On Thu, 4 Mar 1999, Leonard R. Kasday wrote:

Leonard: Here's what I've learned about teaching touch typing, and where I'm
Leonard: inclinded to go.

[great training plan for friend snipped]

Leonard: On the other hand, this gets him on typing and on the
Leonard: net without taking the time and hassle of learning
Leonard: anything else.

Leonard: In the future, if he wants more out of the computer, he
Leonard: may want to go to a regular screen reader.  But he may
Leonard: not.  And if he didn't he will have gotten where he
Leonard: wants with minimal fuss.


Leonard: Please tell me if I'm crazy here.

Nope you are right on track.  It is important to consider his needs in
stages, as his skills and interest in doing more grows and as his goals
become more concrete.  Most of us here learned typing not on a computer
but on a typewriter, with a friend or teacher reviewing our work and
identifying problem areas and praising us for our successes.  A computer
is okay too.  The important thing is to develop a good typing skill.  It
can be overwhelming to some to get accustomed to a speech synthesizer,
screen reader or access software, a word processor, an operating system,
and learn to type all at the same time.  This can result in not learning
anything well.

Another option is going with a dos system.  The JAWS screen reader is
available for free at http://www.hj.com.  This has all the features as the
commercial version that sold last year for $495.  he could use WordPerfect
5.1, which is still sold, and the commo communications program.  Internet
access would be through a Unix shell, which is provided by many national
internet service providers.  Web browsing, mail and usenet applications
are all offered on the shell through the isp.

Also, I am addressing this in the FAQ that I am writing for the newsgroup
alt.comp.blind-users.  the faq is not complete and the typing section is
still focused for an American, rather than international, audience.  If
you can bear the lack of editing and need for continued revision, the
excerpt is below:

kelly


6.  Okay, then, what are some resources for the blind person to
learn how to touch type?

This question is raised quite regularly.  The American Printing
House for the Blind (http://www.aph.org) produces the PC typer
program for the blind computer user.  This is a commercial
program for which there is a charge.  Jenishi Iwahashi in Japan
has written some DOS programs that, with a little modification on
behalf of the teacher, could be used as typing tutor programs.
He will e-mail these programs to blind computer users free as UU
encoded files to those that request them.  Contact him at
[log in to unmask]

A few years ago, I responded to the question online in this way:

From: Kristine Boehm <[log in to unmask]>

     Hi,

     My boyfriend recently lost his sight due to complications
with Diabetes.  He is a computer programmer and would like to get
back into the swing of  things.

     I have found several websites about speech synthesizers,
screen readers, etc.  But, he needs to start at the very
beginning.  Unfortunately, he was never a typist.  Rather he was
a "one-finger" programmer and so he needs software that will
teach him how to type.  Is there any software available that will
teach a blind person how to type?

     Thanks!

     --Kris Boehm
       email: [log in to unmask]


Answer:  The Chicago Blind computer User Network does not in
general recommend typing software for the new blind computer user
who doesn't know how to touch type.  Life is complicated enough
without needing to get accustomed to speech synthesis and
learning typing and how to use a screen reader, word processor,
and typing software  all at once.  We suggest taped typing
lessons that include instruction as well as drill and practice
sections.  This route has been successful for thousands of blind
persons before and after the computer revolution.  One popular
typing series is "Typing in 10 lessons" by Ruth Manary.  Here in
Illinois, the Office for Rehabilitation Services (800-275-3677)
uses another series, which is of high quality and equally
effective.  Your local home rehabilitation teacher can provide it
for him.  the American Printing House for the Blind
(http://www.aph.org) also has an excellent typing instruction
tape series available for purchase.

The Hadley School for the Blind (800-323-4238;
http://www.hadley-school.org) offers taped typing series and
courses.  Hadley is a correspondence school specifically tailored
for the blind.  Students complete assignments and send them back
for review and feedback.  You can assist your boyfriend in
reviewing his work with the other tutorials.

A computer equipped with speech synthesis is not necessary for a
blind person to learn to type.  He just needs a way to save his
work for review and evaluation.  Any word processing program
works fine as of course a standard typewriter with typing paper.

As your domain registration and your company are in suburban
Wheeling (I checked), your boyfriend might consider connecting
with actual blind computer users, such as the Blind Computer User
Network.  There he can meet fellow blind computer users, some of
whom are programmers, who are doing the things he wants to do.
He can find out what works (and what doesn't), learn how blind
people use their computers on the job, discover how people re-
learned their computer following vision loss, and much other
hard-learned experience and advice.  This feedback and
information sharing is especially helpful if he is considering
purchasing adaptive hardware or software, such as speech
synthesizers or screen readers.  He does not need to be isolated
and alone.

As avid about computers as we are, we believe that simply
learning them is not sufficient to be ready to resume work.
Blindness affects the whole person, not just one part of that
person.  Consider a comprehensive adjustment to blindness
training program where one can learn the alternative techniques
of independent travel, braille, and home management, and typing
as well as developing the confidence to navigate the public
attitudes that often misunderstand the abilities and lives of
blind people.  We recommend Blindness Learning In New Dimensions
in Minneapolis (612-872-0100).  Executive Director Joyce Scanlan
has been at the helm since the center's inception more than 10
years ago, and she and a core group of blind Minnesotans have
turned it into one of the nation's top training centers for the
blind.  In fact, This writer is a graduate from that program.
Whatever he decides, we look forward to seeing your boyfriend at
an upcoming meeting of the Chicago Blind Computer User Network.
Above all, we encourage him to take action and travel on the path
of independence.


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