[misc.handicap] Cerebral Palsy, LROP and 3270 Communications

DAH@psuvm.psu.edu (Donald A. Hazle) (04/10/91)

Index Number: 14647

At present I employ a person who is a Cerebral Palsy Victim having no
use of her arms or legs and limited verbal commications.  Despite
this handicap, she is using a Swan 286 PC with the help of a
LROP (Long Range Optical Pointer) supplied by Words+ Inc. of Sunnyvale,
Calf.  This hardward/software combination has worked well with software
such as WordPerfect 5.1, Dbase and other PC packages.

     However, I have had considerable problems in adapting any 3270
communications packages using an IBM 3278/79 emulation adapter card
operating over Coax to an IBM controller. I have tried to use IBM
software, PC Focus and Attachmate Extra, all of which have to some extent
refuse to accept keystroke commands from the LROP. I have been advised by
Words+ that any TSR software may cause problems.  Also the LROP works
directly with the keyboard buffer to form commands.

     Therefore Words+ has advised me to attempt commuincation over
an async line operating thru a protocol converter.  I plan to test
this method in the new few days.

Though, I have had considerble experience with voice and scanning
devices for the blind, I would appreciate some help in this area
with the following questions.

1. Has anyone used a LROP to interface over coax using an IBM 3270
   controller and a IBM 3270/79 emulation adapter?

2. Has anyone used a LROP in anyform of async communications and if
   so what software on the PC seemed to work?
Post, call or send reply to DAH at PSUVM

Donald A. Hazle
106 Human Development East
Penn State University
University, Park Pa. 16802
Phone 814-863-2232

Jim.Sherwin@f21.n272.z1.fidonet.org (Jim Sherwin) (04/26/91)

Index Number: 15231

Hi,  I feel I have some particularly interesting insights which
will help those of you in the teaching profession.  I am a
Quadriplegic <C-4 complete.>  Which has paralyzed me from the
neck down. Currently I use a MAC SE Personal Computer with a
Personics Headmaster headset to operate the system. I'm studying
Psychology at Marist College, and I'm a Senior with a 3.3 GPA.
   As you can see I am quite frank writing about this somewhat
difficult life circumstance.  With-out going into detail, I've
had many public speaking engagements in schools in my locality
and am willing to share any of that information with anyone who
might like or need to know about my life-style.  I'll check in
here from time to time, and I live in Beacon NY near Newburgh.

Sorry about the "canned" into above, it save a lot of keystrokes.  I'm
not to familiar with the system you use but I am able to emulate a 3270
main frame "full screen text editing" with a package called MCWS. This
software can "trick" Marist College's main frame into letting me
connect to the system's PCWS dos interface program.  Is that the route
your persuing?  If you use the inter-college mail facility my address
is KHJQ@MUSICB.  I'm not familiar with using the mainframe's mail
facility but could reply once you've contacted me.  Good luck in your
endeavors and hope my input helped.
\/ Squire \/
/\  Jim   /\

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