Duxbury Systems Inc

270 Littleton Road, Suite 6
Westford, Massachusetts 01886-3523
United States
Telephone: 978-692-3000.
Fax: 978-692-7912.
Web: http://www.duxburysystems.com.
Email: info@duxsys.com.

Products manufactured by Duxbury Systems Inc (listed alphabetically)

1. DUXBURY BRAILLE TRANSLATOR FOR WINDOWS (DBT WIN)

   The Duxbury Braille Translator for Windows (DBT Win) is a Braille translation program designed to provide Braille computer output for individuals who are blind. DBT Win is also designed to help persons who are not familiar with Braille as well as professional Braille transcribers to create highly accurate Braille versions of school textbooks and other teaching materials, office memos, restaurant menus, and signs compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Features include compatibility with speech output programs, refreshable Braille displays, and all major Braille printers; ability to import from popular word processors such as WordPerfect and Microsoft Word; Grade 1 and Grade 2 Braille translation in numerous languages, with Grade 2 translation available for most languages that use Grade 2 Braille; American Computer Braille Code and American Math/Science Code (Nemeth Code) translation; bidirectional (print-to-Braille and Braille-to-print) translation; textbook layout according to Braille Authority of North America (BANA) or Braille Authority of the United Kingdom (BAUK) standards; interline printing with ink and Braille aligned on the same page; the Duxbury Braille Font for viewing Braille dots within other programs; documentation in print, Braille, and electronic formats; and unlimited technical support by telephone, e-mail, or fax. COMPATIBILITY: For use on IBM and compatible computers. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: 25ight megabytes (MB) hard disk space, and Windows 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP or Vista. WARRANTY: 90 days.

2. DUXBURY TRUTYPE BRAILLE FONTS

   Duxbury TrueType Braille Fonts designed for use by individuals with blindness or low vision. These fonts enable users to include simulated braille in Windows documents and in specialized applications they can be used to produce tactile braille.

3. MEGADOTS

   MegaDots is a braille text editor and translation program designed to enable the user to produce printed or brailled output from the same computer document. The program is a style-based word processor (the user assigns a style to a block of text and the program handles all formatting commands). The program comes with predefined styles for items such as headings, items in a list, tables of contents and indices. The program can import documents from 95 different file formats (including Macintosh applications) and automatically applies styles, which can be changed based on formatting commands used by the original program. Braille output can also be viewed on the screen as a dot pattern and documentation included with the program gives an overview of the rules for producing proper braille documents. Other features include a large print option which enables print output in any size from 14 to 64 point; a choice of Grade 1, Grade 2, Computer Braille Code, or Linear Braille format; Grade 1 French, Spanish, Italian, or German; access via screen, voice, large print, refreshable Braille, or a combination thereof; and automatic correction of Braille data entry errors. Beginner Braille and MegaMath(see entry) are included. Although this is a DOS program, it launches from Windows and it can read and write Windows formats. The software includes a Windows installation program that automatically installs desktop icons and shortcuts. COMPATIBILITY: For use with IBM PC and compatible computers and most ink and braille printers. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: Windows 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, or 32-bit Vista (64-bit Vista with Virtual PC installed) and CD-ROM drive.

4. MEGAMATH

   MegaMath is a mathetmatical braille translation program designed for use by individuals who are blind or have low vision. This add-on to the MegaDots braille translation program (see separate entry) can be used to produce math from simple arithmetic to advanced calculus in Nemeth code. Menus let the user choose from several notation systems for entering fractions, geometry symbols and shapes, algebra, and integrals, with shortcuts provided for common math symbols. Users can also create their own shortcuts to further automate math entry. The program understands and correctly interprets the different rules for math contexts and literary contexts. Entries can be back translated into the original notation so the user can make changes in inkprint or braille. This product does not do calculations. On-line Nemeth Code help is available within the program.

5. PERKY DUCK

   Perky Duck is a braille editor, keyboard modification, and training program designed for use by individuals who are blind or have low vision. This computer-based Perkins brailler emulator enables a standard computer keyboard to function as a Perkins-style braille keyboard, as the S-D-F and J-K-L keys represent the six dots of a braille cell. The program can be used in distance education to demonstrate the user's understanding of braille. COMPATIBILITY: For use on IBM and compatible and Apple Macintosh computers.

6. QIKTAC

   QikTac is a braille graphics program designed for the creation of braille or tactile graphics for individuals who are blind or have low vision. A drawing is first made using a mouse or by tracing and editing a picture using a TagPad (see separate entry). The drawing can then either be embossed using a braille printer, or printed in ink on braille graphics paper (capsule paper), which can then be turned into tactile graphics using a tactile graphics embosser. A Duxbury Braille font is included in QikTac, and grade 2 braille labels made with Duxbury Braille Translator, MegaDots, or WinBraille can be pasted onto the TGD QikTac drawing canvas. Many graphics files are included in SIG (TGD files for embossing) format. Some BRG files used with a DOS graphics system called Picture Braille are also included. TGD QikTac runs in German, Swedish, Spanish, English, Norwegian, Malay and Brazilian/Portuguese. The manual is only in English.

7. SALSA SCRIPT AUTHORING FOR SAL

   Salsa is a voice output program designed for use with individuals learning braille. This program reads braille files created by many braille translators and editors, including DBT and MegaDots (see entries), as well as programs such as Braille 2000, PokaDot, and others. To create lessons for SAL, the instructor creates the braille using the desired method and reads the braille into Salsa. The program shows the braille lesson on screen in Braille View. Color coding indicates Nemeth Math Braille and Literary Braille. Small blue underlining indicates where Salsa has determined that two or more cells are combined to have a single meaning. For example, in the illustration to the right, the two cells "dots 4-5" and "t-h-e sign" are combined to have the meaning "t-h-e-s-e sign." The software automatically determines where such cells are combined and what each word and cell on the page says. All that is required of the instructor is telling Salsa whether the page is written in English Literary Braille or Nemeth Math Braille, and the software does the rest. Using Braille View, the user can change the braille code from English Literary to Nemeth Math, or vice-versa, and the software automatically re-determines the meaning of each word and cell. Switching to Words View enables the user to ensure that the software has properly interpreted each word on the page. Corrections can be made where necessary. The program also gives the flexibility to control how each word is spoken when the student presses that word on SAL. Cells View, like Words View, offers complete control over what SAL says when a user pushes to read a word. Cells view is used to control what SAL says on the second press (on most pages) that the student uses to ask SAL to spell a word. The Page Properties view shows an overview of how SAL will behave when a page is loaded. For example, the user can choose to set SAL's "Response to Reading Presses" to make SAL read cells as they are pressed, or read words on the first press and spell them on the second. It is usually necessary to set a Page Name here, so that SAL will identify the page correctly when it is inserted. It is also often helpful to add Instructions for the student. Map View is used to tell Salsa where there are activities. Using the mouse, or a connected SAL unit, the user selects the area for each activity and each answer within it. Activity View is used to add instructions for each activity, when this is needed. Activity View also provides a way to remove activities or answers, and to re-arrange the order of them. This software provides the ability to create the braille pages for SAL on the user'a braille embosser. It also allows the user to create barcode labels for these sheets on almost any laser or inkjet printer. The software comes with extensive online help, a CD-ROM containing more valuable information resources, a template to help apply barcode labels accurately, and a serial cable to connect a SAL unit to a computer.

8. TAGPAD

   TagPad is a touch pad designed for use in the creation of tactile graphics for persons who are blind or have low vision. The TagPad is used in conjunction with tactile graphics programs such as QikTac (see separate entry) and TraceME (see entry for Tactile Graphics Designer Pro). To create an image in a diagram format suitable for tactile graphics, the TagPad is connected to a computer running one of these programs, and the user traces a photograph, drawing, or other picture placed on the TagPad. The resulting diagram can then be edited and sent to a braille printer or tactile graphics embosser using the tactile graphics program. DIMENSIONS: TagPad comes in two sizes, 15 or 17 inches.

See Duxbury Systems Inc products that are no longer available.