[blparent] Accessible PDF program

Thu Dec 10 21:52:45 UTC 2015

It is my opinion, for what it's worth, that sighted persons were involved when scanning technology came out, and since scanned straight text is more available and quicker than reading with the optacon, the optacon technology was summarily dropped.  At the time, with the optacon first came out, people naively believed that it could be the answer for blind persons' total access to print.  Well, it does have its flaws.  When OCR technology came out, same thing; it was thought of as the total answer to blind persons' access to print.  That is not true either.

The optacon has a hand camera that one uses to move across a printed page.  On the front end of the unit there is an opening where the hand fits, and the display itself is large enough for the index finger.  As you scan with the camera hand, the actual print letter comes up in raised fashion through a series of vibrating rods.  They vibrate at such a fast rate and are so close together, that a person feels the raised letter.  You can also switch the unit to view light on dark.  You can read round medicine bottles with it and canned goods, appliance dials, buttons on another piece of technology.

I used it to label the dishwasher when we moved into our house, and used it to read the setting positions on a new crock pot.  Also the thermometer dial in our fridge.

I use it at work to read bills, and I can find a signature line, mark it with a stylus, create a crease where the line would be and sign.

If I did not have my optacon for work, I would be using reader hours to get at the material OCR cannot handle.

On my computer at home, I have an optacon task list I turned to the optacon users list that has several engineers on it, who are trying to develop a newer version.  I will send that to you off list.

Send me an e-mail to sonshines59 at gmail.com, and I will reply with the list.

Judy

-----Original Message-----
From: BlParent [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Star Gazer via BlParent
Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2015 2:33 PM
To: 'Blind Parents Mailing List'
Cc: Star Gazer
Subject: Re: [blparent] Accessible PDF program

				I wasn't even a gleam in my dad's eye in the 1970's, at least not until very late in the decade. Get all of us smart on what the opticon did and why you liked it? Also, what do you use it for and why did it go away?

-----Original Message-----
From: BlParent [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Deborah Kent Stein via BlParent
Sent: Sunday, November 29, 2015 2:39 PM
To: 'Blind Parents Mailing List' <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Deborah Kent Stein <dkent5817 at att.net>
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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