From: Pete Donahue 
Subject: accessible computers for local schools
Hello listers,
As many of you know the Greater San Antonio Chapter of the National
Federation of the Blind of Texas participated in the 1996 South Texas
Internet Odyssey held here in San antonio.  Since then we have been
contacted by members of the odyssey team for our assistance on several
projects.  One of these is a plan that the Odyssey team has of raising
money to, (Wire) several local schools with the latest and greatest
computer technology.  They have asked us to work with them to help them
find the adaptive technology jto perchase for these schools, and to assist
them in installing it.
Several trains of thoughts come to mind when concerning the merits of such
Several trains of thought come to mind when considering the merits of such
a endevor.  Firstly, adaptive technology is very expensive and what is
ieeal for one student may be totally inappropriate for other students in
the school district and even in the same school  Then there is the matter
of making sure that what ever is perchased will work with the applications
that are used by the schools in question.Finally, tere is the matter of
just how many packages would a student have to learn as he/she passes
through the different schools in our local districts.
On the plus side, if we could install adaptive technology on one or two
computers in every classroom and in all of the computer labs in the
schools the blind students could work in the classrooms right along with
their sighted peers rather than being religated to the resource lab for
students with special needs.  In fact, I did this when I went to Palo Alto
Community college here in San antonio.  I was able to arrange to install
my adaptive hardware and software in any classroom whare I was expected to
use the computer.  As for the matter of retraining the advantage of
learning several packages is that a blind student or employee could make
use of cps that all ready have such programmes installed, and when it came
time for him/her to perchase a package for home use or use on the job the
disission as to which one to buy could be made based on personal
experience with the package Ratther than simply considering the claims
made by developers of these packages or the whims of rehabilitation
personnelor of others in the blindness field.
Ther are probably pros and conns I've not thought of but some of you have
considered.  Your feedback as to the merits of such an endevor and
guidance and how best to approach such a project so that a win-win outcome
is achieved will be greately appreciated.  Thanks for putting up with me
all evening.  Take care and sleep well.
Yours truly,
Peter donahue
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