[games_access] E For All, and other stuff

[Tim Chase]

>> Theoretically, one could use voice recognition software to 
>> do dynamic [CC] of voice-chat, but voice recognition 
>> software still has a long way to go, and sucks up a lot of 
>> processor time/power from games that may want it."
> 
> Besides, how would the program recongize MY voice?? I do speak
> english fluentlly, and people sometime don't even realize that
> I'm deaf. However, I have tried using my mom's voice 
> recongization program, and it does squat. Not all deafies have
> great voices, and some don't speak at all....regardless, voice
> recognition is not the way to go to satisfy the needs of deaf
> people.

Heh, must have been a little miscommunication on my part
there...my suggestion for using voice-recog was not so much that
the deaf player would speak to the computer, but rather to allow
for a sort of "dynamic captioning" so that a deaf player (or
someone without speakers/headphones, or whatever might prevent
them from hearing conversations) has a chance of following along
while their teammates chat.  Thus, while your teammates might be
using voice chat, your local VR system could theoretically pull
in those voice feeds and dynamically caption them.  Or at least
give the half-hearted transcription that VR currently provides
(95-98% recognition sounds impressively high until you try and
use it) while dragging your processor to its knees.  However, it
might be better than nothing.

Or, it would be even crazier to allow voice+video chat which
might theoretically allow signing teammates to sign to each
other.  Granted, trying to sign in the heat of battle when both
hands are on the controller might be a bit of a challenge, but it
at least opens another avenue of communication between teammates.
This could even be taken a step further and use image processing
on the local side of things so that the player's avatar does the
signing.  Granted, the computer would only pick up gross
movements, rather than the subtle nuances that are involved in
signing, so this might be a step backwards for accessibility. :-/

-tim