Upward Bound students help bring computer skills to visually impaired
BY ANGELA PATTERSON
AVALANCHE -JOURNAL

The Upward Bound program at Texas Tech is making it possible for visually
impaired students to use computers.

The college prep program is sponsoring a project in which high school
students and visually impaired individuals work together to build computers
that blind
people can use.

"This project bridges the digital gap between two groups that may not have
greater access to technology," said Eric Strong, director of the Upward
Bound
program. "This project shows that when people work together, good things
are possible."

Upward Bound students, who are from lower-socioeconomic backgrounds,
underwent training to learn how to work with computers and the visually
impaired people.

Upward Bound participants Robert Huerta, 15, Constance Moore, 17, and
Tiffany Johnson, 16, all helped Jim Loucks to build his computer.

"All the parts were shipped to us," Moore said. "Each set of parts came day
by day, and we helped Jim to install them."

The computers include a special program called JAWS, which reads the
content of e-mails, Web sites and typed documents to the visually impaired
user.

Johnson pointed out that all the parts are color-coded, but they showed
Loucks how to install the parts by touch, which they learned from
sensitivity training.

"During the sensitivity training, we had to wear blindfolds and put the
computers together," Moore said. "We did that so we would know how to lead
the blind
students in putting their's together."

Most of the Upward Bound students had some technical computer experience.
Despite their level of knowledge, Loucks said this is the greatest
experience
he's ever had.

"These kids have been great," Loucks said. "They deserve so much
recognition for what they're doing, more than they get."

For Jennifer Coulter, 23, her new computer will allow her to return to
school. Coulter went blind four months ago after a blood clot in her brain
took away
her vision.

"This class is really good," Coulter said. "I get training with the
computer. I'll be able to pay bills on-line. When I go back to school, I'll
be able
to write papers and take tests."

The program has even taught one man how to build a computer, even though he
didn't know how to turn it on once he was finished.

"I put most of it together," said George Olivas, who lost both his sight
and the feeling in his finger tips from diabetes."The kids taught me how to
work
it. I was a mechanic before, so the mechanics of it make sense to me. It's
the typing that's hard."

However, Olivas has high hopes for his computer use.

"Maybe one day I'll be able to send e-mail," Olivas said. "First, I have to
learn what it is."

The program is sponsored by Southwestern Bell and the Lubbock Area
Foundation.

Angela Patterson can be contacted at 766-8716.

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