[Faith-talk] Optacon

Tue Sep 6 02:04:15 UTC 2016

I probably sound like folks who do not want to learn braille but the other reason I didn't like the Optacon was having to learn print letters. I ama fluent braille reader and the Optacon just seemed slow and cumbersome. I am glad it worked for you, David. 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 5, 2016, at 6:15 PM, David Andrews via Faith-Talk <faith-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 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 >>
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