The Compass Thursday, February 15, 2001 7
Assistive Technology
Teach Visually Impaired
Computer Skills
Chi'Mur Knight
Alumni Column
Life After Death
James Polk
At some stage of human develop
ment there comes an epiphany.
Whether in one's childhood or during
adolescence, there is one dose of real
ity that changes them for the rest of
their life. This reality is known as death.
Throughout life, death is an event that
everyone is compelled to deal with.
Death is so very unique, for it is death
that cannot, regardless of the amount
of research done, be accurately pre
dicted with consistency. It is for that
reason that death is uncontrollable and
evokes fear. However, for some, this
sense of fear or appreher\sion is less
ened because of the sense of faith that
one embodies. This faith, regardless of
its foundation, is increased when
complimented by the knowledge of
what is beyond when life commences.
On December 9, 2000 a wonderful
tragedy occurred when Elizabeth City
State University experienced a beauti
ful death of several people. The lives
of these individuals were not untimely
as is so very common. These
individual's lives were brought to an
end marking the beginning of another
life - after death. Twice a year, ECSU
commemorates the deaths of its un
dergraduate students as it celebrates
for the birth of professional adult lead
ers.
During registration, many chal
lenges, impediments and obstacles
mark the life of students. The remain
ing time, 4 years, involves numerous
semesters which have with them chal
lenges, new experiences, new informa
tion, disappointments and uncertainty.
The being of this life is marked by
doubt, hesitation, indecision, naivete,
immaturity and ignorance. As a stu
dent, one is subjected to change and
almost submission to the alterations
that the environment presents. Simul
taneously, a student's life is one of ex
citement, joy, pleasure and unequivo
cal love for freedom. However, the re
ality of these pleasantries is that they
exist only for a limited time. It's kind
of like wedding vow's, "until death do
us part."
The end of all this -graduation- rep
resents the beginning, the 'commence
ment' of another life. The life of an
alumnus is marked by much of the
same. Information and challenges, new
and old, unfamiliar experiences and
environments never before seen people
and personalities, additional responsi
bilities and expectations all exist in the
new life. Undergraduates, seize all of
the moments you have during your
four years here at ECSU so that once
you have graduated, you will truly be
ready to seize the many moments of
your life still to come. - -
thewisestudent@yahoo.com
New technology has enabled visu
ally impaired people to use comput
ers, and the North Carolina Division of
Services for the Blind, Americorps and
student volunteers from ECSU are
reaching out to bring technology to
those who may have never had a
chance to use it.
ECSU students and members of
Americorps, the domestic branch of the
Peace Corps that tutor and mentor chil
dren, build homes and organize neigh
borhood watch group, are Assistive
Technology Specialist. They help pro
vide guidance, support and computer
knowledge to the visually impaired in
the Pasquotank and Camden area.
Two of several of the software pro
grams that are compatible with
Microsoft Windows that enable the vi
sually impaired to interact with a com
puter are JAWS and Zoomtext. JAWS,
by Henter Joyce, Inc., is a screen reader,
that provides the user with complete
audio feedback of what is displayed
on the screen from installation direc
tions to searching the internet.
ZoomText by Algorithmic Implemen
tations, Inc. is used by visually im
paired people who have only a portion
of their vision. Zoomtext provides
screen magnification and screen read
ing. The program also provides the user
with audio instructions and graphic,
texts and icons which can be enlarged.
Throughout North Carolina are lo
cations that provide training for indi
viduals interested in teaching the visu
ally impaired computer skills.
Poetry Corner
Did They die /'/v VAin?
They MARched, pRoresred, And died
so rhAT we covld hAve rhe Riqhr to
AN edvcATioN TO be pROvd of The
coloR of OUR skin, ANd TO be who we
ARe.
Doctors, UwyeRS, bAskerbAll
plAyeRS dANceRS ANd MORe.
But, did They die iN VAiN?
WhAT would They sAy if They see vs
now? KilliNq oNe ANOTheR, holdiNq
eAch
OTheR doWN ANd NOT STANdiNq
ToqeTheR vntH a cr/s/s is at hANd.
UNiTed M/f STANd divided we fAll.
WhAT does He SAy wheN He looks
dowN ON vs? Who is He?
He died foR our s//v/
He died so ThAT we MAy live!
They SAid CRVcify Hii», bvT He stHI
weNT TO The cross wiTh naHs iN his
ARMS ANd
feer. DyiNq fROM houRS of
suffocATioN ANd pAiN, becAVse He
love loved vs!
Did They die iN VAiN?
He died foR vs, bvT we won't eveN
TRy to keep His coMMANdiueNTs.
Should They hAve kepT TheiR lives?
BecAuse ivf doN'T RiqhTly deseRve
whAT
They did foR us.
Did They die iN VAiN?
No, becAuse iV MAde most of us
STRONqeR, iNdepeNdeNT, ANd
RespecTful.
Now ThAT They hAve died so n/c can
live, we must comb ToqeTheR ANd live
foR
whAT They fovqhT ANd died foR. Live
foR whAT He died foR.
Who ARe They? AfRicAN AmbrIcan,
BlAck people. Us, ANd The qReATesT
qifT of
aU, The qReATesT SACRifice of aU,
Jesus! For Cod so loved The woRld
he qAve
his ONly beqoTTCN son, rhAT
whosoeveR believes iN HiM shAll not
peRish, bvT
eveRlASTiNq life!
Did you Know? Little Known
Black Inventors ^
James Adams Airplane propeller
Harry Hopkins Hearing aid
Garret A. Morgan Automatic Traffic Signals
J.B. Winters Fire Escape Ladder
Rufus J. Weaver Wheelchair
G.T. Sampson Clothes dryer
Hugh McDonald Rocket catapult
Jones & Long Bottle caps
Richard Spikes Automatic car wash
Thomas Jennings Dry cleaning process
Paul E. Williams Helicopter
Sarah Boone Ironing board
Marie Brown Home security system
John A. Burr Lawn Mower
Burridge Marshman Typewriter
W.A. Deitz Shoe
Robert Flemming Jr. Guitar
H. Bradberry Torpedo discharge
John L. Love Pencil sharpener
Alexander Miles Elevator
Alice H. Parker Heating Furnace
Henry Sampson Cellular phone
T. Elkins Toilet
John Standard Refrigerator
J. Gregory Motor
Phil Brooks Disposable syringe
'Did They Die In VAiN?"
By: M4R/4 Phelps
N.A.A.C.P.
Students interested in joining tlie N.A.A.C.P. should attend the
monthly meetings held every first or third Tuesday. The meetings
are held at 7:00 p.m. in the back of the University Center. For more
information contact Keisha Ferguson, President, at .333-1118. y