With the Victor Reader Stream it is easy to search for radio stations and add them to the favorites playlist by pressing the bookmark key. However, the favorites playlist can quickly grow to a large number of stations and become rather unwieldly. Let�s say your Favorites playlist had many stations consisting of music, old-time radio, sports, news or other categories. You can easily separate these stations into separate playlists for each category.
Below are step-by-step instructions for doing that. For example, to create a playlist of only the sports stations from your Favorites follow these steps:
list of 14 items
1. Press key 1 multiple times to reach the Stream’s Radio bookshelf.
2. Press key 4 or 6 multiple times to reach the Favorites playlist.
3. Press key 3 followed by the Pound (Confirm) key to export the Favorites playlist to the SD card.
4. Remove the SD card and access it on your computer.
5. You will find a file on the SD card named, Exported Favorites Playlist.xspf.
6. Rename this file to Sports.xspf.
7. Put the SD card back into your Stream.
8. Press the menu key 7 multiple times to reach the Internet Radio menu.
9. Press key 8 until you reach the menu item named, Import Internet Radio playlist from File.
10. Press the Confirm key to import the new sports playlist from the SD. Then press the Cancel key to exit from the Stream menu.
11. Press key 1 to reach the Radio bookshelf and then key 6 multiple times until you find the new Sports playlist.
12. Press Confirm to open the Sports playlist. It will be a duplicate of your Favorites playlist.
13. However, you can now use the 4 or 6 keys to navigate through the stations and press key 3 followed by Confirm key to delete all stations that are not
sports related.
14. Finally, use key 1 then keys 4 or 6 to return to the Favorites playlist, press Confirm to open it, and then use keys 4 or 6 to navigate your original
favorites and use key 3 to delete all the sports stations since they are now in your new Sports playlist.
list end
You can repeat the above steps for each new playlist you wish to extract from your Favorites.
Category: Get Together with Technology Program
GTT Vancouver Summary Notes, The JAWS Screen Reader, August 17, 2016
Summary Notes
GTT Vancouver
Date: August 17, 2016
Present: Seven members attended;
Screen Reading technology is a way of converting text on the screen into synthesized voices. Screen readers only read pure text. Images, or text embedded into a photo will not be read.
JAWS is one of the 3 competitive PC screen readers on the market. Window Eyes and NVDA are the other two. Window Eyes is now owned by the same company that owns JAWS, and NVDA is a free, open source screen reader.
JAWS has been around since the early 90’ and is currently developed by Freedom Scientific.
It was designed primarily for the work environment – Word, Excel, Outlook – the Microsoft Office Suite.
• JAWS comes in two versions – home and professional.
• It is the screen reader that is most recommended and where the most support is available
Firefox is better than Internet Explorer with JAWS, and possibly even in general.
Many of the keyboard commands you use with JAWS are not specific to JAWS, as they are native to the Windows Operating System:
• Not all keyboard commands use the JAWS/Insert key.
• Control alt page up or page down will temporarily speed or slow down speech in JAWS but not globally across the computer. When you exit the program it will reset to the original speed.
• Some keys do different things when you have Navigation Quick Keys turned on when browsing the internet.
Forms mode on the Internet:
• You have to hit enter or the Space Bar before you can start typing in the edit boxes. When you hit the Enter key after typing your search string it will activate the Search Button and conduct the search.
• The second type of edit field is a multi-line edit box. You can use the Enter key to add a new line. You have to tab to the Search/Next button to move things forward.
Quick Navigation keys – single letters that will move your cursor to different places on the screen. To turn Navigation Quick KEYS ON OR OFF HOLD DOWN THE JAWS KEY AND PRESS THE LETTER Z. :
• H is for all Headings, and the first 6 numbers on the number row will access Level 1 through 6 Headings.
• L is for list.
• I is for items within a list.
• U is for unvisited links.
• V is for visited links.
• T is for tables.
• F is for form fields, but for clarification a form field is a button, edit box, check box, radio button, etc. so it’s not as specific as the other keys listed.
• E is for edit boxes.
• B is for button.
• X is for checkbox – use space bar to select the item you want to check.
• C is for combo boxes.
• M is for frames – skips past ad frames.
• K is for markers, and Control shift K will set a marker in a specific spot. They may not remain when Web-sites are updated or changed.
• Control f – Jaws find – type a phrase you are looking for and it will bring you there
Also, three more useful keys:
• Jaws Key + f7 brings up a list of links.
• Jaws key + f5 brings up a list box of form controls.
• Jaws key + f6 brings up a list of headings
Other JAWS resources:
• FS Reader is a DAISY Player that installs when JAWS is installed on your computer, and that can be used to play the JAWS Tutorial/Help files.
• Had is a Text Editor that installs when JAWS is installed on your computer. It has a Spellchecker built-in, so if you don’t have MS Word this can be used to create documents, or to read RTF and TXT files.
• JAWS key plus F1 will show you things dependent on where you are. If you are on a Web page it will list all the quick Navigation keys. Escape key will get you out of this mode.
• JAWS Key plus Number Row 1 will turn on and off Keyboard Help, it is a toggle. You can then press any key or key combination to find out what the keys are and JAWS will explain their function.
• JAWS key plus the letter H will give you a list of keys you can use where you are – Type Escape to exit this window.
JAWS key plus the letter J will launch the Jaws Menu, Options, utilities, languages, about, and help:
• Press the Alt Key to open the Menu Bar, then down arrow through the Options Menu to Basics, there you will find the following adjustable items;
Tutor messages helps by telling you your jaws command options and how to activate them. You can turn this on or off.
Access keys – you can turn this off if you know all your commands and don’t need a reminder
• Tutorials are in the Jaws menu under help – You will find Training audio files that will play in FS Reader.
• The PC cursor is your regular cursor on the screen, or the curser that types letters in your documents, web pages etc.
• Jaws cursor doesn’t show up it’s just where you are on the screen, and is otherwise known as your Mouse Curser.
• JAWS Key plus Escape refreshes the screen visually to show them where you are.
Topic for next time – GPS Technology
September 21, 2016
Other ideas that were suggested:
• Overview of Safari on the IPhone.
• Cover the GTT Facebook Group.
• Backing Up along with storage options such as One Drive or Dropbox – Cloud storage
GTT Edmonton Summary Notes, January 11, 2016
Summary Notes
GTT Edmonton Meeting January 11, 2016
The most recent meeting of the Get Together With Technology (GTT) Edmonton Chapter was held January 11 at 7pm at Ascension Lutheran Church 8405 83 Street in Edmonton.
15 people attended. Note that contact information and useful links related to this meeting are listed in the Resources section below.
January Feature Topic – Edmonton Public Library
We thank Wendy Gronnestad-Damur from the Idylwylde branch of Edmonton Public Library for her presentation on library services available to the print disabled. Highlights of Wendy’s presentation:
• EPL services are free to Edmonton residents.
• Home delivery of materials is available depending on the customer’s circumstances.
• Assistive technologies such as CCTV, hand-held electronic magnifiers, and SARA scanner/reader are available at the Stanley Milner main branch.
• Audio books from Overdrive can be downloaded using a computer or the EPL iOS app.
• EPL has DAISY CD books and Described Videos to loan.
Membership in Canada’s CELA network offering 80,000 DAISY and braille download books.
• CELA Paper braille books.
• CELA Online newspapers.
• CELA Audio DAISY magazines for download.
• CELA also gives optional download access to Bookshare’s over 125,000 e-text DAISY books.
• You may register for CELA service at your library if you self-declare as being print-disabled.
• NNELS e-text books.
• Library Talking Book club that meets in main branch every second Wednesday of the month.
After Sight Device
Mike McWilliams updated us on the prototype After Sight Device. This device now offers:
• Vibrating and verbal warnings of obstacles up to 5 metres ahead and above chest level.
• Object recognition.
• Sensory substitution soundscape of the surrounding environment.
Mike hopes to create a nonprofit business model to subsidize the cost of the device to be below $200.
AMI TV
We thank the AMI TV crew (Meagan, Vivian, Mark) who attended our meeting to do a story and interviews about our GTT group. The interviews will eventually air on AMI TV channel 888. We will advise when we get details on the broadcast schedule.
Resources
• For more information about Edmonton Public Library services for the print-disabled visit:
http://www.epl.ca/assistive-services/
• Edmonton main Library Access Department may be reached at 780.496.1888.
• The CELA Library web site is
http://www.celalibrary.ca/
• CELA toll free customer service number is 1-855-655-2273
• You can learn more about CELA Direct to Player download books at:
CELA-CNIB Direct to Player
• To learn more about Bookshare visit:
http://www.bookshare.org/
• For more information about the demonstrated After Sight sensory substitution device contact:
Mike Mcwilliams
Cell:403-488-1247
Email: mike.mcwilliams@after-sight.com
Web: http://www.after-sight.com
• AMI-TV can be viewed on Shaw cable channel 888.
• AMI-Audio radio reading service can be listened to on channel 889.
• AMI Audio can also be streamed to a Victor Reader. See the HumanWare Playlist on your Victor Reader Stream radio bookshelf.
• AMI web site is:
http://www.ami.ca/Pages/default.aspx
• The describe video TV schedule can be viewed at:
http://www.ami.ca/Pages/Described-Video-Guide.aspx#main
Next Meeting (Monday February 8 at 7pm)
• One of our members has offered to talk about how she uses her MAC computer.
• We also have a couple of other topics yet to be confirmed. Watch your email for the agenda in early February.
• 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.
• Enter the church from the back door. There is parking at the back and drop off space for taxis, DATS.
• Meetings are typically 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 the specialist for CNIB career and employment services. She has a wealth of experience helping blind and visually impaired people with the challenges of finding 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, Sydney, Edmonton, 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]
Resource: Saving CELA/CNIB Library Zipped DAISY files to a Dropbox folder for uploading to Voice Dream Reader
Saving CELA/CNIB Library Zipped DAISY files to a Dropbox folder for uploading to Voice Dream Reader:
Note: This set of instructions was requested at the end of the discussion during the January 13 National Conference Call titled, “All About the Mac”. Strangely, these are PC based instructions related to the use of Voice Dream REader on iOS devices.
To access the two sets of instructions in this document search for ## and your word processor will take you to the start of each section.
##CELA Library search and Download instructions
1. open your favourite web browser then brows to http://iguana.celalibrary.ca/iguana/www.main.cls?surl=CELA-home&lang=eng&theme=reset
2. Scroll to the Sign-in link and press the enter key. Type your user name and password and press the enter key;
3. Press the letter E in order to access the Search edit field. Using JAWS or NVDA you will press the space bar to activate the Edit Mode, then type your search string, for example, “Chevalier, Gerry” will bring up the following result, CNIB digital library audio tutorial;
4. Use the letter H to navigate to the Heading for the second result, then use the down arrow to read about the Zipped DAISY book available for download, then continue down arrowing to the Get It! DAISY Download Zip Button and press the enter key;
5. In the resulting page down arrow to the Download Button and press the enter key;
6. With Internet Explorer you will hold down the Alt key while pressing the letter N, then Tab to the Save Button and press the space bar to actually start the download;
7. Use the down arrow button to access the Return to Search Results and press the enter key to go back as above;
8. Check your Downloads folder to see that your book has been downloaded. Allow some time for this to occur, which will be dependent on the speed of your internet service.
##To move the DAISY Zipped file to your Dropbox folder do as follows:
1. Navigate to your Downloads folder and locate the desired Zipped file;
2. Copy or Cut the file to the Clipboard with Alt X or Alt C respectively;
3. Navigate to the Dropbox icon on your Desktop, then locate the sub-folder you wish to store the Zipped file into and press the enter key to open it;
4. Paste the Zipped file into the folder with Alt V;
5. Once the Zipped file finishes loading into your Dropbox account you will have access to it from Voice Dream Reader.
##How to download a Zipped DAISY file to Voice Dream Reader from Dropbox:
1. In Voice Dream Reader navigate to the Add Button and do a 1-finger double-tap;
2. Flick right or left with 1-finger to access the Dropbox icon and do a 1-finger double-tap to open it;
3. Flick right with 1-finger to locate the file, or the folder where the Zipped DAISY file will be found. If it’s in a folder a 1-finger double-tap will open the folder, then flicking to the right or left with 1-finger will allow you to navigate to the desired file;
4. Once the file is located do a 1-finger double-tap to start the download process. Flicking right and left with 1-finger will access the progress bar for the download and loading processes. Flick to the OK Button once done and do a 1-finger double-tap;
5. This will land you back in the Dropbox folder, so flick right or left to the Done Button and do a 1-finger double-tap to return to the main Voice Dream Reader screen;
6. Flick right or left with 1-finger to access your stored material to find the book just downloaded and do a 1-finger double-tap to launch it.
If you have any questions about the above please be in touch with Albert Ruel at GTTWest@CCBNational.net or 1-877-304-0968 Ext. 550.
Get Together With Technology (GTT) Victoria – August 5 2015 Meeting Notes
Get Together With Technology (GTT) Victoria – August 5 2015 Meeting Notes
The meeting took place between 5:00 and 7:00 PM, at Fort Tectoria, 777 Fort Street. The nine participants who attended were, Hannah, Marcelina, Trevor, Susan, Colin, Shari, Albert, Corey and Tom. We would especially like to thank Hannah for volunteering to be organizational assistant to Tom Dekker, who has also volunteered as Chapter Coordinator. Though a relatively small group this time, everyone was very much engaged through a combination of discussion, demonstration and general sharing of information.
GTT Community Outreach was the first topic. Should we develop a brochure or poster with a brief and succinct explanation of GTT? Would people be willing to help distribute it? Doctors’ offices, ophthalmologists and optometrists, seniors’ groups and accessibility departments at school boards and post-secondary institutions would all be great targets for our outreach. It was suggested that we also contact BC Blind Sports.
CNIB will do a mailing, but we would have to provide all the material, ready to go, including the funding to pay for postage plus a CNIB service charge per item.
An additional aspect of the outreach discussion confirmed the idea that evenings might not be convenient. We had tried the library hoping to acquire a daytime meeting place but were led to believe that booking space there would be quite expensive. And along with that, Fort Tectoria could not continue its offer of free space during business hours. But thanks to Sabina at NNELS (National Network of Equitable Library Services) we have begun correspondence with Andrea Brimmell at the library, to whom we have already applied for free space. We will keep you posted.
There was also a brief discussion around funding for interpreters for our deaf-blind participants. We are still waiting a response from a Lions club.
We were informed that there is a Victoria book club for vision-impaired people. Meeting participants wondered if there might be a way for GTT members to work with this group; i.e., helping readers to master various reading technologies. We would appreciate anyone who knows more about the book club to get in touch.
In this regard, the Victoria Public Library has specifically asked if one of our members who knows Zoomtext would be available to assist one of their patrons. He would like to use Zoomtext to read books online.
Next came a discussion around BC Transit’s decision to install a Trekker Breeze on each bus in its fleet. This solution is unacceptable, as it demonstrates zero adherence to 21st century principles of Inclusive Design now being implemented in cities in all First World countries as well as in developing ones. Where is the readout for the deaf and hard of hearing, or for the tourists who may read, but not understand English? Where is the real-time GPS and transit data feed that would make life easier for the hundreds of thousands per year who travel throughout the Capital Region with smart phones in their hands. What is the cost comparison between making buses wheelchair-accessible, as opposed to that for providing full audio/visual/transit feed access?
The Trekker Breeze is specifically designed as a personal device for non-visual access only; there is no visual display. It is an inadequate application of technology.
It was agreed that we should write to the Editor of the Times-Colonist with an expression of our concern. However, after the meeting some of us realized that we should first submit a request to ride on one of the test buses, express our concerns and get their response before preparing the letter. We have already contacted BC Transit toward this end.
A number of GTT members have expressed an interest in the Vocal Eye live event description service. This group uses an FM system to broadcast description to listeners equipped with a receiver and headset. This has been done at theatres in Vancouver and Victoria. They certainly did an excellent job describing the Vancouver Pride parade for a group of vision-impaired spectators.
These Vocal Eye enthusiasts were wondering how to rekindle a Vocal Eye presence in Victoria i.e. how to generate local funding for it. It was agreed that since Vocal Eye uses special technology to provide access, that this is therefore a technological application to which GTT could lend its sponsorship via our charitable number to raise the funds required. There will be further discussion on this topic to be reported at future meetings. Let us know if you are interested in this project. It was also suggested that we have Vocal Eye as the theme for either the October or November meeting and inquire if they would actually like to make a presentation.
This meeting featured a presentation by Hannah Leavitt, who described some of her favourite shopping web sites, many of which are run by people with vision-impairment or other disabilities. These included:
Braille Jewelry: http://www.jewelryinbraille.com/brands/Jewelry-in-Braille.html
TravelEyes – Travel Options for People with Visual Disabilities: https://www.traveleyes-international.com/
Future Aids – The Braille Superstore: http://www.braillebookstore.com/
The Chocolate Experience, Inc. E-mail: chocomelt@aol.com, http://chocolates.tripod.com/orderbraille.htm, or http://chocolates.tripod.com/order.html
Lucky Touch Fortune Cookies in Braille or Large Print – California School for the Blind: http://www.csb-cde.ca.gov/luckytouch.htm
Braille Wall Posters: http://www.cafepress.ca/+braille+posters
Blind Bargains – Deals and the latest news on blindness products: http://www.blindbargains.com/
The September meeting will feature a presentation by Sky Mundell, comparing the four most popular screen-readers: JAWS; WindowEyes; NVDA (Non-Visual Desktop Access); and System Access.
The meeting will take place on Wednesday, September 2. It will be at Fort Tectoria from 5 to 7 PM unless we are able to arrange an afternoon time and location at the library. We will keep you posted.
The Dropbox Intro
What is Dropbox?
–
A virtual hard drive
–
You can use it to share files between computers
–
It is multi-platform, so you can use it on Windows,
Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android
How Does it Work?
–
Sort of like a social network
–
You can invite friends to share folders with you
–
You can install it easily –
the installation process is fairly easy and accessi
ble. Note
that once you install dropbox, the dropbox folder w
ill vary on its location depending
on what operating system you use.
–
The more friends you invite to Dropbox, the more sp
ace you earn
–
If a friend invites you, they earn 500 MB of space
with the free service, 1TB of space
with the paid service, which is called Dropbox Pro
–
With the free service, you get up to 16GB of space
–
With the paid service, you get 1TB of space
-You can share folders to collaborate with friends
or provide public links to files or folders in
your dropbox so that non-users can access a file. M
ethods of sending shared files vary on
operating system.
The Mobile App
–
You can get it for free on the iTunes Store or Goog
le Play
–
You can open a file with the app, even play it on y
our phone
–
You cannot get more space if you install the app
–
If you want to get more space, you need to install
the desktop application
-Apps to Use in conjunction with Dropbox
VoiceDream reader, droptext, dropvox, access note,
VoiceDream writer, drafts, and many
other apps. A lot of commonly apps support dropbox.
Sometimes an app that exports to
dropbox will create its own folder within your drop
box and all files exported from that
application will be placed there by default.
-Notes about Dropbox Pro –
–
$119 a year, $12 a month, for 1TB of space
–
When you upgrade, the « yearly »
option is selected by default
–
More sharing control
–
You can restore files easily.
Updating Dropbox
This process varies on operating system.
–
The Dropbox Website is:
–
Excellent Help Centr
Reminder of the national teleconference call for GTT on Wednesday March 11 at 7 PM Eastern.
This is just a reminder of our national teleconference call on Wednesday March 11 at 7 PM eastern. 4 Pacific. The topic will be a continuation of various services to help us read and access books. In February, we discussed CELA and this month we will talk about NELS.
For notes on CELA, see earlier blog posts.
If you want to be part of this call, we still have spaces.
Call or email Kim at
1-877-304-0968
gttprogram@gmail.com
Kim will be sending out call in info to those registered on the day of the call.
Finding the blog posts of interest to you.
Finding the posts you are interested in
Posted by Kim Kilpatrick
GTT Coordinator
This blog is a very convenient place to list all of the things that are going on with GTT.
We are growing across the country and holding meetings in more places.
We are also starting to hold national conference calls on the 2nd Wednesday of each month.
Because of all of this great activity, you will probably see more varied posts on this blog.
Note, that in the title of each post, we will be clear about what the post is.
The city name or national conference call will be listed first.
Example: National GTT conference call on March 11 on…
Or Ottawa GTT meeting o January 23.
If we are putting up notes and articles of interest, the words notes, articles, reviews Etc will be first.
This way, even if you don’t live where you can attend a meeting, you can read the notes.
It will also be clearly indicated in the title what the article or topic for notes is.
Example,
Article on screen magnification
Or notes on the GTT Victoria meeting about direct to player downloads.
This way, even though you may get more emails from the blog as we get busier, you will easily be able to know what you would like to read and what you would like to delete.
Thank you for your support of this blog and GTT.
We have over 100 subscribers now and that number keeps growing.
Before the blog, I was having to send out mass emails which took a lot of time and people did not always receive them as they were considered spam.
Thank you again.
If you have ideas for conference calls, if you want to set up a small conference call to learn more about GTT or to get started, if you have articles of interest or topics you would like researched, please let us know.
Also, remember we are here for individual training support and assistence by phone, by email or even by facetime and other means.
If you live near us, we are also available in person of course.
Kim’s contact info is
613-567-0311
or 1-877-304-0968
gttprogram@gmail.com
I will let Albert share his contact information with you in another blog post.
Kim Kilpatrick
GTT Victoria Meeting Summary, February 4, 2015
*Note: The March, April, May and June meetings will be at a new location, 777 Fort Street between Douglas and Blanshard. See below for more details.
On February 4 The Victoria GTT group saw another great day in the Capital Regional District that had about 28 blind and partially sighted turn up to share their skills, passions and inquiries about assistive technology. Thank you to all who braved the elements to attend this meeting.
We started with self-introductions of all who attended, then rolled into a presentation by Wendy Cox about the Neil Squire Society Employ-Ability online program. Wendy is the local Victoria Coordinator/Facilitator for this program, so she gave the group a taste of what the program offers, who it serves and how accessibility is viewed where blind and partially sighted participants are concerned. You can learn more about the program by following the below link, or by contacting Wendy directly.
Wendy Cox – Career Facilitator
Neil Squire Society’s Employ-Ability Program
Victoria Disability Resource Centre
817-A Fort Street Victoria BC V8W 1H6
Phone: 250-595-0044 ext. 108
Email: employment@drcvictoria.com
http://www.neilsquire.ca/individual-programs-services/employ-ability/
As this meeting was taking place during White Cane Week we then embarked on a discussion of the many tools used for mobility as blind and partially sighted travelers. Danielle gave an overview and history of the white cane, along with some of her own experiences as she trialled Dog Guides and canes before settling on her current long white cane. The members shared some ideas, frustrations, benefits and the devices they employ.
Tom allowed us a glimpse into life with a Dog Guide as his chosen mobility tool, and although Abe would have loved to be handed around the crowd, Tom managed to keep him at his feet for the duration of the presentation. Following a brief coffee break Tom took us through a demonstration of the Blind Square app on his iPhone. This is a very user friendly talking GPS app that provides great navigation as the user travels through his/her community. It however doesn’t provide turn by turn instructions to pre-programmed addresses. Where Am I and Look Around features exist to help the traveler along the way, as well as street announcements and other helpful information.
Other talking GPS devices such as the Trekker Breeze were talked about from the perspective of the different features they all have. Check with a Mobility Specialist and/or other blind travelers if you have questions about the type of cane that will best serve your needs. Elizabeth Lalonde, the founding Executive Director of the Pacific Training Center for the Blind was there to also offer her knowledge and the Center’s support for those who need mobility services. Elizabeth can be contacted through a Contact Form on their web site:
http://pacifictrainingcentre.ca/
The break had us enjoying coffee and tea from Tim Horton’s following the first public performance of the newly formed Pawsitive Performers choir who sang three songs. One of which was the Terry Kelly classic, Power of the Dream. If anyone has an interest in joining the Pawsitive Performers please contact Linda Bartram at (250) 595-5888 or lbartram@telus.net.
A brief discussion was undertaken regarding formalizing a GTT Victoria Chapter of the Canadian Council of the Blind. More information will be provided during the next meeting about the CCB and the GTT Program. A Membership Form will be found attached to this announcement. If you wish to join the GTT Victoria Chapter please complete the form and bring it to the March 4th meeting. To learn more about the CCB check out our web site at:
http://www.ccbnational.net/Wuzzy/index.php
On February 5, 2015 four GTT members, Tom, Ken, Corry and Albert met with Devan in downtown Victoria to look at a potential new meeting site. It was checked over quite carefully and believed to be ideal for GTT, and a wonderful match in terms of relationship between the building’s owners and our program. The accessibility of the building seems to match our needs, and it boasts the highest internet speeds in Victoria. It’s called Fort Tectoria and is operated by VIATeC. Please follow the links below and thank them for their generosity each time you post on Facebook or Twitter. That’s all they’re asking us for at this point, and their Twitter and Facebook contacts can be found at the Link below.
Upon entering the building you will walk through a Coffee Shop with a very friendly staff. The counter will be on your right with a few small tables across the aisle on your left. Once you’ve purchased your favourite cup of java you will return to your original line of travel when entering the building, which will have you moving straight through that portion of the building to a set of double doors into a larger work lounge with many tables and chairs. We found this room to be quiet with several people working on laptops or talking in low tones. As you move through that room keeping a straight line you will encounter the door into the Shaw Conference Room where we will meet. The room will be laid out with one large conference table in the center with chairs all around it. Upon entering the room you will find the table stretching out to your left and right, with the head of the room to your left.
Washrooms are found to your right just before entering the Shaw Conference Room. There are three, with one of them equipped for wheelchairs. They are not gender specific.
VIATeC is the building’s owner, and the service/initiative is called, Fort Tectoria
777 Fort Street Victoria BC V8W 1G9
The building is about 4 doors west of Blanshard Street on the South side of Fort Street. If you favourite this location on your GPS iPhone app, Blind Square you will be notified very near its doors according to Tom.
Upcoming GTT Victoria meetings will be held at Fort Tectoria on these dates:
March 4, 2015 from 1:30 until 3:30 PM
April 1, 2015 from 1:30 until 3:30 PM
*May 4, 2015 from 1:30 until 3:30 PM *(Note this is a Monday)
June 3, 2015 from 1:30 until 3:30 PM
The Amazing Voicedream Writer app
Voicedream Writer Is An Amazing App
Posted By Kim Kilpatrick
GTT Coordinator
I have had many issues selecting and editing text on I devices. I know that there are ways to select and de-select text using pinch gestures. I have not yet been able to work these gestures successfully. I have written the post for this blog using the amazing new app, voicedream writer. I was able to quickly select blocks of text, move them, copy them, and put them where they needed to be. It was fast and amazing. I also spell checked the document easily. I have not played with formatting yet but this app is so great. I can export and import documents into it and work on them. voicedream reader and writer apps are about 10 dollars each but are so worth the price. I’m sure I will use this app more and more.
Voicedream writer app has been updated.
Voice Dream Writer updated allowing you to use the voicedream reader voices in the writer app.
Posted by Kim Kilpatrick
GTT Coordinator
The Voicedream writer app has been updated to allow you to use the fabulous voices provided in voicedream reader when you are editing and composing your new documents.
I have not yet spent a lot of time with this app but it seems quite incredible.
It also has low vision settings.
You can proofread documents naturally or in detail.
You can also format documents.
You can spell check and look up words.
You can export them into other formats and to dropbox.
Perhaps the notetaker app which will allow people who are blind or have partial vision to do this task easily on an I device.
Very handy.
I have also been using the app access note which was developed by the American Foundation for the blind.
It used to be a paid app but has gone free.
I really like some of its features as well.
It is nice to know that taking notes and writing documents is becoming easier on I devices.
Just a question, will people be more inclined to use only their I device say paired with braille display or bluetooth keyboard and not use lap tops or specialized notetaking devices?
I’m not sure what will happen but it will be interesting to find out.
KNFB reader app for IOS reduced from $99 to $49.
Posted by Kim Kilpatrick
GTT Coordinator
I just heard that the very popular and well designed KNFB reader app for IOS devices has been reduced from $99 to $49.
I did not hear for how long this is taking place but if you are thinking of getting it, everyone I have met who has tried it is very impressed with it.
I admit that I personally have not spent a great deal of time with it but it was very carefully designed and does seem to work well.
You can also import PDF documents into it directly.
I also find voicedream reader does a good job of reading PDF’s on I devices.
GTT Program blog and resources 