Re: Survey Update May 14 2006
- From: "Michael Bowman-Jones" <mikebowmanjones@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 17:54:45 -0700
Catherine,
It is interesting how many areas I forgot about. I was the best proofreader
in our office as I always caught typos using the Optacon. The only way to
do the same now is to run a Braille copy of the print document.
I also mentioned the advantage of spot reading once you are familiar with a
form/page.
I wasn't so fortunate on reading the top left of envelopes particularly for
company names as italicized was my weak area. I compensated by remembering
at least the city and street if not the entire address as often that portion
of the address was not italicized so I looked at that when I could not read
the top line.
I tried using my Optacon on paper money but, unfortunately, I could never
make it work. I wonder if anyone else worked it out.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Catherine Thomas" <braille@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, May 15, 2006 5:40 PM
Subject: Survey Update May 14 2006
> 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
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> -Catherine Thomas
> braille@xxxxxxxxx /
>
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