Show Comp Computer t r modified to print braille programs Take a 18 million piece of machinery an old cast off bed sheet and a lot of time and ingenuity and eureka I youve you've got a computer printing braille impressions Jeremy Wilson computer programmer at Utah State University's Computer Center brought the idea for braille printout back from a computer training session in Detroit last year TilE THE KEASON for Wilsons Wilson's interest in developing braille capabilities on computer was a student named Dan Beaver Blind since childhood Dan came to from Vernal in 1975 to study computer programming He is the son of Mr and Mrs Kenneth L L. L McMullin McMullin Mc- Mc Mullin of Vernal As Dan progressed through the elementary course work it became more difficult for lor him to keep up with the sighted members of the class said Dr Don Cooley applied statistics and computer science professor It is difficult for lor a blind student to debug a computer r program He needs another person to read to him as he punches the information into a abra bra braille Then he has hasto to 10 go back over his braille impression to figure out what went wrong in the program Cooley explained DAN HAS liAS learned to key keypunch keypunch keypunch punch so he can prepare his programs get them through the computer and debug it he can cango cango cango go off in a corner and look for errors just the way a sighted student would he continued After getting the tte details on how to do braille printouts Wilson and workers co-workers made modifications to fit the program to 10 Burroughs computer They cut ut up up upa a regular bed sheet to pad the typewriter roller so the keys would press through the paper leaving raised touchable impressions impressions im im- rather than clear written impressions Directions had to be given to the computer to print backwards backwards back back- wards and several times larger than normal The dot code for or th braille alphabet differs greatly from the standard stan alphabet that had to be keyed into the computer OTHER housekeeping chores had to be worked o out t tsuch such as tape storage second printout requirements and proper adjustment of the bed linen According to Dan Dpn Beaver Beavers whose golden labrador i- i seeing seeing- eye dog is a common sight in the computer center the braille print-out print capabilities bolster his chances for success in the college program and allow him much more independence than he had before I am taking CS right now that's that's a Cobol system a business oriented computer language with three or four program assignments during the quarter It is rather complicated complicated complicated com com- and yet I feel capable of taking it on now that I can receive my print outs in braille Usually I can get one-day one printout printout print print- out service and have my homework done as quickly as anyone in the class he said A SMILING handsome young man Dan is learning to work with the Burroughs braille print out although it took some getting used to i The print-out print is twice as large as standard braille the impressions impressions im im- are not as distinct and the symbols are slightly dif dif- ferent He had to practice with the material to master reading it it Dan expects to receive a braille print-out print machine through the Utah Division of Rehabilitation after alter graduation so he will be more employable Kind of a have braille printout printout print print- out machine will travel scene he quipped The possibilities for other applications of the braille printout printout printout print print- out are many Programmer Wilson has offered to work with any students or faculty members members' with ideas for applying applying applying ap ap- plying the techniques to uses in classes elsewhere re on campus THE TilE PROGRAM has potential to print out special materials any blind student or staff member needs such as tests booklets or class handouts han han- douts The cost would not be prohibitive it seems to me Wilson added There are computer assisted courses where a student sits down with a terminal and interacts interacts interacts in in- with the computer The computer has a lesson and exercises that the student reads answers and feeds feed back into the computer for There is no reason why a blind student couldn't participate participate participate par par- in these classes Wilson pointed out |