Re: [orca-list] Sight Village Project

[Peter Korn <Peter Korn Sun COM>]

Hi Ian,

Comments in-line below.

> In conjunction with the UK Ubuntu Loco Team, we are proposing to have a
> stand at this exhibition next year.
>
> See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UKTeam/IdeasPool/Sight_Village_2008
>
> There is a lot of preparatory work that needs to be covered off.  In
> particular are the construction of the "How To" guides.  To this end I have
> two immiediate questions:
>
> A.  Is anyone aware of a convertor that exists to convert documentation
> produced by Open Office that will enable it to be printed on a brail printer
> with level 1, non conctatenated, brail support?
>   

The commercial Duxbury Braille transcript software is the first - and 
perhaps only - transcription software that reads ODF.  They support 
Grade 2 as well as Grade 1 Braille.  Our own Joanie Diggs was 
instrumental in getting that to happen.  See 
http://www.duxburysystems.com/  The resulting .brl file can be printed 
with the software that comes with any Braille printer.

I know there is some open source work in this area - I understand that 
'nfbtrans' from the National Federation of the Blind in the U.S. is a 
free (and perhaps open source) Grade 2 Braille translator.  I'm not 
finding much documentation on it just now with quick Google searches.  
But perhaps our own Janina Sajka might have more to say there?


> I am using the Ubuntu Accessability and Orca content pages to provide my
> background for these documents, and although obvious can I check that:
>
> B.  To set up a brail display from either a Live CD or current Ubuntu
> installation, the display needs to be attached during the setup process?
>   

I don't know of any UNIX software to print directly to Braille printer.  
Hopefully it exists and someone will speak up...  However, once you have 
a .brl file, sending it via a serial port to a Braille printer shouldn't 
be that difficult...

> In addition, if there are any centralised content owners for these two
> sites, and to avoid traffic on the list, would they mind contacting me
> directly off line?  This is to ensure that we have a two way communication
> to cover off any potential ambiguity and to advise on the content of the
> final documents  produced.
>
> I hope to share these guides with the community prior to the event to ensure
> that there are no blufers, and then have them hosted for use by the
> community as a whole.

Very cool!

Regards,


Peter Korn
Accessibility Architect,
Sun Microsystems, Inc.