Here are a couple if ideas of slowly but gradually increasing your ability
to control your hand holding the camera and read with your index finger. Be
patient with yourself, and give yourself credit for every success that you
accomplish as you develop your skills. As many of us on this list have gone
through this, it took weeks and months of dedicated work. I still love my
Optacon and will use it for as long as I can or parts are available to keep
it running.
One of the first exercises I had was following horizontal lines I was
supposed to feel constantly on my index finger. They would help to keep my
right hand steady, moving from left to right. Print out a page with
horizontal lines spaced one or two lines apart. Else, there might be such a
page in the teacher's guide, if I remember correctly. Once you know/feel
that your hand is steady and you feel the line(s) on your index finger, you
might use equal signs (two horizontal lines close on top of each other).
Next, you can add vertical lines crossing those single horizontal lines at
certain intervals. Some horizontal lines might have two, others five, again
others might have twenty, ... you get the idea. You could count them and
see if you "catch" them all.
Later on, you can add multiple groups of same capital letters, then
lower-case letters, then punctuation marks, digits, ... Next, you start
scrambling up letters, etc., forming simple words, sentences, or a series of
unrelated letters and numerals or symbols. Short texts or messages would
then be followed by longer texts, even novels or textbooks. :-)
One of the first texts I remember reading from beginning to end was "The
Little Prince," which I loved and knew more or less by heart. Someone gave
me a text I did not know. It was thrilling for me to successfully read aloud
this text. I often grabbed books, pamphlets, handwritten notes, etc., to
test my ability. I was an ardent reader, and I completed my training in
three weeks. Then I was ready to keep practicing on or by myself, daily
spending more time with my Optacon and increasing the speed at which I read.
Good luck and best wishes,
Cordelia
-----Original Message-----
From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Carolyn
Sent: Thursday, January 28, 2021 2:19 AM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Help Needed
Also, if you don't get the device Charles mentioned, it is a
good idea to place a book or something straight, reasonably
heavy, against the line where you are reading. You can use
that to guide your camera, because for many, people tend to
sort of skew the hand moving the camera, but it has to stay
straight, straight on the line you are reading.
Once you have gained a little bit of proficiency, novels are
a fun way to build speed.
-----Original Message-----
From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Marco
Cervi
Sent: Wednesday, January 27, 2021 6:41 PM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Help Needed
Totally agree with Charles.
In addition, just a little suggestion.
Maybe during your first readings, you will move your reading
hand or finger attempting to recognize better every single
character.
This is not a good idea. Position your hand into the front
space with your index finger on the array, and keep both in
position without moving.
When you move the camera with the other hand, all characters
and words will roll under your finger and you will be
totally ok.
Keep so calm during your first experiences and do not think
you are not able to read, this is not true.
Congratulation for your purchase.
Marco
Il giorno 28 gen 2021, alle ore 04:43, wpg67 (Redactedsender "wpg67" for DMARC) <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> ha
adress I
Oui hello Christina. If you contact me off list with your
can send you a tracking guide if it might be of help inlearning how
to track. An essential skill is learning how to trackwith the camera
with one hand while reading the tactile input on thedisplay with the
other hand. For the most part, the tracking hand is using
kinaesthetics, and the reading hand is using touch. Onceyou get it,
it is second nature for good, save for a physical injury.Also,
properly aligning one's reading finger on the display is afirst set up skill.
ruler and a
You might be able to improvise a tracking guide with a
suitably designed cardboard template for to fit thecamera, but if not
let me know.Looks to be in
Charles
On 2021-01-27 10:27 a.m., Christina V. wrote:
It's here, it's here! My Optacon is here! It's an R1D.
with it. Nowvery good shape, but I haven't yet had a chance to work
four-year-oldsI just need some uninterrupted time, but of course two
*smile*have other ideas about how I should spend an afternoon.
questions with
Thank you to everyone who replied to my message and
expect thesuch helpful suggestions! I'm especially glad to know to
worry aboutbattery charger to get warm (and it did), because I'd
"unsubscribe" (without the quotes) in the message subject.that, otherwise!
Christina V.
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