[blindkid] Bind/Low Vison software for Cognitively or Memory Challenged

[Dr. Denise M Robinson]

 Bind/Low Vison software for Cognitively or Memory
Challenged<http://blindgeteducated.blogspot.com/2011/10/bindlow-vison-software-for-cognitively.html>
 This software has been around for more than a year but I did not have a
chance to try it out until today.
CDesk <http://adaptivevoice.com/> is a very basic talking software program
for older adults who have lost sight or cognitively challenged children in
school who cannot remember hundreds of commands to make their computer do
what they want it to do. I have trained many adults and I can tell you, the
challenge in remembering all these commands starts in the late 20's, so when
I say older, you may be included in this category where technology is
concerned.

CDesk offers several enlarged fonts for viewing. White letters on Black is
the most popular, but it has other options too. Any major command begins
with the Alt key, so that is only 1 thing to remember. Even if you do not
remember ALT-the TAB key will move you through every option and ENTER opens
the option. The Main menu consists of:
- WORD PROCESSING
- EMAIL
- INTERNET BROWSING with SCREEN READER
- DOCUMENT SCANNING with OCR PAGE READING
- ADDRESS BOOK/CONTACT MANAGEMENT
- CALENDAR/APPOINTMENTS
- NLS/BARD/MUSIC/GAMES/INTERNET RADIO
- SKYPE AUDIO/VIDEO CALLS

You can download books straight from Bookshare or BARD. If you are looking
for games for blind children and adults, it has that in the Media Center.
Simple email that you are already on is incredibly easy to navigate and use.
Anything you scan can also be brought right into the CDesk Word and the same
commands that you use for word processing are used now for your scanned
object.

Enlarging your page is simple and easy with the F12 key, so when you go into
an email that has pictures, you can enlarge them enough to see them, true
for Internet browsing and the other programs in CDesk too.

If you have tremors or palsy in your hands, the company will be putting out
a new speech program soon, which works off of CDesk basic commands already,
so it is easy to verbally command your computer to do what you need it to
do. Your voice just needs to be loud enough to be heard by the mic. It has
also come out with a simple small camera that will take a picture of any
print work and put it on the CDesk format on your computer for you to
immediately have feedback.

The more I work with this software, the more I see its potential for those
who have difficulties remembering all those commands. In addition, the
company: adaptivevoice <http://adaptivevoice.com/> offers the option to buy
a computer, monitor, printer, scanner and software for $1999. Within that
agreement is Best Buy will come out and set it up for you. So you can be set
up to go in a very short time.

-- 
Denise

Denise M. Robinson, TVI, Ph.D.
CEO, TechVision
Specialist in blind technology/teaching/training
Email:  yourtechvision at gmail.com <deniserob at gmail.com>
Website with hundreds of lessons: yourtechvision.com