[blindlaw] Congrads Ben on passing the bar

James Pepper b75205 at gmail.com
Thu Dec 3 04:29:56 UTC 2009


Ben on the forms.

The problem with forms is they use fonts that are too small for OCR software
to decode and so you are always going to have problems with scanning
them. What I do not understand is how can these documents be legal if you
the reciever are made responsible to try to interpret what the sender sent
to you.   Why is it your responsibility?

The smaller fonts are actually not the full font but a cut down version of a
font and so they are not valid and the OCR software gets messed up. It is
best to rebuild the form to be accessible and I can do that so you can read
all of the other content on the page besides what you have written.

Actually I am trying to figure out and I could use some help on this from
the members of this list, I am trying to figure out which companies to
approach with my new format?

I developed this after regaining my eyesight and I can lay out PDF files to
be accessible where all of the content can be read and you only need a text
to speech engine to read the content.  It works with JAWS, Window Eyes and
Zoom Text and I just had AFB Tech test it, they are the technology division
of the American Foundation for the Blind and they called it a "Raising the
Floor" technology.  So if you all have insights into who can use this, that
would be helpful.  My format is backwards compatible so people who do not
have the latest version of screen readers can access content.  And the same
document used for the blind can be used for everyone else.

I can lay out the LSAT, and I can do this in multiple languages and this
process can be encrypted so I can lay out accessible e-books in PDF format
capable of being read with Adobe Reader using free screen readers.

The font size problem is significant because most government forms use fonts
that are only half size, 6 points or 8 points, they are cut down so much
that you can barely recognize the font with your eyes let alone with OCR.
This is because there isn't enough information being given to distinguish
the characters.  If you noticed for example you may get a lot of the letter
"L" being read to you, that is because the OCR software is not picking up
the letters correctly, it is actually breaking up the strokes you make to
write the letter.  You see this problem when you scan text that is in a
box.  The sides of the boxes become "L's" and you hear a lot of
underscores.

The solution is to make the form an electronic form from the start.  And the
reason you do not have that in PDF format is because Adobe sells this as
part of their Livecycle server systems which are very expensive and only the
government and big corporations can afford it.  So for everyone else
you have the situation where you can fill out the form and then you have to
scan it to record a copy of it for your records.  If you want to change
anything you will have to start over again with a new form.  You cannot save
those files because that function is not enabled in ordinary PDF forms.

So you should be demanding that all government offices, agencies and
colleges make their content electronic for accessibility so you can use
digital signatures, and you can save these files after you sign them so you
have a copy on hand to access in the future.  And I can lay out these forms
so you can access all of the document with free screen readers.

Sincerely,

James G. Pepper



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