Category: Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB)

Canadian Council of the Blind Is the Voice of the Blind in Canada™
Based on belief in ABILITY, not disability the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB) is a vibrant network of active members across Canada. Each chapter is unique to its geographic area and engages in a variety of social and recreational activities based on the particular interests of their local members.

Windows From the Keyboard Tips, Create a Shortcut Key for a Desktop Icon, December 18, 2019

Hello. This is Gerry Chevalier from the GTT Edmonton Chapter. This weekly blog provides tips that I find useful as a keyboard user of Windows. The information is for Windows10 and Office 365, although many tips still apply to older versions.  The tips do not require a screen reader unless specifically noted. Thus, the tips apply whether you are a keyboard user or low vision mouse user. Here is this week’s tip.

 

Windows Desktop Icon – How to Create a Shortcut key

It’s possible to launch desktop icons by holding down Control+Alt while pressing another shortcut letter. To set up a Control+Alt hot key sequence, select the desktop icon by arrowing to it or pressing its first letter. Then press Alt+Enter. Tab to the edit box that is labelled, Shortcut Key. Press the single key that you wish to use as the shortcut key. Just type the single key as Windows will add the Control+Alt keys. For example, if you have an icon to go to the CELA Library web site, you might type the letter C. It must be unique as you can’t use the same letter for multiple icons. After typing the single letter TAB to the OK button and press spacebar. You are done. Now, to launch the icon , simply hold down the Control+Alt keys while pressing the shortcut letter even if you are not on the desktop.

 

That’s it for this tip. Until next Wednesday, happy computing.

 

CCB Monthly National Newsletter, VISIONS – December 2019

The Canadian Council of the Blind’s National Visions Newsletter for December 2019 is now ready for consumption.

 

For more information or to get on the CCB Visions Newsletter email distribution list please contact Becky Goodwin as per below:

CCB National Office

100-20 James Street Ottawa ON  K2P 0T6

Toll Free: 1-877-304-0968

Email: Info@CCBNational.net URL: www.CCBNational.net

 

 

 

Windows From the Keyboard Tips, Rename a Desktop Icon, December 11, 2019

 

Hello. This is Gerry Chevalier from the GTT Edmonton Chapter. This weekly blog provides tips that I find useful as a keyboard user of Windows. The information is for Windows10 and Office 365, although many tips still apply to older versions.  The tips do not require a screen reader unless specifically noted. Thus, the tips apply whether you are a keyboard user or low vision mouse user. Here is this week’s tip.

 

Windows Desktop Icon – How to Rename

If you have a desktop icon that you wish to rename simply highlight (place focus on) the icon and press F2. An edit box will open where you can type the new name over the existing name. Press Enter when done and your icon will be renamed. Note that F2 can also be used to rename folder or filenames while browsing in File Explorer.

 

That’s it for this tip. Until next Wednesday, happy computing.

 

GTT Edmonton Meeting Summary Notes, Canadian Assistive Technologies Exhibit, December 9, 2019

            Summary Notes

GTT Edmonton Chapter Meeting December 9, 2019

 

The most recent meeting of the Get Together with Technology (GTT) Edmonton Chapter was held at 7pm at Ascension Lutheran Church 8405 83 Street in Edmonton.

27 people attended.

IMPORTANT: Read the Additional Resources section following the meeting notes to learn about our one on one telephone support, the National monthly teleconference, and the support email list.

Reading Tip: These summary notes apply HTML headings to help navigate the document. With screen readers, you may press the H key to jump forward or Shift H to jump backward from heading to heading.

 

Thank You for Treats

A big thank you to all those members who brought treats to make this a festive meeting to celebrate the Christmas season.

 

December Topic – Technology Exhibit

We were treated to a technology exhibit from Canadian Assistive Technologies, a company with over 30 years’ experience providing assistive technology to blind and low vision Canadians. Company owner, Steve Barclay, exhibited some of the latest tech available. Following is a list of what Steve showed us with links to the product description and pricing.

 

Steve also has some good deals at the Canadian Assistive Technologies gently used marketplace which is worth checking out.

For more information on these or any other Canadian Assistive Technologies products, you may contact Steve at:

(844) 795-8324

Or  sales@canasstech.com

 

Steve’s team also produces a weekly assistive technology podcast which is called AT Banter.

Next Meeting (Monday January 13, 2020 at 7pm)

First hour topic is to be announced.

  • The second hour is for you. For help with technology bring your devices and/or questions.

 

Additional Resources

Telephone Support

Contact our GTT coordinators, Kim Kilpatrick in the East or Albert Ruel in the West to book one on one telephone support.

Kim: 877-304-0968 Ext. 513

Email: GTTProgram@Gmail.com

Albert: 877-304-0968 Ext. 550

Email: albert.GTT@CCBNational.net

 

GTT Blog and Monthly Teleconference

CCB sponsors a national GTT monthly teleconference. You may subscribe to the GTT blog to get email notices of teleconferences, meeting notes from GTT chapters, and other information. To subscribe, activate the Follow link at the bottom of the blog web page to enter your email.

GTT Email Support List

CCB also sponsors a GTT email support list to provide help and support with technology for blind and low vision Canadians.  To subscribe to the email list, send an empty email to:

GTTsupport+subscribe@groups.io

 

GTT Edmonton Overview

  • GTT Edmonton is a chapter of the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB).
  • GTT Edmonton promotes a self-help learning experience by holding monthly meetings to assist participants with assistive technology.
  • Each 2 hour meeting consists of a feature technology topic in the first hour and a general tech discussion in the second hour.

[End]

 

 

Windows From the Keyboard Tips, Create a Desktop Shortcut for a Desktop App, December 4, 2019

Hello. This is Gerry Chevalier from the GTT Edmonton Chapter. This weekly blog provides tips that I find useful as a keyboard user of Windows. The information is for Windows10 and Office 365, although many tips still apply to older versions.  The tips do not require a screen reader unless specifically noted. Thus, the tips apply whether you are a keyboard user or low vision mouse user. Here is this week’s tip.

 

Windows Desktop – Create a shortcut for a desktop app

Perhaps you want a shortcut on your desktop to launch a frequently used app like Excel, Word, or any other app on your Start menu.

  • Press Windows key to open the Start menu.
    • Tab to the all apps list and arrow through the list of apps to highlight the app you want and press the Applications key to open the context menu for the app.
  • Choose Open file location, or if that isn’t present on the menu, open the More sub menu, and then choose Open file location.
  • File Explorer opens at the location where the shortcut for the app is stored, and the shortcut to the app will be selected.
  • Press the Applications key to open the shortcut’s context menu.
  • From the context menu, choose the Send to sub menu, and choose Desktop (create shortcut).
  • Press Alt + F4 to close File Explorer. A shortcut to the app is now present on your desktop.

 

That’s it for this tip. Until next Wednesday, happy computing.

 

World Blind Union Employment Survey, Deadline January 31, 2020

Hi GTT Blog Readers.  Please consider completing this WBU employment survey.  I’m providing a brief excerpt from their website followed by the link where you can learn more, and where you can actually access the survey itself.

 

Survey Deadline: January 31. 2020

 

Quoted text:

WBU has developed a short survey to identify employment patterns of people who are blind or partially sighted and of working-age throughout the world.

 

The WBU Employment Committee is undertaking this project to understand the levels of employment for individuals with sight loss. This research will provide up-to-date data on employment for people who are blind or have low vision (partial sight). Current employment information is old (more than 10 years old in most countries) and much of the information that is available is not specific to people who are blind or have low vision (partial sight). The information available also doesn’t provide details about the nature and type of employment or about barriers to employment that people with vision impairment face.

The purpose of this survey is to understand how WBU can best advocate for individuals who are blind or have partial sight. The survey designed for the WBU membership can be completed in 20-25 minutes and it is available in English, French, and Spanish.

End of quoted text.

 

http://www.worldblindunion.org/English/news/Pages/World-Blind-Union-Employment-Survey.aspx

 

Thx, Albert

 

 

 

Windows From the Keyboard Tips, How to Create a Desktop Shortcut, November 27, 2019

Hello. This is Gerry Chevalier from the GTT Edmonton Chapter. This weekly blog provides tips that I find useful as a keyboard user of Windows. The information is for Windows10 and Office 365, although many tips still apply to older versions.  The tips do not require a screen reader unless specifically noted. Thus, the tips apply whether you are a keyboard user or low vision mouse user. Here is this week’s tip.

 

Windows Desktop Icon – How to Create

If you use a folder or web site often, you may wish to create an icon for it on your desktop.

  • Press the Windows key plus M to focus on the desktop.
  • Press Control+Space to unselect the icon you are focused on.
  • Press the Applications key or Shift+F10 to bring up the context menu for the Desktop.
  • Arrow down the menu and press Enter on the New submenu.
  • Arrow down the New submenu and press Enter on Shortcut.
  • A wizard opens asking you to type the target location for the new icon. This can be a folder or document or a web site. For folders or filenames there is a Browse button to allow you to find the exact path to that document or folder. If the shortcut is for a web site, you need to type the exact HTTP address. If it is a long address it may be best to first go to that web site and then press Alt+D to focus on the address bar and then press Control+C to copy that web page address to the clipboard. Then you can simply press Control+V to paste the web address from the clipboard into this location field of the wizard.
  • After filling in the target location, TAB to the Next button and press Space bar.
  • Then type the name of the icon as you wish it to appear on your desktop .
  • TAB to the Finish button and press space bar. The new icon will now be on your desktop.

Anytime you are on your desktop, you can select the icon and press Enter to activate it. To select the icon, arrow to it or type the first letter of its name.

That’s it for this tip. Until next Wednesday, happy computing.

 

GTT Edmonton Meeting Notes, Stay Safe Online, November 11, 2019

            Summary Notes

GTT Edmonton Meeting November 11, 2019

 

The most recent meeting of the Get Together with Technology (GTT) Edmonton Chapter was held November11 at 7pm at Ascension Lutheran Church 8405 83 Street in Edmonton.

17 people attended.

Reading Tip: These summary notes apply HTML headings to help navigate the document. With screen readers, you may press the H key to jump forward or Shift H to jump backward from heading to heading. Read the Additional Resources section following the meeting notes to learn about our one on one telephone support, the National monthly teleconference, and the support email list.

 

2020 Membership Dues

Thank you to those who paid their CCB 2020 membership. We have a total of 32 paid up members for 2020.

 

November Topic –Stay Safe Online

Lisa Boone from the Athabasca University informed us of many perils we need to be aware of in the online world and she provided recommendations for dealing with those security concerns.

Disclaimer: The opinions and recommendations of Lisa’s are her own and not endorsed by the Canadian Council of the Blind. However, Lisa is an IT  professional and her comments and recommendations are worthy of your consideration as you evaluate how to stay safe online. Following is a summary of her presentation.

 

Internet Browser Address Bar Secure Indications:

For browsers such as Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox – consistent across all of them the address bar says httpsfor secure connection, the https means you are communicating with a legitimate web site and the data you send to that site is encrypted. Don’t communicate with sites that show only http instead of https in their address.

Visually, secure sites also show a padlock icon and screen readers will announce that the site is secure. You may need to press Shift+Tab at the address bar to have your screen reader read the secure designation.

 

When it comes to online banking there is an EV certificate, a third party that confirms a safe site (I.e., digicertt). In a browser address bar these EV certificates show a banks name (e.g. TD Bank, then the https and the text are green. Red colour means it is not secure. Chrome now does not indicate this way when an EV certificate is confirmed. Other browsers currently show the EV certificate. Safari shows the certificate by using green text in the address bar

 

Stop using Internet Explorer. Microsoft does not support it if it gets hacked.

 

Using apps or browsers?

Is it more secure to use the web site or app? (e.g. Amazon, eBay, Kijiji, etc.). Safer to use an app on mobile devices then a browser. On a computer, there is no real best way app or browser.

 

Apps leak information. App developers never tell us they leak. Info can be username, password, email address. Apps can send packets of data and malicious people grab those packets.

Android is wide open, and you are not sure an app is encrypting your data you may want to look at the Check out the recon site and download the app to see what network traffic is going out without you knowing.

http://Recon.meddle.mobi   tracks what kind of traffic is going out from your phone so it blocks info going out from phone (android, iOS, windows).

Also, ask the app vendor if the app data they send out from your phone is being encrypted. Less risk with apple developers then other operating systems.

 

Passwords:

Do not use birthdates, names, mother’s maiden name or addresses

Try to make a password at minimum 8 characters

Use sentences, phrases, symbols and numbers in place of letters.

 

Online shopping:

Use a separate credit card with a lower limit or debit visa that is separate from our normal account. That way hackers are not accessing your major credit cards and accounts. Vanilla or prepaid credit cards can be safer because they are not linked to you.

 

Sign up to Take Advantage of a deal:

Anytime you need to create an account just to get a promotion like Spotify, Recipes, etc. use a junk email you’ve created for just such instances and let it receive all the resulting spam that typically follows. Remember the email and password because you may have to verify it from an authentication email.

 

Often email providers require 2 factor authentication. This is encouraged so that the person trying to access your email account, needs to also have your phone number or fingerprint.

 

Email Accounts:

Don’t install Gmail or Outlook on a computer. Use a browser to access emails if accessible. When you open an email that has malware, the browser server gets to deal with it, not your local hard drive. Never open attachments that end in the extension .exe or .bat. Be suspicious of any link that says click here.

 

Phishing Emails:

Most phishing activity is about banking. They want you to click their website and log in to your account. The result is they now have your username and password.

These are scammers trying to get access. Their fishing emails are usually shocking and look accurate. No government, bank or large corporation is going to ask you for private information or money. Check the email address. Big companies will not use outlook, Gmail or Hotmail. Apple or your IT department.

This is the email version of the fake phone calls from Revenue Canada, Microsoft, the bank.

 

Contests:

Scammers do this all day every day. Always be aware. One of the first things to ask them is “what is my name?”. There are social media scams such as if you pay $ you will get a gift card from Costco.

In Canada, the only thing required of someone if you win something is to answer a skill testing question.

Your email may be actually sending the email. Never click on a link in an email when they claim you’ve won something. You can phone your bank or CRA to confirm. Don’t respond. Delete it forever.

 

Fraud Reporting Departments:

Big companies like Amazon often have a fraud reporting department.

 

Snopes.com does investigation of rumors and hoaxes like costco or walmart card. They will tell you if its true or not

 

The Anti Fraud Center, RCMP, and Consumer Affairs Canada  are all good reliable sources to check for information about fraud and scams. Please report fraud.

 

Other Safety Tips:

  • Don’t willingly give codes or personal information. Ensure they confirm your info rather than you divulging it.
  • Debit machines have red tape on them to show the debit machine has not been tampered with.
  • Place daily limits and weekly limits on withdrawals of bank accounts.
  • Use tap as it is safer or Apple Pay on your smart phone with fingerprint confirmation because you are not giving away your pin.
  • Check your statement often. Call the bank.
  • Clear out your internet browser cookies or cache. Be advised you will then need to re-enter passwords on web sites.

 

Privacy Settings:

All computers, smart phones, social media accounts have privacy settings. Turn off location tracking and decide which apps you will allow to use your microphone or web cam. If you have gone away, don’t post your pictures on social media until you get back home.

 

Spoofing Phone Numbers:

In Canada, spoofing phone numbers is legal and the scammer computer grabs any phone number in Canada which then appears on our call displays even though the scammer is likely calling from abroad. The spoofed number may even be an actual number such as CRA or Microsoft. The government is relying on the phone provider to protect us from spoofing and bogus numbers. Again, be smarter than them and let them tell you about yourself rather than the other way around. Even better, don’t answer the phone at all if you are not expecting the organization to call you. They can leave a message.

 

Private Browsing:

Chrome has incognito mode (a private browsing mode) presumably to prevent websites that want to know when you visit their site (airlines, google,) but browsers are smart, and you never really hide from those sites. They still track you.

 

DuckDuckGo.com instead of google search claims to be a private browser that does not store/track search or location info. Set it as your default search engine or use it’s extensions.

Google and Bing try to catch your search data

 

Ad Blockers:

Ad blockers are good to have. But Youtube is rewriting their core and if you have an ad blocker you won’t be able to use YouTube

Unblock is one ad blocker

 

Antivirus Software:

In Windows 10, windows defender is sufficient if you are reasonably cautious. The huge downside of Defender is that it is really slow to scan your system. If you turn your system off every night, you are not giving it enough time to do its job. Let Windows 10 go to sleep and log off your computer rather than completely shutting it down. This allows Defender to do its scan. Keep your Windows 10 up to date to ensure you are closing any loopholes that Microsoft has patched.

 

Legacy Windows7, 8.1,2000

Download windows defender separately. You will also have to download SHA2 algorithm that ensures it is from Microsoft. Those older Windows systems will prompt you to download SHA2 before it will install windows defender.

 

Upgrade to Windows 10?

Likely older hardware will have trouble running on new operating systems. Take your system to a computer store or Geek Squad

 

A special tool – Microsoft Safety Scanner is another double check virus scanner that may be up to date if windows defender virus definitions are not up to date yet. It’s an applet, download it, launch it and it automatically installs. It’s only valid for 10 days.

 

Next Meeting (Monday December 9 at 7pm)

  • Topic will be our annual presentation and tech demo by Steve Barclay, CEO of Canadian Assistive Technology. Steve has over 30 years’ experience consulting and selling assistive technology across Canada and always has interesting tech to show us. He is also glad to answer questions about your needs. We recommend you come and see what is new and exciting in tech and take advantage of Steve’s vast experience. It’s the Christmas season so if anyone wants to bring any Christmas baking or treats that would help make the evening more festive.

 

Additional Resources

Telephone Support

Contact our GTT coordinators, Kim Kilpatrick in the East or Albert Ruel in the West to book one on one telephone support.

Kim: 877-304-0968 Ext. 513

Email: GTTProgram@Gmail.com

Albert: 877-304-0968 Ext. 550

Email: albert.GTT@CCBNational.net

 

GTT Blog and Monthly Teleconference

CCB sponsors a national GTT monthly teleconference. You may subscribe to the GTT blog to get email notices of teleconferences, meeting notes from GTT chapters, and other information. To subscribe, activate the Follow link at the bottom of the blog web page to enter your email.

GTT Email Support List

CCB also sponsors a GTT email support list to provide help and support with technology for blind and low vision Canadians.  To subscribe to the email list, send an empty email to:

GTTsupport+subscribe@groups.io

 

GTT Edmonton Overview

  • GTT Edmonton is a chapter of the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB).
  • GTT Edmonton promotes a self-help learning experience by holding monthly meetings to assist participants with assistive technology.
  • Each 2 hour meeting consists of a feature technology topic in the first hour and a general tech discussion in the second hour.

[End]

Windows From the Keyboard Tips, Touch Typing Tutor App, November 20,2019

Hello. This is Gerry Chevalier from the GTT Edmonton Chapter. This weekly blog provides tips that I find useful as a keyboard user of Windows. The information is for Windows10 and Office 365, although many tips still apply to older versions.  The tips do not require a screen reader unless specifically noted. Thus, the tips apply whether you are a keyboard user or low vision mouse user. Here is this week’s tip.

 

Windows Touch Typing Tutor App

If you are experiencing progressive vision loss, the old hunt and peck typing skills you developed over the years will not serve you very well if you can’t see the keyboard. It’s time to take the plunge and learn to touch type. Check out Typio, a Windows touch typing tutorial program from Canadian Assistive Technology that runs on Windows and has complete audio feedback.

 

That’s it for this tip. Until next Wednesday, happy computing.

 

CCB National Newsletter, Visions, November 2019

VISIONS

Canadian Council of the Blind Newsletter

November 2019

“A lack of sight is not a lack of vision”

 

To access all the good news in this month’s newsletter follow this link.

 

http://ccbnational.net/shaggy/2019/11/15/visions-november-2019/

 

CCB Backgrounder:

 

The CCB was founded in 1944 by a coalition of blind war veterans, schools of the blind and local chapters to create a national self-governing organization. The CCB was incorporated by Letters Patent on May 10, 1950 and is a registered charity under the provisions of the Income Tax Act (Canada).

The purpose of the CCB is to give people with vision loss a distinctive and unique perspective before governments.  CCB deals with the ongoing effects of vision loss by encouraging active living and rehabilitation through peer support and social and recreational activities.

CCB promotes measures to conserve sight, create a close relationship with the sighted community and provide employment opportunities.

 

The CCB recognizes that vision loss has no boundaries with respect to gender, income, ethnicity, culture, other disabilities or age.

The CCB understands in many instances vision loss is preventable and sometimes is symptomatic of other health issues.  For the 21st century, the CCB is committed to an integrated proactive health approach for early detection to improve the quality of life for all Canadians.

As the largest membership organization of the blind and partially sighted in Canada the CCB is the “Voice of the Blind™”.

 

 

CCB National Office

100-20 James Street Ottawa ON  K2P 0T6

Toll Free: 1-877-304-0968 Email: info@ccbnational.net URL: www.ccbnational.net

 

GTT Toronto Summary Notes, iOS 13 Features and Issues, October 17, 2019

Summary Notes

 

GTT Toronto Adaptive Technology User Group

October 17, 2019

 

An Initiative of the Canadian Council of the Blind

In Partnership with the CNIB Foundation

 

The most recent meeting of the Get Together with Technology (GTT) Toronto Group was held on Thursday, October 17 at the CNIB Community Hub.

 

*Note: Reading Tip: These summary notes apply HTML headings to help navigate the document. With screen readers, you may press the H key to jump forward or Shift H to jump backward from heading to heading.

 

Theme: iOS 13 Features and Issues

 

GTT Toronto Meeting Summary Notes can be found at this link:

 

Ian White (Facilatator, GTT)

 

Ian opened the meeting. We usually start the meeting with a round table of questions and tips.

Ian said that he’s having trouble deleting a contact from his contact list. A member said that you have to have the contact open. Tap on the edit button, and then you’ll find the delete button at the bottom. A 4-finger single tap near the bottom of the screen will take your focus directly to the bottom of the content. A 4-finger single tap near the top will do the reverse. Accidentally doing a 4-finger double tap will bring up a help menu.

Albert with GTT in BC, said that they’ve been recording and editing their meetings, then posting them as podcasts. You can search for the Canadian Council of the Blind podcast in your favourite podcast ap.

 

Ian then introduced Dug Poirier, Assistive Technology Instructor and Information Services Coordinator at BALANCE for Blind Adults. He’s been teaching assistive tech for, a long time. He’ll run us through IOS13.

  • iOS13 was rushed out, and many, not only assistive tech users, had trouble at first. Now it’s relatively stable. Apple doesn’t necessarily mention the differences you’ll find as a Voiceover user. You often have to learn by using it. Ian raised the point that we should talk about trouble shooting, so we know what to do when something goes wrong or doesn’t work the way we expect.
  • One change in the mail ap is regarding threads. You can flick down to expand. It’s fairly intuitive to use.
  • One big change, that’s very welcome, is taking accessibility settings out of the general category, and putting it in its own category under settings There are a lot of tools in here.
  • There are some new Voiceover settings and haptics, which you have to enable. You can use haptics for system settings as well. You’ll find that under settings, accessibility, Voiceover, audio settings, sounds. You can choose sounds, haptics, or both. It makes the interface feel very new. It seems to offer faster feedback and functionality.
  • There are new rotor settings. Show context menu, replaces the old 3D touch menu. The 3D touch menu was an option to tap then tap and hold, which brought up other functions. 3D touch didn’t take off with ap developers, so was morphed into the context menu.
  • The vertical scroll bar appears when you’re in lists, for example a list of books. It’s down the right side. Every flick down moves down by 10%. It’s an excellent tool. It’s the same as the table index that’s found in the contacts list.
  • Any phone below a 6S won’t support IOS13, and you won’t be prompted to update.
  • You can now customize touch gestures. You can add or change what gestures do. Keyboard shortcuts, hand writing, and braille screen input can all be customized now. You can access it under Voiceover settings, then commands. It sounds more complicated than it is.
  • There’s a new slide-to-type feature. It seems daunting, but can actually work well if you spend time with it. It does take some getting used to. You can add a rotor setting to toggle it on or off. It’s a form of predictive typing. You start by placing your finger on the first letter of the word you want, and holding it there till you hear a sound. Then, slide your finger to the subsequent letters of the word. Using your finger position and predictive algorithm’s, the word will be filled in. If it comes up with the word you want part way through, lifting your finger will insert that word into your text. A member contributed that in auto complete settings, you can define two or 3 character shortcuts that will, if followed by the space bar, insert what ever text you’ve defined. For example, you could set up a two letter shortcut for your email address.
  • The, add punctuation group is another nice new feature. You can access it through, Voiceover, verbosity. It allows you to define which punctuation is spoken, which can be very helpful if you’re editing. You can create your own punctuation group setting.
  • Under Voiceover settings, is something new called, activities. This allows you to set parameters for specific aps, that is, how the phone functions or speaks to you depending on what ap you’re in. A member pointed out that the Applevis podcast has some really good examples of this.
  • A lot of stuff in the email ap has been changed with regard to Voiceover. Most of it is good. The delete button is more prominently placed, and in order to reply or do other things, you have to find the, more, button. You can now delete multiple emails and email folders all at once.
  • If you open a message with a lot of emails within it, as in, there’s been a lot of replies back and forth, you can open it, then flick left or right to move through individual messages within the thread, and delete particular ones if you want. Remember to close the message though, otherwise you could get confused about what view you’re in.
  • The best resource for learning is Applevis; Their site has great blogs and podcasts. There’s a cast called Double Tap, on AMI audio. Apple.com/accessibility can be helpful. Jeff Thomson at BlindAbilities has good content. A member said she’s part of a Facebook group called iPhone and iPad Aps for the Visually Impaired, that’s quite good.
  • Change can be tiring, but the best way to adjust is to make yourself use the new thing. Also remember that updates are about security as well, so refusing them can be risky. Apple is especially energetic at cutting off support to previous versions.
  • A member said she’s having trouble with dictating texts. If she uses Siri, and tries to add to what she’s already dictated, only the addition is shown in the body of the text. It’s intermittent. Others agreed they’ve seen this too. A member suggested a work-around where you create the message in the notes ap, then paste it into your text message.
  • A visual user said that she sometimes has a problem of her screen rotating 90 degrees if she moves while using her phone. Dug recommended locking this feature. You can do this from control centre. Locate the status bar, then swipe up with 3 fingers to open control centre. In there is an option to lock orientation.
  • A member asked how to find out what version of IOS they’re on. Dug said go to settings, general, then software updates.. If you tap on, about, it will show you what you’re running currently. Once you’ve upgraded, you can’t go back. If you haven’t upgraded from the initial version of 13, you should. 13.1.3 is the current version. Apple generally releases an update every month or so.
  • A member pointed out that resistance to change, is also a desire to cling to productivity. The truth is that an upgrade like this can cost you a week of optimal productivity.
  • A member raised the topic of Voice Controller. Dug said that it’s a huge feature worthy of its own session. It’s a way to make the phone activate gestures by voice, swipe left, swipe right ext. It’s meant particularly for people with limited hand mobility. It takes a lot of work up front.
  • A member raised the question of whether IOS13 drains your battery more quickly. Dug said he hasn’t noticed any difference. He commented that batteries do naturally run down, and that it’s recommended to fully drain your battery once a month or so in order to maximize its life. A new battery is around $90 installed. You need to take it somewhere to have it changed. There are cheaper solutions than going to an Apple store, but they come with risks of losing functionality.

 

Ian closed the meeting by thanking Dug, and by saying that if you have ideas for future meetings, or knowledge on something you’d like to present on, please get in touch.

 

Upcoming Meetings:

  • Next Meeting: Thursday, October 17, 2019 at 6pm
  • Location: CNIB Community Hub space at 1525 Yonge Street, just 1 block north of St Clair on the east side of Yonge, just south of Heath.
  • Meetings are held on the third Thursday of the month at 6pm.

 

GTT Toronto Adaptive Technology User Group Overview:

  • GTT Toronto is a chapter of the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB).
  • GTT Toronto promotes a self-help learning experience by holding monthly meetings to assist participants with assistive technology.
  • Each meeting consists of a feature technology topic, questions and answers about technology, and one-on-one training where possible.
  • 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.
  • There are GTT groups across Canada as well as a national GTT monthly toll free teleconference. You may subscribe to the National GTT blog to get email notices of teleconferences and notes from other GTT chapters. Visit:

http://www.GTTProgram.Blog/

There is a form at the bottom of that web page to enter your email.

 

 

 

Windows From the Keyboard Tips, Windows Logo Key and Search, November 13, 2019

Hello. This is Gerry Chevalier from the GTT Edmonton Chapter. This weekly blog provides tips that I find useful as a keyboard user of Windows. The information is for Windows10 and Office 365, although many tips still apply to older versions.  The tips do not require a screen reader unless specifically noted. Thus, the tips apply whether you are a keyboard user or low vision mouse user. Here is this week’s tip.

 

Windows Logo Key and Windows Search

The Windows Logo key by itself or in combination with other keys is very useful. You will find the Windows key 2 keys to the left of the spacebar on most keyboards.

  • Windows key by itself will open the Start menu with focus on the Windows search. You can type almost anything in the search box. For example, you can type the names of desktop apps such as Excel, Word, or Outlook. You can type partial filenames and suggested matches will be shown. The results of what you type appear in a list above the search box with focus at the top of the list. The search results list changes dynamically as you type your search text. For example, I have an Excel document named, Books I Have Read.XLSX. To open that file quickly, I press the Windows key then type “Books I” without the quotes and Windows finds it even though its name was only partially typed. It appears at the top of the search results list and I just press Enter to open it. I know it’s at the top of the search results, because JAWS announces it as soon as I pause typing the search text. As soon as I hear the full file name announced, I just press Enter to open it.
  • Even if the result of your search is not at the top of the list, you can press Down Arrow to review the results list and press Enter when you find the result you need. Beside each result is its category such as desktop app, settings, documents, and web page.
  • Instead of pressing Enter to open the item, you may also press the Applications key for any item in the list and a context menu will open. In that menu are other choices such as opening the item’s location or pinning it to the task bar.
  • If you don’t find the desired result ,try typing something else because your typing focus magically remains in the search edit box even as you browse the search results list.
  • If the search text you type is not found on your computer, Windows will offer to search the web for you, meaning you don’t always have to first open your browser to do a web search. You may find it easier to just press the Windows key and type your web search.
  • Finally, instead of typing a search string, you can press TAB multiple times to explore the rest of the Start menu.
  • Here are more Windows key shortcuts:
  • Windows key + 1 will launch the first item of your task bar, Windows key + 2 will launch the second task bar item, and so on.
    Windows+B opens the System Tray menu.
  • Windows+Control+Enter toggles the built-in Windows 10 Narrator screen reader on or off. Note that the tips in this blog series do not require that a screen reader is running.
  • Windows++ (plus sign) turns on the Windows 10 built-in screen Magnifier. While Magnifier is running, Windows++ increases magnification, and Windows+- (minus key) reduces magnification. Windows+Escape will close the Magnifier.
  • Windows + E opens the File Explorer app.
  • Windows+I opens the Settings Centre.
  • Windows+T places you on the task bar.
  • Windows+M minimizes all apps and goes to the desktop.
  • Windows+U opens the Ease of Access centre.
  • Windows+Up Arrow maximizes the current window.
  • There are many more. Here is the complete list of Windows Shortcut keys.

 

That’s it for this tip. Until next Wednesday, happy computing.

 

CCB Tech Articles, Donna’s Low Tech Tips, Apps round up November 4, 2019

November 04, 2019

Apps round up

 

Hi there!  It’s Donna and thank you for allowing me to come into your inbox.

Today, I’d like to introduce you to my apps roundup.

Enjoy!

 

  1. Button by Neatebox (iOS, Free)

18 years working for Guide Dogs for the Blind watching my blind and visually impaired friends struggle to interact with pedestrian crossings prompted me to look for a solution which would make the lives of all disabled people easier in this area.  Many crossings poles are out of reach or too far from the crossing to be useful so I set up Neatebox and looked for a way in which we could press the button at the crossing using our mobile phones.  “Button” by Neatebox is the result of this hard work and gives you a hands-free remote crossing control from your phone. It removes the need for you to make physical contact with the crossing pole and leaves you free to focus on a safe and efficient crossing.

 

Simply download the free app and input your details and you are ready to go.  At this time there are limited locations in which the system can be used but we are keen to install more. If you feel that a crossing near you could do with an innovative solution such as this please let us know using the ‘request a crossing’ feature within the app’s settings and we will contact the Local Authority on your behalf to ask for our system to be installed.

 

Current Version: 1.02 (February 1, 2018)

Read Button by Neatebox’s AppleVis App Directory entry for more information:

Visit Button by Neatebox’s App Store page:

 

  1. Welcome by Neatebox

(iOS, Free)

Do you feel that society has disabled you and hinders you from receiving the level of customer service you would like?

 

“Welcome” by Neatebox aims to redress this balance and provides you with an effective communication tool which can help customer service teams give you the support you deserve.

 

Simply download the free app, input your details, specify your needs and plan your first trip.

 

Please request any venues you would like to see included and remember there is strength in numbers so invite your friends and request together for greater impact.

 

Current Version: 1.9.0 (July 24, 2019)

Read Welcome by Neatebox’s AppleVis App Directory entry for more information:

Visit Welcome by Neatebox’s App Store page:

 

All recent app entries posted to AppleVis can be found at:

iOS:

Mac:

Apple Watch:

Apple TV:

 

That’s it from me for this week.

If you would like to become a member of  my CCB Mysteries chapter you can do so for the price of $10 annually and in return you will receive unlimited access to either of the following libraries.

Recipes –

http://www.donnajodhan.com/library-recipes.html

Audio mysteries for all ages –

http://www.donnajodhan.com/library-audio-mysteries.html

Or you can subscribe to both for the price of $20 annually.

Now you  can subscribe to “‘Let’s Talk Tips”‘ which is my monthly resource for the most current and reliable informational tips available in the areas of Technology, Nutrition, Media, Business, and Advocacy.

http://bit.ly/ADJSubscribe

 

To contact me, send me an email at info@sterlingcreations.ca and I’d be happy to respond.

Have yourselves a great day and see you next week.

Donna

 

Airacast Episode 20 Aira’s Street Crossing Policy

Hi all.  I listened to this podcast yesterday and got the low-down on how Aira has changed their street crossing policy.  Previously their Agents wouldn’t talk to you at all when you were crossing streets, however as of November 4, 2019 they are offering limited information during street crossings if you ask for it.  To me this is a huge game changer.  Check out the podcast link below.

 

https://overcast.fm/+QWHMkaT2M

 

Thx, Albert

 

Windows From the Keyboard Tips, Applications Key for Context Menus, November 6, 2019

Hello. This is Gerry Chevalier from the GTT Edmonton Chapter. This weekly blog provides tips that I find useful as a keyboard user of Windows. The information is for Windows10 and Office 365, although many tips still apply to older versions.  The tips do not require a screen reader unless specifically noted. Thus, the tips apply whether you are a keyboard user or low vision mouse user. Here is this week’s tip.

 

Windows Applications Key for Context Menus

Mouse users frequently right click on items to bring up a context menu of things they can do with the item their mouse is pointing at. Keyboard users can also access the same context menus.

 

While focused on an item, press the Applications key beside the right control key and the same right-click context menu will pop up. Arrow up and down the menu items and press Enter on the item you need. If you can’t find an Applications key on your keyboard, you may also press Shift+F10 to bring up the context menu. It is called a context menu because the menu items will vary depending on what item you are focused on.  Don’t hesitate to press the Applications key anywhere for these handy context menus. For example, you can press the Applications key when focused on a file or folder, an item on the desktop or task bar, an email message, a word in a document, a cell in an Excel spreadsheet, an email message, and many other places. It is extremely important to use the Applications key frequently if you want to be productive using Windows from the keyboard.

 

Windows users often ask, “how do I do that?”. The answer is frequently, press the Applications key and what you need is in the context menu. Keyboard users may complain they can’t find what they need in the Office ribbons because they are difficult to navigate, but likely, what they need in the ribbon may be in the context menu. If you don’t find what you need in the context menu, just press Escape to close the menu. The Applications key will be used many times in upcoming Windows from the Keyboard Tips.

 

That’s it for this tip. Until next Wednesday, happy computing.

 

How to Protect Company/Individual Copyright when sharing written/recorded material to GTT Networks

Protecting Copyright when sharing written material to GTT Networks:

 

Hi all.  It recently came to our attention that GTT contributors, including yours truly, aren’t always operating under established strict rules for sharing Copyrighted material from other sources to the GTTSupport list and GTTProgram Blog.  I will attempt to lay out what I think are some of the ways we can all continue to benefit from the sharing of great and notable articles without infringing on the creator’s ownership Rights.

 

It’s not appropriate to copy and paste entire articles even if the link to the original source is provided.  Essentially, online content has the same Copyright protection as any original image, writing, or recording.  This means that “Fair Use” rules apply, which allows you to quote brief excerpts verbatim from Copyrighted content for purposes such as criticism, news reporting, teaching and research.  For online use, the basic rule of thumb is that quoting 2 or 3 paragraphs is acceptable, and that it still needs to be wrapped in original content of your own.

 

For example, in the case of software releases, you should write a summary of your own, include some selected quotes from the article/release, and direct readers to the original source for more information by providing a web link.

 

In researching the “Fair Use” Rules where they pertain to Copyright I came across this article and appreciated how simply it lays out the rules and some of the ways they can be applied.  As the GTTSupport email list and the GTTProgram Blog were established as peer mentoring tools aimed at allowing us to teach and support each other around the use of assistive technology, I believe we fall under the following bullet point, “copying a few paragraphs from a news article for use by a teacher or student in a lesson…”.

 

What Is Fair Use? – Copyright Overview by Rich Stim – Stanford Copyright and Fair Use Center

 

“Commentary and Criticism

If you are commenting upon or critiquing a copyrighted work—for instance, writing a book review—fair use principles allow you to reproduce some of the work to achieve your purposes. Some examples of commentary and criticism include:

  • quoting a few lines from a Bob Dylan song in a music review
  • summarizing and quoting from a medical article on prostate cancer in a news report
  • copying a few paragraphs from a news article for use by a teacher or student in a lesson, or
  • copying a portion of a Sports Illustrated magazine article for use in a related court case.

The underlying rationale of this rule is that the public reaps benefits from your review, which is enhanced by including some of the copyrighted material. Additional examples of commentary or criticism are provided in the examples of fair use cases.”

 

Here is the link to the entire article:

https://fairuse.stanford.edu/overview/fair-use/what-is-fair-use/

 

Sample CCB Reference:

Below is a sample of a properly referenced comment Regarding a News article about CCB.

 

It was great to read in the below article how over 150 people crowded a Vancouver area community center to give the BC Government their views on what should be in a future Accessible BC Act, slated to be tabled in the BC Legislature during the Fall 2020 session.  Here’s how the CCB is being pro-active toward the recognition of our rights as British Columbians with disabilities.

 

British Columbians pack meeting to help develop accessibility law | Vancouver Sun

NICK EAGLAND

 

“Conway said he has visited hotels with elevators which do not have Braille labels on their buttons. Grocery and drug stores have replaced human cashiers with self-checkout machines which have touchscreens he can’t use. Businesses have refused to allow DA Chief to enter, breaking the law.

Strong enforcement is key to making the legislation work, said Conway, who is the 2nd vice-president of the Canadian Council of the Blind’s B.C.-Yukon division.”

 

The entire article will be found here:

https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/b-c-government-holds-vancouver-community-meeting-on-accessibility-legislation

 

Thx, Albert

 

 

 

GTT Nat Con Call Summary Notes, iOS 13, the Good and the Bad, 2019Oct09

GTT National Conference Call.

An Initiative of the Canadian Council of the Blind

 

Summary Notes

October 9, 2019

 

Theme: Apple’s iOS 13 update, the good, the bad and the ugly.

 

On October 9, 2019 the GTT National Conference Call discussed the above topic with the help of the below presenters, which was followed by a number of spirited questions from the floor.  The presenters were asked to talk about 3 of the things they like and don’t like about the version being used on that date, namely iOS 13.1.2.  Since then additional updates have been released so depending on the date you read these Summary Notes your experience may be different.

 

To learn more about iOS 13 visit this Apple Website:

 

To access many fantastic iOS 13 AppleVis Podcasts follow this link:

 

Presenters: Michael Feir, Elmer Thiesen, Tom Dekker, Kim Kilpatrick, Brian Bibeault and David Green.

 

Please check out the presentation on the CCB Podcast below for more details.

10 GTT National Conference Call, iOS 13, the Good and the Bad, October 9, 2019

 

Michael Feir:

  • Michael expressed frustration over the hang-up bug, and suggested that in iOS 13.1.2 users can use triple click on the home button three times to turn off Voice Over, which always resolves the freeze being experienced.
  • To set the triple tap on the Home or Side buttons to Voice Over do the following: Go to Settings, Accessibility and select the Accessibility Shortcut to launch Voice Over.
  • Be careful not to accidently click the button five times in a row without sufficient pause or you can activate the SOS call to 911.
  • Custom Controls Can Be used to limit or expand the haptic feedback and sounds given off by iOS 13 devices. The user can also re-define existing gestures, and define undefined gestures to functions that are difficult to manage, like the turning of the Rotor dial.
  • The Reminders app is another area where iOS 13 has made great strides. It is far more customizable and configurable to the needs of the end user. It now boasts some project management features that make it really good to use.

 

Elmer Thiesen:

  • Elmer indicated that for him the ability to customize gestures is a really big deal, and the first one he changed was the Rotor gesture to use two fingers sliding across the screen left or right to turn it in those directions.
  • He also expressed that the Vertical Scroll Bar is a great addition to iOS 13. It allows the user to scroll pages of information far more easily and efficiently.
  • Elmer likes the ability to establish Activities with desired features like, having a specific voice read emails with no punctuation, and another voice work on word processing apps with all punctuation turned on. These can now be customized to the user’s preference.
  • One of the bugs Elmer has struggled with is that Siri would get lost in what she was asked to access and keep repeating the same irrelevant thing over and over again until he re-set the Network Settings. Apple Support assisted in getting this sorted out.

 

Tom Dekker:

  • Screen Recording is the thing Tom likes most about the upgrade to iOS 13. it never quite worked well before iOS 13, and now works very well with good quality sound.
  • Commands and the ability to customize them is another of Tom’s favourite things about iOS 13.
  • On Screen Braille keyboard is better than ever. He can now type more quickly and with more accuracy than before.
  • Tom thinks that a weird thing is the iPhone User Guide downloaded to the iOS Books app. It only reads the first line or two of each paragraph. It doesn’t track anything correctly. Older Guides work well, but not this one.

 

Kim Kilpatrick:

  • Kim agreed that the iOS 13 User Guide doesn’t work well.
  • As for the hang-up bug, her experience seems to be that it only happens when she uses the microphone button on the wired earbuds. She also indicated that this bug didn’t come up during the beta testing phase, which she has been on since the beginning.
  • Kim expressed that a great feature of iOS 13 is that Accessibility is not buried in General and that it has its own spot in Settings.
  • Kim has heard that Low Vision users are liking the Dark Mode offered in iOS 13.
  • She indicated that there are some good things added to Braille support that allows Voice Over to have more things read back to the user as they type, however a bug seems to have been introduced that creates a disconnect when back spacing to delete errors. Kim also agrees that Braille Screen Input has improved dramatically.
  • Voice Control is another item Kim appreciates about iOS 13. Although it isn’t a Voice Over specific feature, it never-the-less works well with it, and it will really help those with limited hand function to access even more functions of their iOS devices. Voice Over users must use earbuds when accessing Voice Controls otherwise the Voice Over speech will interfere. The strong point about using Voice Control when dictating in an edit field is that Voice Over will read back what is being dictated periodically. It functions more like Dragon Naturally Speaking in that regard. this should only be used in quiet places otherwise it makes many errors.
  • Kim told the group that in Activities you can also adjust punctuation for different apps and activities according to your personal preferences, the voice, rate and punctuation can all be set for different apps and tasks.

 

David Green:

  • David told the assembled that when inserting passwords and code numbers for voicemail iOS 13 seems to be far faster in echoing the touch screen presses, which leads to increased accuracy in typing those characters. This is especially noticeable in voicemail entry codes.
  • One bug David noticed is in the Native Mail app. When he tries to move from one account to another focus seems to go into Edit Mode instead of activating the new account. It will also do this in the Messages app sometimes.

 

  • David found that after the upgrade to iOS 13 the speaking voice was changed from his favourite American voice to a British one. The only way to fix this was to set the Location to America in order to get those voices back.
  • Slide to Type is one feature that David will have to practice a lot before it will become comfortable, if it ever does.
  • Many of the new features and functions of iOS 13 are not of interest to David, so he will likely give them a pass.

 

Brian Bibeault:

  • Brian wasn’t going to upgrade yet, however having forgotten to shut off his phone one evening he woke up to an upgraded iPhone. Since this event he has worked at trying to learn its new features and is getting comfortable with them. The first day was a nightmare, but he recommended that anyone intending to make the move go to AppleVis and listen to the many Thomas Domville podcasts about iOS 13. He provides a great set of tutorials and guides to the important features and upgrades.
  • One glitch Brian found is when using the Bluetooth Keyboard, the focus jumps all over the place unexpectedly.
  • Brian suggested that if one is going to use Voice Control, turn it off after using it, otherwise it’ll drive you nuts if you answer a phone call with it still turned on. It’ll keep repeating text not relevant to the conversation.
  • He found that his recent move to Bell Fib Cablevision has improved since iOS 13, whereas the app was not accessible with iOS 12.4.

 

Question Period:

Participants had a range of questions to ask the presenters, for which some found answers and some are yet to be resolved.  To access the remainder of the session please find the complete Podcast recording on the Canadian Council of the Blind Podcast channel.

 

For more information please contact your GTT Coordinators:

 

Albert Ruel                   or                               Kim Kilpatrick

1-877-304-0968,550                           1-877-304-0968,513

albert.GTT@CCBNational.net                      GTTProgram@Gmail.com

 

CCB Backgrounder:

 

The CCB was founded in 1944 by a coalition of blind war veterans, schools of the blind and local chapters to create a national self-governing organization. The CCB was incorporated by Letters Patent on May 10, 1950 and is a registered charity under the provisions of the Income Tax Act (Canada).

The purpose of the CCB is to give people with vision loss a distinctive and unique perspective before governments.  CCB deals with the ongoing effects of vision loss by encouraging active living and rehabilitation through peer support and social and recreational activities.

CCB promotes measures to conserve sight, create a close relationship with the sighted community and provide employment opportunities.

 

The CCB recognizes that vision loss has no boundaries with respect to gender, income, ethnicity, culture, other disabilities or age.

The CCB understands in many instances vision loss is preventable and sometimes is symptomatic of other health issues.  For the 21st century, the CCB is committed to an integrated proactive health approach for early detection to improve the quality of life for all Canadians.

As the largest membership organization of the blind and partially sighted in Canada the CCB is the “Voice of the Blind™”.

 

CCB National Office

100-20 James Street Ottawa ON  K2P 0T6

Toll Free: 1-877-304-0968 Email: info@ccbnational.net URL: www.ccbnational.net

 

 

Windows From the Keyboard Tips, Windows General Shortcuts, October 30, 2019

Hello. This is Gerry Chevalier from the GTT Edmonton Chapter. This weekly blog provides tips that I find useful as a keyboard user of Windows. The information is for Windows10 and Office 365, although many tips still apply to older versions.  The tips do not require a screen reader unless specifically noted. Thus, the tips apply whether you are a keyboard user or low vision mouse user. Here is this week’s tip.

 

Windows from the Keyboard – General Shortcuts

When progressive vision loss makes it increasingly difficult to see the mouse or read the screen you can use Windows without a mouse. You can operate most Windows programs such as Word, Excel, email, and web browsing without using the mouse. Did you know that the TAB key will move from link to link in a web page or from item to item in a web form or from field to field in an email? Once you navigate to an item you can activate it without clicking the mouse. Just press the Enter key.

 

Here are some other handy Windows keyboard shortcuts:

  • Control+Backspace will delete the previous word while typing in an edit field or document.
  • Control+Delete key will delete the next word while typing in an edit field or document.

Control+S will save your document.

  • Control+P will print your document.
  • Control+C will copy selected text, files, or folders to the clipboard.
  • Control+V will paste clipboard text into a document or email. Also, Control+V will paste files or folders that have been copied to the clipboard into another location.
  • Alt+F4 will close a window.
  • Alt+F4 while focused on the desktop will bring up the Windows shutdown menu.
  • Pressing TAB multiple times while on the Desktop will move to the Start button, then to the Task Bar, then to the Notifications area, then back to the Desktop. While in the Notifications area you can press down arrow to cycle through the System Tray icons.
  • Alt+Tab will cycle between open windows.
  • Windows key + M will minimize all open windows and return to the desktop.
  • While on the desktop, press the first letter of any icon to jump to it. Press Enter to activate the icon.
  • The Applications key beside the right control key is very important in Windows so much so that it will be discussed in a separate tip.
  • Here is Microsoft’s Windows 10 Complete List of shortcuts.

 

That’s it for this tip. Until next Wednesday, happy computing.

 

Cybercrime Reporting Website Accessibility Research with Canadian Digital Service, Government of Canada

Hello GTTProgram Blog Subscribers,

 

The Canadian Digital Service (CDS) is working with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to create an accessible website for reporting cybercrime to the police.

 

They’d like to speak to you if you, or a loved-one, have ever been phished, hacked or called by a scammer, etc. Especially if you have a disability and/or use assistive technology, and if you are interested in testing the website used to report the above, please contact,

melissa.banyard@tbs-sct.gc.ca

for more information on how to get involved.

 

How you can help

 

The Canadian Digital Service can reach you via phone, video chat, or in-person to show you a work in-progress website and get your feedback on it. This  will not take longer than 30 minutes, and they can reach you at a time that’s convenient for you.

 

Your privacy

 

You’re volunteering to take part in this research, so you can choose to stop participating at any time for any reason.

 

The Canadian Digital Service will make sure your responses are confidential, which means they will not be linked back to anyone.

 

Your participation and answers will not impact your relationship with the Canadian Digital Service (CDS), and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), or any part of the Government of Canada.

 

The Canadian Digital Service  handles all personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act, and we’ll give you a copy of our Privacy Statement.

 

For any further questions about this research, please contact:

Melissa Banyard

343-548-9044

melissa.banyard@tbs-sct.gc.ca

 

CCB Tech Articles, Donna’s Low Tech Tips, talking Olympus digital recorder, October 28, 2019October 28, 2019 Meet the talking Olympus digital recorder Hi there! It’s Donna and thank you for allowing me to come into your inbox. Today, I’d like to talk about the talking Olympus digital recorder. Let’s meet this product. Meet the talking Olympus digital recorder Note: You will probably find that there are several competing products on the market today but I chose to write about this product as it is just another alternative for you to use in case you do not have an i device at hand. I met this nifty little gadget a few years ago and I really like it! This very portable little recorder is easy to use, easy to stow away in your pocket or purse, and its voice is extremely clear. Crystal clear so to speak. All of the menus are easy to navigate and have voice instructions. The recordings are very clear and you can use this nifty little gadget to record quick notes, tape lectures, create podcasts, and record music. The price is just right and the one thing that I like is that improvements continue to be made on a regular basis. You can even use the talking Olympus digital recorder to record and upload to your computer. Why not give this little gem a try? Just go out there and make friends with the talking Olympus digital recorder. That’s it from me for this week. If you would like to become a member of my CCB Mysteries chapter you can do so for the price of $10 annually and in return you will receive unlimited access to either of the following libraries. Recipes – http://www.donnajodhan.com/library-recipes.html Audio mysteries for all ages – http://www.donnajodhan.com/library-audio-mysteries.html Or you can subscribe to both for the price of $20 annually. Now you can subscribe to “‘Let’s Talk Tips”‘ which is my monthly resource for the most current and reliable informational tips available in the areas of Technology, Nutrition, Media, Business, and Advocacy. http://bit.ly/ADJSubscribe To contact me, send me an email at info@sterlingcreations.ca and I’d be happy to respond. Have yourselves a great day and see you next week. Donna

October 28, 2019

Meet the talking Olympus digital recorder

 

Hi there!  It’s Donna and thank you for allowing me to come into your inbox.

Today, I’d like to talk about the talking Olympus digital recorder.

Let’s meet this product.

 

Meet the talking Olympus digital recorder

Note:  You will probably find that there are several competing products on the market today but I chose to write about this product as it is just another alternative for you to use in case you do not have an i device at hand.

 

I met this nifty little gadget a few years ago and I really like it!  This very portable little recorder is easy to use, easy to stow away in your pocket or purse, and its voice is extremely clear.  Crystal clear so to speak.

 

All of the menus are easy to navigate and have voice instructions.  The recordings are very clear and you can use this nifty little gadget to record quick notes, tape lectures, create podcasts, and record music.

 

The price is just right and the one thing that I like is that improvements continue to be made on a regular basis.  You can even use the talking Olympus digital recorder to record and upload to your computer.  Why not give this little gem a try?

 

Just go out there and make friends with the talking Olympus digital recorder.

 

That’s it from me for this week.

If you would like to become a member of  my CCB Mysteries chapter you can do so for the price of $10 annually and in return you will receive unlimited access to either of the following libraries.

Recipes –

http://www.donnajodhan.com/library-recipes.html

Audio mysteries for all ages –

http://www.donnajodhan.com/library-audio-mysteries.html

Or you can subscribe to both for the price of $20 annually.

Now you  can subscribe to “‘Let’s Talk Tips”‘ which is my monthly resource for the most current and reliable

informational tips available in the areas of Technology, Nutrition, Media,

Business, and Advocacy.

http://bit.ly/ADJSubscribe

 

To contact me, send me an email at info@sterlingcreations.ca and I’d be happy to respond.

Have yourselves a great day and see you next week.

Donna