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Author Topic: Digital Imaging for People with Disabilities  (Read 3265 times)

Dil

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Digital Imaging for People with Disabilities
« on: August 16, 2006, 12:22:09 pm »

Hi LL Community

Every Friday morning I help a small group of people with learning disabilities edit and print their photos using Elements.

They get very enthusiastic about the possibilities that Elements offer and frequently come up with ideas that have me reaching for the reference books as I try to help them to achieve their visualisations. Understandably they need lots of assistance, even needing hand-on-hand-on-mouse to get reasonable selections. Recently the group had an exhibition at a local gallery that was very well received and many more disabled people hereabouts are expressing an interest in joining us.
Are there any other photographers or graphics teachers similarly involved? Do you have experiences to share? Could my group correspond with others courtesy of the web? And, importantly, could we demonstrate to Adobe or whoever that there is a sizeable population out there that requires simplified (but not basic) editing programmes that would be economically feasible to serve?

I would like, ideally, to have a version of the program that offers the range of controls of Elements but with larger buttons with colour coding and simplified displays.

Regards
David
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Bobtrips

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Digital Imaging for People with Disabilities
« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2006, 01:33:10 pm »

Quote
Hi LL Community

Every Friday morning I help a small group of people with learning disabilities edit and print their photos using Elements.

They get very enthusiastic about the possibilities that Elements offer and frequently come up with ideas that have me reaching for the reference books as I try to help them to achieve their visualisations. Understandably they need lots of assistance, even needing hand-on-hand-on-mouse to get reasonable selections. Recently the group had an exhibition at a local gallery that was very well received and many more disabled people hereabouts are expressing an interest in joining us.
Are there any other photographers or graphics teachers similarly involved? Do you have experiences to share? Could my group correspond with others courtesy of the web? And, importantly, could we demonstrate to Adobe or whoever that there is a sizeable population out there that requires simplified (but not basic) editing programmes that would be economically feasible to serve?

I would like, ideally, to have a version of the program that offers the range of controls of Elements but with larger buttons with colour coding and simplified displays.

Regards
David
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You might take a look at Picassa as a possible simpler editor option.  It will do the basics and has a much less cluttered layout.  (And it's free.)

I doubt that you will get very far with Adobe in terms of a custom product.  But how about GIMP?

GIMP is a very powerful open source photo editing program.  There might be someone who would be willing to work with you to design a simple interface to suit your needs.  Try the GIMP forums.

Also check educational software.  Unfortunately much of the stuff written for children is "child-like" and not that appropriate for adults.  But sometimes that's all that is available.
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Dil

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Digital Imaging for People with Disabilities
« Reply #2 on: August 17, 2006, 12:03:43 pm »

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You might take a look at Picassa as a possible simpler editor option.  It will do the basics and has a much less cluttered layout.  (And it's free.)

I doubt that you will get very far with Adobe in terms of a custom product.  But how about GIMP?

GIMP is a very powerful open source photo editing program.  There might be someone who would be willing to work with you to design a simple interface to suit your needs.  Try the GIMP forums.

Also check educational software.  Unfortunately much of the stuff written for children is "child-like" and not that appropriate for adults.  But sometimes that's all that is available.
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Thanks, Bobtrips. I'll follow up your recommendations.
Your comment about the need for adult-appropriateness in the way things are presented for groups like mine is so true. It's not only how the disabled users perceive it; a visit to our activity by, say, a care manager, would lead them to form a qualitative judgement straight away and the credibility of the session could be undermined at the sight of a child-oriented display.
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Bobtrips

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Digital Imaging for People with Disabilities
« Reply #3 on: August 17, 2006, 12:59:02 pm »

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Thanks, Bobtrips. I'll follow up your recommendations.
Your comment about the need for adult-appropriateness in the way things are presented for groups like mine is so true. It's not only how the disabled users perceive it; a visit to our activity by, say, a care manager, would lead them to form a qualitative judgement straight away and the credibility of the session could be undermined at the sight of a child-oriented display.
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I spoke with a friend of mine who is a programmer.  He said that writing a simple to use interface for GIMP shouldn't be a hard job.  

I'm betting that there is someone out there with the skills who would like to take on this project.

I have some ideas about page layout, etc. and an extensive background in task analysis.  If you locate a programmer and would like my input please send me an email.
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TomConnor

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Digital Imaging for People with Disabilities
« Reply #4 on: August 23, 2006, 06:06:12 pm »

In fact, i think that you may be able to do all that you want through a custom theme:

http://wiki.gimp.org/gimp/HelpOnThemes?highlight=%28theme%29

Alas, i dont know python, nor do i know how good the plugin is for windows (or if it works on windows at all).  But if there are specific ideas for a possible theme/layout - then i might have a look and see what can be done.
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Tom Connor
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KSG Find Anawers

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Digital Imaging for People with Disabilities
« Reply #5 on: November 02, 2006, 10:07:39 am »

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Hi LL Community

Every Friday morning I help a small group of people with learning disabilities edit and print their photos using Elements.

They get very enthusiastic about the possibilities that Elements offer and frequently come up with ideas that have me reaching for the reference books as I try to help them to achieve their visualisations. Understandably they need lots of assistance, even needing hand-on-hand-on-mouse to get reasonable selections. Recently the group had an exhibition at a local gallery that was very well received and many more disabled people hereabouts are expressing an interest in joining us.
Are there any other photographers or graphics teachers similarly involved? Do you have experiences to share? Could my group correspond with others courtesy of the web? And, importantly, could we demonstrate to Adobe or whoever that there is a sizeable population out there that requires simplified (but not basic) editing programmes that would be economically feasible to serve?

I would like, ideally, to have a version of the program that offers the range of controls of Elements but with larger buttons with colour coding and simplified displays.

Regards
David
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KSG Find Anawers

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Digital Imaging for People with Disabilities
« Reply #6 on: November 02, 2006, 10:26:30 am »

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Hi LL Community

Every Friday morning I help a small group of people with learning disabilities edit and print their photos using Elements.

They get very enthusiastic about the possibilities that Elements offer and frequently come up with ideas that have me reaching for the reference books as I try to help them to achieve their visualisations. Understandably they need lots of assistance, even needing hand-on-hand-on-mouse to get reasonable selections. Recently the group had an exhibition at a local gallery that was very well received and many more disabled people hereabouts are expressing an interest in joining us.
Are there any other photographers or graphics teachers similarly involved? Do you have experiences to share? Could my group correspond with others courtesy of the web? And, importantly, could we demonstrate to Adobe or whoever that there is a sizeable population out there that requires simplified (but not basic) editing programmes that would be economically feasible to serve?

I would like, ideally, to have a version of the program that offers the range of controls of Elements but with larger buttons with colour coding and simplified displays.

Excuse this long plea, Does anyone know of a software for those of us that are dyslexic with vison problems, (using one eye at a time) changing back and forth as we read. These two difficulties together is a real problem. I write inspirational greeting cards and poems. It's hard to find a person willing to edit. I was disabled at birth, Mild CP, now with added severe muscle disease, I do my best to live life to the fullest. I have been trying to set-up bussiness to allow start up. I've had many problems with MS, Office, Adobe conflicks or something is not working properly. I had Windows XP Pro 2002 and Office XP Pro 2002 Adobe Photoshop CS on old system worked fine. Bought new PC's Window XP Home, Office XP Pro 2003 Up-graded to Adobe Photoshop CS 2 everything went hay wire. Been trying to work with HP, MS, Office, Adobe gotten no where but insulted, stoodup 9 times on MS callback apps. with around 70 hours inbetween their missed call back app on the phone. PLEASE somebody help! How do I reach someone higher than Microsoft reachsearch tech support in Microsoft, someone who will resolve these issues within a few, not months?  We were all created by the creator of this great universe, making each person equal to the other no matter what our appearance might reflect. each person has something to give back to humanity; far too often most of the population misses the importantance of their fellow man, or woman. Darlene

Regards
David
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