🚀 go-pugleaf

                            THE BLIND NEWS DIGEST

                                 Issue # 1028

                          Wednesday, March 23, 1994

Today's Topics:


                                ******


                              Re: Bowling Alley
                           Other students with RP?
                         Re: Physically Challenged?
                             New GUI speech List
                Re: Radio Shack misses the blind so often...
             Networked text-to-speech and caching of voice data
                Re: Radio Shack misses the blind so often...
                          Re: Help for blind friend
                          LILLI NIELSEN CONFERENCE
                        RE: Response to your article
                             Graphic to tactile


                                ******


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                              Bill McGarry (Moderator)
                              (203) 926-6187



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Subject: Re: Bowling Alley
From: jfaircloth@DELPHI.COM (John Faircloth)
Organization: Delphi (info@delphi.com email, 800-695-4005 voice)

Hello Kelly, I have seen what you're talking about hear in Miami. I
will research it for you I think I have a file someware that has
the names and adresses of some. I have seen your posts on the
Blinktalk on Fido, please reply and let me know if you have had any
replies to this post or the one on Fido.

Regards, John





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Subject: Other students with RP?
From: ortega@vax.in.tu-clausthal.de (Artur Ortega)

Hi all!!!

This is my first mail to the listserver...

I am a computer-science stundent in Germany... I have Retinitis
Pigmentosa... Are there other students with RP? Are there any news
about RP?

I hope for an answer...

                Artur Ortega
e-mail(internet): ortega@vax.in.tu-clausthal.de

p.s.: you can also contact me directly...




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Subject: Re: Physically Challenged?
From: jfaircloth@DELPHI.COM (John Faircloth)
Organization: Delphi (info@delphi.com email, 800-695-4005 voice)

Now I'm up for a good debate any old time, but listen, this is
redicuious!!!!!!!

The word "Handycapped" has been used for years, no one has ever if
you'll excuse me for this bitched about it before, Why for Crying
out loud must we all of asuden start a debate over it now. I my
self am blind, end of story, I don't feel handycapped, or anything
else, just blind, I'm not ashamed of it, just like I'm not ashamed
of being on Dialyisi, I don't much like it, I wouldn't say to some
sighted person "hey it's great to be blind." No sir, but I live a
good life, in some cases it would be better if I had sight, but I
don't so there you are, go figure, hey I don't mean to come off
stronge like this but this makes the third message I've seen
concerning this, enough is enough guys, as I said, I like a good
debate just as much as the next guy, but don't you think that this
is going noware?

Be interested to get some replies on this. You can reach me on Internet at
JFaircloth@Delphi.com
or on Blinktalk on the Fidonet. Now there's a good place for this debate, any
takers?

Regards, John





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Subject: New GUI speech List
From: person@plains.NoDak.edu (Brett Person)

IBM-SRD now officially has it's first spin-off! I've created a list called
GUIspeak.  GUI speak is intended for technical and practical issues
involving access to graphical user interfaces via speech software.

I'd like the discussions to be oriented toward a technical nature. This list
grew out of someone commenting to me that there was no central place to
discuss access isssues.  So  I created the new list.

Topics for the list can range from access to MS-Windows, Os/2 DOS graphics
programs, Macintosh GUI access and X window access.

If the list becomes cluttered, we'll just create a few sub-lists. I want to
try this approach first.

You can subscribe to the new list by sending a mail message to
listserv@ndsuvm1.bitnet
The body of the message  - not the Subject: - should say
sub guispeak your_ful_name


--
Brett Person
North Dakota State University
person@plains.nodak.edu || person@plains.bitnet
Due to budgetary constraints, the light at the end of the tunnel is being
turned off.





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Subject: Re: Radio Shack misses the blind so often...
From: dgr@netcom.com (David G Rhoades)
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)


:       If anyone happened to see my original post, I ment what I said about
: the jackass CEO of Radio Shack and what he could do with this.

: Chaurie At Weber

Tandy Corp somewhere in Texas is the parent.  They are the MacDonalds of
Electronic Equipment and have been for as long as I can remember.





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Subject: Networked text-to-speech and caching of voice data
From: mcevilly@netcom.com (Carlos I. McEvilly)

As a new reader of this digest I don't know whether this idea has
been proposed or not.

Imagine a tool like Gopher or WWW, but with text-to-speech output
instead of screen ouput.  Now imagine if every word was stored as a
sound file on the user's disk.  Of course this would be far too
much data to be reasonable.  So how about putting only the most
commonly used 1000 or so words on the users disk, then putting all
other words on a remote server connected to a network?

Software written to make use of these resources (the user's 1000
common words and the other words on the network) could then read a
text out loud word by word, instead of pasting words together from
syllables or demi-syllables.  The software would scan a text, make
an internal list of all the words it needed to get from the
network, then it would start copying the words from the net while
at the same time reading the file.  If this put too much of a
burden on either the network server or the connection, the number
of common words stored could be adjusted up to relieve the load.
There could also be several voice data servers in various
geographical locations, so network load would be minimized.
Recording the words would be a large task, and an ongoing one as
new words, terms, and names would often need to be added.

There are problems with choosing the correct intonation for words
based on context, but these are the same problems faced by current
systems, and the same solutions currently used would apply.

Or is it the case that current text- to-speech systems sound good
enough without working on a word-by-word basis, and the above
approach would be overkill?

BTW I think the system I outlined above would be useful to
everyone, not only to blind people.

What do people think of this?  Would such a tool be a worthwhile
effort? (I'm not saying I'll do it, but I hope someone will!)

Regards,

Carlos McEvilly





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Subject: Re: Radio Shack misses the blind so often...
From: jfaircloth@DELPHI.COM (John Faircloth)
Organization: Delphi (info@delphi.com email, 800-695-4005 voice)

Well, let me tell you alittle story of how, the Jackasses at this "wonderfull"
store treated me, a person who is bline and needs help from a salesman
to get information on equipment, I went in the store, first I was and I
mean this I was laughed at because I didn't know that the little punk that
is working as a salesperson after school was standing right there. I kept
saying "hello, hello is there anyone around that could help me." Well,
after I proceeded to tell this little Sob off I asked for the program
Quicken, now listen to this, this kid get me a program that he said was
Quicken, when I got home and proceeded to install the program, walah,
guess what? It wasn't Quicken at all, no it was some chess game. I took
the program back and the kid's responce was this, "Well, if you're blind
how can you tell what program it is, how can you even read the screen?
you're just waisting my time." Well, after some 20 phonecalls and alot of
excuse me for this bitching later, I got my money back, I will never step
foot in another Radioshack again, besides, I
always have problems with there stuff, not made very well.

Just one man's opinon.

Regards, John Faircloth Miami.





------



Subject: Re: Help for blind friend
From: jfaircloth@DELPHI.COM (John Faircloth)
Organization: Delphi (info@delphi.com email, 800-695-4005 voice)

Well, let me see if I can do this in a short message, please feel free
to Email me with anyother questions, blind people use computers just like
you would, with one acception, sense they can't see the screen, they need
a program that reads the screen, and the hardware to make it work. The
braille keyboard device in question is called the Braille N. Speak, in
a sense it is alot like a computer but by all means it is no laptop, it's
mainily a wordprocessor and it can be hooked to another computer. I had
one of theese, I traded it for an old laptop called the Epson Dx20, or
Keynote. It does alot more, and still has the speech. If you would like
more information, please feel free to Email me at anytime.

Regards, John Faircloth JFaircloth@Delphi.com





------



Subject: LILLI NIELSEN CONFERENCE
From: robertj@tekgen.bv.tek.com (Robert Jaquiss)
Organization: Tektronix, Inc.



Hello:

     I scanned in the following announcement, sorry is there are misspelled
words or unusual formats.

        Robert Jaquiss

Internet: robertj@tekgen.bv.tek.com

--------------------------------------------

                             Active Learning:

               Innovative Methods & Materials From Denmark

                 (Including the Use of the "Little Room")



                         Special Guest Presenter


                           LILLI NIELSEN, PH.D.


               Refsnaesskolen, National Institute for Blind

                 and Partially Sighted Children and Youth

                                 DENMARK


                              Monday-Friday

                              May 9-13,1994

                              Dallas, Texas



Two-Day Advanced Course on Implementing Active Learning - Monday & Tuesday

       Three-Day Introduction to Active Learning - Wednesday-Friday



                               Sponsored by

             Texas School for the Blind And Visually Impaired

                           Outreach Department


                          Blind Children's Fund



            Funding for this conference is provided in part by

            Texas School For The Blind And Visually Impaired,

              Texas Education Agency Services for the Deaf,

                IDEA-C Grant, Chapter I Handicapped Grant,

             Discretionary Funds From Texas Education Agency


               Certificates of Attendance will be available



The Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired does not
dischminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex,
religion, age or disability in employment or the provision of
services.


                                PRESENTER:


Lilli Nielsen, Ph.D., from Denmark is internationally recognized
for her work with young visually impaired/multiply disabled
children.  She has worked as special education adviser at
Refsnaesskolen, National Institute for, Blind and Partially Sighted
Children and Youth in Denmark since 1967.  She is trained as a
preschool teacher and as a psychologist.  She has designed and
researched innovative materials, methods and equipment to help
children actively explore their environment.  Dr. Nielsen developed
the 'Little Room' to help infants and young children with visual
and multiple disabilities develop independent play, object
exploration and manipulation, spatial relations, motor and
cognitive skills.  Parents and professionals in Europe, Australia,
South Africa, the Phillipines, South America and recently the
United States are enthusiastic about the information Dr. Nielsen
has shared with them.


                                AUDIENCE:


Teachers of the Visually Impaired, Early Childhood Teachers, ECI
Teachers & Staff, Teachers of the Hearing Impaired, Related Service
Staff Including O.T., P.T., O&M, Speech Therapists, Diagnosticians
and Parents Who Have a 0-5 Year Old Child Who Is Visually Impaired,
Visually Impaired/Multiply Handicapped, or Deaf-Blind.


                            HOTEL INFORMATION:


The conference will be held at the Radisson Hotel, located at 2330
West Northwest Highway, Dallas, Texas.  Their phone number is (214)
351-4477.

We have reserved 50 rooms at a special rate for the nights of
Sunday, May 8th through Friday, May 13th.

Conference rates are as follows: Single and Double occupancy rooms $65/night

                   Triple and Quad occupancy rooms               $75/night

When you call to make your reservation, tell the hotel staff that
you are with the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Conference.  After our block of 50 rooms are booked, the rates will
go up to the hotel's regular rate, so call the Radisson to reserve
your room as soon as possible.  (The Radisson will release all our
unhooked rooms around April 1, 1994.)

The Radisson offers complimentary airport transportation from both
DFW and Love Field from 7:00 am to 10:30 p.m. Use the courtesy
phones that are located in the baggage areas to call the hotel when
you arrive.

The Radisson offers a heated outdoor pool, jacuzzi, and fitness
center.  It is located about one mile from Restaurant Row which has
a large variety of restaurants and nightclubs.  The hotel will
provide transportation to Northpark Mall or Irving Mall at  $20 per
roundtrip per van.  Each van holds up to 15 people.

     Books Available On Limited Basis for Purchase at the Conference


Are You Blind?

The Comprehending Hand

Spatial Relations In Congenitally
Blind Infants

Educational Approaches


Space And Self


Early Learn*ng - Step By Step

Promotion of the development of children who are especially developmentally
threatened. $35

Developing meaningful hand function with children with visual and multiple
impairments. $10

A theoretical and practical viewpoint. $25

A collection of papers and articles combined with essays and
information about books, materials and research that is the work of
the author. $40

The development of early spatial relations through the use of the
"LITTLE ROOM", a piece of equipment the author designed in 1982.
$35

New book that will be available.  It addresses active learning,
environmental adaptations and child development of children with
and without visual and multiple disabilities. $35

  Please indicate your interest in these books on the registration form.


MONDAY, MAY 9,1994

8:00 - 9:00  AM

9:00 AM - 4:30 PM

       Active Learning: Innovative Methods & Materials From Denmark

                 (including the use of the "Little Room")

                      LILLI NIELSEN, Ph.D., Denmark


                      IMPLEMENTING ACTIVE LEARNING:

                        A TWO-DAY ADVANCED COURSE


                                  AGENDA


            (If you have not heard Dr. Nielsen present before,

          you should attend the three-day Introduction course!)



                        Registration, Book Sale, Equipment Display

                        Presentation

Welcome, Announcements, Introduction of Dr. Lilli Nielsen Kinematic
Movements and the Ability to Observe Video Showing a Parent or
Teacher Implementing Active Learning Reply, Comments, And
Suggestions From Lilli

Object Concept Development

Information on New Materials and New Approaches Including:
                                  The Essef Board

                                  The Pattem Board

                                  Fingerpainting




TUESDAY, MAY 10, 1994

9:00 AM - 3:00 PM            Presentation

Stereotypical Behavior
Video Showing A Parent Or Teacher Implementing Active Learning

Reply,Comments, And Suggestions From Lilli

Demonstration With A Child

Lilli's Comments About The Demonstration

Assessment And Performance Of A Learning Program

General Discussion And Questions

Note: there will be a morning and afternoon break each day and 1
hour lunch break.

              Video  from  Refsnaesskolen
The Sansitar The Low Table Cortical Visual Impairment General Discussion And Que
stions
       Active Learning: Innovative Methods & Materials From Denmark

                 (including the use of the "Little Room")

                      LILLI NIELSEN, Ph.D., Denmark


                     INTRODUCTION TO ACTIVE LEARNING

                      THREE-DAY INTRODUCTION COURSE


                                  AGENDA


WEDNESDAY,   MAY   11,    1994

8:00 AM - 10:00 AM     Registration, Book Sale, Equipment Display

10:00 AM - 4:30 PM         Presentation

Welcome, Announcements, Introduction of Dr. Lilli Nielsen

Active Learning: Philosophy, Theories and Practices Concerning the
Approach of Active Learning

How Children With Visual Impairments Develop Spatial Relations,
Object Concepts, Object

Permanence, and the Integration of Sense Modalities

little Room

* Research and Development

* Reasons for Using

* Benefits Of

* Selecting Objects to Place In a "Little Room"

Videotape and Discussion About Using the Little Room

THURSDAY, MAY 12,1994

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM          Presentation

The Child Who Is Visually Impaired and Autistic

Video and Comments

Demonstration With a Child

Lilli's Comments About the Demonstration

                               Presentation


Oral Motor Development - Achieving the Ability to Chew and Babble
Video And Comments
Assessment of the Child, Curriculum, Classroom Schedule and Equipment
                                  Support Bench,
                                  Resonance Board,

                                  Position Board,

                                  Activity Belt,
                         Bucket, And Essef Board


Note: there will be a morning and afternoon break each day and 11/2
hour lunch break.

FRIDAY, MAY 13,1994

9:00 AM - 3:00 PM




Specific Equipment and Materials






Questions & Answers

       Active Learning: innovative Methods & Materials From Denmark

                 (including the use of the "Little Room")

                      LILLI NIELSEN, Ph.D., Denmark


                        REGISTRATION INFORMATION:



                            REGISTRATION FEES:


       Active Learning: Innovative Methods & Materials From Denmark

                  (Advanced and Introduction), May 9-13


         **Texas Residents $250**          Out-of-State Residents $350

          Implementing Active Learning, May 9-10 (Advanced only)

                          All Participants $150


      Introduction to Active Learning, May 11-13 (introduction only)

               **Texas Residents $100**         Out-of-State Residents $200

**Due to grant funds that have been made available for this
conference, the registration fee will be $100 per person from Texas
for the three day intro conference.

Please make checks payable and mail to The Texas School for the
Blind and Visually Impaired.

Note: if you cannot attend the entire week and have not heard Dr.
Nielsen present before, you need to attend the Three-day
Introduction Course!


PAYMENT METHOD:

Check, money order, or purchase order will be accepted and must
accompany your registration form.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE:

April 1, 1994 is the last day we will be able to accept workshop
registration applications.  Register early!! The conference will be
limited to 200 participants.  if you have any questions, please
contact Stacy Shafer at (512) 454-8631 ext. 140 or Gigi Brown at
(512) 454-8631 ext. 272.


CANCELLATION/REFUNDS:

The last day that we will be able to refund registration fees for
cancellations will be April 15, 1994.  You are welcome to send
someone in your place if you find you must cancel after April 1
5th.


HOTEL INFORMATION:

Remember to call the Radisson Hotel at (214) 351-4477 to reserve
your room, as soon as possible to get the special conference rate.

                            REGISTRATION FORM


Active   Learning:    Innovative    Methods    &    Materials    From    Denmark

            (including  the  use  of   the   "Little   Room")

                 LILLI    NIELSEN,     Ph.D.,     Denmark


Name
Address
City, State, Zip
Work Phone            ext.  Best Time To Call
Home Phone            ext.  Best Time To Call
Title
School Distdct/Agency       ESC Region

Please check  if  you  need  any  of  the  following  services:
Sign Language Interpreter
Spanish Language Interpreter
Braille

                         TEXAS NON-TEXAS Check the course you plan
               to
                                    attend:
                     RESIDENTS RESIDENTS

              Active Learning (Advanced and
                                     intro)
                          $250 $350
           Monday through Friday, May 9-13:
                                         OR
  Implementing   Active    Learning    (Advanced
                              only)
                  $150 $150 Monday & Tuesday, May 9-1 0:
                                                 OR
             Introduction to Active Learning (intro
                                              only)
                                  $100 $200
                    Wednesday-Friday, May 1 1 -1 3:

                  Total amount of check enclosed: $

Check which books you may be interested in buying at the
conference:

                                    Are You Blind?

                            Educational Approaches

                                            Space And Self

                                    The Comprehendeng Hand Early
                              Learninan Step By Step
           Spatial Relations In Congenotally Blind Infants


Very limited funds are available for travel assistance.  Please
check here if you will need financial assistance in order to
attend.

  Detach  and  return   this   page   with   your   check.


           REMEMBERII


               RETURN YOUR CHECK AND THIS REGISTRATION FORM


                                    BY


                           ***APRIL 1, 1994***


                                    TO


                               Stacy Shafer

             Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

                          1100 West 45th Street

                           Austin, Texas 78756

                         (512) 454-8631 Ext. 140


                       Make your check payable to:

         Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI)







TSBVI
1100 W. 45th Street
Austin, Texas 78756-3494





------



Subject: RE: Response to your article
From: wwalker@zk3.dec.com (Will Walker)

Greetings:

I received some very old mail today regarding an article I posted to
misc.handicap.  I apologize for whatever went wrong.  If there is still
an interest, please let me know.

Will

|As part of DACX (the Disability Action Committee for X), Digital, the TRACE
|Center, and Sun have developed modifications to the X Window System server
|to include AccessX, which can be viewed as AccessDOS for the X Window System.
|AccessX has been rolled into the X11R6 offering that is due out sometime
|next year and all X Window System vendors, including Digital and Sun, should
|have AccessX in their X servers in some form or another next year.
|
|Hope this helps,
|
|Will
|
|
|       I'd like to email this person for more info, but their address
|       does not work. Do you have any other address for them?  Or could
|       you get them to mail me so I get an address to which I can reply,
|       please?
|       Thank you.
|
|       Hugh




------



Subject: Graphic to tactile
From: Mons.Bjorndal@aorg.uib.no (Mons Age Bjorndal)
Organization: University of Bergen, Norway


Do anyone know something about how to convert graphics to
tactile?
     I know that it exist a special paper which can be used in
a Offsetburner.
     Are there another easier method to get a graphic picture
converted to tactile picture?

Please mail me, My E-mail address is
Mons.bjorndal@aorg.uib.no

--
Mons ]ge Bj|rndal
Natlandsveien 81
5030 Land}s
Tlf.: 55.28.47.30
E-mail Mons.Bjorndal@aorg.uib.no


--
Mons ]ge Bj|rndal
Natlandsveien 81
5030 Land}s
Tlf.: 55.28.47.30
E-mail Mons.Bjorndal@aorg.uib.no





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                 End of Issue # 1028 of the Blind News Digest

                                ******