl01@ulkyvm.louisville.edu    (BITNET: SLNOBL01@ULKYVM)




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Subject: Locating George Kurcher
From: philipf@ariel.ucs.unimelb.EDU.AU (Philip Roland Feldman)
Organization: University of Melbourne

[Note from Bill McGarry -- George Kerscher's Internet address is
 cbfb_gwk@selway.umt.edu and his phone number is 1-408-728-7201]

Can anyone help me trace Mr George Kurcher who was working on a
research project in the States which involved setting a standard
format to present text for visually impaired people. He was
associated with an organisation called "Computerised Books for the
Blind".  An internet address would be great.


Thanks,

Philip Feldman
Philipf@ariel.its.unimelb.edu.au






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Subject: Re: laptops, macs, outspoken and telnet?
From: HUDSON@msu.edu (Michael.Hudson)

[This is a reply to Peter Rayner]

Peter,

I too have been a long time user of a Toshiba and Artic speech.
Likewise, I believe it to be a very usable system.  It may not be
the easiest or most friendly to learn but once you've mastered it,
it's quite comfortable.

On the issue of Mac, I had the opportunity to try Outspoken and
found several issues that were tough to deal with.  1.  I
frequently got lost and was not sure of the layout of screens (this
may happen less with more experience)  2.  I had no opportunity to
define windows as in Artic for quick reading of hot areas of the
screen.  3.  New contents of the screen were not spoken
automatically as they appeared, (this may be of special concern
with terminal programs that scroll new info to the screen).

I hope this helps!

Sincerely,
Michael Hudson




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Subject: Re: Microsoft and screen readers
From: janina@netcom.com (Janina Sajka)
Organization: Netcom Online Communications Services (408-241-9760 login: guest)

I understand the User Manual for DOS 6 contains an Appendix
regarding adaptive computer access which prominently features
Microsoft's arrangements with Trace Research Center at the
University of Wisconsin.  This is good, of course, and you are to
be commended for it.

I want to know if Microsoft is ready to provide this User Manual in
e-text.  Certainly, it would be ironic if Microsoft is prepared to
discuss access for some in its User Manuals, but deny access to
others.  I sincerely hope this is not the case.

So, I ask you, where is the e-text User Manual for DOS 6.  Will I
find it in the same box that everyone else's User Manual is in --
the box that contains DOS 6?  That is where it belongs, else access
is separate and not equal.

                    Janina Sajka, WIDnet Manager
                    Technology Policy Division
                    World Institute on Disability





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Subject: Re: paraplegic needs help using his Mac
From: khm3@po.cwru.edu (Katherine mann)
Organization: Case Western Reserve University

In article <29157@handicap.news>, beigel-richard@CS.YALE.EDU (Richard
Beigel) wrote:
>
> Index Number: 29157
>
> A friend's father (living in Oxford, CT) is paraplegic and is trying
> to use his Macintosh.  Attachments make it possible for him to operate
> the keyboard but not the power button.  If you have any suggestions of
> companies he can contact or resources for someone in his situation,
> please send me email and I will relay the information.  Thanks.
>

I responded to this message via e-mail to Richard, but realized I
could be of some help to others.  The easiest way to solve his
problem is to get a 4 or x outlet surge protector.  Place the
protector within easy reach of the person, but out of the way of
the workspace, then power the computer and all periferals from the
surge protectory switch.  Just remember to shut down the Mac from
the menu bar BEFORE you turn off the machine(s) so you don't foul
up the machine.  My daughter is a para and a sophomore in college.
This has been the only way she could use her computer, modem and
printer in a college dorm!!.  Good luck.


Insanity, thy name is Internet!!

Information Technology Specialist
308 Freiberger, CWRU
11161 East Blvd,
Cleveland,  OH  44106-7151




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                 End of Issue # 918 of the Blind News Digest

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