Partially sighted players, how can we include them?

zephard · Post by **zephard** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 1:38 pm

Are you doing the corkboard the size of the regular field?

Which short hand are you talking about? The roster or the figure representives?

I was thinking he keep the rosters handy in braille and just player number and a letter to identify them. B for blitzer Need a 3rd letter I guess for which team, or use two different sizes for the two different teams.

Is this the standard braille size? Should be a group of 4, two numbers next to each other and two letters. So that should be a small squarish shape, which would tell you the smallest size figure rep you could have.

Did you try to import the manual into a braille converter? I am sure the pictures gave a rough time.

You said partial sight, not blind, so does that mean he can use a screen enlarger? As far as putting the rules into braille. So that way he could read them on the screen enlarger instead of 10 thousand pages of braille. With all the mess ups the converter would do.

If possible might as for a text based doc of the rules without the pics and stuff to be able to convert the rules to braille easier.

Noctis · Post by **Noctis** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 2:46 pm

Hiya.

To be honest I haven't got to that part yet of making anything board like, as mentioned in last post.
He has at the moment an A4 rough sized pitched in his hands, I used a glue gun and a ruler (little "slabs" under the ruler so not to glue the ruler to the wood)to create raised ridges for the squares, and at the moment his amazing memory.

In regards to his sight, he "see's" light and dark, he knows when a light is on and when no light is on, he tried explaining it, but the best I could gather was, he mostly see's different types of swirling patterns during light and something else during no light.

In regards to braille, I'm new to it. I have enough problems with spoken english at times, but it's bloody good fun so I'm seeing if I can get his mum or dad to help me, as they have much more experince with it, but trying to explain the rules to them, kindda difficult, but he's my mate so I don't mind trying.

Hope that answers that?

Noctis

zephard · Post by **zephard** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 4:00 pm

Yeah, that helps.

Does anyone know if the BBRC might have a text base document rather than the PDF?

In college (here in the US) I worked in the Office for Students with Disablities so that we could provide services for those who fall under protection of the ADA.

Partially sighted is a wide range, some have some very good sight but only in very certain parts of their eyes, and others could see stuff if blown up 200% or more. But sounds like your friend does not have these but much worse. So he should be quite good at braille.

The questions for him would be does he have his own braille printer, and is it a double sided one.

I haven't priced paper, but I know its not the cheapest. When they don't make money on ink they got to make it some where.

I am sure his memory is wonderful, for that is what he needs to just live basicly.

He should become a real rule lawyer once he knows them. The pass ruler might be a mess though, without just someone helping him on that step.

I try to think of other things as my brian gets back into that mode, I been out of that office for 7 years.

Father911 · Post by **Father911** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 5:59 pm

In adobe reader there is an option to "save as text". This will create a txt file. It will need to be cleaned up a bit to remove extraneous words (like picture captions) but would be otherwise be very quick to do.

As for the range ruler all that would be required is a piece of tape he could feel on the lines. That or do away with the ruler altogether and just count squares (since it is a non-standard board that would probably be nessecary anyway)

Noctis · Post by **Noctis** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 1:30 pm

Ok slight update.

In regards to the ruler, I use a piece of string with knots so he is able to count the knots for the +0 -1 etc etc, a bit of guidence with his hands allows him to make that choice

It's cheap and effective.

I've roped in his parents in regards to braille, it took a while but it's been sorted so I'm leaving that to him and his mum and dad, it's going along much quicker, even his Dad has shown an interest in BB!

So thats handy

Well chaps looks like we are getting closer to our goal, so here's an early thanks to all replies and suggestions, there's a few teething problems with the rules, down to I'm not fantastic with understanding them, but we are getting there.

Thanks again, and Simon says cheers (double thumbs up.. he told me to include that :/ )

Noctis

Bludbowler · Post by **Bludbowler** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 8:57 pm

zephard wrote:I was thinking he keep the rosters handy in braille and just player number and a letter to identify them. B for blitzer Need a 3rd letter I guess for which team, or use two different sizes for the two different teams.

Make one team with round bases/figures, and the other with squares.

zephard · Post by **zephard** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 2:41 am

Bludbowler wrote: Make one team with round bases/figures, and the other with squares.

Even better thinking.
And me sitting there with my hands on square pegs (keyboard).

Noctis · Post by **Noctis** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 7:59 pm

Hiya.

Little update, we have completed the board,rules and way of playing

l will post up what has been created etc.. if anyone is curious?

Lets hope the ideas generated here will help others? you never know who a new mate might have in the future

Noctis