[accessibleimage] Re: Fwd: New TTT Authoring Tool

That's wonderful, Bob.  I look forward to getting any feedback possible as
your project gets going. 

Steve

-----Original Message-----
From: bmarek@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bmarek@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2007 1:48 PM
To: accessibleimage@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [accessibleimage] Re: Fwd: New TTT Authoring Tool

>

Just to tell TTT users that 16 TTTs are on their way to Poland (at least
two are already in use). There should therefore be plenty of feedback from
this part of the world!
Best wishes to all - Boguslaw 'Bob' Marek


Denise, thanks for your comments.  Of course, you won't need to buy a new
> TTT to use the new version of the Authoring Tool.
>
>
>
> I have been thinking about incorporating some activity on screen when
> different things are pressed on teacher-made TTT sheets. When we first
> designed the program, we tried to avoid having things happen on screen,
> because we felt that might distract a low vision user, and we wanted to
> encourage them to focus on the tactile image.  But, maybe it would be a
> good
> idea to incorporate some screen action in the new version, as a way of
> adding interest for some users.  For example, objects could change color
> while they were being pressed.  This could be turned off, I suppose, if it
> was too distracting, by the author.
>
>
>
> Any other comments would be welcome right now as begin work....
>
>
>
> Steve
>
>
>
>   _____
>
> From: Denise Ferrin [mailto:DFerrin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2007 12:49 AM
> To: accessibleimage@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [accessibleimage] Re: Fwd: New TTT Authoring Tool
>
>
>
> All those changes sound acceptable, as long as I don't have to buy another
> TTT.
>
>
>
> Aside:
>
> I have tried the TTT and two home-made sheets with one low vision
> 3-year-old.  She kept looking at the screen of my laptop, expecting all
> the
> action to happen there, and wanted something to move on the screen when
> she
> heard the sounds the TTT was making.  She kept laying her forearm on the
> TTT
> and didn't understand to just touch it with her fingers, so she kept
> hearing
> the same "hot spot" repeatedly.
>
>
>
> I haven't yet tried it with the blind 3-year-old.
>
>
>
> Denise Ferrin
>
> Teacher of the Visually Impaired,
>
> Orientation and Mobility Specialist, and
>
> Assistive Technology Specialist
>
> Calaveras County Office of Education
>
> P.O. Box 760, Angels Camp, CA  95221
>
> message phone: (209) 736-6041
>
> cell (209) 663-5615
>
> fax: (209) 736-6048
>
>  <mailto:dferrin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> dferrin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
>
>
>
>
>   _____
>
> From: accessibleimage-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx on behalf of Lisa Yayla
> Sent: Tue 4/10/2007 7:17 AM
> To: accessibleimage@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [accessibleimage] Fwd: New TTT Authoring Tool Commands and Menu
> Structure Outline
>
> Hi,
> Forwarding from Steven Landau.
> Best,
> Lisa
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
>                 6. april 2007 00:25:27
>
> Hi,
>
> I am sending this message to people who have familiarity with the TTT
> Authoring Tool, and who might have an interest in weighing in on proposed
> major changes that we are about to start work on.  The new program will be
> completely different from the existing one from the point of view of how
> sheets are created and stored.  The new version will have many new
> features and capabilities, and will be a much more "professional" product.
>  The attached document is preliminary.  I would appreciate any and all
> responses and comments as we begin to build and test the application.
>  There are a few very important things to pay attention to as you read
> this, as they represent significant changes from the current version of
> the program.  Most notably:
>
> 1.      The Authoring Tool Sheets will work from the TTT Launcher (rather
> from
> a separate, non-interoperable program), and you will be able to switch
> directly to another TTT application without going back to the desktop.
>  2.     You will not be able to run sheets created in the old version of
> the
> Authoring Tool program on the new system; however, if a sheet is placed on
> the TTT, the new version will recognize and convert it.  Once converted
> and saved, the sheet will then be fully editable and viewable using the
> new program.
>  3.     There will be no separate Picture Viewer program.  An author will
> "Lock" a file when he or she is ready to give a sheet to a student,
> essentially making it "Read Only".  This means that the Main Menu
> structure presented to the student will change, so that the student does
> not get the menu options associated with creating objects, layers, etc.
>   The Viewer Main Menu is outlined at the end of the attached document.
>  To "Unlock" the file and continuing Authoring, an author would choose
> "Unlock" from the Viewer Menu, and you would have to enter a password;
> then the menus would switch back to Author Mode, and you could make any
> changes.
>  4.     When saving a new sheet, the Author will have the choice of
> accepting
> the default location for storing the sheet, or choosing a different
> location. In the current version, that decision is made automatically, and
> some people have complained.  Also, the author will now have the choice of
> selecting any (legal) ID Combination, or accepting one suggested by the
> program.  As with any computer file, if the Author chooses his or her own
> ID combo, there might already be an existing one with that name, and they
> will have to choose to overwrite the existing one or choose a different
> ID.
>  5.     Files for one sheet will be stored in a folder that is named for
> that
> sheet. The name of the folder will be, for example "My TTT Sheet (1-2-3)",
> where "My TTT Sheet" is the title of the sheet (can't exceed 248
> characters), and the "(1-2-3)" is the ID Combination.  The reason that we
> have to use a folder for each sheet is that sounds will now be stored as
> external files, so any digitized sounds that are associated with a given
> sheet need to be kept together with the "*.ttt" file that contains all of
> the definitions of hotspots, etc.  This could be seen as cumbersome,
> because it complicates the process of transferring a sheet to a different
> computer or folder, in that the entire folder has to be brought, not just
> one file, like with a Word document.  But I can't see any way around it.
> There will be a "Transfer" command that will zip up the folder and save it
> to a CD, USB drive, or to another computer on the network or to send it as
> an email attachment.
>  6.     It will now be possible to work right on screen and a mouse,
> without
> using the TTT, for the Authoring Process. This will not be accessible, but
> many sighted authors have said that they would prefer it.  Of course the
> Authoring process will still be fully accessible using the TTT.  One big
> advantage of offering this option is that the Authoring Tool becomes a
> drawing tool, too.  Currently, you have to create a picture using some
> other process, and the Authoring Tool is only used for attaching the
> sounds. However, it might be really good if you could, say, import a
> bitmap image and then trace directly over it to create a picture.  Then,
> you could click "Emboss", and the picture would be sent to an embosser,
> which would generate the entire sheet, with the ID Bars in place.
> Alternatively, you could click "Emboss Remotely", and the file would go to
> our office, and we would produce the sheet and send it back in a couple of
> days by snail mail.  Sheets produced this way would be ready to use.  Many
> people would love this.  Alternatively, you could select "Print", and, if
> you loaded your printer with swell paper, that would also make a very easy
> way to product sheets.
>
>
> These are the main differences.  I want to get started right away with
> this, so your quick response will be greatly appreciated.  I hope to
> complete work by June, and we will then make an announcement and offer the
> new version at no charge to any current TTT owner.
>
> Steve
>
>

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