[blparent] Accessible PDF program

Jeffrey Young jeff.young8806 at gmail.com
Tue Dec 1 04:49:59 UTC 2015 

For those of us who have not had the pleasure, can someone explain a little bit about the Optacon? I've heard of it before this discussion, but don't know much except that it somehow converts rritten letters to raised print" 

Jeff Young

> On Nov 30, 2015, at 9:26 PM, Steve Jacobson via BlParent <blparent at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> With all of the good things we are saying about the Optacon, it is only fair
> that it be noted that most of us did not build up a great deal of reading
> speed, certainly not what one reads in braille or by reading a document
> created using OCR.  Some people reached 100 words per minute or more, but
> many of us did not, even though we read braille resonably fast.
> 
> Best regards,
> 
> Steve Jacobson
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: BlParent [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Judy Jones
> via BlParent
> Sent: Monday, November 30, 2015 8:03 PM
> To: Blind Parents Mailing List <blparent at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Judy Jones <sonshines59 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [blparent] Accessible PDF program
> 
> Well, the braille N speak is something totally different.  I started using 
> the Braille Lite, a step up from the Braille N Speak, then moved to the 2000
> 
> version, then the Millennium 20.  Now use the HIMS U2.
> 
> Yes, you can read handwriting with the optacon, but if too many lines on the
> 
> page, and depending whatever else is going on with the page, can be tricky. 
> In my job I can read hand printing, neat cursive, but the spidery script 
> whether handwritten or printed really throws me.
> 
> Judy
> 
> 
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: Jennifer S Jackson via BlParent
> Sent: Monday, November 30, 2015 2:13 PM
> To: 'Blind Parents Mailing List'
> Cc: Jennifer S Jackson
> Subject: Re: [blparent] Accessible PDF program
> 
> I first lost my sight just as Opticons were falling out of favor and with so
> many new things to learn never got to that one other than to be exposed to
> it. As a former sited person, I have wondered if it is useful for reading
> handwriting? It is one of those things I have occasionally thought would be
> useful and if skilled at it, would still like to have one around. Especially
> for signing all the stuff that comes home from school.  Of course I still
> miss the simplicity and sturdiness of the old Braille and Speaks.
> 
> 
> Jennifer J
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: BlParent [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Judy Jones
> via BlParent
> Sent: Sunday, November 29, 2015 5:34 PM
> To: Blind Parents Mailing List
> Cc: Judy Jones
> Subject: Re: [blparent] Accessible PDF program
> 
> I plame the disappearance of the Optacon, frankly, on sighted marketers.
> When the optacon first came out it was viewed as the solution to the print
> barrier for blind persons.  It has its limitations.  Same thing, when
> scanning and OCR technology came on the scene, it was viewed as the thing
> that would break down barrier to print.  As we all know, OCR has its
> limitations, too.
> 
> If you're fortunate enough to have an optacon, plus OCR, you have the best
> of both worlds.  In my job, if I did not have the optacon, I would be using
> reader hours.
> 
> Sorry, no more off-topic.
> 
> Judy
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jo Elizabeth Pinto via BlParent
> Sent: Sunday, November 29, 2015 3:24 PM
> To: Blind Parents Mailing List
> Cc: Jo Elizabeth Pinto
> Subject: Re: [blparent] Accessible PDF program
> 
> Can I get an amen!  I saw the Optacon falling out of favor as technology
> passed it by, and when I did some work for the state back in the early
> nineties, I took in-kind payment in a couple of old machines so I would have
> backup in case mine ever died.  Man, am I glad I did that!  I use mine
> regularly, and I've got a lifetime of spare parts--knock on wood--and a
> watchmaker in the family who can fix things with tiny soldering and the
> like.  I use it to read recipe boxes, mail, medical coresspondence, papers
> from my daughter's school, and countless other day-to-day print items, and I
> can't imagine what in the world I would ever do without it.  Optacons do pop
> up on Ebay sometimes, and at decent prices, because people don't even know
> what they've got.
> 
> Jo Elizabeth
> 
> "The Bright Side of Darkness"
> is my newly published novel,
> available in Kindle, audio, and paperback formats at Amazon.com.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Deborah Kent Stein via BlParent
> Sent: Sunday, November 29, 2015 12:39 PM
> To: 'Blind Parents Mailing List'
> Cc: Deborah Kent Stein
> Subject: Re: [blparent] Accessible PDF program
> 
> 
> 
> Let's hear it for the Optacon! It is a wonderful piece of technology! None
> of today's programs and devices even attempts to do what the Optacon started
> doing back in the 1970s. I use mine every day and I shudder to think of life
> without it.
> 
> Debbie
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: BlParent [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Steve
> Jacobson via BlParent
> Sent: Sunday, November 29, 2015 11:45 AM
> To: 'Blind Parents Mailing List' <blparent at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Steve Jacobson <steve.jacobson at visi.com>
> Subject: Re: [blparent] Accessible PDF program
> 
> Judy,
> 
> Another Optacon user, it's good to meet you.  <smile>  I also still use one,
> too.
> 
> Another point to make about forms is that it isn't always easy to reason out
> where a response is supposed to go.  For example, it is common to fill in a
> response to the right of the label, but I've seen forms where the response
> goes on the line below, for example.  Once one knows a form, one can deal
> with it, but forms are somewhat unpredictable these days.
> 
> Best regards,
> 
> Steve Jacobson
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: BlParent [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Judy Jones
> via BlParent
> Sent: Sunday, November 29, 2015 9:46 AM
> To: Blind Parents Mailing List <blparent at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Judy Jones <sonshines59 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [blparent] Accessible PDF program
> 
> Also, if you do fill out a Word document, there are times when, because of
> the tags, you have to simply right-arrow through to find the underlines.  As
> 
> steve said, that is when you want to be in overwrite mode, but make sure you
> 
> get out of it as soon as you need to type anything else other than
> substituting an underscore with another character.  Whenever I have done
> this, especially with a new unfamiliar document, I always double-check
> myself with the Optacon.  A sighted proof-reader can do the same thing of
> course.
> 
> Judy
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Jacobson via BlParent
> Sent: Sunday, November 29, 2015 8:10 AM
> To: 'Blind Parents Mailing List'
> Cc: Steve Jacobson
> Subject: Re: [blparent] Accessible PDF program
> 
> Jennifer,
> 
> If you can experiment with common forms using an OCR program such as Open
> Book, and maybe even the serotek program, with your mom, you might be able
> to get a word document that can be filled out.  Generally you will need to
> fill out such a form in "overtype" mode so your typing doesn't push text
> along.  Also, it can be a little difficult to determine where you should
> type.  Some OCR programs will turn underlined areas into an underline code
> and a tab.  This makes a very nice looking underline but is sometimes not
> easy to use to type into.  Most often, if they have some warning, staff in a
> doctor's office will help with forms, although you might need to get there
> early to allow for extra time to get that done.
> 
> There adobe documents that are designed to be filled out by a computer and
> not just printed.  While those can be managed, they are not always as easy
> to fill out as one might expect.  Some of the fault for that is in how
> documents are created, but some is probably on the screen readers as well.
> Adobe is so busy updating their programs, screen reader developers are
> shooting at a moving target.  Some of these companies seem to believe that
> there program is the only one that we run and the only one screen readers
> have to support.  <smile>
> 
> Best regards,
> 
> Steve
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: BlParent [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jennifer
> Woods via BlParent
> Sent: Saturday, November 28, 2015 11:22 PM
> To: Blind Parents Mailing List <blparent at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Jennifer Woods <jenn.purplepuppy2 at icloud.com>
> Subject: Re: [blparent] Accessible PDF program
> 
> Hi Judy,
> 
> Thank you for sharing your knowledge with me.
> I do not have open book yet I need to get that. I am currently using Serotek
> DocuScan Plus the issue that I have though is similar to what you mentioned
> you've experienced with Word and it re formats the document making it not
> possible to print out in the same format I received it and return it to the
> doctor.
> 
> I am running dual operating systems and recently added Windows to my Mac so
> I do not have all of the necessary software that I need yet.
> 
> For the paperwork I needed filled out I was able to send it to my mom and
> since she is sighted she filled it out for me using Adobe on her Mac.
> 
> Jennifer
> 
> 
> On Nov 28, 2015, at 9:07 PM, Judy Jones via BlParent <blparent at nfbnet.org>
> wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> When you see a document you can download in adobe, depending on the editor,
> you may or may not be able to fill it out on the computer.  Many adobe
> publishers figure that you will print out their documents and fill them out
> by hand.
> 
> I have tried to copy/paste a document into word, but messes up the
> formatting.
> 
> Some adobe documents, when they are processed, you will get an "alert empty
> document" message.  That document will still print though.
> 
> With the newer Jaws versions, if you are using Jaws, there may be ways
> around this.  Also, if you have OpenBook, you may be able to open that adobe
> document from within OpenBook program, then edit it in edit mode, but
> haven't had the chance to play around with that much.
> 
> I would also be interested to hear others' input who may have had more
> experience than I.  I don't find Adobe to be terribly dependable when it
> comes to access.  Again, it depends on the creator of the document.
> 
> Judy
> 
> -----Original Message----- From: Jennifer Woods via BlParent
> Sent: Saturday, November 28, 2015 9:08 PM
> To: Blind Parents Mailing List
> Cc: Jennifer Woods
> Subject: [blparent] Accessible PDF program
> 
> Hello I am wondering what you use for an accessible PDF application to fill
> out paperwork using the computer such as medical forms that need to be
> filled out and taken back to the doctor.
> 
> Is Adobe accessible?
> 
> Thanks
> Jennifer
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