[Faith-talk] Optacon

[David Andrews]

I doubt that the Optacon will ever come back, it would be too 
expensive.  It has been gone for many years, and a petition from a 
few people won't change that.

Dave

At 06:23 PM 9/5/2016, you wrote:
>Well David, I was going to ask you that question too. When will they 
>bring back the Optica? Should we sign a patision or call someone in 
>behalf of this. Don't they know that this can help someone who has 
>never red print or music notes. How much did it cost for you and how 
>much do you think it will cost today? Naima -----Original 
>Message----- From: Faith-Talk [mailto:faith-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] 
>On Behalf Of David Moore via Faith-Talk Sent: Monday, September 05, 
>2016 6:14 PM To: Faith-talk, for the discussion of faith and 
>religion Cc: David Moore Subject: Re: [Faith-talk] Shikha: classes 
>Hi Ericka, Thanks a lot. Let me know if you need help, because I can 
>explain a concept in so many different ways so any person will 
>understand it. I teach sunday school in church, and I take the 
>materials they use and scan them with OpenBook onto my computer. I 
>also use the KNFB reader a lot with the iPhone, so I can read 
>something in church right on the spot. People give me rides to 
>church, and they get my food for me at a pot luck. I record the 
>music as it is being sung in church. I ask people with a loud voice, 
>if I can place my recorder by them so I can take the tape home and 
>memorize the words. They really get a kick out of it, and say that 
>they feel like a super star having their singing recorded. I take 
>notes of the sermon in Church with a note taker; that helps a lot. I 
>take my technology to church just like I would to work or school. I 
>use a Braille note, with the KNFB reader. I still use an Optacon, 
>that I cannot imagine being without. One day, I teach 6th graders in 
>Sunday school, I heard a piece of paper sliding across the table 
>around me. I knew they were passing notes between each other. I took 
>out my Optacon out of my bag, and they were silent as I read out 
>loud what they had been writing and passing around. I can read a lot 
>of people's hand writing with the Optacon. They have never done that 
>again. I feel so sorry for those who have never had the oportunity 
>to use an Optacon. You can feel the exact shape of the print that 
>you roll the camera over. It is right on the spot reading in real 
>time, and not having to depend on the OCR quality. I felt all of my 
>math symbols with the Optacon and was able to read all of my math 
>texts and science texts with the Optacon. Now, when I tutor, I know 
>what every math symbol looks like in print, because I felt it with 
>the Optacon. I can write a lot of math out for sighted people to 
>read. I wish that the NFB would fight for an Optacon project to 
>bring the Optacon back more than anything. For us who have used it, 
>we all say that there is no current technology that will ever 
>totally replace the Optacon. I cried when I heard that it would no 
>longer be made. I really did. A lot of access to church materials 
>would be solved with the Optacon, because you can roll the camera 
>over any language or music, any symbols, and feel them. You can read 
>absolutely anything with the Optacon. Only you are the limit. I 
>think that it is really time for the NFB to do everything in their 
>power to bring back the Optacon, because it would solve so many 
>accessibility problems with math, science, languages, music, 
>anything that is printed can be read with the Optacon. Take care, 
>Guys, How do I get a hold of the most important person about the 
>Optacon LOL! David Moore -----Original Message----- From: Ericka via 
>Faith-Talk Sent: Monday, September 5, 2016 2:58 PM To: 
>Faith-talk,for the discussion of faith and religion Cc: Ericka 
>Subject: Re: [Faith-talk] Shikha: classes Goodness I wish you were 
>my math teacher! I really stink. It's not so much the concepts as 
>the fact that being low vision I can't put things in the right slot. 
>You know, when you have to do a Long division or algebraic stuff 
>improve your work. I can't get things in the right order so they 
>lineup and my numbers don't come out. They goodness for checkbook 
>apps! I did pretty well in statistics with some help. Totally agree 
>with you David that human beings are a blessing and shouldn't be 
>thought of as a last resort. We're going to need them on the job and 
>if they understand I working with us how we do things then leave 
>educated later colleagues! Maybe future church members? We really 
>don't know what a lot of people do after college. They go out into 
>the wide world and by knowing us they understand why people a little 
>bit better than the rest. I am very glad you brought up the point 
>that sighted people need each other for help as well. They take 
>rides from each other. Sighted people have tutors for classes. They 
>babysit each other's kids. They pick up the mail for each other. 
>They cook for each other. They commute to work! So why would it ever 
>be wrong to ask someone to read something for us or help? It's our 
>job to learn how to do things alternatively so we can return the 
>favor rather than looking like we only need help. Ericka Short 1750 
>Fordem Ave. #508 Madison. WI. 53704 608-665-3170 from my iPhone 6s > 
>On Sep 4, 2016, at 3:14 PM, David Moore via Faith-Talk > 
><faith-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote: > > Wow, good for you, Shikha, > My 
>Degree was in mathematics, and I received my masters in 
>mathematics > Education. I have my own math tutoring business. I 
>live in Columbus, Ohio. > I have been to Maryland and DC, and the 
>public transportation is so great. > The metro train is so clean and 
>fast. I am so proud of you. It was > hard, because I attended The 
>Ohio State University, and I lived in the > dorm. I had many sighted 
>friends, but sometimes, they did not > understand why I could not 
>have as much fun as they did LOL! I had to > take more time 
>studying, and I had to work harder then my sighted > friends did to 
>get good grades. I am blessed with a good mind, and I > can memorize 
>a lot of information. That really helped me, because I > did not 
>have to write everything down in Braille to remember it. I > used 
>audio tapes to learn from by listening to them. Most of my > 
>learning was by listening to readers and tapes. I went to school 
>in > the 1980s for my bachelorss, so there was not near as much 
>technology > then. I had to use readers who would read the book to 
>me, and I would > record them reading with a cassette recorder. Of 
>course, now, I would > do things totally different. Many classes are 
>practically on line now, > which would have been great for me, 
>because I can access everything > over the computer with my screen 
>reader and Braille display. It is a > different world now. I did get 
>my masters in 2008, so I got to use all > of the current technology 
>to get my masters. It was beautiful to go to > school at totally 
>different times. One time in the 1980s, and the > second time to get 
>my masters in 2008. I was able to be in school when > there was not 
>all of the technology, and I was able to go to school > with all of 
>the technology. I think that all of the new technology has > not 
>replaced having readers, and taking advantage of help that people > 
>can give you instead of a OCR package or screen reader. No 
>technology > can replace people, and that concerns me a little. It 
>is not wrong to > depend on others to help you when you are blind. 
>Even sighted people > need a lot of help from others. I encourage 
>you to use all technology > available to you, but don't be afraid to 
>ask for help from others when > you need it. We all need each other, 
>no matter if we are blind or sighted. Five classes is a lot. The 
>most classes I took at one time was four classes. > David 
>Moore > > > -----Original Message----- From: Shikha via Faith-Talk > 
>Sent: Sunday, September 4, 2016 3:53 PM > To: Faith-talk,for the 
>discussion of faith and religion > Cc: Shikha > Subject: Re: 
>[Faith-talk] Shikha: classes > > I am a jr and taking core classes. 
>Five social work classes. > My major is social work and I would like 
>to move to Maryland or dc for > my master. I would also like to 
>permanently live and work in Maryland or dc! > I love this mailing 
>list so we can encourage one another since being > blind is 
>challenging. Some sighted people will be rude and not open 
>minded. > > > Shikha. > >> On Sep 4, 2016, at 3:32 PM, David Moore 
>via Faith-Talk >> <faith-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote: >> >> Hi Shikha, >> 
>I will be praying for you as well to do well in school. When I 
>went >> to college, it took me longer to study and to do all of the 
>work >> because I was blind. It just takes longer to do the job, but 
>the >> results are still the same. I think a blind person can do 
>much >> better, because we have to remember and work with the 
>material more >> than a sighted person does. We can't just flip 
>through a textbook and >> high light what we want to cram into our 
>mind right before a test. We have to prepare more and plan more. >> 
>Take care, >> David Moore >> >> >> -----Original Message----- From: 
>Sarah Blake LaRose via Faith-Talk >> Sent: Sunday, September 4, 2016 
>3:18 PM >> To: Faith-talk,for the discussion of faith and 
>religion >> Cc: Sarah Blake LaRose >> Subject: [Faith-talk] Shikha: 
>classes >> >> Hi, Shikha. >> >> What classes are you taking this 
>semester? You will be in my prayers. >> >> >> >> >> >> Sarah Blake 
>LaRose, M.Div., accessible instruction in biblical >> languages 
>Personal mail: sarah at sarahblakelarose.com >>