[athen] RE: [DSSHE-L] software for physics

[Stewart, Ron]

Sure, and I am going to send this to the group, with the staff churn
rates being what they are in DS this is good information, at least I
think so anyway.  Our work is fairly well known within the postsecondary
AT community, and the AT vendors who tend not to like it because it is a
"native accessibility" effort.  But let me get back to your question.
If you can not tell by now I am very passionate about this work, because
I see it changing lives!
 
We, is the Technology Access Program at Oregon State University.  It is
me, a couple of full time staff members, a few of graduate assistants,
and more student workers than I care to get into.  Our work for the last
ten years has been fully funded by Oregon State, and they have assured
me we will continue to be funded.  The actual conversion work is done by
Alternative Format Production Services, a program area of TAP. We have
some collaborative partners in faculty members, folks with disabilities
who have been students at OSU, and any of you who want to come play in
the pool with us.  The oversight of the WinTriangle project is
supervised by a GA, and is part of our R&D program, which is also doing
work on captioning systems, Daisy book production solutions, and other
geeky things.  
 
WinTriangle is a self-voicing mathematical word processor that includes
all of the symbology necessary to access math, hard sciences you get the
idea.  It is self-voicing through SAPI.  Actually there is an open
source OCR product called INFTY that we are exploring currently that
greatly reduces the time necessary to convert symbolic content. It looks
like it is going to cut the process down.  Three years ago it was taking
us around 1000 labor hours to do the conversion on an advanced math or
physics text, this quarter we are projecting between 100 - 200.
 
Is it perfect, does it eliminate the need to hand edit the content, no
but it sure makes it a lot faster.  The student does have to learn
DotsPlus, if they intend to use Braille access, but this is a relatively
simple process of 10-15 hours for a competent Braille user.  Otherwise
they will use it as an audio product, and then it only take 2-3 hours to
get the hand of it, and what quirks are left since it is an open source
beta kind of software.  Want to learn more go to the website, do some
reading, play with the software and then ask more questions.
 
Ron

________________________________

From: Cooke, AnneMarie [mailto:ACooke at rfbd.org] 
Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2005 6:22 AM
To: Stewart, Ron
Subject: RE: [DSSHE-L] software for physics


We;;. Ron,Would guess thethis product is not widely known! I have no
idea what the cost is or what is involved. Is it a  screen reader that
can read math and science notation accurately? Wasn't sure. Last I knew
was TV Raman's product years ago. Scanning certainly doesn't work for
this stuff? So tell me more!
Thanks!
Annemarie

	-----Original Message-----
	From: Stewart, Ron [mailto:ron.stewart at oregonstate.edu]
	Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2005 9:17 AM
	To: Cooke, AnneMarie
	Subject: Re: [DSSHE-L] software for physics
	
	

	Anne Marie,
	
	I am sorry I must disagree we have been doing it in full
production capacity for several years.
	
	Is your conclusion based on the costs involved? Or the fact that
it can not be done with the commercial products?
	
	Ron
	
	-----Original Message-----
	From: Disabled Student Services in Higher Education
<DSSHE-L at LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU>
	To: DSSHE-L at LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU <DSSHE-L at LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU>
	Sent: Thu Sep 22 05:32:05 2005
	Subject: Re: [DSSHE-L] software for physics
	
	Zary, the short answer to your original question is : no.
	Technology just isn't there yet; it's not far away but not
there--- yet. Int his case, low-tech humans or books recorded by them
seem to be the most available solution.
	Annemarie Cooke
	Sr. External Relations Officer
	RFB&D Learning Through Listening
	20 Roszel Road
	Princeton, NJ 08540
	(609) 520-8079
	acooke at rfbd.org
	
	
	-----Original Message-----
	From: Disabled Student Services in Higher Education
	[mailto:DSSHE-L at LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU]On Behalf Of Zary
Amirhosseini
	Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2005 6:10 PM
	To: DSSHE-L at LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU
	Subject: Re: software for physics
	
	
	Yes I use humans too but I was hoping in 2005 we think a bit
outside the
	box and consider  technology as a possibility.  Of course
humans are
	always a solid and reliable option but my question was if there
was a
	technology available.  Someone suggested MIT and I will contact
them.
	So far that was the most constructive suggestion!
	
	Thanks
	
	Zary
	
	
	
	-----Original Message-----
	From: Disabled Student Services in Higher Education
	[mailto:DSSHE-L at LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU] On Behalf Of Awoniyi, Bea
	Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2005 6:02 PM
	To: DSSHE-L at LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU
	Subject: Re: software for physics
	
	The last time I need a technology and was in a bind, I used
human and it
	worked. 
	
	Bea
	
	
	
	-----Original Message-----
	From: Disabled Student Services in Higher Education
	[mailto:DSSHE-L at LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU] On Behalf Of Zary
Amirhosseini
	Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2005 4:44 PM
	To: DSSHE-L at LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU
	Subject: software for physics
	
	Does anyone know of any software programs for blind students
that would
	read physics?
	
	
	
	
	
	Zary
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	Zary Amirhosseini
	
	Assistant Director
	
	Ross Center for Disability Services
	
	100 Morrissey Boulevard
	
	Boston, MA  02125-3393
	
	
	
	Tel:  (617) 287-7430
	
	Fax: (617) 287-7466
	
	Email:  zary.amirhosseini at umb.edu
<mailto:zary.amirhosseini at umb.edu>
	
	
	
	
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involved in the delivery of services to students with disabilities in
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