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                            THE BLIND NEWS DIGEST

                                 Issue # 1128

                           Tuesday, March 07, 1995

Today's Topics:


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                     Opening Windows in Braille take two
                                 disability
                    reading for person with double vision
                             Jon and engineering
                       MacIntosh near-blind soft-ware
                             unimanual brailling
                       Help needed for the EBU-Office
                           Braille Book References
                      Vocational Training for the Blind
                      $ track walkman for Talking Books
                        information about guide dogs.
                   Macular degeneration information needed


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                              (203) 926-6187



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Subject: Opening Windows in Braille take two
From: KSEVEN@delphi.com (KSEVEN)

Screen Power for Braille from TSI certainly has its good points.  As I said
before, I was able to go into WINDOWS, find the Group containing the Control
Panel Icon, open that window and locate my DESKTOP control ICON. I set the
background and screen savers just for fun and found my way out again.

I then found the APPLICATIONS Group, selected our IRIS (State Rehab System)
and signed on.  That was my first proglem. Although I knew I was in an Edit
Box and could guess I had to sign on, I couldn't read the Field Name to tell
me what to fill in. I managed to wander until I got a clue and was then able
to sign on. But here the system stopped working for me.  I got together with
Dave Mansour (sorry I've never seen it in print) and we tried for quite some
time to figure out how to read just the Field Name for a given Edit Box, but
with no success.  He said he would seek further guidance and get back to me,
but that was 2/21, and I haven't heard back yet.

Once the Edit Boxes were filled in either by me or by the application
completing a Search, I could then read across and get both Field Name and
Edit Box information - this would be quite useful to me to get client
information by simply reading up and down the screen.  My problem
is that in order to get to any useful point I must be able to fill in Edit
Fields. If we cannot find a way to read the Field Name, I can't do this.  So
as it stands, Screen Power for Braille is not useful to me for the
particular application I must use.

This is not a complete failure of the product. And it is something important
to understand.  At present there does not seem to be any one WINDOWS screen
reader for speech or Braille that works with all applications.  This is one
of the reasons it is so very important that we encourage manufacturers to
make DEMO copies of the Screen Readers available.  At present we must match
our access to our applications.  It may not be right, but it is true. We
have to make choices, concessions, and exceptions. For much of what I do in
WINDOWS Screen Power for Braille was the simplest access I've used.  For my
Rehab Database Application the only thing I've found so far that works is
WinVision from Artic. But I'm still looking through WINDOWS and making the
most of what I find. I believe this is important. I don't think we can
continue to move forward in employment and independence if we slam the door
because we occasionally need sighted help to see the WINDOWS.

The Optimist said, "This is the best of all possible worlds.)
The Pessamist said, "The optimist may be right."

 K7 * * Opening doors and Windows for myself and for other blind people * *



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Subject: disability
From: JSteel1789@aol.com

i would greatly appreciate any information you could supply me with regarding
support for those with visual handicapps. i am interested in a group called
VESID (vocational and educational services for individuals with disabilities)
and any other government programs which financially fund and aid in the
education of the visually impaired.

sincerely, janice egan        jsteel1789@aol.com



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Subject: reading for person with double vision
From: eikeim@lilac.nhsl.lib.nh.us

Prof. Cohen asked about reading materials for a person with post-op
double vision.  May I suggest recorded books?  The New York City
Public Library has  a very large recorded library and serves the 5
boroughs - no cost at all, equipment provided as well. Many people
think that these books are only available to the blind, or to those
with permanent disabilities, but that's not accurate.  They are
available to anyone who has a physical problem that keeps him or
her from reading print comfortably for a reasonable period of time
- say, 20 minutes.  New York State has libraries in Albany, NYC,
Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Up here in New Hampshire we have just
one library of talking books, and that's the State Library in
Concord.  Lat I heard, there were 151 libraries across the country
providing this specialized and free service.  Of course, if
textbooks are vital the place to contact is Recordings for the
Blind in Princeton NJ - no matter the name, they aren't just for
blind people any longer.  Eileen Keim, NH Talking Book Service



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Subject: Jon and engineering
From: flax@Waisman.Wisc.Edu (Marshall Flax)

  To all of you who responded to Jon's request (in January) for information
on career options/concerns in the fields of
engineering/math/computers/science for a person with a visual impairment:

I spoke with Jon's teacher yesterday and she said that Jon is very excited
and greatful for all the responses he received.  He's an active student and
is just finishing up with swim team and will be starting track soon. This
has limited his time to reply directly to those who answered his posting.
Also, his high school does not have net access so he would have to make the
postings through my access which is a little cumbersome.

We are tentatively planninng for him to use my email access to reply to
those who resonded to him sometime in April.

Thank you very much to everyone who took the time to reply, repost, or
forward the message.  I don't think he could ever have gathered the
information and resources he now has without the internet and your help.

Marshall

On the information superhighway my exit is Flax@Waisman.Wisc.Edu

Otherwise, you can reach me at:
Wisconsin Council of the Blind
354 West Main Street
Madison, WI  53703-3115 USA
1-608-255-6178  FAX: 1-608-255-3301

"It's not just that Americans are scandalously ignorant.  It's that they
seem to believe they have a democratic right to their ignorance."  --
Michael Kinsley, editor New Republic, on the growing tendancy among us to
have opinions about things we know absolutely nothing about.




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Subject: MacIntosh near-blind soft-ware
From: gop@adrift.harbornet.com (Gene Pearson)


>I am looking for soft-ware that will enlarge the type on the screen of
MacIntosh for use bya sight impaired person.  Do you have any suggestions
where I should look for this type of soft-ware?
>
>Anything will be sincerely appreciated.
>
>Thanks.
>
Eugene O. Pearson
2707 Moorelands Av NW
Gig Harbor, WA 98335-5832
E-Mail gop@harbornet.com
Tel 206-265-2400




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Subject: unimanual brailling
From: dashiell@nadc.nadc.navy.mil (J. Dashiell)

Royal National institute for the blind sells a stainsby
braille writer that's designed to be operated with one hand.

jude <dashiell@nadc.nadc.navy.mil>




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Subject: Help needed for the EBU-Office
From: n.mueller@wobegon.saar.de (Norbert Mueller)

## Nachricht vom 17.02.95 weitergeleitet
## Ursprung : blindnws@ndsuvm1.nodak.edu
## Ersteller: n.mueller@wobegon.saar.de

Hi there,
The European Blind Union (EBU) has a permanent office in Paris, France. We
want to get it hooked up to the Internet. Our director there, Mr. Mokrane
Boussaid, is a newcomer on the field of e-mail and needs help. Is there
anybody among the readers of this message who is living in or near Paris
and could help Mr. Boussaid? Please contact me so I can get You in touch
with him.

Best greetings,
Norbert.

--
It is never too late to have a happy childhood!


## CrossPoint v3.0 R ##



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Subject: Braille Book References
From: mlieberg@iquest.com (Marlaina Lieberg)

The National Library Service for the Blind and Visually Handicapped,
located in Washington, DC will have what you need.  They are listed in
the DC directory assistance.  Good luck.

Marlaina Lieberg



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Subject: Vocational Training for the Blind
From: seana@concave.cs.wits.ac.za (Sean Aspoas)
Organization: University of the Witwatersrand

Hi.

I'm a sixth year architecture student at the University of
the Witwatersrand, South Africa. For my final thesis
project I'm designing - in conjunction with the National
Organisation for the Blind in South Africa (NOBSA) - a
Vocational Training School for the Blind. NOBSA has
suggested the following training facilities :

  horticulture; carpentry; flower arranging; upholstery

Bearing in mind that, due to the circumstances in South
Africa, many of the blind people that this facility would
catering for have not had any form of secondary and
sometimes even primary education, could anyone suggest
other vocational training facilities that we can include
in this School.

Further to this, any information of blind training and
educational facilities would be most useful. Specific
information on the spatial requirements (including the
perception of space, texture and noise) in these
training facilities would also be welcome.


I would also be interested in the structure of services
for the blind  ie. does vocational training occur in a
single national certre or in smaller regional centres, or
both. Also, do these centres provide accomodation. Finally
to what degree does the training received promote
integration into a sighted community.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


Jenny Merryweather.
South Africa.



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Subject: $ track walkman for Talking Books
From: upugnax@mcl.ucsb.edu (Christopher Hobbs)
Organization: University of California, Santa Barbara


I have an unopened modified sony walk man that playes Talking Book
tapes (4 track tapes from the library of congress). It has varable
speed and runs of 2 AA batteries. I bought it for $110 (from LS&S
Group) and am selling it for $60. If you are interested, please
email me. Thanks



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Subject: information about guide dogs.
From: cltrar@login.dknet.dk (Claus Thoegersen)
Organization: DKnet / EUnet Denmark - Login Tjenesten


Hi,
I am trying to find information about how guide dogs are being trained in
different countries. In Denmark we have an association for people who use
guide dogs. This association have some influence on the training of the
Danish guide dogs. Therefore information about the training in other
countries could help us to improve the quality of our guide dogs. I know
that there is a subdirectory on the ftp side handicap.shel.isc-br.com,
called dogs,  that
I will check, but any other information will be appreciated.

Claus cltrar@login.dknet.dk.




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Subject: Macular degeneration information needed
From: MKFX15B@prodigy.com (MRS DEBBIE S ANTHONY)

We are searching for any information available on Macular
Degeneration. Thank you for any help you may be able to
provide!

        Debbie Anthony





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                 End of Issue # 1128 of the Blind News Digest

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