GTT-Tech-Ease Regina Summary Notes, Accessible Games and Access2Entertainment Card, May 26, 2018

Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB), GTT-TechEase Regina, Peer Mentoring, Regina Public Library 5 Minutes

Tech-Ease/ Get Together with Technology

Regina Drop-In Meeting

Summary Notes

May 26, 2018

 

Sponsored by Vision Impaired Resource Network (VIRN),

Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB)

And the

Regina Public Library

 

Assistive Technology Peer Support by and for people who are blind/low vision

 

In Attendance: 9 members; Amber, Michelle, Doug, Barry, Wes, Jerome, Lori, Donna, Patti-Lynn

 

Access 2 Entertainment Card:

https://access2card.ca/

– 3 years for $20, 5 years for $30

– Through the Easter Seals Website or Access 2 Entertainment website

– Send in copy of CNIB card as proof to get an Access 2 Card

– The list of places that accept the card can be found here: https://access2card.ca/participating-venues/?province=9

 

Notes from Michelle “Accees 2 card info. For GTT”

http://access2card.ca

The Access 2 card is for people of all ages and types of permanent disabilities who require the assistance of a support person at hundreds of participating entertainment, cultural and recreational venues across Canada.

 

A support person is an adult who accompanies a person with a permanent disability to assist with services that are not provided by the employees at the participating venue, such as assistance with eating, administering medication, communication and use of the facilities.

The Access 2 cardholder (the individual with a permanent disability) presents the Access 2 card to a venue.

 

The Access 2 cardholder pays  regular admission price.

 

The Access 2 cardholder receives 1 FREE ADMISSION for their support person)

Movie theaters throughout the province are:

Cineplex..  Landmark cinima  .  Rainbow theaters.  Magic Lantern theaters.

 

Places in Regina:

Vendors. Royal Saskatchewan Museum. RCMP Heritage Museum..

Cineplex Odeon Theatres. Southland mall.  Galaxy Theater. Or whatever they’re called now. In Norman view Shopping Center.

Rainbow theaters Golden Mile..

Moose Jaw Vendors:

Tunnels of Moose Jaw. Western development Museum…

 

Saskatoon Vendors:

Fitness on 25th. YMCA.

Western development Museum Saskatoon..

Forestry farm and Zoo..

 

North Battleford:

Western development Museum.

http://access2card.ca/apply-first-time/

 

How to Apply:

STEP 1

FILL OUT APPLICATION

Complete “Section B – Applicant Information” (ensuring to check off the “New Card” box). The form can be found below.

 

Complete “Section C – Health Care Professional Authorization”. This section is to be completed by an authorized healthcare professional. Please refer to Section C for a list of accepted health care professionals…

For those that have a valid cnib  client. number. Just a photocopy attached to the application is sufficient.

 

Complete “Section D – Administration Fee Payment”.

 

STEP 2

MAKE PAYMENT

Payment can be made online with a credit card, Visa debit card or PayPal account.

OR

A cheque or money order can be mailed to our office.

Please refer to Section D of the application form for payment details. Paying online is highly recommended – as you will receive your card much faster.

 

MEMBERSHIP PRICES (2 options)

$20 for a new 3-year card

OR

$30 for a new 5-year card.

PAY ONLINE.

 

STEP 3

SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

There are three ways you can submit your application: by mail, fax, or e-mail.

Submit Sections B, C, and D.

For all faxed or e-mailed applications, the  administration fee must be paid online before sending your application.

Mailed applications must include a cheque or money order along with the application, or they can be paid online before mailing.

There is a spot on Section D of the application form to indicate your payment confirmation code if paid online. This code is e-mailed to you after an online payment has been made.

Submit application online.

 

CNIB Photo ID Card:

We also discussed the advantages of showing your CNIB card if you ever go to Disneyland as they will allow you a fast pass for the rides.

 

Saskatchewan Identification card:

Issued from SGI:

– It is valid for 5 years and is $10

– It looks like a driver’s license but the colours are a bit different

– It acts as ID all the places a driver’s license would be asked for

 

Accessible Games (iOS, unless otherwise noted):

– Dice Games – across the world P2P, works with voice-over, Android & iOS

– Blindscape – an RPG, controlled with gestures on screen, is self voicing

– Blind Legend – an RPG – Medieval themed, kill off the royalty as a blind man with the help of your daughter, the king wants you dead because you are blind and you must live, free game

– Blindfold Games – vast list of games, so many are free and then you pay for them, the list of other games to download comes with the first game you download and you can click links from there to get the rest, Marty Shultz is the designer and he tries to keep things free, KidSolitaire is the company, examples of games in it include: ping pong, pool, car racing, bowling, solitaire, candy crush, etc.

– Audio Games Hub – iOS or Android – variety of different games, you pay $30 for unlimited access to the games, games include: Bombs Disarmer, Simon Says, Archer, Hunt, Fruit Ninja, Tetris, Labyrinth, Bejeweled, etc.

– Trivia Crack – is not designed specifically for blind but works well with Voice Over, iOS & Android, Trivia Crack Kingdoms we have not tested so don’t know how accessible it is

– Blind Cricket – hard to play, but accessible

– Cribbage Pro – is not designed specifically for blind but works well with Voice Over

 

Notes from Michelle “Some accessible games for GTT”:

– Crafting kingdom

– Dice world

– Blind fold series

– Black jack and solitare. .  By Mobility ware

– Zany touch. Or Zany Touch free

– Papa sangra  1 &2

– Blind  legend

– Audio defense

– Where’s my rubber ducky. Audio archery

– Mine sweeper

– De steno games

– Audio game hub

– Cribbage pro

– For almost a year now OSeyeris has been working on an Audio game for the blind and vision impaired

 

PC Games:

– RS Games – on PC or web based – P2P type games – Monopoly, Scrabble, Uno, etc.

– There are a variety of MUD & MMORPG text based games that are accessible by merit of being text based

 

Physical Games – Games that have tactile or Braille options:

– Braille cards

– Braille Uno

– Braille Monopoly

– Braille Scrabble

– Tactile MasterMind

– Jump a peg, tactile peg jumping game

– Cards Against Humanity has a Braille overlay pack through 64 ounce games, they also offer a blind pack with blind based cards

– Dominoes is always VI friendly due to it’s tactile nature

– Tactile Battleship

– Tactile Chess/Checkers

 

Announcement from the Library:

– The library now has a lending library of musical instruments, please ask at circulation desk to find out what’s available

– These will only be available 2 week loan at a time

– No mouth piece instruments are available

 

Next Meeting:

– June 23, last meeting before summer, we will meet again in September

– It was suggested we go for a coffee or snack as a group, location to be decided, after the meeting

– The topic of our next meeting will be “Year in Review” we will go over all the topics we have discussed since September, please review and bring any questions

– We will also discuss our favourite Podcasts, please send any info you want to share to Amber ahead of time to be read or please prepare shot descriptions of eadch Podcasts to share

– We will also discuss (time permitting) new and interesting technology for blind and partially sighted individuals

– Saskatoon is welcome to join via Facebook Messenger, we will mute the call until we are ready to get started as there was some confusion about that last time

 

Connect with us:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GTTTechEaseRegina/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/techeasesk

Tech-Ease YQR YXE (@techeasesk) | Twitter

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The latest Tweets from Tech-Ease YQR YXE (@techeasesk). Are you Visually impaired, Related to someone visually impaired, or an educator of someone visually impaired …

 

Published by Albert Ruel

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.

Published