[Trainer-talk] What adaptive technologies are effective for, educators?

[Blaine Clark]

Mr Chatham,

You should start by finding out what is in use in India and what is most 
usable and affordable now and for the future.

Some history on India & computer usage; 
http://www.hindu.com/2005/08/02/stories/2005080204541700.htm. Also, I 
promote Vinux, the Ubuntu build of Linux that's had the built-in 
accessibility features of Linux augmented so that through speech and 
Braille display packages, blind and even deaf-blind users can install 
Vinux in several different ways to evaluate, and when ready, to fully 
install Vinux either within Microsoft, alongside Microsoft or to replace 
Microsoft. There is even a way to use Vinux to make a Live Load 
forensics DVD or USB in order for the blind and deaf-blind to perform 
their own emergency computer service including backing up files from a 
crashed system and repair of both Microsoft and Linux systems without 
having to take their computer to a shop to perform formerly inaccessible 
chores. Vinux is viable Linux.

Anything used must be of course effective, usable, affordable, and 
secure. Linux is effective, usable, totally free and natively secure. It 
should also be a system that, when needed can be accessed by the 
visually impaired at every step of it's processes. Linux blows Microsoft 
out of the water on many of these points. Can a severely visually 
impaired person install Microsoft? Can a severely visually impaired 
person repair a crashed Microsoft without outside help? Can a severely 
visually impaired person get Microsoft and all of it's accessibility 
packages free? Can poor people in all areas of the world afford 
Microsoft? If you want to provide education to the masses, it has to be 
affordable. Is Microsoft nearly virus proof? Linux provides all of this 
and more.

Linux has many other features for accessibility; on-screen keyboards, 
screen magnifiers, scanning & Optical Character Recognition to speech 
using document scanners, digital cameras and video cameras, mouse and 
other adaptive controls for physical impairments, head tracking and eye 
tracking, voice recognition control. Linux has everything Microsoft has, 
except the price, Linux is free.

I've replaced Microsoft on my own computers, my wife's computer and many 
friends whose Microsoft systems became unstable or totally unusable or 
were ruined by viruses and other malware. The only reason not to use 
Linux is ... hmm, there isn't one reason not to use Linux.

The Vinux project can be checked out at; http://vinuxproject.org/ and 
the accessible computer forensics aid at 
http://donaldmarang.org/Vinux-IFL.php.

Any help with development and spreading the word about Vinux is greatly 
appreciated.

Thank you.
Blaine


On 11/04/12 13:00, trainer-talk-request at nfbnet.org wrote:
> What adaptive technologies are effective for educators?
>
> Hi there,
>
> My name is Alan Chatham, and I'm a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon University's Human Computer Interaction Institute.  I'm working on a project proposal for a program that is focused on developing adaptive technology to support blind students in India. I don't know really know anything about adaptive technology for the blind, so I wanted to ask what assistive and adaptive technologies are people currently actually using in teaching environments here? Which tools are actually useful and in widespread use?
>
> Thanks for any help,
> Alan Chatham