What I found to be very sad here was a very skilled, multilingual, female
teacher here in Ottawa who was well-travelled and well-experienced, and full
of renaisance knowledge, like the Greeks. In time, she became diabetic and
developed this masty neuropathy, and so in time she could no longer use her
precious optacon which she used to fluidly read other languages and scripts.
Even braille became a challenge for her. I think it almost broke her heart
when she unloaded her optacon after decades of productivity in doing only
what an optacon could help her to do in her extensive field.
Debby: I haven't forgotten to answer your website questions about
interesting things. Let me find the two url addresses now in fact.
The one for Braille JYMICO is:
http://jymico.com/
Braille JYMICO does superb and creative, wide-ranging work in all manners of
transcription and tactile graphics, and they are always on the cutting edge
of braille and tactile presentation and innovation. In fact, before 3D
printing became affordable and might have implications for blindness
education, Mr. Jacques Cote (I can't seem to turn on my French keyboard for
the accents on the o and the e) invented a printer alalogous to an injet
printer except it places a substance on the paper or media in whichever form
one needs: braille dots, smooth lines, textured lines, variable height.
Tom Dekker's braille and tactile business in around the Victoria area,
called Ihabilitation Canada is:
www.ihabilitation.ca/
Tom Dekker and his co-worker also have an introductory, multimedia course
about this very topic of smart phones and the like, and several more
successive lessons at the following address. Well, why don't I simply post
their message which also contains a youtube link and another to their online
course. Their work is the finest I've seen to date using a braille/graphics
embosser; I think if memory serves correctly it is the Everests. So, here's
their message sent to those on their list. I Hope Tom don't mind me
spreading the good word. If he does, he can give me hell for it and we can
then share lunch and have a shot of cognac, and that'll be that. I use
tactile stuff every time I can, and have developed--in lab conditions at
least--the very stuff for which we have been searching--that is, the "holy
braille"; yet, when it comes to the indispensable hardcopy which will never
replace even a full-page braille tablet, both Braille JYMICO and
Ihabilitation Canada are second to none in their customer service and the
quality of their workmenship. When I was studying electronics engineering,
Mr. Cote would actually make the trip all the way fron near Quebec city to
Ottawa (about an 8 hour trip)to have me look at what was being produced for
me in order to make certain that it was done the right way. He also wined
and dined us merrily as every good Fremchman should do and knows how. Tom
in Victoria has always been on the cutting edge of just about everything,
and he displays a sardonically realistic playfulness which serves to enhance
his affability toward their customers. He is now working with tactile
versions of screen-shots for this mobile smart stuff. He sent me a thick
sample book, and he would accept no payment. I hope the list moderator will
kindly forgive me; for, although these things are not directly
optacon-related, they are tactile-related, and a part of the off-track
threads with their on-track and therefore irrelevant subject lines. ha ha
So, here is their message.
___begin message___
Dear friends, colleagues and former students,
You are receiving this letter because we have either worked
together in some capacity related to assistive technology, or
because we have communicated via Email or social media over the
years. I am writing to let you know about my latest assistive
tech endeavor so you can check it out and share what we are sure
will be helpful info.
iHabilitation Canada is pleased to announce the launch of The
Eyes-Free Academy, providing online multi-media content via a
fully accessible Learning Management System. Our first course,
offered free of charge, is entitled “iPhone Eyes-Free – Mind’s
Eye Navigation on the iPhone Touch-Screen”. You can visit the
academy here: ihabilitation.thinkific.com (
https://el2.convertkit-mail2.com/c/0vulnqqeef9ho3p72/3ydpyg/aHR0cDovL2loYWJpbGl0YXRpb24udGhpbmtpZmljLmNvbQ==
).
This introductory iPhone Eyes-Free course is inclusively
designed and provides detailed audio/video real-time
demonstration along with PDF documentation to suit a wide range
of accessibility needs.
With this approach, almost anyone can become familiar with
iPhone touch-screen navigation using the Voiceover screen-reader
rather than looking at the phone. The course comprises six
sections: introduction, lessons and summary.
We offer this introductory course free of charge because we
look forward to your feedback regarding future course content. To
join our very low traffic Email list, and receive a pamphlet with
a more detailed explanation of Eyes-Free Academy course content
and teaching methodology, visit
www.ihabilitation.ca/eyesfree/ (
https://el2.convertkit-mail2.com/c/0vulnqqeef9ho3p72/x1e516/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5paGFiaWxpdGF0aW9uLmNhL2V5ZXNmcmVlLw==
)
We have also posted a promotional video on our YouTube
channel that describes the course and the philosophy behind
iHabilitation Canada. You can find the video here:
https://youtu.be/NRvnj-wkt5E ;(
https://el2.convertkit-mail2.com/c/0vulnqqeef9ho3p72/l178yv/aHR0cHM6Ly95b3V0dS5iZS9OUnZuai13a3Q1RQ==
). The
channel will also showcase future course material.
Thank you,
Tom Dekker
Vision Rehabilitation Therapist
Founder, iHabilitation Canada
Unsubscribe ( http://el2.convertkit-mail2.com/u/0vulnqqeef9ho3p72 ;) |
#211-845 Yates Street, Victoria, BC V8W 4A3
Chuck
-----Original Message-----
From: peter wilkins
Sent: Monday, July 31, 2017 6:25 PM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: New Optacon
There were occasions when I arrived at work, and for a while I
could not use the Optacon as my fingers were cold.
Peter
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