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September - October 2007 - Volume 6 Issue 3 - @Freedom Scientific Newsletter @Freedom Scientific is a free newsletter packed with the latest information about Freedom Scientific technology. Please feel free to send us your feedback.
Freedom Scientific Links Up with the United States Blind Golf AssociationIt started with a congratulatory phone call and has blossomed into a mutually-beneficial pairing with winners all around. Sheila Drummond had just made quite a splash by becoming the first blind woman golfer to register a hole-in-one. Eric Damery of Freedom Scientific recognized Sheila’s name as a long-time user of JAWS® screen reading software and sent off a message of congratulations. During ensuing conversations, Eric learned that Sheila was a member of the United States Blind Golf Association (USBGA), an organization with approximately 100 members throughout the country. Furthermore, he learned that Sheila was the tournament director for the USBGA national championship that was about to be held at Edgmont Country Club in Pennsylvania. Eric, an avid golfer himself, was invited to attend the event to learn more about the organization. Sheila indicated that several of the participants were JAWS users and they were eager to learn more about the soon-to-be released JAWS 9.0. Eric arranged to host a reception after the first night of the tournament where he shared “the scoop” on the many new features that will be available in the next release of JAWS. Eric also made a visit to Associated Services for the Blind in Philadelphia where a similar information session was held. (You, too, can get the inside story on JAWS 9.0 by accessing the latest version of FSCast or by reading the What’s New in JAWS 9.0 page.)The tournament participants were eligible for drawings for Freedom Scientific products, including a copy of MAGic screen magnification software, a JAWS SMA, and two FSReader™ DAISY players. “The Freedom Scientific prizes were enthusiastically received,” said Mark Arnold, communications director of the USBGA, “as was the opportunity to ask questions and get information on the next version of JAWS. We enjoyed having Freedom Scientific represented at our national championship. As I announced to the entire group gathered at the reception, JAWS is a tremendous product. It literally saved my career and greatly enhanced my life. I’m one of its biggest fans.” Now Eric is one of the USBGA’s biggest fans as well. “It’s a terrific organization,” said Eric. “Prior to the start of their tournament they held a golf clinic for blind and visually impaired children from the Philadelphia area. The clinic featured professional golfers teaching these children. More and more people with vision loss are discovering that they, too, can enjoy golf. There are blind golf associations located throughout the world. I encourage people with vision loss to find out more and to get involved. It’s easy, just go to www.blindgolf.com. Freedom Scientific is very proud to be associated with organizations like the USBGA.” The USBGA is for people who are blind and people with varying degrees of vision loss. Its tournaments feature competition in different divisions, depending on the extent of the participant’s vision loss. Bruce Hooper and Mark Arnold, finishing first and second in their respective division at the national championship, will be two of eight USBGA members representing the Association at next year’s Blind Golf World Championship Tournament in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Once again, congratulations to Sheila and to the USBGA for the success of its 62nd national championship. To access a video of Sheila’s appearance on Good Morning America, go to Hole-In-One Golfer. Return to Table of Contents from the First Story
MAGic Paves the Way for Success at AirTran AirwaysEdward “Tony” Randolph’s vision was fading. With the onset of macular degeneration, so were his employment options. In 2003, realizing that he needed to find work outside of the retail world he was accustomed to, Tony attended the School of Adaptive Technology sponsored by the Georgia Department of Labor Vocational Rehabilitation Program. Upon completion of his training, Tony was offered an entry level position with AirTran Airways at its reservations center in Atlanta. AirTran has a history of hiring people who may need special accommodations to do their jobs. Once on board with AirTran, it quickly became obvious that the degree of Tony’s vision loss would require the support afforded by assistive technology tools if he were to be successful. “Everything here is computer based and computer driven,” said Tony. “To work here you need to be able to use a computer proficiently, and to be proficient, you have to be able to clearly see the screen.” The Vocational Rehabilitation Program’s staff recommended that AirTran utilize Freedom Scientific’s MAGic screen magnification software to assist Tony and other employees who could benefit from screen magnification. Dusty Voorhees, Senior Product Manager with Freedom Scientific, helped the AirTran team install and set up MAGic on its systems and even conducted some on-site training for users and management. “MAGic,” Tony said, “made my job doable.” Not only is the work now doable for Tony, he’s doing it very well. Tony has progressed to a supervisory role at AirTran that includes the mentoring of other employees in their reservations center. “For me, the best thing about MAGic is its adaptability,” added Tony. “You can easily customize the screen to meet your particular vision needs. We now have a dozen or so people in our call center who use either MAGic or JAWS. We run the full gamut of visual impairment. Users can set up MAGic in the configuration that works best for them. Some of us use the speech option, many use the color inversion and brightness features, and some just need varying degrees of magnification. Over time, as our needs change, we can quickly adjust MAGic to meet those needs. “I’m really thankful that the Georgia Department of Labor and AirTran came together and took advantage of the available assistive technologies to help people like me find and keep useful and fulfilling employment. Along with Freedom Scientific and its innovative products, they’ve enabled many talented people to remain employed rather than being needlessly sidelined by loss of vision. In that regard, MAGic is truly magical.” To get to all the details on MAGic screen magnification software and access a free demonstration go to www.LowVisionSolutions.com. Return to the Table of Contents from the Second Story
New Versions of MAGic and OpenBook Are on the WayMAGic 11.0 Now In Public BetaHave you downloaded and tried out the new features of MAGic 11.0? This newest version provides support for the Windows Vista™ 32-bit operating system and Microsoft Office 2007, as well as a wide array of new features and enhancements. Freedom Scientific recently posted its second public beta of this release. While the final release of MAGic 11.0 will be a Software Maintenance Agreement (SMA) upgrade, this public beta version will run for anyone with a MAGic license that provides access to MAGic 10.0 or later. For anyone who does not have a MAGic 10.0 or later license, the public beta version can be installed and run in the 40-minute demo mode. Freedom Scientific encourages MAGic users to take advantage of this opportunity to get a hands-on preview of MAGic 11.0 and to help finalize its development prior to product release. If you discover product issues during the public beta, we request that you send feedback directly to Freedom Scientific using the Beta Report Web page. For complete product details and instructions on participating in this public beta, go to the MAGic Public Beta Web page. OpenBook 8.0 is Just Around the Corner – With a Special Discount Now AvailableFreedom Scientific’s OpenBook 8.0 scanning and reading software goes beyond providing access to printed documents or graphic-based text. This December 2007 release provides new synthesizers, updated optical character recognition (OCR) engines, improved access to online books, common keyboarding with JAWS and MAGic, built-in braille support, new low vision features, new reference features, and much more. OpenBook customers can take advantage of attractive discounted upgrade pricing if they upgrade to OpenBook 8.0 before December 31, 2007. From now until the end of the year, OpenBook customers will be able to do so for only $100. Anyone purchasing or upgrading to OpenBook 7.02 between September 1, 2007, and the December release will be sent OpenBook 8.0 as a free upgrade. To get complete details on the many features of OpenBook scanning and reading software, go to the What's New in OpenBook 8.0 Web page. Return to the Table of Contents from the Third Story
Another Free Utility for the PAC Mate: The Accessible Amortization CalculatorWhen he asked, the collective response at Freedom Scientific was, “Yes, we can do that!” The “he” is PAC Mate user Erodio Diaz. The “that” is an Amortization Calculator that runs on PAC Mate, Freedom Scientific’s accessible Pocket PC. Now you can have this handy solution, too — for free! Erodio is a blind realtor and mortgage broker working in Miami, Florida. One of the tools any full-service realtor/broker relies on is an amortization schedule that enables buyers to readily calculate their would-be mortgage payment and, specifically, how much of each payment is applied to paying the principal balance and how much goes to paying the interest on the loan. Because PAC Mate has an onboard financial calculator in FSCalc and runs Excel®, Freedom Scientific’s Product Managers were able to quickly respond with a special spreadsheet that answered Erodio’s request. “I use my PAC Mate constantly,” said Erodio. “I use it in every aspect of my work. The Amortization Calculator provides me all the information I need to be able to answer my clients’ questions and concerns about the possible purchase and/or financing of a home. I can serve my clients better because of this tool Freedom Scientific developed for one of their clients — me. “I’m very appreciative that Freedom Scientific is so willing to develop new tools like this that enable those of us affected by a vision disability to be able to be employed, to remain active, and to be self-sufficient. Even though I’m blind and 65 years of age, as long as I have access to the types of tools that Freedom Scientific makes and continually improves upon, I have no reason to ever think about slowing down.” Get the free Amortization Calculator download for the PAC Mate. Return to the Table of Contents from the Fourth Story
Leveling the Schoolyard Playing Field with WYNNThe school district in Bellevue, Washington, had a big ambition. The goal was to provide its students with special learning needs — approximately 11 percent of its entire student base — with the same general education curriculum as its other students. At the heart of accomplishing this task was the need for all text books and reading materials to be formatted in ways that enabled students with learning challenges to comprehend grade-level-appropriate assignments. Achieving that goal would require matching the unique needs of the learning-challenged students with appropriate learning-skills technology. The answer proved to be WYNN literacy software, developed by the Learning Systems Group of Freedom Scientific. WYNN transforms print and electronic text into simultaneous auditory and visual messages, making information easier to comprehend. WYNN’s many study-enhancement features and its overall ease of use was why WYNN was selected as the centerpiece of the District’s curriculum standardization plan for students with special needs. After implementing WYNN, it became possible for all students to read and discuss high-interest titles with confidence and success. Students now can learn together in large groups or independently — mainstreaming at its best. “The utilization of WYNN technology throughout the district produced a terrific example of the results that are possible through the successful use of differentiated learning techniques,” said Roberta Brosnahan, Vice President of the Learning Systems Group. So, how successful was it? In 2002, the pass rate of special needs students taking advanced placement (AP) courses was 10 percent. By 2006, after the standardization of the curriculum made possible through the use of WYNN, the pass rate dramatically increased to 46 percent. Moreover, with their increased access to standardized materials and the confidence that came with it, 40 percent of Bellevue’s special needs secondary students are now taking at least one AP course during high school. Read more about how WYNN literacy software benefited the students and teachers of the Bellevue School District in the WYNNing Word newsletter.Return to the Table of Contents from the Fifth Story
A Powerful Trio of Functions: Present, Learn, and Be Entertained with Your PAC MatePAC Mate BX — A Recording Star is Born!The PAC Mate BX has gone into the recording studio and produced a hit! Oleg Shevkun, a long-time user of Freedom Scientific products, does a bi-weekly radio program on a national station in Russia. Oleg has traditionally embossed his final broadcast scripts on a Braille Blazer embosser. However, since he was already developing his scripts on his PAC Mate BX420, he thought of trying to utilize its braille display to deliver his scripts as well. Oleg found, much to his delight, that his ability to read from the PAC Mate proved to be much smoother than what he had been achieving with embossed text, and, as a bonus, it eliminated the rustling of paper when pages were turned. With the PAC Mate’s WiFi capabilities, Oleg could even retrieve and make those inevitable last-minute edits from the station management quickly and easily. Oleg’s one remaining concern was whether or not the use of the PAC Mate’s braille display would present an in-studio problem. To his relief, the audio engineer informed him that the noise level was too small to be picked up by the studio’s sensitive microphones. As Oleg said after recording a recent program, “The PAC Mate BX ‘performed’ just like the true star it is.” PAC Mate Assisting in Literacy ResearchIn a collaborative effort with the Office of Special Education Programs at Portland State University in Oregon, Freedom Scientific has provided for the use of PAC Mates and PAC Mate training to support research exploring the efficacy of using electronic note takers in the development of early literacy skills in blind children. The overall goal is to identify best practices for teaching blind students, thereby providing them with increased rates of literacy, a higher level of independence, and an easier path to successes as adults. This research is supported by the United States Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. All Kinds of Fun with PAC MateLouis Bryant, a long time PAC Mate user and aficionado, has built an impressive Web site that is chock full of free games and applications for the PAC Mate. Among the many games he has customized for easy download and use on the PAC Mate are Tic Tac Toe (his own special remade version) and an updated version of Blackjack. Classic word games include, among many others, Hangman and Word Scrambler. The Web site also provides easy-to-follow instructions for downloading each of the programs along with helpful tips for storing and using the applications. To have more fun with your PAC Mate, visit Louis Bryant’s Web site. Return to the Table of Contents from the Sixth Story
FSCast – All the News That’s Important to YOU!The September edition of FSCast, Freedom Scientific’s monthly podcast hosted by Jonathan Mosen, features a JAWS 9.0 preview from Eric Damery. Eric and Jonathan discuss the many new features of JAWS 9.0, which is currently in the public beta stage. Eric also shares information about the various development stages a new release goes through prior to being made available to users. Access the audio for this informative and entertaining program at FSCast Episode 10. In case you missed it, the August edition of FSCast featured Jonathan’s visit with Glen Gordon, Freedom Scientific’s Chief Technology Officer. They discussed the initial challenges that had to be overcome in creating the JAWS software and how new technologies have been applied to assistive hardware and software products to meet the increasing expectations of users. You can listen to the podcast on our Web site. Make sure you never miss an episode of FSCast. Subscribe to have each podcast episode automatically delivered to your computer as soon as it is available. Get your free subscription by visiting the FSCast page and selecting the “Subscribe to Freedom Scientific FSCast” link. Return to the Table of Contents from the Seventh Story
Still Have Your Optacon? We Have Your ManualsThe Optacon was one of the pioneering devices in the realm of assistive technology products. First manufactured in 1970, the Optacon (Optical Tactile Converter) is no longer in production, but it still has dedicated users to this day. The Optacon is an electromechanical device that enables blind users to read printed material that has not been transcribed into braille. It consists of a camera lens connected to a main electronics unit that contains a “tactile array” of vibrating rods that users feel with their index finger. Printed text is, essentially, translated into tactile vibrating images. As a service to the remaining Optacon users, Freedom Scientific is posting for download copies of the training and documentation manuals for the Optacon. The training materials are image based PDFs rather than accessible text-based PDFs as the exercises are meant to be scanned by the Optacon. Note: Freedom Scientific does not manufacture, repair, or provide training or technical support for the Optacon. If you have questions, there is an active user group at Free Lists - Optacon. Download Optacon materials here. Return to the Table of Contents from the Eighth Story
News of Note from the Training DepartmentMAGic 11.0 has not yet been released, but basic training is already available in DAISY text and MP3 format for this highly-anticipated version of Freedom Scientific’s screen magnification software. This training is recorded in Windows Vista™ and Microsoft Office 2007. With more than five hours of comprehensive instruction, the training covers all the essential functions of MAGic 11.0, including practice files that can be used to follow along. The training provides users with everything they need to get started quickly with the soon to-be-released MAGic 11.0 and to make the very best use of its extensive set of features. Innovative Training SolutionsThe Freedom Scientific Training Headquarters Web site lists currently-scheduled hands-on training sessions for Freedom Scientific products. Most training takes place in our main corporate site in St. Petersburg, Florida. “That doesn’t mean we can’t arrange to bring our training wherever it’s needed and wanted,” said Dan Clark, Training and Tutorial Developer. Training sessions often fill up quickly. A good example is a session scheduled for teachers on November 13 and 14 in Chicago, Illinois. The extensive JAWS training workshop was scheduled through the joint efforts of The Illinois Instructional Materials Center, The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who are Blind or Visually Impaired, and members of Freedom Scientific’s Sales and Training teams. “This workshop came about as a result of people working together, identifying needs, and getting those needs addressed in the best way possible,” said Dan. “Freedom Scientific is always willing to be involved in scenarios like this.” Another example of a creative training solution is the JAWS and MAGic training session Eric Damery and Dan will conduct with The Hadley School for the Blind in Winnetka, Illinois — and they’ll do it without leaving their offices in St. Petersburg. Through Webcasting, Eric and Dan will make a presentation for the students and teachers in attendance before addressing their specific questions. "These two sessions are terrific examples of our willingness to work with groups to provide the training they want in support of our Freedom Scientific products,” added Dan. Please check the Freedom Scientific Web site Training Headquarters for the availability of future training sessions. If your company or organization is interested in specialized product training opportunities, or you want to schedule a training session in your area, contact the Training department at 800-444-4443 extension 1016 or 1004. Return to the Table of Contents from the Ninth Story
Vision Awareness Takes to the RoadVision loss is a rapidly growing condition. Approximately 10 million people in the United States are visually impaired (visual impairment includes low vision and blindness). Of them, 1.3 million people are “legally blind.” Most people with low vision in the United States are 65 years of age and older and have age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, or optic nerve disease. AMD accounts for almost 45 percent of all cases of low vision. The number of people 65 and older in the United States is projected to reach more than 40 million by 2010, an increase of 15 percent compared with 2000. By 2030, that number is expected to increase to 72 million. With life expectancies rising and the baby boomer generation beginning to reach retirement age, more and more people are having difficulties seeing as well as they once did. This loss of vision impacts careers, social interactions, leisure and educational pursuits, and virtually all facets of their lives. That’s why Freedom Scientific is now bringing vision and assistive technology information to cities across the United States through its free Vision Awareness Days. These presentations — typically two days in length — feature vision facts and information, topical discussions, and hands-on demonstrations about visual impairments and the Freedom Scientific technologies that have been developed to help people overcome them. These free presentations have been especially designed for anyone with vision loss, as well as anyone who works with, teaches, or is a caretaker of someone with vision loss. During the Blindness Day presentations attendees are introduced to screen reading software, an accessible Pocket PC, braille displays, braille training tools, DAISY readers, bar code scanners, and more. Topics covered during the Low Vision Day include screen magnification, the benefits of video magnifiers, on-the-go vision solutions, scanning and reading devices, education and workplace tools, and more. “The purpose of our Vision Awareness Days is to convey knowledge about the various types and degrees of vision loss and to share with people the wide array of assistive-technology products Freedom Scientific has developed to help them effectively cope with vision loss,” said Brad Davis, Vice President of Freedom Scientific. “We are eager to share this important information with as many people as possible throughout the country. ” The upcoming dates and locations for scheduled Vision Awareness Days are:
Further information about Vision Awareness Days can be found at the Freedom Scientific Seminars Web page. Be sure to check this site often as new dates and locations are continually being added. If you are interested in having a Vision Awareness Days presentation in your city, please contact us through the “Request Location ” link on the Web page. Return to the Table of Contents from the Tenth Story
Featured Deals! Check Out “What’s On Sale”A terrific resource for Freedom Scientific customers can be found on the Freedom Scientific Web site at What’s On Sale. Here you’ll find a quick rundown of several products, as well as product accessories and supplies, all with special pricing you can take advantage of. Currently being featured are reconditioned SARA™ scanning and reading appliances that now can be purchased at a savings of more than $1,000 versus a new unit. Several other products are also available at savings of up to 50 percent. The items listed on the What’s On Sale page periodically change, so be sure to bookmark this page and check back often to ensure you don’t miss out on these money-saving opportunities. Return to the Table of Contents from the Eleventh Story
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