[nobe-l] FW: Feedback From A Blind Person.

[Judy Jones]

Hi To All,

 

Below is my e-mail to the address listed on the Read Read web site.

 

I hope you will all join me in educating the people responsible for
marketing this device.

 

Judy

 

 

From: Judy Jones [mailto:sonshines59 at gmail.com] 
Sent: Thursday, June 1, 2017 7:07 PM
To: thereadread at gmail.com
Subject: Feedback From A Blind Person.
Importance: High

 

Hello,

 

My name is Judy Jones.  I am a former school teacher in the public school
system, and former rehab teacher.  I, myself, am blind, and have been a
braille user all my life, due to retinopathy of prematurity.

 

I think this device can be a great tool to reinforce learning braille, but
should never be a substitute for a human teacher.

 

My big question:  For any of you who have sighted children in the school
system, would you feel your children are receiving quality reading training
solely through the use of a device, because school districts have teacher
shortages and don't have the time, resources, or manpower to teach your
children?  Would you call this quality education?  Would you put up with
this for your sighted children?

 

I shudder to think how this device is to be marketed.  Again, I think the
Read Read could be a valuable tool in braille literacy, but should not be
touted as the be-all and end-all tool that will solve literacy issues for
the blind.

 

First of all, young children will not have the discipline to automatically
start out with this device and one day start reading fluently.  A teacher
not only teaches braille, but instills discipline, monitors progress,
answers questions, encourages and jokes with students when they don't feel
like learning that day.  A relationship develops that encourages students to
work.

 

Over the years, I have seen products and ideas marketed that were claimed to
be the total and wonderful final answer that would solve a certain problem
for the blind.  Please do not fall into that myth with this tool, as great
as it may be.  No product or idea, in and of itself is going to be the
perfect answer, but one of many choices and combinations blind people should
experience.

 

When the Optacon first arrived on the scene, it was believed then to be the
device that would bring down the print barrier for the blind.  It is a great
device, but has its drawbacks.  I am an optacon user, but can tell you that
reading with one is slow, about 60 words per minute.  However, one can read
things with it that today's OCR technology can't touch.

 

When the Kurzweil and similar programs came on the scene, the Optacon was
summarily kicked to the curb for the much faster scanning software programs.
However, these, too, have their drawbacks.  The OCR is only as good as its
program.  The program is giving its "best guess" as to what it sees, and
many times, misses the mark completely.

 

Electronic GPS devices and apps, while they are great and fill a niche,
cannot and do not replace a cane or dog guide and training.

 

I would love to try a Read Read device, since I am teaching braille, but use
of the device should be kept in its place as one of many tools to be used by
a teacher.

 

Thank you for considering my comments, as you move forward in marketing the
Read Read.

 

Judy Jones