----- Forwarded Message Follows -----
From: Steve Pattison <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Quantum Technology Newsletter for December 1998
To: [log in to unmask] (Multiple recipients of NFBnet GUI-TALK Mailing List)
I thought this could be of interest to some list members. It is the
Quantum Technology newsletter for December 1998. I have no connection with
this company apart from being a customer.
QTNewsletter
For People with Vision Impairment DECEMBER 1998
WELCOME to our final issue of the QTNewsletter for 1998. Does anyone else
feel like this year has flown by too quickly? Whoever it is that controls
time has a lot to answer for!
We have had a frantically busy year, but also a very rewarding one. Quantum
continues to go global, and in this issue you will hear from Josh Johnson
our new US-based employee. And from Lee in Sydney and Trevor in Melbourne a
look back over their respective years trying to figure out where the twelve
months have gone. Our profile this month concerns one of the great un-sung
heroes of the adaptive technology field, Norman Wilson. He is truly
deserving of our praise and admiration.
We have the usual review of products, news and views, and technical tips.
A great review of screen readers from Diane Kube in Tasmania continues the
tradition of letting users speak for themselves on technology issues. A
heartfelt thanks to everyone who has contributed to the QTNewsletter over
the year. The real strength of this newsletter is the contributions you
have all made.
And very best wishes to all of our readers, your families and friends for
a happy and safe festive season.
Merry Christmas!
MORE TANTALISING TIDBITS FROM GWMICRO
The new version of WindowEyes (3.0) is nearing completion, and it's looking
pretty exciting. The low down is that WindowEyes will ship either on CD Rom
or disc, take your pick. It will also ship with a non-crippled version of
Eloquence, and a self-talking install from Windows, as well as the tried
and true Dos installation. Full support for Win 98, and, not far off is
excellent support for Windows NT. We'll keep you posted!
What Do We Do!
Many people aren't aware of the extent of our range of products and
activities. In addition to the products we manufacture and sell around the
world, we also represent other manufacturers equipment here in the
Australian market. So here is a quick QT-at-a-glance summary.
Products for People; In Education, Employment, Rehabilitation and Recreation
Vision Impairment
We carry an extensive range of products for both blindness and low vision.
In 1999, our low vision range will be extended with the addition of a range
of CCTV's (details in next issue).
We cover access to computers via speech or braille or magnification, as
well as scanning and OCR products to provide access to printed material.
We have a particular strength in braille technology, including braille
note-takers, braille displays for PC's and an extensive range of braille
embossers. And of course we have the best braille-writer in the world in
the Mountbatten Brailler.
We also cover access to environmental information through talking signs,
talking maps, as well as several products for creating tactile images.
Cognitive Impairment
We are now the exclusive distributor of textHELP!, a wonderful software
program for dyslexia and other learning disabilities.
Hearing Impairment
As the exclusive distributor of the IBM Independence products in Australia,
Quantum sells and supports SpeechViewer III, a powerful speech therapy tool.
Service
Many people rely on adaptive technology for their jobs, communication
needs, and recreation. Success only comes with the right support and
service, and all of us here at Quantum try our very best to ensure that
each product meets each individuals needs and that it is properly supported.
The following article has been sent to us by Diane Kube, a vision impaired
adaptive technology specialist from Tasmania. With extensive experience
of both Jaws and Window-Eyes she is able to give us her perspective on the
age-old question of which is the best screen reader. Thank you Diane.
A screen reader is a screen reader is a .....
There is a belief among technical support staff working with the vision
impaired that any screen reader is better than none. This in one sense is
true. Any screen reader can turn a useless piece of hardware into a
powerful tool. It is not true, however, that any screen reader will do.
Vision impaired people work in demanding, professional jobs, some are
students, and some simply want to be able to write letters without relying
on a sighted person for assistance.
This diversity means that the needs of vision impaired computer users are
not simplistic, so a simplistic approach to the recommendation of screen
readers is inadequate. Different screen reading programmes provide
differing levels of usability within specific applications.
Both Jaws and Window Eyes work well with Windows '98. At present the
Window Eyes version which works with Windows '98 is a beta version with the
completed version 3 being available next year.
These two packages both work well with the standard tasks of word
processing and spread sheets. On the Internet they both shine in different
ways. For web search, the find edit box command in Jaws is immensely
useful. When it comes to highly graphical applications on the net, such as
chat rooms, the greater degree of customisation offered by Window Eyes is a
superb advantage.
Jaws can be difficult to install initially. Many users find they need the
assistance of a sighted person to install the package. It can take some
fine tuning before it works correctly.
Window Eyes is easy to install. Users will be able to install the package
without outside assistance, provided they have a system that has a DOS
based screen reader. Jaws, once it is set up and running is a reliable
package (most of the time). The limited ability to customise Jaws makes it
difficult to progress past a certain point. This factor may be a hindrance
to the advanced user wishing to accomplish more than the programme has been
designed to handle.
Window Eyes allows a great deal of customisation. This is of benefit to
the advanced user, who can customise the package to suit their particular
needs. When making your choice of screen reader, keep in mind your own
needs and requirements. If you spend a lot of time on the net, you may
wish to have a highly customisable package. Having the ability to
customise Window Eyes to handle more graphically based applications,
provides a wider range of options to the user. If you don't want to have
to worry about the underlying mechanics and want everything to be done for
you, it may be wise for you to buy a package which has most things set up
for you, such as Jaws. Both packages work well for most things but they
each have their strengths and weaknesses.
The customer support offered for Window Eyes by GW Micro is very
comprehensive. Support can be obtained via Fax, Email or on the phone. The
web site also allows for easy communication between support staff and users.
Unfortunately the support offered by HJ for Jaws is very poor. Responses to
queries are either non-existent or extremely slow. Their web site is
adequate but lacks the comprehensive support structure of GW Micro.
Both Jaws and Window Eyes are available as demo versions. To obtain a demo
of Window Eyes is as simple as down loading from the web site
(http://www.gwmicro.com). HJ have also recently announced a free demo
version (replacing their policy of charging for demo's), but at the time of
writing this has not been explored.
Why do most support agencies in Australia only recommend Jaws? The answer
is not a simple one and reasons probably vary from agency to agency.
Essentially there are two reasons.
It is easier to support one package than multiple packages. Most Technical
support staff feel they can offer a better service by supporting the one
package they know well. This however denies the fact that not all Vision
Impaired people have the same needs or requirements.
This brings us to the second reason. Technical support staff often forget
that the needs of the individual must be considered a priority when
offering technical support services. It is the job of the technical
support staff to make the life of the client easier. It's not the job of
the client to make the job of the technical support staff easier.
Diana L. Kube
Adaptive Technology Consultant
All About Computers
VIP PC USERS!
A PC Users group is being set up in Sydney. It is still in the development
stage, although expressions of interest are being sought. A meeting is
being held on the 11th of December to discuss time, location, membership
and subscription. After this, a further notice of the first official
meeting will be given. If you are interested, please contact Sean Murphy
on: Phone: 0414 621 333 or Email at: [log in to unmask]
QUANTUM USA
I'd like to say "hi" and introduce myself to everyone at Quantum and their
customers. My name is Josh Johnson, and I have been employed by Quantum to
work with their products here in North America.
A little about myself. I have worked for the last fourteen years with
adaptive technology for the visually impaired, and I am blind myself. In
that time I have watched technology move from the old Apple II's with Echo
synthesizers, to software synthesizers and sophisticated screen readers
that make graphic environments such as Windows '95 accessible to blind
individuals. I've seen the Internet open up whole new possibilities for
education and career opportunities for the blind, as well as making
material available in an accessible medium that has never been an option in
the past.
I believe Quantum to be one of the companies at the fore-front of making
material accessible to the Visually Impaired, creating a small, portable,
and easy to-operate embosser with Grade II capabilities built-in.
I am very pleased to be working at Quantum and hope to enjoy many years
supporting their products here in the United States.
Sincerely, Josh Johnson
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]
MONTY IS A HIT!
Comments from teachers and others who have started using Monty include:
"life-saver", "a real god-send", "this is just what I needed".
So what's all the fuss about?
Well perhaps it is because for the first time, the production of
alternative format materials can be done simply and easily, and without any
specialist knowledge.
After Monty is installed, the user finds a program that is no different to
any other standard Windows program. Pop-down menu's include all the options
needed for formatting documents and translating them into either braille or
large print output.
In the print version of this Newsletter a sample of one of Monty's menu's
is given (left). This is the format menu that enables the selection of
paragraph styles, creating tables, and all the different conventions for
which braille has special signs, such as date, math, fractions, Roman
Numerals and italics. They appear as regular text in Monty, and perfect
braille when embossed.
There are many other examples we could show you, but the best way to see
for yourself if Monty will be of value is to try it out. There are free
demonstration disks available on request, or you can download it directly
from our web site http://www.quantech.com.au
Monty requires a PC with Windows 95 or 98
OBR Amazing!!
OBR is an amazing new product that will scan braille pages and turn the
information back into regular text. It will even scan both sides of a page
at the same time! This is the first time that this has been achieved. Now
all those libraries and cupboards full of old hand made braille books can
be scanned and saved on disk.
COMMUNITY NEWS:
A VIP group has been established for people living in Campbelltown
(south-west of Sydney) and surrounding areas. The main focus of the group
will be as a support network, but there is some lobbying to council also
planned. If you are interested and would like further information, call
Julie Deane on: (02) 4626 8500
QUANTUM SALUTES AN AUSSIE HERO
Norman F. Wilson was born in 1920 and grew up on a farm in the South West
of Western Australia about 8 miles outside a town called Kojonup. His
character was forged during the tough years of the Great Depression and its
aftermath in the 1920's and 1930's.
Prior to being involved in the field of blindness Norman had a very full
life, starting and running his own business, and with his wife Patricia,
raising three children who now have families of their own, and are widely
scattered. It wasn't until later in life that Norman discovered his
affinity with computers which lead to his interest in adaptive technology.
Norman first became interested in computers in the early 1970's after his
retirement at age 55. He was then active with Amateur Radio and his call
sign remains to this day VK4NP. His first invention was used for sending
and receiving Morse code. Typing on a computer keyboard generated the Morse
code that was transmitted and the incoming Morse code was translated by the
computer back to text that was displayed on a screen. Apart from attending
some TAFE courses in the 70's, Norman's vast knowledge of computers is
largely self-taught or learned from interaction with people who share the
same enthusiasm for technology.
In early 1981, Norman was asked to assist with the development of a tool to
assist a young blind girl, Julie Anne Vanderboor, with her integration into
a local school. Norman used the same idea of translating Morse code into
print for the translation of braille, and in so doing developed the
Braille-n-Print. This device translated grade 2 braille that was entered on
a Perkins braille writer to regular print, (with the output on a text
printer). The Braille-n-Print was invented, fully funded and further
developed by Norman alone, working in his garage. Between 1981 and 1983 the
Braille-n-Print evolved, being further developed by Norman to meet the
needs of the users, then numbering about 50.
The Braille-n-Print is one of the least recognised developments for vision
impaired people in the world. It was the first piece of technology used to
facilitate the integration of blind students into regular schools. And
nearly 20 years later it is still doing just that, with thousands in use in
over 20 countries and many developing countries now adopting it. Throughout
this period Norman has worked tirelessly to incorporate new braille
languages, with the most recent being the inclusion of Arabic Braille. It
is not an exaggeration to say that through the Braille-n-Print alone,
Norman has enhanced the lives and opportunities of many thousands of people
around the world. And there are few among us who can claim that.
In 1983, Norman handed the manufacture and the commercial development of
the Braille-n-Print over to Quantum, however his involvement with adaptive
Technology and his desire to be of assistance to people who have a vision
impairment didn't end there.
If you ask Norman what he does to keep busy now that he's a retired
gentleman, he'll say modestly, "as little as possible". Yet, rarely does a
day go by when Norman isn't found helping someone put together a computer
system, hook up an embosser or connect to the Internet. "I used to play a
little golf," Says Norman, "But I've given all that up now." We suspect
this isn't through a lack of energy, merely a lack of time.
Due to his involvement with technology for blind or vision impaired people
and his experience in training people on this technology, Norman has very
strong views on the subject of the use of braille.
"I firmly believe that without Braille, blind people would be severely
disadvantaged. Whilst speech systems certainly are a useful interface
with computer driven devices it is my view that Braille must remain as
part of the education system for sight handicapped persons. Without
Braille a blind person is forced into an illiterate state".
Not only does Norman train users of Adaptive Technology, he is also priming
people to follow in his footsteps.
"As I am getting near the end of the track I feel that it is important that
others come forward with voluntary help for those that need it most.
Whenever the opportunity arises I will show the way. It is my view that
organisations that have been set up to help sight handicapped people should
do much more than they now do to help with technical advice and training."
Norman is a study in modesty. When interviewed for this article he just
happened to forget the Order of Australia bestowed on him for his services
to vision impaired Australians, or his Advance Australia Achievement Award.
His contribution hasn't been fully recognised by the vision impaired
community here in Australia, largely because he is too modest to mention
all of his achievements. That is something that we should change.
Quantum would like to offer Norman our heartfelt thanks for his interest,
support and hard work over many years of a happy association.
COMMUNITY NEWS:
A VIP group has been established for people living in Campbelltown
(south-west of Sydney) and surrounding areas. The main focus of the group
will be as a support network, but there is some lobbying to council also
planned. If you are interested and would like further information, call
Julie Deane on: (02) 4626 8500
Low Vision Readers
Remember ZoomText for your PC screen magnification needs. ZoomText Xtra
integrates magnification and screen reading to achieve a total low vision
solution. A variety of configurations are available to meet all low vision
needs, now and in the future.
ZOOMTEXT!!
ADVOCATE LEE:
"JUST ASK FOR IT!!"
A few weeks ago, some friends and I went out to eat at an Italian-Mexican
restaurant. Why is this noteworthy? Because it is a tiny little restaurant,
in a backwater of a suburb of Sydney, and they had their menu printed in
braille!! Imagine my surprise when asked: "Would you like a menu Madam?"
and low and behold a thermoform braille menu was placed in my hand.
Needless to say I was speechless (editors note: this has never happened
before), and began to peruse, at my own leisure. I dillied, I dallied, I
read every item on the menu, (twice) including prices, and it was probably
the most fun I've ever had at a restaurant. And it got me to thinking, why
aren't there more menus in alternative formats in restaurants? And not just
menus in restaurants, but information that is readily available to the
public like time tables, banking products, and government information!
It is information that, vision-impaired or not, we all need. The only
logical answer I came up with was because nobody asks for it. We all assume
they don't have it in braille, on tape or disc, so we don't bother? Is this
right? I'm convinced that more people would provide this information, if
they realized just how necessary it is, AND if lots of people ask for it;
every day.
I am still rejoicing about the brailling of bills from Telstra. I am with
that phone company for this reason alone. To privately read my own bill and
quietly swoon at the final amount, is wonderful! There's nobody tut-tutting
or exclaiming at my recklessness; bliss!!!
It would also be fantastic to be able to do this with my electricity bill,
mobile phone bill, bank statements (especially credit card) the list is
endless. Since my wonderful experience at the restaurant (Tiffany's in
Ingleburn, if anyone's interested) I have been asking everywhere "do you
have a braille copy" and smile ruefully when they look perplexed and say
"no, we don't, I'm sorry". But I'm hoping that, one day, after the 10th
person has asked them the same question, the answer may be "yes, in fact we
do".
TREVOR'S TECHNICAL TIP!
There are several types of batteries used in portable equipment these days.
One of the most popular is the Nickel-cadmium, or Nicad battery. These are
less expensive than others but have some disadvantages. They need to be
completely discharged each time you use then otherwise they develop a
"memory effect" and lose capacity. Another type of battery is the lead acid
battery (as used in the Mountbatten). These will not lose any of their
capacity no matter how often they are recharged. Although more expensive
than Nicads they last much longer with many of the batteries in the first
Mountbattens still going strong after 5 years.
Both Nicad and lead acid can be damaged by letting them become completely
flat. In the case of the Mountbatten it will give a warning when the
battery is low and will eventually turn itself off to avoid any harm to
the batteries. It is better to plug in the adapter as soon as this happens
to allow the batteries to charge up once again and avoid leaving them flat
for any length of time. The Mountbatten will automatically charge the
batteries even while you are using it and then keep them fully charged.
Running the Mountbatten permanently on the charger is fine but if there is
a difficulty with a keyboard or printer, it may be necessary to unplug the
charger and wait 10 to 15 seconds for a small click. This will reset the
connector box and any computer keyboard and printers connected to the
Mountbatten.
If you look after the batteries in the Mountbatten they will last for many
years. If you have any questions about recharging batteries please give me
a call or an email at [log in to unmask]
THE YEAR IN REVIEW
>From Trevor in Melbourne
The first full year for the Melbourne office was a very busy one. It has
been quite a task setting up the office, purchasing equipment, desks,
filing cabinets, setting up a computer network, scanners, and having phone
and fax lines installed, along with all the demonstration equipment and the
other things necessary to establish the Melbourne office.
Since the beginning of the year it has been encouraging with many requests
for training sessions and presentations and assessments. These started in
February with a week in Adelaide and the surrounding area visiting Horsham
and other country centres on the way.
During March I was in Los Angeles for the CSUN Technology and Persons With
A Disability conference followed by a weeks training on the range of
embossers made at Enabling Technologies in Florida. May brought a visit to
Geelong, and a display at the TALG Expo which was extremely busy.
In June I had a very pleasant visit to Shepparton and Corryong. During July
there was a second very enjoyable trip around Tassy beginning with
displays put on by the Royal Guide Dogs Association of Tasmania at
Ulverstone and Hobart and finishing with a training session in Launceston.
A few weeks later I ventured to Ballarat and Adelaide travelling up as far
as Kadina. This tour finished with some miserable sod knocking off the car
and all its contents. During September my family and I had a holiday in
Sydney with a visit to the Quantum head office.
On the drawing board during December is a training session in Adelaide and
more visits to country centres including Sale in Gippsland.
Let us know if you would like a visit or a training session or help with
any questions.
>From Lee (and Lenny!) in Sydney
Lee and Lenny began the year with a trip to Perth, to attend the
association for the Blind in WA's annual technology exhibition. The weather
was hot, but the reception was welcoming, and hopefully we will be invited
back again. The only thing that marred the trip was Lenny, after some
dietary indiscretion, (i.e. being a garbage guts) contracting a stomach
bug, and postponing our return by two days, oh dear, the trials and
tribulations of travelling with a guide dog.
In April we were in the ACT, with a trip to Brisbane planned.
Unfortunately, Lenny's dietary indiscretion turned out to be something more
serious, and this trip had to be postponed. Finally we arrived in Brisbane,
in May, and June we headed west to Dubbo. Also in June, we caught the
Northern Tablelands Explorer up to Armidale, stopping to pay visits at
Muswellbrook and Tamworth along the way. This was a most enjoyable trip, as
I'd never been to any of these places before, and everyone we met was
friendly and enthusiastic. We were lucky to just miss the terrible floods
in that area by a couple of days.
July and August were comparatively restful before we were off again to
Canberra in September, and then again to Brisbane in November.
Whilst in Brissy, we made side trips up to Toowoomba, and down back in to
NSW to Tweed Heads. This was a very enjoyable trip, although Lenny wasn't
sure which way was up after a while.
Thank you to all those people who made our jaunts so enjoyable, and to all
of those who showed their interest. Next year on the cards are more trips
to Brisbane, and also to far north Queensland, the ACT and more regional
centres in NSW.
Lee and Lenny, coming to a school or community hall near you!
THANKS AND MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ONE AND ALL!
quantum technology p/l
Head Office: PO Box 390 Rydalmere NSW 2116 tel: (02) 9684 2077 fax: (02)
9684 4717 Email: [log in to unmask]
Victorian Office: PO Box 5028 Cheltenham East VIC 3192 tel: (03) 9585 3277
fax: (03) 9585 3977 Email: [log in to unmask] Web Page
http://www.quantech.com.au
Regards Steve,
[log in to unmask]
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