[misc.handicap] Jaws And Other Bytes

Fred.Hatfield@p7.f5.n396.z1.fidonet.org (Fred Hatfield) (12/04/90)

Index Number: 12155

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

In a message of <22 Nov 90  01:20:04>, Bill Koppelmann (1:104/114) writes:

 BK>Fred, one thing you will find early on is that there will be programs 
 BK>that George will bring up and when he goes in to the application, he 
 BK>will find that he can't get the program to "talk" to him.  You'll need 
 BK>to read the section on macros in order to help the program "talk." I'd 
 BK>tell you more about this, but I've felt a bit daunted by it all and 
 BK>have been waiting for my Saturdays to come back which they are starting 
 BK>to do as of this week.  
 BK>Before I go, i thought I'd tell you that if you ever wish to send me a 
 BK>net mail message, this bbs right here is the one to leave it to.

Thanks for the tip, Bill.  I have been reading the manual while
waiting for a cpu replacement.  There are a lot of neat things that
you can do with JAWS.  I only hope that teaching George how to use
a computer at the same time as using JAWS wont be too much of a
burden for him.  I have been trying to devise a simple method that
would let him do some easy things first and still get some good
'rewards' for his efforts.

I have a CD-ROM on order from DAK and I have been thinking about
importing some text files from the encyclopedia concerning jazz and
letting him read those with the synthesizer.  He is an absolute
'nut' on jazz music and I think that might get him used to using
the keyboard control while listening to something interesting.

Fred Hatfield  K8VDU @ NN5F.LA.USA.NA      ...from the digital cottage...

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Bill.Koppelmann@f810.n104.z1.fidonet.org (Bill Koppelmann) (12/05/90)

Index Number: 12235

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Fred, I think your idea of giving him some articles about jazz would be 
the perfect way to do the job.  As you probably know, the "say all" 
function (on the num pad) is an easy way to read a document and if he's 
going to use an Accent he'll even have it nicer as the accent allows 
for the user to halt the speach and then start again.  Also, the say 
all function can be helpfull
when faced with a screen that doesn't talk, or he can just read the 
screen in "Jaws" mode and that should be helpfull. 
Walter Siren is a much better Jaws user than I, so if you get in to a 
bind he might be helpfull as well.
Bill.

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Fred.Hatfield@p7.f5.n396.z1.fidonet.org (Fred Hatfield) (12/05/90)

Index Number: 12277

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

In a message of <26 Nov 90  23:39:24>, Bill Koppelmann (1:104/114) writes:

 BK>Fred, I'd like to know some of the features that the prose speech card 
 BK>offers.  I think that would be interesting to say the least.
 BK>Bill.

Okay, Bill, but you will have to remember that whatever I say will
be pretty elementary since I am just learning about it myself.

I did note that by going into "Help" mode (hold down the number pad
'0' key and strike the '1' key in the numbers row) allows JAWS to
speak the keyboard without passing the keypresses to the computer
operating system.  That way, the beginner can 'wander' around the
keyboard and discover where each key is located.  So far, I have
planned to use that feature to get George comfortable with the key
locations in the initial phases.  That shouldn't be too much of a
problem since he is used to typing much material on an old
mechanical Royal typewriter that should have served as a boat
anchor many years ago!

The strange part of this is when speaking the 'A', it says 'ah'
rather than the long 'aye' we are used to.  I think in a later
chapter of the manual, it tells how to change some of the spoken
letters.

There are ways to read 'windows' or certain dedicated parts of the
screen also, and as I discover things, I will mention them to you.

Of course Walter Siren would be the guy to discuss all this, he is
years ahead of me on JAWS!

Fred Hatfield  K8VDU @ NN5F.LA.USA.NA      ...from the digital cottage...

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Bill.Koppelmann@f810.n104.z1.fidonet.org (Bill Koppelmann) (12/06/90)

Index Number: 12357

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Say Fred, speaking of inventory programs, Have you ever tried or heard 
of Centrum?  The company just hired a blind Boulderite who will be a 
sales rep for them.  I don't know what kind of money George will or can 
spend, but if you leave a message to Gerry Leary at this bbs, he'll get 
it.  The company does haave a demo that they will let you check out if 
you think that their product would meet your needs.  Not having worked 
for the company or having had little interest in the software, I can't 
tell you such things like whether or not the software is speech 
compatible or not, but you could certainly ask.
Hope this is at least a little helpfull.  
Bill.

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Fred.Hatfield@p7.f5.n396.z1.fidonet.org (Fred Hatfield) (12/06/90)

Index Number: 12369

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

In a message of <01 Dec 90 23:27:00>, Bill Koppelmann (1:104/810) writes:

 BK>Say Fred, speaking of inventory programs, Have you ever tried or heard 
 BK>of Centrum?  The company just hired a blind Boulderite who will be a 
 BK>sales rep for them.  I don't know what kind of money George will or can 
 BK>spend, but if you leave a message to Gerry Leary at this bbs, he'll get 
 BK>it.  The company does haave a demo that they will let you check out if 
 BK>you think that their product would meet your needs.  Not having worked 
 BK>for the company or having had little interest in the software, I can't 
 BK>tell you such things like whether or not the software is speech 
 BK>compatible or not, but you could certainly ask.
 BK>Hope this is at least a little helpfull.  

Well, thanks Bill for taking an interest.  I have the inventory
program pretty much on the way -- I am using Paradox3 for the basis
of it.  I think that JAWS will integrate with it pretty well.  If I
have some difficulties, I will check into your suggestion.

BTW, Bill, are you pretty active on ham radio?  We had a hamfest
here this weekend.  But I didn't see much packet radio stuff --
that is my primary interest.

Fred Hatfield  K8VDU @ NN5F.LA.USA.NA      ...from the digital cottage...

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