[blindlaw] Methods for Reading Handwriting

[Susan Kelly]

I have similar problems with police reports in my cases, many portions of which are still handwritten (or more accurately, scribbled).  I can sometimes pull my screen magnification up to 8 or greater and even with my face an inch away from the screen it still is illegible to me - and that obviously won't work for you.  The short answer is that it does not yet exist.  I have to ask someone to read things to me quickly while I type them out for myself, or, when there is more time available, have the written portions recorded to mP3 by my assistant and loaded by client name into my computer.  Not very independent, but it suffices.

-----Original Message-----
From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Gerard Sadlier via blindlaw
Sent: Wednesday, May 13, 2015 5:01 PM
To: Blind Law Mailing List
Cc: Gerard Sadlier
Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Methods for Reading Handwriting

Hi Kerri,

I'd be glad to be corrected but I think the short answer is that there are no such programmes?

Ger

On 5/14/15, Kerri Regan via blindlaw <blindlaw at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hi everyone. I recently started my first full-time paralegal job at a  
> firm which deals primarily with Worker's Compensation and Social  
> Security-related cases. My position is mostly computer and  
> phone-based, communicating with clients and keeping track of a busy  
> caseload for my supervising attorney. The case management software  
> works well with JAWS and much of the paperwork the firm uses is  
> already scanned into the computer, but today I encountered a major  
> problem. There are forms that are filled out by medical professionals,  
> sent back to us and scanned into our system. While the forms  
> themselves are typed PDFs, many of the doctors fill them out by hand.
>  The handwriting comes across just fine for my sighted colleagues, but  
> when I tried reading the forms with JAWS' OCR utility I was only able  
> to read blank fields, not their content. Going over these forms with  
> clients is an important part of my job, and while my employers have  
> been wonderful and willing to adapt the position to better fit my  
> abilities, I'd prefer not to foist reading duties on one of my  
> colleagues and do all the work this position requires.  I know many  
> OCR programs have trouble processing handwriting, but are there any  
> out there that might be an exception?  I'm totally blind, familiar  
> with all Windows screenreaders and have the KNFB reader app on my  
> iPhone. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for  
> your help, Kerri
>
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