Survey Update May 14 2006
- From: Catherine Thomas <braille@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 20:40:05 -0400 (EDT)
We have over 100 current Optacon User surveys now. Keep them coming.
TWO INTERESTING OPTACON USES
The surveys today pointed out two of the lesser-known but vital uses of
the Optacon.
1. We received a potential user survey today which included fatal
spelling errors. The subject for examples included the words "survay
ancers". There were a number of other spelling errors in common words such
as eazey and Brail. I though at first it might be a joke but in the end I
don't think so.
People who were educated using exclusively audio tend to be poor spellers.
Those who use the Optacon at least tend to get the common words right.
Although there are many sighted people who are poor spellers also, the
mistakes tend to be in a different set of words. Without provoking a
discussion on the merits of good spelling, suffice it to say that it could
handicap a person applying for work or applying for higher education. In a
note the other day which I read somebody spelled awful "offle". I don't
think the person had a clue that the word might be spelled incorrectly.
2. FINDING INFORMATION IN FIXED LOCATIONS
This is one area where an Optacon beats a scanner by miles. In case some
users have not noticed this, I will explain.
Take your simple piece of mail. You can take your Optacon and go right
away to the return address, usually the top left-hand corner of an
envelope. Seven times out of ten you will be able to read the address or
most of it. You will not have bothered to read the address on the other
half of the envelope or any other propaganda that the envelope contains.
Another perhaps better example: You get your bank statement
monthly. After two or three months, you know exactly where on the page to
look for your current balance without scanning the whole thing. You can
locate a check number without reading all that is on a check. If you often
receive forms which are similar, e.g. from insurance companies in response
to claims, you can learn where to look to determine if the claim was
accepted without reading every word on the form.
If you need to work with membership cards or something similar,
you can actually flip through a pile, stopping at a particular point on
each one to pick up the information you need.
I have always considered the ability to read only what you need to
read, one of the primary advantages of the Optacon but it is hard to
describe.
KEEP POSTING. KEEP SEARCHING. KEEP REACHING OUT.
Catherine
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-Catherine Thomas
braille@xxxxxxxxx /
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