Hi Khom Raj Ji, Great that you guys are thinking of using Ubuntu for your trainings. I dont know much about funding issues, but I could put some of my notes for the courseware. There is a specialized linux distro called vinux (http:// vinux.org.uk/) designed for the visually impaired, but based on Debian Lenny rather than ubuntu itself. There is also a whole lot of projects targetted at visually impaired available at http://www.blinuxman.net/index2.php
Even if you stick to Ubuntu, as I know it, Ubuntu comes with Orca installed by default. Brltty, for Braille display, would be nice for its purpose. And Speakup, which is a console based screen-reader, would be good. Speakup is available at http://www.joekamphaus.net/ and seems to be pretty comprehensive tool targetted for applications across a wide range for everyday use. As a side note, it would be great if someone could add the Nepali language to this tool. Coming to the syllabus itself, I think, it should be designed around functionality rather than getting a feel for the beauty of the OS, more or less based on the saying "what I want to do rather than what the system can do". So dividing "what I want to do" into categories: - keep in touch (first thing anyone wants to do today) -- email, web access, sms - entertainment --- music, games - File utilization --- document readers, text editors - File Management - Utilities --- Installer, calculator, printer, help, etc. Here is a list of specific applications that, I feel, the trainees should be introduced to for the above. - Email --- mozilla thunderbird, with its google calndar and lightning addons. There is a version called spicebird with more features, but I prefer the stock thunderbird. Need to look at spicebird now and then due to their roadmap. They got some good things planned. - Web access --- I have used firefox from the first day it was released, so I dont know much about the others. Introducing firefox addon called Scrapbook Plus would also be great. - sms --- (bluetooth integration with mobile phones more or less) a tool called "Wammu". Works great with most mobile phones. - Music --- prefer the versatile VLC player. It also converts file formats. - Games --- dont know much, but blackjack, sudoku and Mahjongg for sure. Also Crafty chess, my professor created it and is supposed to be the world's best. - Documents --- Openoffice, gedit. For console based I prefer vim, but recommend pico due to its simplicity. - All others --- just go with what is there by default. That's it!!! Once people know how to use these, then we can talk more. Ooops !!! Sorry !!! The startup and login process also got to be explained for its own set of complexity when migrating from Windows world to Linux. I hope that helps. Pravin On Apr 15, 9:35 am, "Khom raj Sharma" <[email protected]> wrote: > Dear list members, > At first I wish you all very happy new year. > > I am Khom raj Sharma, a blind social entrepreneur from Myagdi district. > I am working as an executive director of the Inclusion Empowerment Center > (IEC) Nepal. > > Blind people can operate Computer with the help of screen reader and magic > software. > In Linux gnome desktop environment is accessible for the blind and Orca is > the screen reader. > > Our organization IEC Nepal is going to start a Computer training Center for > the blind in Pokhara from August 2010. > Therefore, I need your help in following areas: > > 1. Ubuntu based Curriculum for the training, > 2. Interested person to be a teacher for the blind > 3. Information about the organizations or agencies where we could approach > for funding support. > > For more information and concept of the training please visit our > websitewww.iecnepal.org > > Hope to hear something. > > With very best regards > > Khom raj Sharma > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Subir Pradhanang" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Thursday, April 15, 2010 9:56 AM > Subject: Re: [foss-nepal] Happy New year 2067 > > > On Tue, Apr 13, 2010 at 9:02 PM, prabin gautam <[email protected]> > > wrote: > >> Hi FOSSians, > > >> Happy new year 2067. Hope this year brings lots and lots of happyness, > >> peace, harmony and prosperity to our nation, our movement, to us and to > >> our > >> dear ones. > > > New Year wishes from my side as well to everyone! > > > Cheers, > > Subir > > > -- > > FOSS Nepal mailing list: [email protected] > >http://groups.google.com/group/foss-nepal > > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected] > > > Mailing List Guidelines: > >http://wiki.fossnepal.org/index.php?title=Mailing_List_Guidelines > > Community website:http://www.fossnepal.org/ > > > To unsubscribe, reply using "remove me" as the subject. -- FOSS Nepal mailing list: [email protected] http://groups.google.com/group/foss-nepal To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected] Mailing List Guidelines: http://wiki.fossnepal.org/index.php?title=Mailing_List_Guidelines Community website: http://www.fossnepal.org/
