Lockdown 101
This is a lockdown, shutting down nonessential systems. Staring at pictures of empty streets. It appears that the apocalypse is here. However, it is nothing I imagined it to be. I am looking for Daleks, Zombies and Ghosts, maybe I have watched the “Walking Dead” too many times. Where is Chris Hemsworth dressed as “Thor” to save the day? Presently, I am self-isolating indoors watching a crazy series called Tiger King.
So, what do you do when stuck indoors? What projects have you put off? Defrost the freezer and clean the oven. However, after doing all these things you think about what is next? Break out ABBA and sing and dance along to “Our Last Summer”? Aha, let’s open a can of beans and find out how many are in a tin. I will go and discuss this with the microwave.
Survival Training
I was lucky as Dyslexia Scotland sent an email asking if I would like to help with a project. The project was for the dyslexic career journeys which had been recorded for their YouTube channel before COVID-19 arrived. The request was to turn all the videos into written documents. Hallelujah! I can yet again avoid my least favourite job of doing the ironing. I emailed back how can I help? An email arrived back saying thank you with all the instructions, this included visuals along with written documents. I read over them and think this should not be a problem.
This is also a project which I had also been part of last year. Talking of being a blogger and assistive technology. Dyslexia Scotland’s continuing mission is to show all the positive things about dyslexia. This should not be too difficult I have enough technical skills now. I know about text-to-speech and have everything read to me.
Improvise
Now on a project like this, a different setup is required. My partner is always showing me the benefits of having a dual-screen setup. I planned to use his set-up while he was at work. Only one issue, I had forgotten the password to his PC. So, I used my problem-solving skills and put my iPad next to my laptop.
Using the instructions given to me, I found copying all the subtitles into Microsoft Word easy. The next challenge was did the Word document make sense? Using free text-to-speech software, a tip I had received from Iain Mackinnon during his writing course on Zoom. I attempt to put everything into nice sentences and paragraphs. This project has been done by dyslexics, who have many different talents.
Adapt
Using my study bar which I had downloaded from Call Scotland. The text-to-speech was ready, along with spell check. I can do this! Little did I know the challenge I was taking on. As I moved the ruler down, I came across weird words which did not make sense. What on earth was a “dislike please off are”? I will go back and listen to YouTube. Oh, it is a “dyslexic police officer”. So in between drinking lots of coffee. I moved from Microsoft Word to YouTube trying to correct problems. It must have been the Scottish accent which put off the subtitles such as “loading borders” was Lothian and Borders and other areas in Scotland such as Dunoon printed “near the noon”. It could have been the subtitles I transferred were dyslexic.
It was a relief to finally finish the first video. I listened to it on my speech-to-text. It sounded more like the video. I then sent it off and asked if this was how it was to be presented. I was also thinking I would like to go to the pub after the challenge, but alas they have all shut at present. Good job I had a bottle of wine in the house already.
Overcome
The feedback I received back was amazing. So, I am working my way through all thirteen videos. Some are easier than others. I do not doubt that some of the grammar is incorrect. But I am improving with the help of the technology I found at Call Scotland. Eventually, when everyone’s allowed out of the house, I can show people the work I have done on this amazing project.