[blparent] Accessible PDF program

Judy Jones sonshines59 at gmail.com
Tue Dec 1 12:41:54 UTC 2015 

I love mine as well, One can also read round medicine bottles and canned 
goods labels.  Sometimes, if having an issue with speech on a computer, I 
have also managed to read messages on a computer screen, but not that often.

Judy


-----Original Message----- 
From: Jo Elizabeth Pinto via BlParent
Sent: Monday, November 30, 2015 10:21 PM
To: Blind Parents Mailing List
Cc: Jo Elizabeth Pinto
Subject: Re: [blparent] Accessible PDF program

An Optacon consists basically of a handheld camera that you roll over text.
The camera sends signals through a cord to a main unit, which raises pins on
a small screen array shaped to fit one index finger.  You typically roll the
camera with your right hand and read the raised pins with your left
forefinger, one letter at a time.  I got to where I was proficient enough at
one point to read fairly easy novels--Little House on the Prairie, Anne of
Green Gables, that type of stuff.  Now I use mine for recipes, school
papers, mail, things like that.  I like it better than OCR, probably because
I grew up with it and never really adapted to scanning technology.  You
can't teach an old dog new tricks, as they say.

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: Jeffrey Young via BlParent
Sent: Monday, November 30, 2015 9:49 PM
To: Blind Parents Mailing List
Cc: Jeffrey Young
Subject: Re: [blparent] Accessible PDF program

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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