mjt@acd4.acd.com (Mark Teegarde) (04/03/91)
Index Number: 14603 I am not sure if you could make any suggestions, but since matt@cs.wisc.edu (Matt Schaefer) posted the note about the Johns Hopkins contest, I am curious about this. 1. What are the needs of the handicapped who use computers? 2. Who are the handicapped people who use computers? How are they handicapped? What are their disabilities that make it harder to use computers? (I don't just mean the mentally handicapped like me <grin>) 3. Just for us people who are ignorant of disabilities in general, what kinds of things can my company do to make it easier for a handicapped person to work here. Sure we have low-incline ramps where necessary, rails in the restrooms and an elevator to get to the second floor, but that is only enough to satisfy state regs for a new building. What else is necessary to make work-life livable? --Mark Teegarden uunet!acd4!mjt acd4@mjt acd.com@mjt
gdk@ssi.uucp (Gary D. Kline) (04/10/91)
Index Number: 14661 mjt@acd4.acd.com (Mark Teegarde) writes: > > I am not sure if you could make any suggestions, but since > matt@cs.wisc.edu (Matt Schaefer) posted the note about the Johns > Hopkins contest, I am curious about this. > > 1. What are the needs of the handicapped who use computers? The needs would depend upon the nature of the handicap; could be rather insignificant, or major. In most cases the needs are easily met. > > 2. Who are the handicapped people who use computers? How are they > handicapped? What are their disabilities that make it harder to use > computers? In Berkeley when I first was hooked by computers, there was a one-year intensive course that taught BASIC and COBOL. I saw every flavor of physical disability under the sun. At UC, the few students I knew of in CS, most were mobility- disabled--spinal cord injuries. Some, like myself, had mutliple disabilities. Everyone I knew was highly movitated, though, and this was as great an asset as the handicap was a liability. > > 3. Just for us people who are ignorant of disabilities in general, > what kinds of things can my company do to make it easier for a > handicapped person to work here. Hmm. I'd say that the greatest help on the part of the able- bodied would be patience. The most common obstacles I've run into are people who haven't an extra minute to invest when it involves establishing a sound work-relationship. If you are going to be working with a disabled man, take the time to get acquainted with him. > Sure we have low-incline ramps where > necessary, rails in the restrooms and an elevator to get to the second > floor, but that is only enough to satisfy state regs for a new > building. What else is necessary to make work-life livable? Assuming the above, what makes work-live viable for the disabled in the same as for the able-bodied. An enjoyable work environment; friendships, everyday respect. I've had experiences where, since my speech is impaired, people at work have assumed that my intelligence was similarly impaired. This is common outside of work, but at work, especially in a technological industry, peoples' attitudes have surprised me. Human nature? Who knows? --Gary Kline uunet!ssi!gdk Work uunet!ssi!tao!kline Home kline@tao
Bill.Higgins@p17.f9.n249.z1.fidonet.org (Bill Higgins) (04/26/91)
Index Number: 15228
Hi Mark!
In your msg to All, dated <15 Apr 91 16:22>, it said:
MT> From: mjt@acd4.acd.com (Mark Teegarde)
MT> Message-ID: <18476@bunker.isc-br.com>
MT> Index Number: 14603
MT> 1. What are the needs of the handicapped who use computers?
Mostly user friendly and more affordable.
MT> 2. Who are the handicapped people who use computers? How are they
MT> handicapped? What are their disabilities that make it harder to use
MT> computers? (I don't just mean the mentally handicapped like me <grin>)
That's hard to answer. I myself am a 28 yr. old man with Cerebral
Palsey. I'm able to do most anything with no or just a little help.
My main goal right now is to get my consulting firm off of the
ground.
MT> 3. Just for us people who are ignorant of disabilities in general,
MT> what kinds of things can my company do to make it easier for a
MT> handicapped person to work here. Sure we have low-incline ramps where
MT> necessary, rails in the restrooms and an elevator to get to the second
MT> floor, but that is only enough to satisfy state regs for a new
MT> building. What else is necessary to make work-life livable?
Good and reliable transportation that is affordable. Restrooms that
you can truly move in with the doors shut, workstations that a
wheelchair can readly pull up to and be used with ease and comfort.
Offices should also be set up so that wheelchairs can pass from one
workstation to the other, with shared office equipment being set up
so that the disabled worker can access them as well.
If you'd like to consult with me please leave a note at the tag
address (249/9.17) via echomail or call me M-F 9-5 EST @ (613)
548-3410.
Bill
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Internet: Bill.Higgins@p17.f9.n249.z1.fidonet.orgWally.Brown@f36.n134.z1.fidonet.org (Wally Brown) (04/26/91)
Index Number: 15234
You asked how to make life easier for the handicapped, well , I am a blind
person, and I have a few suggestions to make, if you do not mind.
On elevators, put a voice to indicate the floor level that is being
stopped at, and put a voice on each button pressed to indicate where you
are pressing for.
I fo not use a wheel-chair as I am not in need of that sort of help.
As far as computers are concerned, I am well equipped with a synthetic
voice and a speech programme that works well for me.
Hope this may help.
Wally.
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Internet: Wally.Brown@f36.n134.z1.fidonet.orgBill.Burgess@f401.n229.z1.fidonet.org (Bill Burgess) (04/26/91)
Index Number: 15256
Donna, the talking elevator that you referenced may be the Otis 401
series. It pronounces each floor and at the beginning says either
"going up" or "going down". I serve on an Audio Elevator and Audible
Traffic Lights committee in our area and the provincial minister of
housing will address the implementation of talking elevators in all
new structures in their 1993 revisions, as we just missed the 1990
revisions. I have the correspondence in my briefcase and IBM had a
location in a new building with the Otis elevators. Other elevators
previously installed may be retrofitted with speech if people will
go the cost of it. As for the traffic lights, we expect some befort
the end of the year. Hope this helps. Take care.
Love to you and Dad,
Bill
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