what Arun offers and needs...
I offer:
An insight into how computers can transform the lives of the disabled. In particular, I teach blind people how to program computers, and have written software called eLocutor, which can be used by those who are severely motor disabled to type using one button. I have conducted a workshop with autistic kids, to see how they take to computers.
I can teach Visual Basic, which is the easiest way I have ever come across to program using GUIs and databases.
I can also teach Starlogo, which is an extension of Logo, a derivative of Lisp. It is the easiest way to learn how to program, and a great way to do modelling of systems in which multiple entitites interact -- perhaps useful for those interested in nanotechnology, smart dust and the like.
I am involved in organising the World Summit on Free Information Infrastructures at Dharamsala (where the Dalai Lama lives), which takes place late October 2006. I am well informed on the subject of rural communications, and the digital divide.
I work with low power FM radio for community radio, simultaneous translation at conferences, and for organising music concerts where noise pollution laws prevent the use of normal loudspeaker systems.
I can also cook vegetarian Indian food!
I need:
Programming in Ruby and Python, programming under Linux, and interfaces that would allow small children to use computers.
Thanks for all your hospitality and help!
Arun
I have a paraplegic friend which is interested in start to work for living by translating engish/german to croatian. He is a bit of hendikeped on hands, so we are just assembling a new computer for him, & I thought of some speech recognition & screenReading sw to help in his work. Optical Character Recognition sw, Jaws for Win (screenreader, which we localized at skillEhchange
workShop) and GLS -- Govorni Linux za Slijepe (Talking/Speaking Linux for Blind)
http://www.savez-slijepih.hr/hr/pomagala/racunalna/govornejedinice.htm
http://www.ipsis.hr/static/hr/gls.htm
We could talk about it at saturday, if you would be still in Zagreb.
original Jun 27 2:02pm