State level seminar on “Reading without Seeing” Organized by Advanced Technology Blind Student’s Learning Centre, Department of Education and Extension, University of Pune in association with Technical training institute, PBMA and Xaviers resource centre for visually challenged, Mumbai.    

Sponsored by University of Pune and Techmahindra foundation.
About seminar:
Life of persons with disabilities is improved with the advent of assistive technologies. They can do their routine work independently and effectively with the use of assistive technologies such as screen readers, screen magnifiers, scanning and reading software, tactile graphics, DAISY books readers, and Braille printing technology.
But very few people in rural Maharashtra use computer aided assistive devices. Most of the people use conventional and old assistive devices because they have little information about it. They are deprived by the huge information available for them on the internet.

The seminar will focus on live demonstration of assistive technologies by the experts users and professionals with visual disabilities. It will also throw light on various new features added in the assistive technology devices and its effective use in various scenarios.    

Who can attain: 
Visually challenged college students, college Teachers, academicians, academic administrators, researchers and technology developers for persons with disabilities, trusties of NGOs working for visually challenged, Volunteers working for persons with disabilities etc.

How participants will be benefited: 
Visually challenged college students and working professionals can get live demonstration of various reading technologies such as angel, Plex talk pocket book reader, Zoom X, sara, Kurzweil, NVDA, Supernova, JAWS  and many more.

Registration: Registration is free for all participants. People willing to participate should contact on following numbers for providing their registration details.
Mr. Shantanu Ladkat: 9545025036
Mr. Rushikesh Bodhe: 9405255711
Mr. Dhananjay Bhole: 9850123212
Accomodation will be arranged for few outstations participents in genuine cases upon prior requests in 01 december night.

Tentative seminar program:
Inauguration: 02.30 p.m. to 03.30p.m.         

ORGANIZATIONAL INTRODUCTION
A) DFI
B) TTI
C) XRCVC
D) Pune University.
E) Acknowledgement of sponsors (Tech Mahindra Foundation and SightSavers)
F) INTRODUCTION OF  FACULTY     

High tea: 03.30 p.m. to 04.00 p.m.
Concept of reading without seeing  and introduction to various resources: 04.00 p.m. to 06.00 p.m.
A) Audience expectations -Rajesh
B) Theory
C) Experience

THEORY
a) Concept of reading without seeing-Rajesh
- Background 
- Possibilities
Computer based
Phone based
Others

Computer Based:-Calveena
 Screen reader–20min

a) Paid (Freedom Scientific- JAWS, Dolphin-Supernova) and open source(NVDA) 

Main Features of Screen Readers 
-  Two Ways Interplaying(typing and hearing)
-  Possibility of Braille Display
-  Language Option – English(JAWS, Window-Eyes, Dolphin) & Hindi
-  Access to major applications  including MS-Office, Internet
-  Ability to take snapshot images and OCR image-based text

b) Group screen reader demonstration  : suggestion  use NVDA/Dolphin

Phone Based:-Rajesh

a)   
    1. Talks
    2. Mobile speak

Main Features of Phone Based:
-Access with Num Pad, QWERTY keypad and touch screens
-Ability to access basic/advance phone functions (messaging,phonebook,GPS,GPRS and any other online applications

b) Group phone based reader demonstration: suggestion  use Talks

Others:
A) DAISY-Homiyar
1. Meaning of DAISY
2. Types
 - Full text
 - Full audio
- Full text full audio
3. Features
- Standardized format
- Multiple choice of reading options (hardware, software)
- Navigation/flexibility (bookmarking, reading by heading levels, chapter by chapter, page by page, phrase by phrase etc.)
- Cost advantage (available online)
4. DAISY player hardware: DAISY to go, FS- reader/Angel/Victor reader(any two)

B) Low Vision Tools time –Sushil
- Computer-based (magic, NVDA, supernova)                                                                                                                          - Hand-held video magnifiers
- Screen magnifier based
- Demo in experience zone

C) OCR –Sushil
 - Concept 
 -Feature 
 - Demonstration in experienced zone (Open Book, Kurzweil, SARA)

D) Braille Displays –-Calveena
 - Concepts
 - Features
 - Demonstration in experience zone (pacmate, note taker)

E) Samarth Tools –Rajesh/Homiyar
 - Concept 
 - Feature 
 - Demonstration in experienced zone

Reading sources 
i) DFI members/OBL –-Homiyar
 - What is OBL?
 - Types of books
 - Methods to obtain them
 - Membership
 - Demo

ii) Inclusive planet - -Homiyar
 - What is inclusive planet?
 -Types of books
 -Methods to obtain them
 - Membership
 - Demo

iii) Book Share –Rajesh
 - What is Book Share?
 - Types of books
 - Methods to obtain them
 - Membership
 - Demo

02 December 2012

Breakfast:09.30 a.m. to 10.00 a.m.
 EXPERIENCE ZONE 10.00 a.m. to 01.00 p.m.

Divide the participants into 4 – 5 groups of a similar size. All low vision persons should be part of the same group
Lunch: 01.00 p.m. to 02.00 p.m.

Hands-On Experience 02.00 p.m. to 03.30 p.m.

Participants will be broken up into smaller groups and will rotate across  demonstration  counters  to get hands on feel of the technologies and ask questions basing on the same . The main demonstration counters are as follows

1.Low  vision  counter (MAGic, video magnifier, optical magnification systems)-Sushil/Hetal
2. OCR and reading machine (Kurzweil and SARA)-Sushil
3. DAISY player hardware (victor, angel,PTR 2, DAISY to go-Rajesh
4. Refreshable Braille and Braille books (pacmate ,note taker)+ Talking Calculator -Calveena
5. NVDA ,JAWS , Samarth tools, AMIS/FS reader-Homiyar

 Each group is expected to spend 30 min per counter.
15-20 min for demos,remaining10 min. time for questions and answers
For each item 4 – 5 features need to be highlighted like “what is the USP of the product, the brief features of the product etc.
  High tea: 03.30 p.m. to 04.00 p.m.

  Valedictory: 04.00 p.m. to 05.00 p.m.