The most recent meeting of the Get Together With Technology (GTT) Edmonton Chapter was held March 14 at 7pm at Ascension Lutheran Church 8405 83 Street in Edmonton.
15 people attended.
March Feature Topics – Braille Sense, Victor Stream, Explore Magnifiers
HIMS Braille Sense U2
Owais Patel, a grade 7 student and member of GTT Edmonton, presented his HIMS Braille Sense note taker. Below are Owais’ presentation notes.
The Braille Sense U2 is an incredible device for Blind and Low Vision people. It doesn’t matter if you’re in School, University or a worker at a job, this device is always helpful. It has a 32 cell Braille Display and is the first Braille Note taker to have a built in LCD display for sighted people to see what the user of this device is doing. Also this is not just a Braille Note taker it is really a Braille Computer. It has a 32 Gigs Internal Flash disk and it has one SD card port and 4 external USB Ports. At the back of the device there is a Ethernet port which you can plug in a cord which should allow you to use the Internet if you don’t have a connection with the Wireless Internet. Also there’s a VGA port which can allow you to connect with a monitor for a bigger screen. It has 80 functions on this device. Every function has tons of functions inside it. There’s a File Manager that allows you access to the internal and external disks on the device. There is a Word Processor which allows you to work with tons of file formats and allows you to write as much as you want. Also you can do many different types of math. Also you can print stuff directly from the Braille Sense U2. It has a document reader which can read you your files.
However, you can use the built in voice for all the things you do and the voice in the Braille Sense can speak in many different languages. However, the Braille Sense can also work with tons of different types of Braille Codes. An email program is also in this device and many media programs. There are 3 types of Web Browsers and 4 Social Networking Sites.
For more information on the Braille Sense U2 visit: https://hims-inc.com/products/braille-sense-u2/
If you have any questions for Owais you may contact him at:
owaisipatel@gmail.com
Gerry Presented Victor Stream Online Features. Highlights:
• Podcast feeds can be searched for, subscribed to and episodes can be downloaded automatically or manually
• Bookshare library books can be searched for by title/author/keyword or browsed by category then downloaded all without a computer.
• Over 35,000 radio stations worldwide can be searched by station id or keyword and saved in one or more playlists.
• On line Reference tools Wikipedia and Wiktionary can be searched for articles and word definitions. Articles can be saved and exported to the SD card.
• CELA library Direct to Player books can be downloaded automatically or manually from the user’s holds list on the CELA library computer. To place books on the CELA hold list you can use your computer or contact CELA to create an automatic book selection profile for you.
HumanWare Explore Electronic Hand-Held Magnifiers
Michel Pepin From HumanWare joined Lisa Boone from Aroga to present the 3 models of HumanWare’s new Explore magnifiers. Highlights:
• Explore 3 is pocket size , with built-in stand, 2 x to 16x magnification, autofocus, zoom, contrast and color controls, TV output, rechargeable battery, built-in flashlight. http://www.aroga.com/explor-3-portable-magnifier/
• Explore 5 has a slightly larger HD 5 inch screen, 2x to 22x magnification, use with folding handle or in desktop mode, stores up to 1000 images, customizable viewing options, TV output, rechargeable battery. http://www.aroga.com/explor-5-portable-magnifier/
• Explore 7 has HD screen with close-up and distance viewing, 2.3x to 19x magnification, choice of 12 contrast and 3 color settings, can be operated with only 2 thumbs, pop-up stand for desktop use, TV output, rechargeable battery. http://www.aroga.com/explor-7-portable-magnifier/
• For more information about the Explore models contact Lisa Boone, The Aroga Edmonton assistive technology specialist:.
Toll Free 1-800-561-6222
Email: lboone@aroga.com
Next Meeting (Monday April 11at 7pm)
• Our members, Menna and Russel, will present the Apple TV and show how it is accessible with both Voice Over and Siri voice command available on the remote control. Thus, you can find and download programs and have full control over playing them even if you are totally blind.
As always, for help with other technology bring your devices and/or questions to the meeting.
• Send your meeting topic ideas to GTT.Edmonton@gmail.com.
Meeting Location and Logistics
• Ascension Lutheran Church 8405 – 83 Street NW, Edmonton.
• We meet in the basement hall. There is elevator access.
• Enter the church from the back door. There is parking at the back and drop off space for taxis, DATS.
• Meetings are every second Monday of the month at 7pm.
• If you have someone helping you your assistant is welcome to remain for the meeting.
GTT Edmonton Team
• Carrie Anton is visually impaired and is the accessibility specialist for Athabasca University.
• Gerry Chevalier is blind. He is retired from HumanWare where he worked as the Product Manager for the Victor Reader line of talking book players.
• Heather MacDonald is a career and employment specialist with extensive experience helping blind and visually impaired people find employment.
• Russell Solowoniuk is blind and works with alternative formats and assistive technology at Grant MacEwan University.
• Lorne Webber is blind and is the accessibility specialist for Norquest College.
GTT Edmonton Overview
• GTT Edmonton is a chapter of the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB).
• There are GTT groups in Ottawa, Toronto, Kingston, Northern Ontario, Pembroke, Sydney, Edmonton, Grande Prairie, Victoria, Nanaimo, Vancouver, and more to come.
• There is also a national GTT monthly toll free teleconference.
• GTT Edmonton promotes a self-help learning experience by holding monthly meetings to assist participants with assistive technology.
• Each meeting will present a feature technology topic and general question and answer about any other technology.
• Small groups or one on one assistance is possible at the meetings.
• Participants are encouraged to come to each meeting even if they are not interested in the feature topic because questions on any technology are welcome. The more participants the better able we will be equipped with the talent and experience to help each other.
[End of Document]
The Albert A. Ruel Road to Blindness
A 21 year old man stood on the beach at the Sproat Lake Provincial Park with friends early in May of 1977, and upon gazing across the lake found the Gulf Oil sign missing from the dock-side filling station there. When this fact was shared with his companions they glanced at him with puzzled looks and said, “No Albert, the sign is still there”.
That was the beginning of a road through confusion, anger, isolation, loneliness and discovery for me. It all began with a visit to a local Optometrist who could see that my vision wasn’t right, but that corrective lenses wouldn’t help. He then referred me to a General Practitioner, where I received a clean bill of health and an additional referral. This time to an Ophthalmologist. Immediately upon peering through the dilated pupils, Dr. McKerricher was able to see the problem, Retinal Vasculitis.
Now, you would think that all would start to improve at this point, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. You see, CNIB, from 1918 until 1985 only served the needs of people who were “Legally Blind”, a level of vision loss I wouldn’t reach until November of 1979. The words of Dr. McKerricher still echo in my mind today, “Albert, I don’t know what has caused this and nothing we’ve tried is helping to stop it, and you’re not blind enough for me to refer you to CNIB”!
In the middle of this transition from 20/20 vision to “Legally Blind” came the Motor Vehicle Branch and it’s rules of the road. On August 3, 1978 I drove a car for the last time as my vision had reached the level at which operating a motor vehicle became too dangerous, further intensifying feelings of fear, isolation and anger. Sadly, through this period the only available guidance and support was through family and friends, but not the experienced professionals I needed at the time. Although these support systems are critically important they can often be smothering and facilitating, rather than encouraging and supportive.
With gratitude, and some trepidation I finally was able to access CNIB services in November of 1979, and the world opened up then. There I was able to meet other blind people and receive the daily living and mobility skills required to live independently in this sighted world. I learned elementary braille and began to discover technology as necessary tools of independence.
Thankfully, in 1985 CNIB’s National Board altered the course of service to visually impaired Canadians forever. They added a third prong to their Mission Statement, “To promote sight enhancement services”. This opened the door to all Canadians who were beginning to lose sight, as well as those who had a fear of vision loss to access the full range of CNIB Support and Rehabilitation Services. So now, whether it’s someone’s Mother who is experiencing Macular Degeneration, or an Uncle experiencing the affects of Glaucoma, all have the ability to seek information, guidance and support as all involved deal with the fear and anxiety that accompanies such life altering experiences.
With the help of professional Rehabilitation Workers and Employment Counselors I was able to continue traveling independently within my own community, and even more remarkably anywhere in the world I desired to go. I managed to attend College in Nanaimo and New Westminster, as well as traveling to the Mayo Clinic and to doctor’s appointments in Nanaimo and Vancouver without assistance. All of this while living with some usable vision, but not yet needing a white cane for travel.
During the mid 1980’s I was a stay-at-home Dad and did all that was required of that challenging work, from changing diapers to preparing meals, and from cutting the grass to maintaining our home. I even took a woodworking course through Alberni’s Adult Education program and built and restored several pieces of furniture. Of course the 1958 Chevy Impala in the garage was my pride and joy, and I devised ways to do much of the work it required.
I also joined and participated in many community activities, like the local Car Club, and a disability support group that catered to the needs of people with many different disabilities. Of course, continued participation in family life remained of critical importance through this period.
In 1989 a secondary condition began to extinguish the vision that remained, which set into motion a new stream of professional rehabilitation services and supports. By the spring of 1990 Glaucoma had turned out the lights completely, and the darkness I had feared so desperately was upon me. Strangely though, I found this to be a great relief rather than the tragedy I had imagined it would be.
Through several professional rehabilitation sessions, and by joining peer mentoring and advocacy groups I was able to come to terms with this strange feeling, and to learn additional skills and strategies for living with no visual cues of the world around me. This is also about the time that I decided to explore CNIB as an employer, and to see if I could provide the sort of guidance and support to others that had been my pleasure to receive. Those 14 years were a wonderful experience of ongoing discovery for me, as teaching may be the best way to solidify one’s own learning. In other words, those we assist through this transition in turn help us all as we develop best practices and improved service.
Following a 14 year career with CNIB I also served the blind community as the first National Equality Director employed by the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians (AEBC), and as a Basic Computer Literacy Trainer with the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB). Most recently I have enjoyed coordinating the CCB’s newly launched Get Together with Technology Program in Western Canada, which brings to the fore my passion for assistive technology and the power of peer mentoring.
Without sight I have continued to travel far and wide, with trips to Conventions of and for the Blind in Anaheim California and Melbourne Australia, as well as to many events and activities in Toronto and Vancouver. Of course my work has taken me to many communities throughout Western Canada, and most particularly nearly all regions of BC and on Vancouver Island. None of which would have been possible without the services and support of organizations like CCB, AEBC and CNIB.
For most people blindness generates a fear of extended movement, both within one’s home and community, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Independence comes from personal desire and increased skill. Many community organizations can assist with both through their mentoring and skill development programs. I remember always that life has little to do with what happens to me and 100% what I do about/with it. There is a quote I like to use from the National Federation of the Blind in the USA, “With adequate skill development and opportunity blindness can be reduced to the level of a nuisance”, and nothing could be closer to the truth.
Helen Keller said many years ago, “There is nothing more tragic than someone who has sight, but no vision”. She also challenged the Lions Clubs of the world to become the “Knights of the Blind, and to take up the crusade against darkness”. I too joined a Lions Club in 1992 and continue to work on the crusade that Helen Keller began in the 1920-s.
View all posts by Albert Ruel