Step-By-Step Resource: How to Rip CDs in Windows 10

How to Rip CDs in Windows 10

Related Book

Windows 10 For Dummies

By Andy Rathbone.

In a process known as ripping, Windows Media Player in Windows 10 can copy your CDs to your PC as MP3 files, the industry standard for digital music.

But until you tell the player that you want MP3 files, it creates WMA files

– a format that won’t play on iPads, most smartphones, nor many other music players.

To make Windows Media Player create songs with the more versatile MP3 format instead of WMA, click the Organize button in the top-left corner, choose Options, and click the Rip Music tab. Choose

MP3 instead of WMA from the Format drop-down menu and nudge the audio quality over a tad from 128 to 256 or even 320 for better sound.

To copy CDs to your PC’s hard drive, follow these instructions:

Open Windows Media Player, insert a music CD, and click the Rip CD button.

You may need to push a button on the front or side of your computer’s disc drive to make the tray eject.

Windows Media Player connects to the Internet; identifies your CD; and fills in the album’s name, artist, and song titles. Then the program begins copying the CD’s songs to your PC and listing their titles in the Windows Media Player Library.

You’re through.

If Windows Media Player can’t find the songs’ titles automatically, however, move ahead to Step 2.

Right-click the first track and choose Find Album Info, if necessary.

If Windows Media Player comes up empty-handed, right-click the first track and choose Find Album Info.

If you’re connected to the Internet, type the album’s name into the Search box and then click Search. If the Search box finds your album, click its name, choose Next, and click Finish.

If you’re not connected to the Internet, or if the Search box comes up empty, right-click the first song, click Edit, and manually fill in the song title.

Repeat for the other titles, as well as the album, artist, genre, and year tags.

Here are some tips for ripping CDs to your computer:

Normally Windows Media Player copies every song on the CD. To leave Tiny Tim

off your ukulele music compilation, however, remove the check mark from Tiny Tim’s name. If Windows Media Player has already copied the song to your PC, feel free to delete it from within Windows Media Player. Click the Library button, right-click the song sung by the offending yodeler, and choose Delete.

Windows Media Player automatically places your ripped CDs into your Music folder. You can also find your newly ripped music there as well as in the Windows Media Player Library.

end of article.

GTT British Columbia: Promote Your GTT Groups on AMI Audio Monthly Through Amy Amantea

Hi GTT friends and colleagues. See below, and let me know if you have any questions.

Amy has been offered an exciting opportunity to present on AMI Audio Once a month to showcase upcoming events in British Columbia that are relevant to those living with sight loss and their networks. Please consider providing her with your May activities during the first week of April.

What, the name of your event and organization; When, the date; Where, the location address; What, Who, How, A quick summary; For more information about your event contact:

Person’s name;

phone number;

email;

website;

Please provide the info to Amy Amantea by April 7 at the end of the business day:

604-763-2695

amyamantea@hotmail.com

Hello friends and supporters of people with sight loss.

I’ve been offered an exciting opportunity to present on AMI audio Once a month to showcase upcoming events in British Columbia that are relevant to those of us living with sight loss and our networks.

As you can well imagine this is a great opportunity but a large research task.

Here is where I ask for all of your help. You are all well connected and a part of many organizations with their finger on the pulse of activity in our community.

> I want to know everything! Every social gathering that people can attend, AGM’s, workshops, fundraisers, raffles and 50-50 draws, sporting events, arts and culture… You name it.

> Don’t assume that I already know about your event or activity.

> During this first week of April I will be collecting data on activities and events happening in May 2017. But please, if you have calendars with other dates already secured please send me those in advance and I can archive them.

> There’s really only two qualifications… It must be relatable to British Columbia it must be relatable to people living with sight loss.

> So, let me know what you have going on in your respective community… No event is too small.

> If there’s an exciting triumph in accessibility related to people with the sight loss I may be able to work some of that into the piece as well.

> I will also be posting on Facebook but I have one request, please send me your event details via email. I must admit, I’m not a great Social media user but I think this new project might be A reason to stretch my boundaries.

> This opportunitythis opportunity can be great for securing new membership, ticket sales and so many other things.

> The details I would need: the name of your event, the date, the location and address A quick summary and a contact phone number/email/website.

> I am very excited to have been asked to participate in this way with AMI And I hope I can count on our community to help me source what’s going on.

> Remember, no idea it’s too small…

> Thank you in advance to you all. Please feel free to circulate my contact information

> I want to make sure we get representation from the corners of British Columbia that don’t often get focus, So please pitch in and let me know what’s happening in your area.

> You can reach me at anytime.

> Kindest regards, Amy

> 604-763-2695

> Sent from my iPhone

> Message has been dictated with the use of Apple dictation software. This message may not have been checked for dictation errors.

> Sent from my iPhone

> Message has been dictated with the use of Apple dictation software. This message may not have been checked for dictation errors.

GTT Calgary Summary Notes, iDevice Radio Apps, February 27, 2017

GTT Calgary

Summary Notes
Feb 27, 2017

We had 9 people in attendance.
Side notes:

There was mention of something called vocal eyes. According to what information we have, the service is available in the U.S. and Canada, and if you let them know you need sighted assistance at an event such as a movie, sports event, ETC. they will provide it.

*Note: Ted, VocalEye is located in Vancouver and more can be found here:
http://www.vocaleye.ca/

RADIO aps:

 The first ap covered is Tune-in radio. This ap has been a favorite for years. You can browse local stations, search stations for content, and find content from around the world. There is both a free and a paid version of this ap available.
 The next ap covered is Sero. This is the ap that use to be iBlink radio. Blain gave a brief demonstration of the Sero ap.
 Ventage radio is next. This is one of my favorites. CHERRYL briefly showed how the ap workthe. This ap will let you listen to or download old time radio shows.
 The next one covered is OOTUNES radio. This also features an alarm clock, sleep timer, recording functions, including recording scheduling. This is the same service that brings you your radio service on your victor streme. Cherryl briefly showed the layout and some of the features of the ap.
 The last ap covered today was iHeart radio. This ap is a resource for George Naurie who we are fans of. This ap had lots of unlabled buttons but could be delt with if you are willing to work with it, you can find results. You can also search for stations or content by name.
 We also informed people about VIA which is an iphone ap that lists aps for blind and low vision people. This ap lists hundreds of aps to choose from for their iPhones.

Next Meeting Topics:
for the next meeting: Downloading, copying and pasting on the iPhone.
The question of a new day for GTT:
New time and day March 22 at 1:00 P.M. until 3:00 P.M.

Thank you all for your attention
Ted Phillips
GTT Coordinator
CCB Calgary Club

GTT Victoria Summary Notes, How Do You Access The News, March 1, 2017

Get together with Technology (GTT) Victoria

A Chapter of the Canadian Council of the Blind

Summary Notes
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
GVPL Main branch, Community Meeting Room

The meeting was called to order at 1:05 pm by chair Albert Ruel

Attendance: Kara, Bruce, Doug, Trever, Karen, Sky, Debra, Brent, Marion, Godwin, Barb S, Joan, Tom, Barbra A, Albert, Corry.

First Hour:
Albert welcomed everyone to the meeting, Nice to see three new faces out this meeting, a special welcome Debra, Goodwin and Barb S.

The meeting started with some discussion about an app that had been seen on the BBC news service similar to the BeMyEyes app. Various apps were discussed and the pros and cons of such apps. The liability involved in having someone identify potentially dangerous situations (like street crossing signals) was discussed. Albert mentioned that Kim had spoken about a new color detector app, being developed at Carlton, that might be available soon.

From there the discussion turned to some description about products that were available for loan from the library. Karen informed the group that tablets were available and that a 30 minute training session was also available to be booked. More training could be booked if the initial session did not suffice. Meeting participants had questions about what was on the tablets and the process involved in reading books on the loaned equipment.

Internet and email security were discussed and the importance of remembering your pass codes and access codes was communicated to all. Often, on sites like FaceBook and even on iDevices, access can not be obtained without this valuable information. Make a point of remembering your codes, Super important. There are smart phone and computer apps and programs available to help you remember like Password Vault and SplashID.

repurposing equipment was discussed. Bruce mentioned that iPhones were often available at Government Surplus. Deb expressed in interest in obtaining a used tablet and or phone. Albert will look into the matter. it was also noted that a original Victor Stream was required and requested by Barb A and Bruce was interested in a repurposed phone. Regarding the latter, Albert mentioned that the Lions of Victoria have a program that helps put an iPhone into the hands of blind and vision impaired users, More information at the Pacific Training Centre for the Blind.

Quick notes, SSD’s were discussed, is there a need to defrag, Sky will test…CELA is testing a new direct to player app, more details to come…CD with MP3 files are still available from the library…KNFB app, still one of the best, but also pricy, the app and what it does was discussed……The bookShare program was discussed.

remember the email address for this group is GTT.Victoria@Gmail.com

Second Hour:
After a break the main meeting topic was discussed, that being NEWS. Where do you get your news, and how has the process evolved over the years based on technology advancements. Facebook and Twitter and other social media outlets were identified as sources, with the cautionary note that all news is not true. Fake news and the attention it has garnered recently was talked about, and how you can best judge it accuracy. The library of congress and the inability of Canadians to access this extensive resource was discussed. Albert mentioned the Newspapers that were available via CELA. How to source news via a web search was discussed.

Before closing the question of when we should hold meeting was raised. Should we attempt an evening meeting? Should we meet more or less then once a month? The consensus was to continue to meet once a month in the daytime.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:50

Next meeting Wednesday April 5, 2017

Meeting notes submitted by Corry Stuive

Canada Revenue Agency Post: Why claim medical expenses

Your association or organization has been identified as a key stakeholder of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). We hope you will share the following information with your membership.

English version ***La version française suit***

The below text can be found at the CRA Web Site:

Did you have medical expenses? You may be able to claim them on your income tax and benefit return

Why claim medical expenses

You can reduce the amount of federal tax you pay by claiming a non-refundable tax credit on a wide variety of medical expenses, including hospital services, nursing home fees, and medical supplies.

You may be able to claim medical expenses for yourself, your spouse or common-law partner, your dependent children (under 18 years of age), and other dependants.

Conditions for claiming medical expenses

To claim medical expenses, the expenses must:
* be eligible
* have been paid by you or your spouse or common-law partner
* have been paid within a 12-month period ending in 2016 and not claimed for 2015

Before filing your return, make sure you are claiming eligible medical expenses. If you claim expenses that are not eligible (for example, athletic or fitness-club fees or over-the-counter medications), the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) may reassess your return accordingly.

Claiming travel expenses

Did you travel at least 40 kilometres (one way) from your home to get medical services? If so, you may be able to claim the public transportation (for example, taxi, bus, or train) expenses you paid. Where public transportation is not readily available, you may be able to claim vehicle expenses instead.

Did you travel at least 80 kilometres (one way) from your home to get medical services? If so, you may be able to claim accommodation, meal, and parking expenses in addition to your transportation expenses.

Did someone accompany you? If so, you may be able to claim that person’s transportation and travel expenses. To make that claim, a medical practitioner must certify in writing that you were not capable of travelling alone to get medical services.

Refundable medical expense supplement
If you have a low income and high medical expenses, you may be able to claim a refundable credit of up to $1,187.

Visit the CRA’s website for more information on eligible medical expenses you can claim on your return or watch Segment 3: Medical Expenses in the CRA’s video series on Tax Measures for Persons with Disabilities.
Stay connected
To receive updates on what is new at the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), you can:

· Follow the CRA on Twitter – @CanRevAgency.
· Follow the CRA on LinkedIn.
· Subscribe to a CRA electronic mailing list.
· Add our RSS feeds to your feed reader.
· Watch our tax-related videos on YouTube.

Votre association ou organisation a été désignée comme intervenant clé de l’Agence du revenu du Canada (ARC). Nous espérons que vous partagerez les renseignements suivants avec vos membres.
Version française ***The English version precedes***
Avez-vous engagé des frais médicaux? Vous pourriez être admissible à demander leur remboursement dans votre déclaration de revenus et de prestations.

Pourquoi demander des frais médicaux

Vous pouvez réduire le montant de votre impôt fédéral en demandant un crédit d’impôt non remboursable pour une vaste gamme de frais médicaux, dont des services hospitaliers, des soins à domicile et des fournitures médicales.

Vous pourriez demander des frais médicaux pour vous ou votre époux ou conjoint de fait, vos enfants à charge (enfants de moins de 18 ans) ou toute autre personne à charge.

Les conditions pour demander des frais médicaux

Les frais médicaux que vous pouvez demander doivent :
* être admissibles;
* avoir été payés par vous ou votre époux ou conjoint de fait;
* doivent avoir été payées dans une période de 12 mois se terminant en 2016 et aucun remboursement ne doit avoir été demandé pour celles-ci en 2015.

Avant de produire votre déclaration, assurez-vous de demander des frais médicaux admissibles. Si vous demandez des frais non admissibles (par exemple, des frais d’adhésion à un club d’athlétisme ou à un centre de conditionnement physique ou l’achat de médicaments en vente libre), l’Agence du revenu du Canada pourrait établir une nouvelle cotisation de votre déclaration en conséquence.

Réclamer des frais de déplacement

Vous êtes-vous déplacé à au moins 40 kilomètres (en une direction) de votre domicile pour obtenir des services médicaux? Si oui, il se peut que vous soyez admissible à demander le remboursement des frais de transport en commun (par exemple, taxi, autobus et train) que vous avez payés. Lorsque le transport en commun n’est pas facilement accessible, vous pourriez plutôt demander les frais d’utilisation d’un véhicule.

Vous êtes-vous déplacé à au moins 80 kilomètres (en une direction) de votre domicile pour obtenir des services médicaux? Si oui, il se peut que vous soyez en mesure de demander le remboursement des frais d’hébergement, de repas et de stationnement, en plus de vos frais de transport.

Est-ce que quelqu’un vous a accompagné? Si oui, il se peut que vous soyez en mesure de demander le remboursement des frais de transport et de déplacement de cette personne. Pour présenter cette demande, un médecin praticien doit attester par écrit que vous étiez incapable de vous déplacer seul pour obtenir des services médicaux.

Supplément remboursable pour frais médicaux
Si vous êtes un travailleur à faible revenu qui a des frais médicaux élevés, il se peut que vous soyez en mesure de demander un crédit remboursable maximal de 1 187 $.

Pour plus de renseignements sur les frais médicaux admissibles que vous pouvez demander dans votre déclaration, consultez le site Web de l’ARC ou visionnez le Segment 3 : Frais médicaux dans la série de vidéos de l’ARC sur les mesures fiscales pour les personnes handicapées.
Restez branché
Pour recevoir des mises à jour sur ce qu’il y a de nouveau à l’Agence du revenu du Canada (ARC), vous pouvez :

* Suivre l’ARC sur Twitter – @AgenceRevCan.
* Suivre l’ARC sur LinkedIn.
* Vous abonner à une liste d’envoi électronique de l’ARC.
* Ajouter nos fils RSS à votre lecteur de nouvelles.
· Regarder nos vidéos sur l’impôt sur YouTube.

GTT Edmonton Summary Notes, CSUN Report, Educational Materials, and Training, March 13, 2017

Summary Notes
GTT Edmonton Meeting March 13, 2017

The most recent meeting of the Get Together with Technology (GTT) Edmonton Chapter was held March 13 at 7pm at Ascension Lutheran Church 8405 83 Street in Edmonton.
12 people attended.

March Topics – CSUN Report, Educational Materials, and Training
California State University at Northridge (CSUN) Conference Report
A new GTT member Stu Starkey returned from last week’s CSUN Assistive Technology conference in San Diego California and gave us a rundown on some of the hot products and new technologies he had a chance to see.
OrCam
OrCam Technologies presents the world’s most advanced wearable assistive technology device for people who are blind, visually impaired, or have a reading or other disabilities. OrCam MyEye instantly and discreetly communicates visual information by utilizing a small, intuitive smart camera mounted on the wearer’s eyeglass frame. The breakthrough artificial vision device reads any printed text – from any surface – recognizes faces and identifies products
and money notes. OrCam gives independence.
Website: http://www.orcam.comm

Aira – Visual Interpreter for the Blind
Aira offers an innovative, on-demand service designed to help blind and low-vision users gain mobility and independence via live streaming and wearable technologies. It provides personalized assistance from orientation and mobility experts who can be trained Aira Agents, family members, or friends. Our experts, backed by state-of-the art technology, serve as visual interpreters and navigators for our users, helping them accomplish a wide range of daily tasks and activities.
Website: https:// aira.io/

Second Sight Medical Products
Second Sight Medical Products is the developer and manufacturer of the Argus II® Retinal Prosthesis System – the first and only approved long-term therapy for people living with advanced Retinitis Pigmentosa in the U.S. Argus II is designed to restore some level of vision to people who are profoundly blind and provide them with increases in orientation and mobility skills and is intended to increase their independence and quality of life by restoring their
ability to see objects and motion.
website: http://www.secondsight.com
Video describing one person’s experience with the Argus II https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhYe6REdljw

Orion I
For those who are not suitable candidates for the Argus II, Second Sight has developed a new product called the Orion I. it is described as a wireless Visual Cortical Prosthesis. instead of implanting electrodes on the Retina, this bypasses the optic nerve and directly stimulates the brain’s visual cortex. Here is their press release from their recent successful proof of concept clinical trial:
http://investors.secondsight.com/releasedetail.cfm?releaseid=995211

More About CSUN 2017
most of the above descriptions are taken from the CSUN website, you can find much more information about these, as well as all the products and sessions at their website:
https://www.csun.edu/cod/conference/2017/rebooking/index.php/public/exhibitors/index/page:3

Educational Materials for our Chapter
We thank the Edmonton Blind Curling Club who have generously provided us a grant for training purposes. We used some of the grant to purchase a total of 29 audio tutorials and e-textbooks. These materials have been distributed via download links. The 6 most popular choices were:
• 4 x Mystic Access audio tutorial for Google Suite of products
• 4 x NV Access Basic audio tutorial for NVDA
• 3 x Mystic Access audio tutorial for Victor Reader Stream
• 3 x Access Technology Institute Word 2016 with JAWS textbook
• 3 x Access Technology Institute Excel 2016 with JAWS textbook
• 3 x National Braille Press Getting Started with the iPhone and iOS 10 text book

One-On-One Training
• The donation from the Edmonton Blind Curling Club also allowed us to provide another training session at the Norquest computer lab on March 2. Two people had basic training on Zoomtext and 3 others on JAWS. We are delighted that the 3 JAWS trainees were junior high students!
• At the March 13 meeting, we also provided basic Victor Reader Stream training to two people.

Next Meeting (Monday April 10 at 7pm)
• As usual, we will provide one-on-one training especially iPhone and DAISY players. If you have other training requests email your interests to us so we can try to accommodate you.
• As always, for help with technology bring your devices and/or questions to the meeting.

Meeting Location and Logistics
• Ascension Lutheran Church 8405 – 83 Street NW, Edmonton.
• We meet in the basement hall. There is elevator access.
• Enter the church from the back door. There is parking at the back and drop off space for taxis, DATS.
• Meetings are every second Monday of the month at 7pm.
• If you have someone helping you your assistant is welcome to remain for the meeting.

GTT Edmonton 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 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 in Ottawa, Toronto, Kingston, Northern Ontario, Pembroke, Halifax, Sydney, Regina, Edmonton, Grande Prairie, Victoria, Nanaimo, Vancouver, and more to come.
• There is also 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.wordpress.com/
There is a form at the bottom of that web page to enter your email.
[End of Document]

GTT New Westminster and Vancouver Summary Notes, Making TV Accessible, February 15 and March 4, 2017

Get Together with Technology (GTT)
New Westminster and Vancouver Meetings

Sponsored by the Canadian Council of the Blind in partnership with Blind Beginnings

Summary Notes
Feb. 15 and March 4, 2017

Making TV Accessible

Feb 15 in New Westminster:
Present: Albert, Matthew, Ryan, Fay, Carol, John, Bill, Karim, Pat.
March 4 in Vancouver:
Present: Sean H, Ryan, Monty, Rita, Betty, Maria, John

Starting out with TV in general:
• Antenna or cable was the traditional way, but now you can access TV over digital, the internet, or satellite.
• IP TV is internet protocol television.
• Something like YouTube or Netflics uses an application to stream video from the internet.
• IP TV is similar in that it uses an app to access a server that broadcasts traditional live TV channels (CTV, CBC, Global, etc.).
• You need to subscribe to the service, and get some hardware like ChromeCast, Apple TV or the xBox.

How accessible is it:

• AE-BC internet corp is the only one Monty knows of, in terms of IP TV provider
• The are an internet service provider.
• They buy their bandwidth in bulk from bigger companies, so you are using the same infrastructure, but when you phone up customer service, you are talking to AE-BC.
• Internet plans are potentially cheaper, unlimited downloads as well.
• So you need the internet to have IP TV service.

So how do we watch it:

• They can sell you an Android cypher bar, which is a small Android box that plugs into the wall, and into your tv through HDMI, and it has USB inputs and a couple different audio outputs.
• It is about six inches by two inches, almost the size of a small braille display.
• Last year that box was the main option, it cost 200 dollars, and you had to buy it.
• Monty found that he could use talkback, the android accessible screen reader that is built in to the box.
• It did not work one hundred percent, but it was a partially talking set top box.
• The iPhone app was not 100 percent accessible either, but Monty was able to move up and down the navigation menu and choose the channel he was looking for, and he was able to toggle descriptive video on and off (however, the descriptive video was not working on shows he knew it was available on), so that was one drawback. He was also not able to get descriptive video on the iOS app.
• So you get the basic 40 local channels for free, and they allow you to bundle extra channels just like shaw and Telus.
• So that concludes the description of live TV over the internet.
• Participants gave information on Shaw Free Range TV, which is a similar internet TV service that is offered to shaw customers.

Moving on to Apple TV:

• It is a box you hook up to your TV with Voiceover – you can use Netflicks, Show Me, Crave TV, – has its own App store.
• Apple TV can only get info from the Internet – not from your regular cable TV. All cable TV menus are still not accessible.
• There is a device you can use to connect the Apple TV to your stereo to allow you to access the audio of the Apple TV programming.
• Google also makes the ChromeCast – is cheaper and everything is done through your smart phone.
• Shaw cable is starting to offer the ChromeCasts service in the Vancouver and Calgary areas, and are planning to go nationwide with it soon.
• Siri is available on the new Apple TV as well.
• You can ask Siri to go find a movie on NetFlics or iTunes or a song on YouTube.
• You can set triple click to turn off and on Voiceover on the Apple TV.
• You can turn on audio description so that any program you play that has audio-description will play automatically.
• You can use a Bluetooth keyboard instead of the apple TV remote.
• Price ranges from $150 – $250 depending on the amount of storage you want, 32, 64 or 128 GB.

Microsoft Xbox:

• Xbox also allows you to use Narrator to access Netflicks etc.

Tutorial Podcasts:

• Podcast providers like CoolBlindTech.com and David Woodbridge offer many opportunities to learn about the many apps and devices available.

Tell Me More TV:

• Another subscription service that is currently available is Tell Me More – everything is in described TV – like AMI for $7 per month – watch on Internet. They are working on an app
• Use the PromoCode Tellmemore17 and you’ll get $25 percent off

Topic for the next New Westminster meeting, March 15 will be GPS:

• We will play a podcast on Nearby Explorer.

The topic for April Vancouver and New Westminster meetings:

• Dropbox will be the focus, both a lecture component and then a hands on signing up for and installing Dropbox component. Bring your laptop computer or smart phone so you can receive the support you need.

Guest Post: VocalEye Newsletter, Spring 2017, Specializing in Audio Description of Live Performances in Vancouver and Victoria

** VOCALEYE NEWS – SPRING 2017
————————————————————
IN THIS ISSUE:
1) SPRING LOADED!
2) Described Performances in March and April:
3) Bittergirl at the Surrey Arts Centre
4) Angels in America at the Arts Club Stanley
5) Mom’s the Word 3 at the Arts Club Granville Island
6) Community:
7) Audio Subtitles
8) Coming Up:
Plex Talk Raffle
Alice Munro Stories at the Belfry
Comedy on Wheels for Realwheels
9) Support
10) Reminders

** 1) SPRING LOADED!
————————————————————
[This month’s opening image is a photo of a yawning bunny rabbit.]

This spring’s schedule is so loaded that I’m doubling up this issue! I’ve been invited to lead a describer training at the new Tangled Art Gallery in Toronto at the end of March. Tangled is the first art gallery in Canada dedicated to showcasing the work of artists with disabilities. I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to work with them to make their gallery more accessible to visitors with vision loss. (http://tangledarts.org)

I will get back in time to meet a grant deadline at the beginning of April… This tight squeeze means I won’t be able to send you an April newsletter, so I’m loading you with all the info I have on our upcoming shows. Please visit the VocalEye website for updates and support materials and keep in touch through Facebook and Twitter.

March will be a bit quiet for described performances, with Bittergirl at the Surrey Arts Centre and the launch of our “audio subtitle” project this weekend. If you’re craving even more comedy and drama this month, check out PlayMe, an innovative audio podcast that celebrates the work of Canadian playwrights and performers. (http://www.playmepodcast.com/listen-to-playme/)

If you’re looking for more podcasts, check out Aroga’s ATBanter and their most recent interview with Master Chef, Christine Ha. (https://soundcloud.com/user-639785526/at-banter-podcast-episode-39-christine-ha)

Or try A History of the World in 100 Objects, a look at human history through 100 objects from the British Museum. (https://soundcloud.com/a-history-of-the-world)

In case you missed it, this AMI video highlights VocalEye’s partnership with the Push Festival, Ingrid’s description and our first pre-show Touch Tour of Concord Floral last month. Big thanks to Erin Brubacher, Anika Vervecken, Grant Hardy and everyone who attended the show! (http://bit.ly/2lhRjQ4)

Rick Waines is busy describing his second season at the Belfry in Victoria and he sent us some lovely photos from the Touch Tour of last month’s show, Gracie. Our thanks to everyone who attended and to Jenn Swan and Erin Macklem for sharing some of the production’s backstage secrets!

In April, Rick returns to Vancouver to describe two performances of the award-winning Angels in America, Part 1 at the Arts Club Stanley. The Arts Club will produce Part 2 next season, so don’t miss it!

PAWS Trivia night is always so much fun and it turned out to be my lucky day as I won the coveted 50/50 draw for the second year in a row! More fuel for VocalEye! I want to thank our awesome Faux Paws team: Jeff and Meagan, Eileen Barrett, Rick Lin, Brian Nicol, Teri Snelgrove and Anika Vervecken for your impressive smarty pants. Big thanks to Wendy, Rosamund and Moose’s Down Under for hosting another great evening that supports PAWS for Independence! (http://pawsforindependence.ca)

I’ve received a number of inquiries about describing shows at the Queen Elizabeth and these take the most time to negotiate. Once again, I encourage you to let the producers know you’re interested in having shows described.
I’ve also been talking to several dance companies about describing dance. This would involve some special training and workshops with describers, choreographers, dancers and members of the blind community. Our resources are limited and we want to make the best use of them. Please let me know if you would be interested in having dance described, what kind of dance interests you and if you would like to participate in a development workshop (you can reply to this newsletter). If there is enough interest, we will pursue some funding for this project.

Time to get hopping!

Wishing you a happy spring with loads of chocolate bunny eggs!

Steph

** 2) DESCRIBED PERFORMANCES IN MARCH/APRIL…
————————————————————

** 3) BITTERGIRL, THE MUSICAL
————————————————————
BITTERGIRL, a new musical featuring the best breaking up and making up songs of the 60’s (on tour). Described on Saturday March 4, 2017 at 4 pm at the Surrey Arts Centre, 13750 88 Avenue, Surrey. Tickets are $25 for VocalEye users, while they last. Please call the Box Office to purchase at 604-501-5566.
(http://www.vocaleye.ca/shows/bittergirl/)

** 4) ANGELS IN AMERICA, PART 1
————————————————————
ANGELS IN AMERICA, PART ONE: MILLENIUM APPROACHES, an award-winning modern epic that tackles life, death, love, sex, heaven, hell, AIDS, Reaganism and redemption in 1980’s New York. Described on Sunday April 16, 2017 at 2 pm and on Wednesday April 19, 2017 at 7:30 pm at the Arts Club Stanley, 2750 Granville Street. Tickets are $29 for VocalEye users, while they last. Please call 604-687-1644 to purchase.
(http://www.vocaleye.ca/shows/angels-america-part-one-millenium-approaches/)

** 5) MOM’S THE WORD 3: NEST HALF EMPTY
————————————————————
MOM’S THE WORD 3: NEST HALF EMPTY, a touching and hilarious new chapter in the lives of Vancouver’s favourite Moms. Described on Tuesday April 25, 2017 at 7:30 pm at the Arts Club Granville Island, 1585 Johnston Street. Tickets are $29 for VocalEye users, while they last. Please call 604-687-1644 to purchase. This performance will be followed by a Talk Back with the cast.
(http://www.vocaleye.ca/shows/moms-word-3/)

** THEATRE BUDDIES
————————————————————
Theatre Buddies are available to guide VocalEye Members 18 years of age and over from a designated meet up location to and from selected theatres in the lower mainland. Reserve your Theatre Buddy by calling 604-364-5949 or send us an email (mailto:buddies@vocaleye.ca?subject=Theatre%20Buddy%20reservation) (48 hours notice is required). In Victoria, please contact Linda Bartram at 250-595-5888.

** 6) COMMUNITY…
————————————————————

** 7) AUDIO SUBTITLES
————————————————————
Audio subtitling is a new program VocalEye is offering in partnership with the Kids Culture Film Series and Reel2Real International Film Festival for Youth to make foreign language films with English subtitles more accessible to young children and to others who have difficulty reading print materials. The English subtitles will be read aloud and transmitted through VocalEye equipment. Headsets are limited. Please reserve when booking your tickets.

ANINA is an animated film from Uruguay suitable for children age 5 and up. This film is in Spanish with English subtitles and will be screened on Sunday, March 5 at 1 pm at The Rio, 1660 East Broadway at Commercial Drive. Advisory: some scenes of child nightmares. Kids $7 and Adults $10 in advance or $8 and $12 at the door. (http://kidscultureanina.brownpapertickets.com)

Anina Yatay Salas is a ten-year-old whose name spells trouble: those three palindromes in a row are an ongoing source of teasing at school. When a playground fight results in mysterious punishment, Anina will learn to put her problems in perspective and empathize with others in this sweet little daydream of a tale.

HEIDI is a Swiss-German film with English subtitles suitable for children age 9 and up. Screening on Saturday, April 8 at 2 pm at the Vancity Theatre, 1181 Seymour Street, Vancouver. Tickets are Kids $7 and Adults $10. (http://www.2017.r2rfestival.org/content/heidi)

Heidi is one of the most beloved and best-selling books ever written. Director Alain Gsponer’s fresh take on this classic tale conjures everything that is magical about the precocious orphan girl who is sent to live with her mysterious grandfather (Bruno Ganz, Downfall) in the Swiss Alps. When Heidi is whisked away by her aunt to a posh house in the city, her worldview expands rapidly. A term of Heidi’s lodging and education is that she is expected to provide companionship to Clara, the lonely, wheelchair-bound daughter of this well-to-do family. This is hardly a chore since goofing around with her new friend is decidedly fun, and Heidi is up for adventure. Ultimately, she finds herself caught between her friendship with Clara, and longing for the freedom of mountain life. Heidi is an epic tale of friendship, family, and following your instincts.

** 8) COMING UP…
————————————————————

We’ll launch our third raffle of a Plex Talk Mini, generously donated by Aroga Technologies, on May 1! (http://aroga.com)

ALICE MUNRO STORIES, the sublime words and blessed humanity of Canada’s celebrated author come to life.. Described on Sunday May 7, 2017 at 2 pm at the Belfry Theatre, 1291 Gladstone Avenue in Victoria. Tickets are $24.68 for VocalEye users plus a 25% discount for a companion, while they last. Please call 250-385-6815 to purchase. This performance will be followed by a Touch Tour.
(http://www.vocaleye.ca/shows/alice-munro-stories/)

VocalEye will also describe COMEDY ON WHEELS for Realwheels on May 18, 19 and 20.
(http://realwheels.ca/wheel-voices/comedy-on-wheels/)

In June, we’ll offer training workshops in sighted guiding, Fingerworks for Fireworks and introductory description. Filmmaker Sarah Race will begin shooting her documentary short about our fireworks project this summer as well. Dates and details still to be confirmed.

In July, we’ll be back at Bard on the Beach for two shows in the main stage tent with Touch Tours. Plus summer musicals at the Arts Club, Theatre Under the Stars, the Vancouver Pride Parade and more!

** 9) SUPPORT…
————————————————————
VocalEye will describe more than 40 performances and events this season for people who are blind and partially sighted, thanks to the generous contributions of our funders and supporters (http://www.vocaleye.ca/support-us/sponsors/)

We gratefully acknowledge the Canada Council for the Arts, the BC Arts Council, the Province of British Columbia, the City of Vancouver, Metro Vancouver, our Community Donors and Individual Donors for their critical financial and in-kind support. VocalEye is currently in the process of becoming a registered charity and will not be able to issue tax receipts for donations until our application is approved. In the meantime, donations are greatly appreciated from anyone not requiring a tax receipt.

We thank you for helping us provide people with vision loss greater access to arts and culture.

GIVE NOW
(https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=W6ZXMTEJ9MSGC)

** 10) REMINDERS…
————————————————————
* VocalEye’s complete season of described performances can be found on our website (http://vocaleye.ca/shows/) .
* Tickets and headsets must be reserved by calling the theatre, unless instructed otherwise.
* Be sure to mention VocalEye when booking your tickets to receive any discounts offered and indicate whether you have partial vision, a guide dog or other seating preferences. Seating options may be limited.
* Arrive early to pick up your equipment so you can be seated in time for a sound check and to listen to our pre-show introduction that includes brief descriptions of the set, characters and costumes. These begin 10 minutes before curtain.
* Our handheld receivers come with a single earpiece that can be worn on the left or right ear, or you can use your own earbuds or headphones. The audio signal is mono, so it will come through on only one side.
* VocalEye Memberships are FREE for people with vision loss.
* VocalEye Members are eligible for Theatre Buddy assistance, ticket discounts and equipment pickup without a deposit.
* VocalEye newsletters are available in your choice of formats: Plain Text or HTML with images. Both include a link at the top to a simple Word Doc format.
* VocalEye respects your right to privacy. We will not rent, sell or trade our list. Our mailings are intended to inform you of our events, programs, services and fundraising activities. You may unsubscribe at any time.
* You can help us spread the word about described performances and arts access for people with vision loss by sharing this newsletter with those in your network.

Thank you for reading through. See you at the theatre!

https://www.facebook.com/vocaleye/

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Guest Post: Wal-Mart pharmacies in BC now offering accessible prescription medication information, Re-posted for Access for Sight-Impaired Consumers (ASIC)

The Canadian Council of the Blind, GTT is re-posting this information on behalf of Access for Sight-Impaired Consumers (ASIC). If you have any questions or comments please direct them to Rob Sleath at, info@asicbc.ca.

Wal-Mart pharmacies in BC now offering accessible prescription medication information

In addition to the eight pharmacy chains (listed below) which currently offer accessible prescription medication information (APMI), Wal-Mart Canada is now offering this service at no charge to its pharmacy customers in British Columbia effective February 2017. Wal-Mart pharmacies in BC join a growing number of pharmacy chains offering APMI at no additional cost to the consumer. These pharmacies include:

* Bulkley Valley Wholesale
* Coopers Foods
* London Drugs
* Overwaitea Foods
* Peoples Drug Mart
* PriceSmart Foods
* Save-On Foods
* Urban Fare

These pharmacies provide prescription information through an audio label affixed to the prescription bottle. Accessing the audio information is as simple as placing the prescription bottle atop a ScripTalk Reader and pressing a single button. The Reader will then announce the critical prescription information that your pharmacist has encoded into an RFID label, which will include:

• Patient’s name
• Name and strength of medication
• Dosage instructions
• Prescribing doctor’s name
• Refills remaining
• Dispensing date
• Prescription number
• Dispensing pharmacy name and telephone number
• Potential side effects and warnings

Readers can be acquired by contacting En-Vision America directly at 800-890-1180. They will ship one directly to your home at no cost provided you have a prescription pending and/or an established patient profile at one of the participating pharmacies listed above.

Access for Sight-Impaired Consumers is pleased that British Columbians who are blind or sight-impaired have several different choices when it comes to fulfilling their prescription needs with APMI. We intend to maintain close relationships with senior management from each of these participating pharmacy chains in order to work on further expanding these choices. We would appreciate receiving feedback regarding your experience with any of the pharmacies who provide APMI so that we can assist in ensuring consumers receive efficient and effective service.

Helpful Tips Regarding APMI Service
We offer the following tips for those interested in acquiring the APMI service:

1. For those who already obtain prescriptions from any participating pharmacy and wish to have all future prescriptions dispensed with APMI, contact En-Vision America today at 800 890-1180 and request they send you a ScripTalk Reader.
Delivery time takes approximately seven business days so requesting the Reader today will ensure you have the device when you next fill your prescription.
2. Ask your pharmacist to update your “Patient Profile” to indicate an encoded RFID label is required on all future prescriptions. This should eliminate the need for you to ask for it each time you present a new prescription or request a refill of an existing prescription.
3. Wherever possible, and before you conclude your appointment, ask your prescribing doctor to fax your new prescription to your pharmacy. Many pharmacies offering APMI require up to 48 hours turnaround time to dispense medications with APMI. Having your prescribing doctor fax the prescription in advance will save you a second trip to the pharmacy. And, when you pick up your medication, ask the pharmacist what turnaround time is required to encode the label as some pharmacy outlets are equipped to produce APMI labels in-store.
4. Also ask your prescribing doctor to add “requires accessible audio label” to your prescriptions. This will serve as a backup to ensure the pharmacist does not overlook this important requirement.

What You can Expect from Wal-Mart Pharmacies Wal-Mart Canada has committed to providing APMI service, with the following features, through its BC pharmacy outlets:

1. The prescription medication information to be contained in the auditory label is currently the default information programmed within the ScripTalk technology. This includes: patient name, name and strength of the medication, dosage, quantity, prescription date, use by date, refills remaining (if any), prescriber, name/telephone number of dispensing pharmacy, prescription number and warnings.
2. Patients or their personal representatives (with appropriate consent) may request ScripTalk encoded prescriptions in person at a Wal-Mart pharmacy or, in the case of an authorized prescriptions refill, by telephone call to a Wal-Mart pharmacy.
3. Physicians or other legally authorized health care professionals may request ScripTalk encoded prescriptions by telephone, electronically or by other authorized method when submitting a prescription to a Wal-Mart pharmacy.
4. If a ScripTalk encoded prescription request is submitted to a Wal-Mart BC pharmacy, Wal-Mart will make every effort to have the ScripTalk encoded prescription ready for patient pick-up within 48 hours from the time the ScripTalk encoded prescription request was submitted.
Wal-Mart will contact the patient to confirm that the ScripTalk encoded prescription is available for pick-up.
5. At the professional discretion of the Wal-Mart pharmacist, a 48- to 72-hour interim supply of the prescription medication will be dispensed to the patient and, if requested, the Wal-Mart pharmacy will take reasonable steps to mark the prescription container for easier identification by the patient. If the Wal-Mart pharmacist exercises his/her professional discretion against providing an interim supply, the patient will be entitled to choose either to fill the entire prescription at that time in the regular manner or to have the entire prescription filled as a ScripTalk prescription.
6. If a patient wishes to have a ScripTalk prescription delivered to his/her home, delivery will be free of charge for those Wal-Mart BC pharmacies that provide delivery service (currently, Penticton, Burnaby, New Westminster, Surrey West, Langley) and for the remaining Wal-Mart BC pharmacies if the patient lives within 10 km of the pharmacy. Otherwise, delivery charges will be borne by the patient. The provision of free delivery service for the remaining Wal-Mart BC pharmacies within 10 km of the patient’s home does not apply to prescription refills.

One of the many goals for Access for
Sight-Impaired Consumers is to expand sources where British Columbians who are blind or sight-impaired can acquire accessible prescription medication information. APMI enables those affected by significant sight loss to independently manage their medical prescriptions safely, confidently and independently. Please take a moment and share your APMI experience with us by emailing info@asicbc.ca so that we can work to further improve the service offered by participating pharmacies.

Resource Article: Dictation Commands for Mac OS X & iOS

Dictation Commands for Mac OS X & iOS

Find the text of Dictation Commands for Mac OS X & iOS here:

Additional resources titled, 60+ dictation commands available on your iPhone or iPad by Matt Hopkins:

And finally, follow this additional link to a YouTube video titled, Dictation on the iPad with VoiceOver:

Dictation is a feature of iOS and Mac OS X that lets you speak as you normally would, transforming your speech magically into text. It’s impressively accurate, letting you easily crank out notes, emails, diary entries, or just about anything else with it just by talking. To really get the most out of Dictation though you will want to learn a few extra commands, they will help with things like punctuation, creating paragraphs, jumping to new lines, and setting capitalization.

These commands will work in both OS X and iOS, so long as the Mac, iPad, or iPhone supports Dictation and has the featured turned on (here’s how to enable it in OS X and how to enable it for iOS, though it’s almost always turned on by default in the latest versions of both.)

List of Dictation Commands for iOS & Mac OS X

These are to be spoken when Dictation is active:

• “All Caps” to capitalize all of only the next word (e.g. START)
• “Caps” to capitalize the next word (e.g. Start)
• “Upper Case [letter]” for making a spelling out acronyms (e.g. SAT)
• “Caps On” to turn on caps lock
• “Caps Off” to turn off caps lock
• “No Caps” to use no capitals with the word
• “Numeral [number]” to type the number rather than word
• “New Paragraph” to create a new paragraph
• “New Line” to insert and start a new line
• “No Space” to prevent a space from being between the next word
• “No Space On” to turn off all spaces in the next sequence of words (helpful for passwords)
• “No Space Off” to resume normal spacing between words

Adding things like periods and commas can be done automatically by pausing in speech, or, usually more accurately, by just simply saying aloud the punctuation needed.

Here’s an example of how to use Dictation to write a quick message that looks as if it was typed normally:

“Hey Homer [comma] [new line]
What time do you want to see a movie I think the [numeral 5] showing is the [all caps] best [period] [new line]
Toodles [comma] Bart”

That would come out looking like this:

“Hey Homer,
What time do you want to see a movie? I think the 5 showing is the BEST.
Toodles, Bart”

There are a lot of other punctuation and special commands available, and even though most are common sense, you can find the full list below for convenience.

Punctuation & Special Character Commands for Dictation in Mac OS X & iOS

Most of the punctuation commands are common sense, but here’s the full list of possibilities from Apple:

table with 2 columns and 45 rows
Command
Result
question mark
?
inverted question mark
¿
exclamation point
!
hyphen
–
dash
–
em dash
—
underscore
_
comma
,
open parenthesis
(
close parenthesis
)
open square bracket
[
close square bracket
]
open brace
{
close brace
}
semi colon
;
ellipsis
…
quote
“
end-quote
”
back quote
“
single quote
‘
end single quote
’
double-quote
“
apostrophe
‘
colon
:
slash
/
back slash
\
tilde
~
ampersand
&
percent sign
%
copyright sign
©
registered sign
®
section sign
§
dollar sign
$
cent sign
¢
degree sign
º
caret
^
at sign
@
Pound sterling sign
£
Yen sign
¥
Euro sign
€
pound sign
#
smiley face (or “smiley”)
🙂
frowny face (or “sad face”, “frown”)
😦
winky face (or “winky”)
😉
table end

Many other commands were mentioned on the web page, so follow the link at the top of this document to access those comments.

Resource Article: VIA Rail and the Wallet App on iDevices

VIA Rail Tickets and the Wallet App:

Note: The below steps assume that a VIA Rail profile has been registered on their Web Site.

1. On your iDevice install the VIARail App from the App Store. It’s free.
2. In the VIARail App log in using your user name and password, which then will display your purchased tickets on the main page.
3. At the bottom of the page is a button called, Boarding Pass, double tap on it.
4. Near the top of the page will be a button called, Add to Wallet. Do that for each ticket you have purchased. In my case I had two tickets, my sighted guide’s and mine.
5. Open the Wallet App to confirm that your tickets are listed. If you have more than one ticket they will be stacked under the same item in the list. Double tap on it and near the bottom you will find a number picker that you will flick in order to show the second, or subsequent tickets. This might well be where you’ll find the bar code that the Ticket Agent will need to see when you board the train.
6. To remove the ticket once the event/trip has passed, double tap on the ticket in the Wallet App, then double tap on the More Info button at the bottom of the page, then scroll through the page to find the Remove Button. It will ask you to confirm that you want to remove it. Each ticket will have to be removed individually.

End of article.

Resource Article: The Cost Of Disability: Or, Why We Can’t Have Nice Things, February 6, 2017

The Cost Of Disability: Or, Why We Can’t Have Nice Things
Where’s Your Dog?
ACTUALLY, I PREFER THE WHITE STICK, THANKS.

The Cost Of Disability: Or, Why We Can’t Have Nice Things can be found at this link:

Being disabled is expensive. Slap a label like “adaptive” or “assistive” on a product and the price skyrockets, just like that. It seems odd, doesn’t it? Exploitative? Yet, that’s what happens.

The free market was supposed to help us all. The invisible hand of competition was supposed to keep prices reasonable. We were supposed to have choice. Unfortunately, capitalism can’t accommodate markets that are too small to inspire competition, nor can it liberate us from monopolies that keep prices extortionately high. I don’t begrudge these companies the right to value the bottom line. People need to eat, after all. There’s such a thing as going too far, though. With basic Braille technology costing several thousands and wheelchairs so expensive you’d need a full-scale fundraiser to afford them, the landscape for low-income disabled people is grim unless they have access to substantial funding. Considering that we have to use screen readers, wheelchairs and other assistive devices every day, it’s not practical to expect us to simply go without. We’re not a manipulative community whining about handouts. We really do need these products, especially in professional and educational contexts.

Living as a disabled person can incur significant costs when adaptable housing is needed. Installing adjustable beds and stair lifts can become staggeringly expensive, and for those living in low-income housing, proper accessibility is by no means guaranteed. It’s bad enough to be chronically unemployed and live in low-income housing; but living in a place where you lose much of your independence adds considerable insult to injury. Don’t even get me started on the markups on prescription drugs. Even life-saving drugs routinely sell at a 400% markup (100% is generally what is considered reasonable). It no longer surprises me when I see the lengths to which companies will go to monopolize a market and shamelessly exploit people who are already disadvantaged. We’re not asking for a pity party, to be sure, but a little reason would not go amiss.

We’re not the only ones affected, either. There are numerous grants available from governments and charities, which are intended to ease our financial burden. For example, the Government of Alberta provides $8000 a year which is spent on assistive technology and disability-related costs while I’m at university. You would think that’s overgenerous—I certainly did—but even during years when I did not buy any assistive technology at all, the entire grant was put towards paying for the editing of inaccessible textbooks. What is more, the grant did not even meet the full cost; my university covered the rest. It makes my head spin a bit, it really does. Governments are well and truly stuck, because manufacturers of accessible products have few incentives to lower their prices. Why mess with a business model that is working so well? There is more competition than there used to be, it is true, but for the most part, prices remain astronomical.

Worse still, these companies have managed to convince charities and governments that their most expensive products are the best, in any situation. Even though there are other viable options out there, many school divisions and universities insist that JAWS, one of the priciest screen readers, is the only wise choice. Encouraging this view is advantageous, so companies are happy to charge what they do, knowing that someone will gather the necessary funding. The little things bother me, too. Take watches, for example: very few stylish accessible watches exist. Most are either obnoxious talking watches that draw a lot of unwanted attention (and make startling bonging sounds when you’re not expecting it), or braille watches (which aren’t braille at all, but tactile). These watches are generally affordable enough, but they are seldom fashionable. This may seem like a frivolous gripe, given the more serious struggles we face, but why can’t we have nice things? Why do we have to wear tacky accessories just because we’re disabled? I’m not a huge fan of braille accessories, but a lot of blind people are. Why can’t they have more legitimate selection? I mean, have a look at these charming braille hoodies: they say things like “peace”, “joy”, “Jesus”, and my personal favourite, “Can you read this?” The site boasts that you can “spark conversations with total strangers!” Uh, no thanks. If I really want to spark conversations with strangers, I’ll get a dog.

Simply having a disability is financially and socially punitive, and there are many who are happy to capitalize on the issue for personal gain. Certainly, this willingness to exploit customers is not unique to assistive technology companies. However, the problem is compounded when we’re forced to purchase necessary products, much as we wish we could do without them. It’s encouraging to see how many grassroots attempts to provide affordable adaptive products and services are emerging now. I am immensely proud of open-source screen readers and inexpensive mobile apps. We’ve come a long way. Nevertheless, I don’t think it’s wise to ignore the nasty elephant in the room: being disabled is prohibitively expensive, and few people know it.

Online Learning Resource: 24 Karat GoldWave! A Training Course for Screen-Reader Users

Are you interested in audio editing with the JAWS screen reader? Check out this online course.

24 Karat GoldWave! A Training Course for Screen-Reader Users.

Introduction.
Many blind people love creating audio content. It is something we can enjoy completely and independently. But how do you get started? Moreover, if you have knowledge of how to undertake simple recording or editing tasks, how do you build on those skills to add effects such as reverb, change the tone of the audio known as graphic equalisation, or apply noise reduction such as for restoring those old vinyl records and tapes?
Fortunately there is not only a training course which can teach these skills but there is also probably the most accessible audio editor we have ever seen: GoldWave.
Our new training course, “24 Karat GoldWave”, will be ideal for those just beginning to learn how to record and process audio content for the first time, through to those people who have some more detailed knowledge. If you use an alternative sound editor, you may like to purchase the training course to learn why GoldWave is streets ahead of the competitors, certainly in terms of accessibility. Put simply, despite its low price point, GoldWave is a simple, easy-to-use, accessible audio production tool, ideal for people who do not want or need to know about the more complex digital audio workstations. Read onto find out about the many features of GoldWave and what you can achieve.
What is GoldWave?
GoldWave is a highly rated, professional digital audio editor. It’s fully loaded to do everything from the simplest recording and editing to the most sophisticated audio processing, restoration, enhancements, and conversions. It is easy to learn and use.
• Play your favourite songs, fast forward and rewind, or change the playback speed so as to learn a song by ear or transcribe dictation.
• Record from any source, such as microphone, line-in, turntable or audio streaming.
• Record speeches or reports, music, your own voice, Set a timer to start recording at a certain day and time. Use level activated recording to continue and pause recording automatically whenever the signal is above or below a given value.
• Edit audio with all the familiar concepts including Cut, Copy, Paste and delete.
• Apply dozens of different audio effects. Adjust bass or treble with the Equalizer. Even out volume levels with Auto Gain. Easily fade in and out background music, add echoes, reverbs, flangers, and much more. Change the pitch of your voice or make it sound mechanical. Preview effects real-time before processing them. Most effects include presets for commonly used settings so you don’t have to be an audio expert.
• Remaster old vinyl or tape recordings. Use Noise Reduction and Pop/Click filters to clean up the audio and take out the buzz, hiss, crackle, and clicks.
• Includes a collection of powerful tools. For example, copy audio directly from an audio CD with the CD Reader tool.
• Contains many keyboard shortcuts for tasks which can be reassigned if necessary to suit your own tastes.
• Freely available script files provide important information required for working on projects.
What Will I Learn?
The course is divided into four sessions, each of which will last 90 minutes. The course not only teaches you how to work with GoldWave, but also to understand important concepts such as good microphone placement, poor and excellent editing, and effective audio mixing. Topics include, but are not restricted to:
• Installing GoldWave and the accompanying script files.
• Configuring GoldWave including the settings specific to recording and playback.
• Customising GoldWave for use with screen-readers.
• Making Your first recording.
• Saving and opening files.
• Playing and navigating through the audio.
• Learning the location of the cursor in hours, minutes and seconds.
• Moving to a specific time in the audio.
• Selecting audio ready for editing.
• Playing the selected audio.
• Cut, copy, paste and delete.
• Making very small audio adjustments.
• Moving between a number of files which are open.
• Copying audio from one file to another.
• Adjusting playback speed.
• Adjusting Volume and Normalising.
• Checking the level metres.
• Trimming.
• Cue Points and how to use them.
• Fading and Crossfading.
• Mixing voice over music.
• Saving recordings to MP3.
• Inserting silence.
• Using Effects to alter sounds in a variety of ways. Changing pitch, volume, graphic equalisation, echo and reverb, Filter.
• Noise Reduction and audio restoration.
• Swapping channels and panning.
• Working with time to ensure audio runs to a specific length.
• Set recording to begin at a specific time of day.
• Extracting the content of CD’s.
How Does GoldWave Compare to Other Audio Editors in Terms of Accessibility and Functionality?
Undeniably, GoldWave is an inexpensive audio production tool and so you may be forgiven for thinking that it does not offer the sophistication of higher priced products. We would suggest otherwise. Not only are many features comparable to similar products, but in terms of accessibility GoldWave outshines them.
The later versions of some of the more popular audio editors are becoming more and more challenging to work with from an accessibility standpoint. Take “Audio Ducking” as an example, the process where a person’s voice can be mixed over music. Many other sound editors do not give you the flexibility and control over this process which GoldWave delivers. Superb results can be achieved in this regard when using this program. Join us and see how it is done!
Who is the Course For?
This course is suited to anyone who has an interest in creating or working with audio content. You should be familiar with how your screen-reader functions together with Windows concepts, such as how to navigate around applications.
By the end of the course, you ought to be able to carry out the simplest of recordings through to creating audio for podcasts, PowerPoint presentations or perhaps to mix together a spot or promo for broadcast on radio. You decide!
There will be plenty of opportunities to ask questions regarding the topics under discussion, however this is achieved in a structured manner. This ensures that you can focus on learning the concepts being taught and easily refer back to sections of the archive recording at a later date.
What Happens If I Do Not Have the GoldWave Software?
This is not a problem. A fully functional evaluation copy of GoldWave can be downloaded and installed, details of which will be provided to you when you sign up for the training course.
Should you decide to purchase a copy of GoldWave, a lifetime license for home use is priced $45 or alternatively $15 per year.
Links will also be provided by us for the JAWS scripts mentioned above.
If I Purchase the Course, What Will I Receive?
The course will be delivered online via our accessible Talking Communities server. If you have not used this conferencing software before, you will receive instructions prior to the commencement of the course. This software allows for the delivery of the presentation, including the output from the screen-reading software.
The course will give to you:
• Four lessons starting 15 March 2017. Each lesson will begin at 7 PM UK time, (2 PM Eastern), each Wednesday.
• An audio recording of each lesson in MP3 format.
• Sample files which you can use in your Projects and to work with at a later date.
• Text documentation to reinforce topics covered in the lessons. This will include a comprehensive list of keystrokes so as to achieve all tasks.
• An email list active prior to (and during) the course so you can ask questions outside tuition time.
The proposed dates for the course sessions are as follows:
• 15 March;
• 22 March;
• 29 March;
• 5 April.
If you cannot take part on those dates, you can still gain plenty of benefit, since you will receive all the lessons and accompanying documentation, as well as being able to ask questions through the Email list provided to you.
All recordings, documentation and the Talking Communities chat room are accessed through a secure area of our website which is only available to course participants.
Costing.
The cost of the course is £60 which is currently 72 US dollars.
This is a slight increase from our usual rate due to the production of sample files which are required. Payment should reach us by Wednesday 8 March 2017.
Purchase 24 Karat GoldWave Online.
Alternatively, anyone who would like to take part in the course should register their interest by sending an Email to jaws@hartgen.org, whereupon a fully accessible electronic invoice will be sent to you which can be paid through PayPal or any major credit or debit card. Orders can also be placed by telephone:
• Call us (from within the UK): 02920-850298.
• Call us (from the United States): 415-871-0626.
• Call us (from any other country): (+44)2920-850298.
If you would like to read the views from participants of our previous courses, please Visit our Training area.
Course Prerequisites.
It is important that you have:
• Good keyboarding skills;
• A computer with an internet connection.
• A microphone so as to ask questions within the course.
• JAWS for Windows or the NVDA screen-reader. Please note that our company is exclusively concerned with the JAWS for Windows screen-reader, however there is an Add-On for NVDA and GoldWave. NVDA has been tested extensively with the program and it works well.
• At the very least, a microphone so as to make recordings with GoldWave, or alternatively a more sophisticated environment, such as an audio mixing console. If you do not wish to make recordings, and are content with importing audio including our samples, a microphone may not be necessary.
Summary.
Over many years, GoldWave has proven itself to be a thoroughly usable, productive audio environment in which to work. It has a large feature set, great file compatibility, and plenty of effects and tools for audio restoration. Why not give it a try and learn how to use it from a blind person’s perspective! It’s a Golden Opportunity!

Brian Hartgen
Choose Hartgen Consultancy for high quality JAWS Script Writing, training and our products including J-Say, J-Dictate and Leasey.
Telephone (in the UK) 02920-850298.
Telephone (in the United States of America) 1-415-871-0626.
Telephone (from any other country) +44-2920-820598.
Visit our website for more information!
Follow us on Twitter, HartgenConsult.
Like our Facebook Page.

JAWS Certified 2016.

GTT National Conference Call Summary Notes: White Canes and other Mobility Aids, February 8, 2017

GTT National Conference Call.

Sponsored by the Canadian Council of the Blind

Summary Notes

February 8, 2017.

Questions from previous GTT NatConCall:
How do I find an Insert Key on my small PC laptop:
• To have the Caps Lock Key become an Insert Key do the following; Press Alt + the letter H to access the Help menu of jaws, arrow to the Start-up wizzard, Tab through the dialog box and change keyboard layout to Laptop. Press the Enter Key to save the changes. This will have the Caps Lock Key turned into an Insert Key, which means that pressing it twice quickly will toggle the actual Caps Lock on and off.
• Alternatively, from Staples, London Drugs or Best Buy you can purchase a USB Numeric Keypad that will allow you to access JAWS navigation from the Numpad.
• Some people carry a full-sized external keyboard, however Lap top bags are often not able to hold it all. Weight is also a consideration for some. Albert usually travels with a lap top, scanner and MS Ergo keyboard.
• For Mac desktop and laptops there is available a trackpad instead of using the laptop built-in trackpad. It is approximately the same size as an iPhone/iPod and allows the user to use the regular and familiar swiping gestures to do things such as:
1. Start and stop speech
2. Select an item
3. Read continuously
4. Scroll down by page
5. Turn screen curtain or speech on and off
These are done just like on the i devices so people using them will be familiar with the gestures.

GPS for Mobility:
• Another question was related to the use of GPS devices while travelling in our communities: How do you multitask with mobile GPS devices.
• Some indicated they use their stand-alone and iOS GpS apps, but they turn a lot of the POI and other verbosity off. Maybe just approaching streets need to be spoken while walking.
• When you are in unfamiliar areas, you can quickly turn these things on if you wish.
• Albert likes the clip on speaker from the trekker Maestro. The Breeze one doesn’t seem to work with iPhones. Kim uses the aftershokz headphones and likes them very much.
• If anyone knows of any other available clip on speaker please let us know through the comments on the http://www.GTTProgram.WordPress.com web site.

White Canes and Mobility Preferences:
• Several participants indicated they use Dog Guides, with folded white canes used for locating items or for indoor use.
• Cane Tips people like the roller tip that is like a ball.
• Cyramic tip; sharp sound and because it is hard it never wears out.
• What to do with the cane when signing documents at a counter etc; Stick folded cane in a back pocket or handbag.
• One person indicated that she shoves the cane down her sock.

Do you wash the cane tips when entering your home or public buildings:
• Some people wash their canes regularly, and others only when they’ve gotten particularly dirty.
• Instead of setting a dirty cane on counters/tables, try placing the cane on the floor between your feet when sitting at a restaurant.
• Using the elastic, attach the folded cane to your chair.
• Using the elastic, atach the cane to your purse strap or backpack.
• There are holders/pouches/hooks you can buy for folded mobility canes that attach to your purse-strap or belt.
• Ambutech is one place where White Mobility Cane Holsters, Pouches and Hooks can be purchased.
https://ambutech.com/shop-online/accessories/pouches-holsters-and-hooks

Is it wise to have the elastic attached to your wrist when walking with a mobility cane:
• Most recommended that it isn’t wise to do so.
• It is safer to drop your cane than put it around your wrist in the event it gets caught up by a passing bike or motor vehicle.

What styles of canes are most often used:
• Few on the call use the Rigid cane. It is too cumbersome to store on buses, trains and airplanes. Albert prefers the rigid for most excursions, however uses a folding cane when travelling with sighted guides.
• One can carry folding canes in backpacks or purses when using Dog Guides if needed.
• It was thought by some that drivers seem to be better able to see white canes than Dog Guides. Perhaps it’s because of the increased usage of service dogs.
• Some thought the red stripe at the bottom of the cane is to show drivers that you want to cross the street when it is held out in front of the user horizontal to the ground.
• Some believe that the red stripe at the bottom of the cane is for depicting deaf blindness.
• Some have noted that the cane disappears from view when walking on painted street crossings.

Multi-Coloured Canes:
• Some people use them without issue, and the first time Albert used his the Greyhound Driver in Victoria didn’t recognize it.
• Once colour wears off one user said she cannot buy replacement tape.
• Does a coloured cane really show that you are blind?

BuzzClip and Amutech Glasses:
• No one on the call is currently using BuzzClip or Ambutech glasses, however they have been trialled by some.
• BuzzClip or Ambutech glasses are good for staying abreast of the person in front of you in line-ups, for finding open doorways in malls, locating bus stop sign posts, etc.
• One person who tried the Ambutech glasses while using their white cane thought they were receiving too much information and were distracted by it.
• One participant uses the Mowat sensor, which sends out a beam, or beams that causes the device to vibrate when the user approaches a person or thing. This device is no longer manufactured, however operates on the same principal as the BuzzClip and Ambutech Glasses.

Monoculars for low vision mobility:
• Some people use them for reading the names/numbers on the front of buses and menus/signs on the wall when out in public places.
• One person indicated that she uses the iPhone camera and the magnification app instead of a monocular.
• Kim has heard that SuperVision is a great free magnifyer app for the iPhone.

How to be more visible when travelling with a mobility aid:
• Make sure you are visible with reflecters, flashing lights or other high-visibility wearable devices.
• Some ideas of what is available are, collars for guide dogs in red or blue, continuous or flashing.
• Construction worker high-viz vests have stripes and lots of pockets etc.
• Some people wear helmets or other protective gear in the winter.
• One option is the Ice halo head protection Padded head band. Check the bottom of this document for details on how to order.

How to keep hands warm when travelling with a mobiliby aid in winter:
• Hot pockets in gloves, which can be purchased at cosco, London Drugs and many outdoor/sports stores.
• Someone in Vancouver sews battery operated warmers into gloves, socks, shirts and pants that is operated by a battery pack worn by the user.

Appendix 1:

SAFETY WITH STYLE

Several styles and many colours to choose from!

Ice Halo, the Canadian owned and manufacturer of the innovative head band protection for sports or pleasure. Check out the new styles that now include Halo Hats at http://www.icehalo.com. .

Don’t risk losing ice time in your favourite activity – Don’t hold back your best because of that nagging fear of a nasty fall. Its lightweight, closed cell construction doesn’t make your head hot and the Velcro closures make it adjustable and secure. The choice of material and colour make it easy to find the right one for you. It’s available in team colours, and you can customize with your corporate logo. The Ice Halo is a great way to keep you or your friends and loved ones safer on the ice.

PROTECTIVE HATS

All Pro Hats have an inner vinyl lining of nitrile High Density foam (the same foam used in many Hockey Helmets) to help lessen the impact of a fall. All Halo products have been tested to Hockey helmet standards and exceed the requirements for front, sides and back impacts where padded. The toque and knitted caps have padding wrapping all around the head. The baseball and army caps have padding in the back and sides of the cap for added protection.

Lori Fry continues in her role as representative for the Blind in Canada with Ice Halo and is able to provide discounted prices to curlers or others looking for stylish head protection. Many thanks to Barbara Armstrong, President of Ice Halo for her sponsorship of the 100 Mile House Blind Curling Team and such strong support to the vision impaired and blind community of Canada.

In order to receive special reduced pricing on your order, please contact Lori at 250-395-2452 or ODIFRY@shaw.ca

Guest Article: High Tech Tools for the Visually Impaired

High Tech Tools for the Visually Impaired

Image by Erikawittlieb (via Pixabay)

Assistive technology for those who are visually impaired is a personal topic to me. My sister-in-law has limited vision and recently came to live with my husband and me. We knew had a lot of work to do in order to prepare our old farmhouse for her and her guide dog, but we didn’t know where to start. I’m so glad we did our research, because as it turns out, technology has come a long way in making the home a more accessible place for those who can’t rely on their vision to guide them!

The technology behind things like voice recognition, GPS and speech to text has continued to get more and more advanced. With each advancement comes a wide range of uses for those who are blind or partially-sighted. When preparing your home for a new resident with a visual impairment, it might be useful to explore some of the high tech appliances, applications and gadgets out there to make daily living easier for those with disabilities. Explore these new high-tech products for the blind or visually impaired.

Talking Microwave

Imagine the convenience of a microwave that is just a little bit smarter. This microwave comes equipped with a voice that walks the user through each function and setting for the unit. It comes with the same functionality of a standard microwave including the rotating plate for even cooking as well as the added features for independent use.

Apple Watch and the iPhone

Wearable technology like the Apple Watch can be useful for those with visual impairments when paired with applications for voice recognition, personal GPS, and voice to text. In order for the Apple Watch to work in this manner, it needs to be paired with an iPhone.Personal GPS Apps

Moving to a new area can be challenging for anyone, but for a blind person learning a new apartment building or city block can be especially challenging. Personal GPS applications use the standard GPS technology and customize it for someone with limited vision. An app like Seeing Eye GPS adapts GPS for someone who uses a white cane or a guide dog in the community. LowViz Guide uses GPS technology to assist those with low vision to navigate inside buildings. Nearby Explorer not only provides directions to those who are blind, but also describes surrounding environments in such a way that the user knows what landmarks are in the area. Similarly, Trekker Breeze is a handy GPS device that “speaks” directions, and is a good option for those who don’t have a smartphone and can’t download an assistive app.

Smart Light Bulbs

The average light bulb gets an amazing update in the Smart Light Bulb. These lights can be controlled from a smart application or via programming that includes changing color, brightness, and timers. The bulbs have a variety of features that can be useful for those with visual impairments including being able to adapt light to the user with the best colors of light for the individual, brighter lights as needed and even controlling timed intervals.

Moshi Interactive Voice Response Clock

Instead of using those tiny buttons and hard to control dials to set an alarm clock, Moshi is interactive and voice controlled. The oversized digital read out is great for those with limited vision while the voice activation feature works for the full range of vision abilities.

Recognition Apps

For someone with a visual impairment, something as simple as recognizing color can make dressing independently impossible. While recognition apps started with things like identifying a popular song, they are now being used to turn a smartphone into a tool for identifying color, denominations of money and more. The Color Identifier uses the camera on the smartphone to scan, identify and then verbally share the name of the color scanned.

High tech gadgets are often made in order to make life easier, and this is the case for those with visual impairments. Talking appliances, smartphone apps and even light bulbs with a brain give users a bit more freedom and independence as they navigate through daily life and give them an opportunity to pursue their passions, whatever they may be. Things like recognition software will only continue to expand and open up more possibilities for uses by those with visual impairments.

Submitted by,
Jackie Waters
jackie@hyper-tidy.com

GTT Edmonton Summary Notes, Google Classroom and Computer Training, February 13, 2017

Summary Notes
GTT Edmonton Meeting February 13, 2017

The most recent meeting of the Get Together with Technology (GTT) Edmonton Chapter was held February 13 at 7pm at Ascension Lutheran Church 8405 83 Street in Edmonton.
23 people attended.

February Topics – Google Classroom Demo and Education/Training

Google Classroom Demo
Owais, a junior high school student member of our chapter, demonstrated how he uses the Google Classroom app on his iPhone in conjunction with his BrailleSense. Google Classroom was designed together with teachers to help them save time, keep classes organized, and improve communication with students.
With this tool Owais can keep track of his assignments, post them for teacher review, his teacher can return with edits, and Owais can formally turn in the completed assignment. He can do all the work in braille both creating documents and reviewing them. Owais showed us the remarkable capability of young blind students who are both braille and technology literate.

JAWS Screen Readers and Students
After Owais finished his demo a discussion ensued whether students need to also learn Windows computers with screen readers such as JAWS or whether they can continue their education and employment using only braille notetakers such as the Braillesense or BrailleNote. The consensus from our blind team is that both are needed and students should aim to be familiar with Windows and Microsoft Office during high school and certainly before entering college/university. Also, Windows computers with Office are the most prevalent computers used in business and industry so mastering the Windows environment is essential for future employment.

Funding for JAWS
A question was posed about funding assistance for JAWS. Two possibilities:
1. CNIB. CNIB clients may qualify for the CNIB STEP program funding. If so, the STEP program would pay 75% of the JAWS purchase price which is currently $1185.
2. ASVI. the Alberta Society for the Visually Impaired (ASVI) Northern Alberta Chapter offers funding to provide assistive technology equipment and software for members ages 18 and under, if a qualified professional has recommended it, such as the student’s vision consultant. ASVI is only able to provide this funding through the generous donation of time and effort by its board, parents, and volunteers. Interested parents and individuals are asked to consider helping by volunteering their time by serving on the Executive, or helping at the ASVI fundraisers. More information about the application process can be found here:
http://www.asviedmonton.org/funding.html
P.S. ASVI is seeking volunteers for their upcoming casino fundraiser on March 16-17. Please email info@asviedmonton.org

Educational Materials for our Chapter
We thank the Edmonton Blind Curling Club who have generously provided us a grant that we may use to purchase educational materials and help with training. We will use the grant this year and next to purchase technology related tutorials and text books. Soon we will send a list of possible tutorials and text books to those listed on our email list. You may look through the email and respond to let us know which tutorials or text books might help you. Watch this space!

One-On-One Training
The donation from the Edmonton Blind Curling Club also allows us to provide another training session at the Norquest computer lab. This will happen on March 2. At the February 13 meeting, we registered 3 people for JAWS training and 2 for Zoomtext. We are delighted that the 3 JAWS registrants are all students!

Next Meeting (Monday March 13 at 7pm)
• Currently we have no volunteer demonstrations.
• We will focus on one-on-one training especially iPhone and DAISY players. If you have other training requests email your interests to us so we can try to accommodate you.
• As always, for help with technology bring your devices and/or questions to the meeting.

GTT Edmonton Team
• Carrie Anton is visually impaired and is the accessibility specialist for Athabasca University.
carrie.anton@hotmail.com
• 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.
GTT.Edmonton@gmail.com
• Heather MacDonald is a career and employment specialist with extensive experience helping blind and visually impaired people find employment.
• Russell Solowoniuk is blind and works with alternative formats and assistive technology at Grant MacEwan University.
rsolowoniuk@gmail.com
• Lorne Webber is blind and is the accessibility specialist for Norquest College.
lorne.webber@gmail.com

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 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.
• There are GTT groups in Ottawa, Toronto, Kingston, Northern Ontario, Pembroke, Halifax, Sydney, Edmonton, Grande Prairie, Victoria, Nanaimo, Vancouver, and more to come.
• There is also 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.wordpress.com/
There is a form at the bottom of that web page to enter your email.
[End of Document]

GTT National Conference Call Summary Notes, Web browsing with screen readers, January 11, 2017

GTT National Conference Call.

Sponsored by the Canadian Council of the Blind

January 11, 2017

Web browsing with screen readers.

Many people just use their arrow keys to browse the web. This can be good for exploring a page initially, but it is slow and there are many more efficient ways of browsing the web more quickly and easily.
The best web browsers for PC are: google chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or the last version of internet explorer. The Edge Browser is becoming more accessible with Narrator, and to some degree with NVDA.

There are some slight differences with key commands between NVDA, jaws, window eyes and system access which all work well for browsing the web. Please check your screen reader help section for these.

When you do a google search, be as specific as you can with your search terms. Example: look for mystery books by a certain author on amazon. The more specific you are, the easier you can get to the web site you need.

To go directly to the address field to type in the web site name or your search press Alt D. Alt is the key just to the left of your space bar. This works on all screen readers and in all of the different PC browsers.

You can move around on your web site by headings, lists, buttons and much more. These commands vary by screen reader so check your screen reader manual for the short cut keys.

NVDA and jaws have a great command called insert f7 The insert key is the big key on the bottom left of the number pad and f7 is in the top row of keys on your PC.

For NVDA this is called the elements list. It lists anything on the page that you can click on. The great thing about this is that you can press the first letter of the link you need to find and you can get to it more quickly.

For JAWS users there is also an insert f 6 command to list the headings on a page, email message or MS Word document.

For the mac computer, the accessible web browsers are safari and google chrome.

To get into the address bar/search field on the mac, type command l. Command is the key just to the left of the space bar where the ALT key is on the PC.

The mac has what is called a web rotor which is a little like the insert f 7.

To get to this, press VO command which is control and option keys plus u. You can right arrow then through the various options like links, headings, buttons, ETC and arrow down to go through each category.

The mac also has first letter navigation. This is also true on the PC. You can press h for headings, v for visited links, l for links ETC on the mac.

Some of the commands are different for different screen readers but they all have first letter navigation commands.

Remember that in addition to using the letter H to navigate Headers you can press the numbers 1-6 above your letters on the keyboard to go to heading level 1 2 3 ETC. This is the case for all major screen readers on the PC or mac.

The mac and the iPhone also have a very useful button which is in the top left hand corner of the screen for I devices and one of the first things you come across when a web page loads on the mac. It is called the reader button. Firefox also has a Reader function that is accessed by holding down Shift and Control while typing the letter R.

It is not always available but when it is, it is most useful. If you double tap that button, it jumps you right to the main content on your screen, (say the contents of an article for example).

Browsing the web on an I device can also be fast and easy.

If you use voiceover, go to settings, general, accessibility, voiceover, and then to rotor. Here you can check and uncheck what you want in your rotor which is like a menu of common settings you use. You can include many web browsing navigation elements such as: Headings, links, search fields, visited links, buttons, and much more.

When on a web page, you can turn your rotor with a gesture like a radio dial to move between these elements. You can also navigate your rotor by using the up and left arrow and up and right arrows together on your Bluetooth keyboard or space with dots 23 and space with dots 56 on your braille display.

Once you are on the element you want, swipe down with one finger to go to the next heading and up with one finger to go to the previous one. Up or down arrows on the Bluetooth keyboard do this as well. So do dots 3 with space bar or dot 6 with space bar on a braille display.

GTT Program Overview
• GTT was founded in Ottawa by Kim Kilpatrick and Ellen Goodman in 2011.
• Many GTT Groups are chapters of the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB).
• GTT Groups/Chapters promote 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.
• There are GTT groups in Ottawa, Toronto, Kingston, Northern Ontario, Pembroke, Halifax, Sydney, Edmonton, Grande Prairie, Victoria, Nanaimo, Vancouver, and more to come.
• There is also 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.WordPress.com/
There is a “Follow” Link at the bottom of that web page to enter your email in order to register.

Respectfully submitted by Kim Kilpatrick and Albert Ruel

Screen Reader Resource: System Access Keyboard Commands

Keyboard Command Quick Reference List for System Access
(www.SAToGo.com)

To share this article, copy and paste this link:

Global Commands

A Note About the Modifier Key

The System Access Modifier Key can be one of four keys, including the Insert Key, often located near the Home Key on the keyboard, the Caps-lock Key, the 0 Key on the numpad, or the Scroll-lock Key. For your convenience, all these modifier keys are active and you may choose the one which seems most comfortable at any given time.

Global Commands

Refresh the display: Modifier+Escape

Open the remote control menu if applicable:
Shift+Modifier+Escape

Read the status bar, if any: Modifier+Page Down

Announce the object with the focus: Modifier+Up Arrow

When in a document, read the document starting at the insertion point; otherwise, read the contents of the foreground window: Modifier+Down Arrow

Read the title of the foreground window:
Modifier+T

Read the contents of the foreground window:
Modifier+W

Click the current help balloon if any: Modifier+B

Activate the SAMNet Desktop: Modifier+D

Activate the System Access menu: Modifier+F

Toggle keyboard help mode: Modifier+H

Pass a key through to the application: Modifier+F3

Shut down System Access: Modifier+F4

Choose a toolbar button from a list: Modifier+F8

Click an icon in the system tray: Modifier+F11

Say the current time and date: Modifier+F12

Stop constant updating of progress indicators:
Control twice quickly

Check laptop battery status: Modifier+Shift+B

Reading and Editing Commands

Move one character to the left: Left Arrow

Select one character to the left: Shift+Left Arrow

Say the current character: Control+Modifier+NumPad
5

Move one character to the right: Right Arrow

Select one character to the right: Shift+Right Arrow

Move to the previous word: Control+Left Arrow

Select the previous word: Control+Shift+Left Arrow

Say the current word: Modifier+NumPad 5

Move to the next word: Control+Right Arrow

Select the next word: Control+Shift+Right Arrow

Move up one line: Up Arrow

Select the previous line: Shift+Up Arrow

Read the current line: Modifier+Up Arrow

Move down one line: Down Arrow

Select the next line: Shift+Down Arrow

Move to the previous sentence: Alt+Up Arrow

Move to the next sentence: Alt+Down Arrow

Move to the previous paragraph: Control+Up Arrow

Move to the next paragraph: Control+Down Arrow

Move up one page: Page Up

Select the previous page of text: Shift+Page Up

Move down one page: Page Down

Select the next page of text: Shift+Page Down

Move to the end of the line: End

Read from the virtual cursor to the end of the
line: Modifier+End

Select text from the current position to the end of the line: Shift+End

Move to the end of the document: Control+End

Select text from the current reading position to the end of the document: Control+Shift+End

Move to the start of the line: Home

Select all text from the current position to the start of the line: Shift+Home

Move to the start of the document: Control+Home

Select all text from the current position to the beginning of the document: Control+Shift+Home

Read from the start of the line to the current
position: Modifier+Home

Select the whole document: Control+A

Table Reading Commands

Read the current table cell: Control+Alt+NumPad 5

Read the first cell in the current table column:
Modifier+C

Read the current table row: Modifier+R

Move to the first column and row in a table:
Control+Alt+Home

Move to the last column and row in a table:
Control+Alt+end

Move to the previous column in a table:
Control+Alt+Left Arrow

Move to the beginning of a row in a table:
Control+Shift+Alt+Left Arrow

Move to the previous row in a table:
Control+Alt+Up Arrow

Move to the top of a column in a table:
Control+Shift+Alt+Up Arrow

Move to the next column in a table:
Control+Alt+Right Arrow

Move to the end of a row in a table:
Control+Shift+Alt+Right Arrow

Move to the next row in a table: Control+Alt+Down Arrow

Move to the bottom of a column in a table:
Control+Shift+Alt+Down Arrow

HTML Navigation Commands

Click the object with the virtual focus: Enter or Space

Move to the next landmark: Semicolon

Move to the prior landmark: Shift+Semicolon

Attempt to automatically label links that aren’t yet labelled: Modifier+A

Move to the next anchor: A

Move to the previous anchor: Shift+A

Move to the next button: B

Move to the previous button: Shift+B

Move to the next drop-down list: D

Move to the previous drop-down list: Shift+D

Move to the next editable text field: E

Move to the previous editable text field: Shift+E

Move to the next form field: F

Move to the previous form field: Shift+F

Move to the next graphic: G

Move to the previous graphic: Shift+G

Move to the next heading: H

Move to the previous heading: Shift+H

Move to next heading at level: 1-6

Move to previous heading at level: Shift+1-6

Move to the next visited link: V

Move to the previous visited link: Shift+V

Move to the next unvisited link: U

Move to the previous unvisited link: Shift+U

Move to the next list item: I

Move to the previous list item: Shift+I

Move to the next bulleted or numbered list: L

Move to the previous bulleted or numbered list:
Shift+L

Move to the top of the current bulleted or numbered list:

Label an image or form field with C-SAW: Alt+L

Move to the next block of plain text: N

Move to the previous block of plain text: Shift+N

Move to the next radio button: R

Move to the previous radio button: Shift+R

Submit C-SAW labels for the current site:
Modifier+S

Move to the next table: T

Move to the previous table: Shift+T

Move to the next checkbox: X

Move to the previous checkbox: Shift+X

Say the current word: Modifier+NumPad 5

Summarize the contents of the page: Modifier+F1

Jump to a heading on this page from a list:
Modifier+F6

Show a list of links on this webpage: Modifier+F7

Microsoft Excel

Activate a chart embedded in the active worksheet:
Modifier+Enter

Read the virtual status bar: Modifier+Page Down

Read the current selection: Modifier+Up Arrow

Read the sheet starting at the current cell:
Modifier+Down Arrow

Create or read a monitor region: Modifier+0

Modify or delete a monitor region:
Shift+Modifier+0

Create or read a monitor region: Modifier+1

Modify or delete a monitor region:
Shift+Modifier+1

Create or read a monitor region: Modifier+2

Modify or delete a monitor region:
Shift+Modifier+2

Create or read a monitor region: Modifier+3

Modify or delete a monitor region:
Shift+Modifier+3

Create or read a monitor region: Modifier+4

Modify or delete a monitor region:
Shift+Modifier+4

Create or read a monitor region: Modifier+5

Modify or delete a monitor region:
Shift+Modifier+5

Create or read a monitor region: Modifier+6

Modify or delete a monitor region:
Shift+Modifier+6

Create or read a monitor region: Modifier+7

Modify or delete a monitor region:
Shift+Modifier+7

Create or read a monitor region: Modifier+8

Modify or delete a monitor region:
Shift+Modifier+8

Create or read a monitor region: Modifier+9

Modify or delete a monitor region:
Shift+Modifier+9

Read the title of the current column: Modifier+C

Read the current column: Alt+Modifier+C

Read the title of the current row: Modifier+R

Read the current row: Alt+Modifier+R

Add or delete a title range: Shift+Modifier+T

Display a dialog containing lists of cells with data, links, totals, and worksheets: Modifier+F7

Microsoft Outlook

Read the From header in a message window: Alt+1

Move the focus to the From header in a message
window: Alt+1 twice quickly

Read the Sent header in a message window: Alt+2

Move the focus to the Sent header in a message
window: Alt+2 twice quickly

Read the To header in a message window: Alt+3

Move the focus to the To header in a message
window: Alt+3 twice quickly

Read the Cc header in a message window: Alt+4

Move the focus to the Cc header in a message
window: Alt+4 twice quickly

Read the Subject header in a message window: Alt+5

Move the focus to the Subject header in a message
window: Alt+5 twice quickly

Choose from the list of attachments, if any:
Modifier+A

Microsoft PowerPoint SlideShow

Move to the end of the line: End

Move to the end of the slide: Control+End

Move to the start of the line: Home

Move to the start of the slide: Control+Home

Move one character to the left: Left Arrow

Move to the previous word: Control+Left Arrow

Move up one line: Up Arrow

Read the current line: Modifier+Up Arrow

Move one character to the right: Right Arrow

Move to the next word: Control+Right Arrow

Move down one line: Down Arrow

Read the slide starting at the virtual cursor:
Modifier+Down Arrow

Read the presenter’s notes for this slide:
Control+Shift+N

Virtual Mouse

Activate or deactivate Virtual Mouse Mode:
Modifier+M

Move to the next clickable object: Tab

Move to the previous clickable object: Shift+Tab

Simulate a left click: Enter

Simulate a right click: Shift+Enter

Deactivate Virtual Mouse: Escape

Simulate a left click: Space

Simulate a right click: Shift+Space

Move to the end of the current text: End

Move to the bottom of the window: Control+End

Move to the start of the current text: Home

Move to the top of the window: Control+Home

Move left one character: Left Arrow

Move left one word: Control+Left Arrow

Move left one object: Alt+Left Arrow

Move up one line: Up Arrow

Announce the object under the cursor: Modifier+Up Arrow

Move right one character: Right Arrow

Move right one word: Control+Right Arrow

Move right one object: Alt+Right Arrow

Move down one line: Down Arrow

Read the contents of the window starting at the
cursor: Modifier+Down Arrow

Automatically label graphics: Alt+A

Label a graphic: Alt+L

Submit a Program Pack for this program: Alt+S

Choose a clickable object from a list: Modifier+F7

Screen Magnification Commands

Increase the screen magnification factor:
Modifier+Plus

Enable screen magnification: Control+Modifier+Plus

Decrease the screen magnification factor:
Modifier+Dash

Disable screen magnification:
Control+Modifier+Dash

Console

Move to the right edge of the window: Modifier+End

Move to the bottom of the window:
Control+Modifier+End

Move to the left edge of the window: Modifier+Home

Move to the top of the window:
Control+Modifier+Home

Move to the previous character: Modifier+Left Arrow

Move to the previous word: Control+Modifier+Left Arrow

Read the current line: Modifier+Up Arrow

Move to the next character: Modifier+Right Arrow

Move to the next word: Control+Modifier+Right Arrow

Read the contents of the console starting at the current position of the reading cursor:
Modifier+Down Arrow

Move to the previous character: NumPad 1

Move to the left edge of the window:
Modifier+NumPad 1

Say the current character: NumPad 2

Move to the bottom of the window: Modifier+NumPad
2

Move to the next character: NumPad 3

Move to the right edge of the window:
Modifier+NumPad 3

Move to the previous word: NumPad 4

Read the current word: NumPad 5

Move to the top of the window: Modifier+NumPad 5

Move to the next word: NumPad 6

Move to the previous line: NumPad 7

Read the current line: NumPad 8

Move to the next line: NumPad 9

Read the contents of the console starting at the current position of the reading cursor:
Modifier+Decimal

Last modified December 08, 2015

GTT Victoria Summary Notes, White Canes and Mobility, February 1, 2017

Get together with Technology (GTT) Victoria
A Chapter of the Canadian Council of the Blind

Summary Notes, Wednesday February 1, 2017
GVPL Main branch, Coomunity Meeting Room

The meeting was called to order at 1:05 pm by chair Albert Ruel

Attendance, Kara, Bruce, Brent, Evett, Karen, Sky, Elizabeth Lalonde, Elizabeth Syringe, Joan, Albert and Corry.

Albert welcomed everyone back for another calendar year of the CCB GTT program in Victoria.

BC Transit, Victoria Trekker Breeze Issue:
The meeting started with some discussion and an update on the Local Transit situation, that being that BC Transit has publicly stated that they will have a fully operational GPS system up and running within the next 18 months. The importance of having a fully inclusive system in place was reinforced by several members including Bruce who stated that the readout of stop locations was a must in his world. The question of whether this new system would include a speaker by the front door identifying the bus route name and number. It was agreed that we should communicate to transit the importance of this specific feature to ensure that it is given high priority and does become a reality.

Transit App:
The Transit app was discussed at great length and highly recommended by both Tom and Corry. Although the service does not feature real time tracking yet in Victoria, the app is great for letting you know when you are approaching your desired stop.

GPS Apps:
From there the discussion centered around the various types of GPS apps available, Albert spoke briefly about some of the differences. Data usage was also discussed and tips on how to minimise data requirements were discussed. Mapmywalk and Runtastic are two apps that seam to use minimal data and can be very helpful if you wish to incorporate a fitness component to your daily activities.

White Cane Week:
After a short break, the White Cane was discussed at length (White Cane Week is Feb 5 – 11, 2017). Elizabeth Lalonde gave us a great overview of the various types of canes available and the great work that is going on at the Pacific Training Center in regards to mobility training and cane usage.

iHabilitation:
Tom Decker spoke about a new initiative going on at Ihabilitation, they have purchased a new program called Screen Flow Recorder and will be producing inclusive “how to” videos in the near future. Tom will keep us posted on the progress.

White Canes:
During the final portion, several types of White Canes were passed out and the members had an opportunity to try different types and lengths.

Meeting adjourned at 3:45 PM
Next meeting, Wednesday March 1, 2015
Submitted by Corry Stuive

Newsletter: Braille Literacy Canada, January 2017 Newsletter

[Braille Literacy Canada logo]
Newsletter
January 2017 ● Issue #5

Notice to B LC Members: Save the Date

Our next annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place in Toronto on May 6th, 2017. We recognize that not all members will be able to attend in person, so we will offer some options for participating electronically. These will include appointing a proxy or submitting an electronic ballot. A notice with more details will be sent out to members in the next couple of months. We look forward to seeing you there!

New UEB Listserv

If you are learning, teaching or transcribing Unified English Braille (UEB) and are looking for a place to post questions, Braille Literacy Canada (BLC) invites you to join our UEB listserve. Subscribers can post to the list, and all queries will be answered by code and formatting experts. Information and announcements relevant to UEB will also be forwarded to this list.

To subscribe to the discussion list, visit https://lists.blc-lbc.ca/mailman/listinfo/ueb_lists.blc-lbc.ca

Focus Group Announcement

As many of you may be aware, the federal government is currently undertaking a consultation process to inform the development of new legislation aimed at improving accessibility and removing barriers to the participation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of Canadian society. Public consultation sessions have been held in major cities across the country, but individuals and organizations are also permitted to make written submissions to the process.

The scope of these consultations is wide. Feedback is being sought to help determine the goals of the legislation, the approach it will take to improving accessibility, how standards should be developed, how compliance and enforcement should be handled, and what the government can do to support organizations in becoming accessible. More information on the consultation process generally can be found at https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/disability/consultations/accessibility-legislation.html.
For more information on the scope and reach of the federal government’s regulatory power, please see:
https://slmc.uottawa.ca/?q=laws_canada_legal.

Braille Literacy Canada intends to submit a position paper to the government outlining the importance of federal organizations ensuring that information is accessible and available in braille. To facilitate this, we would like to hold a consultation session with our members to gather input on what factors should be considered in this submission. Questions to consider may include:

(1) What arguments (academic, theoretical, practical, or otherwise) would you use to justify the importance of having access to braille from federally-regulated organizations for Canadians who are blind or deaf-blind?
(2) Should braille materials be on hand, available upon request, or, within a “reasonable” timeframe? If the latter, what would seem to be a “reasonable”
timeframe?
(3) In the reverse direction, should Canadians who are blind or deaf-blind have the right to submit documentation in braille to federally-regulated bodies?
(4) To what degree, if at all, should the legislation specify the standards to which braille is to be produced? What ‘standards’ should it adopt, and how?
(5) Should we attempt to solidify, through legislation (or regulation), Braille Literacy Canada’s (internationally recognized) role as the preeminent “authority”
for braille standards in Canada? If so, how?

Anyone interested in contributing to this discussion is invited to join us by telephone for a conference call on January 28th, 2016 between 1 and 3pm Eastern (10-noon Pacific, 11am-1pm Mountain, 12-2pm Central, 2-4pm Atlantic) or, alternatively, to submit written comments and feedback to info@blc-lbc.ca
on or before January 28th, 2016.

If you would like to participate in the conference call, please e-mail secretary@blc-lbc.ca
to register. Information on how to join the call will be sent to you a few days before the event.

We look forward to your participation on January 28th! If you have any questions or require further information in the interim, please feel free to email info@blc-lbc.ca.

BLC Committees

As many of you know, the work of BLC is done by committees. Here is a list of our current committees and their responsibilities. New members are always welcome!

For more information please send an email to info@blc-lbc.ca.

The web committee

* Maintains web site and social media and updates content with current events, resources and other items of interest.
* Works with other committees to update content as appropriate.

The membership committee

* Collaborates with the BLC treasurer and the Corporate Secretary to manage membership data.
* Ensures that email reminders are sent to those members who have not renewed their membership.
* Proposes options for increasing membership.

The communications committee

* Proposes options for increasing communication with BLC members and the general public.
* Prepares and distributes the BLC newsletter.

The braille formats committee

* Determines other guidelines that should be reviewed by BLC for use in Canada. Members of this committee must have a thorough knowledge of braille and must be familiar with issues specific to formatting.

The teaching and learning committee

* Conducts research related to braille instruction of children and adults.
* Seeks funding sources to support this research. Committee members should be employed as an educator of visually impaired students or be studying in the field.

The nominations committee

* Seeks candidates to fill vacant positions on the Board of Directors.
* Presents the slate of nominations to BLC members at the Annual General Meeting.

The braille promotion committee

* Proposes and implements activities to promote braille in Canada. The brailler bounce initiative is a project of this committee.
* Plans teleconferences on various braille-related issues.

The French braille standards committee

* Proposes and implements research and/or other projects pertaining to French braille in Canada.

The bylaws committee

* Drafts text for changes to BLC bylaws as appropriate. Previous experience with bylaw revisions is an asset.

Braille Screen Input on iOS Devices
By Natalie Martiniello

For people who are blind or who have low vision, one could argue that the built-in accessibility of Apple’s iPhone and iPad ranks among the most significant developments for our community since the year 2000. Based on universal design, Apple products led the way by demonstrating that technology could and should be accessible to diverse users from the start. Rather than retrofitting, universal design from inception has not only levelled the playingfield for those of us who are blind, but has also benefited users with perfect sight. After all, doesn’t everyone – sighted or blind – use Siri nowadays? And this is the point. When you make things accessible from the start, everyone wins. And the trend is catching on. Though Apple paved the way, other companies are following in their footsteps – Google’s Android, being one.

As someone who is blind and who has also taught clients who are blind, I have seen multiple examples of how this innovative technology can increase independence and opportunities. I have about 7 pages of apps on my iPhone. The true wonder and joy of all of this, for those of us who are braille users, is that all of these apps that are accessible with VoiceOver (the built-in screenreader on Apple products) can be used with a braille display. Suddenly, we have so much more access to braille – for learning, practicing and using it in our everyday lives. With the launch of the Orbit Braille Reader (sold by CNIB in Canada), the first low-cost braille display, access to braille information in this way is about to increase for many more people. Despite what mainstream news at times inaccurately proclaims, technology hasn’t replaced braille – it’s solidified its place in a truly exciting digital age!

As a Vision Rehabilitation Therapist, I’ve harnessed the power of this technology with braille learners – many of whom are adults and seniors, when possible. It allows us to access far more material than ever before, and enables braille learners to practice braille in ways that are so meaningful to them – writing a facebook post, a tweet or an iMessage provides instant satisfaction to many, particularly for those who are losing their vision and who are eager to reconnect with the social world. These are just some creative ways one might use a braille display (connected to an I-device) during lessons.

I’d like to use the remainder of this post, however, to describe the use of the on-screen braille keyboard. Since iOS 8, braille users can activate an on-screen braille keyboard that they can use in place of the regular, on-screen QWERTY keyboard that usually appears for typing. Though many blind users, myself included, can and do use the regular on-screen QWERTY keyboard, it can be somewhat cumbersome and time-consuming to use, since the letters need to be located and selected one at a time. The on-screen braille keyboard, in contrast, allows you to form braille letters directly onto the screen, which greatly increases writing speed.

I use the on-screen braille keyboard exclusively for all my iPhone typing, and can type quicker than most of my sighted friends because of it. It’s also a great way for learners to practice braille. Using the on-screen braille keyboard requires them to think about how braille symbols are formed and what dots are included – It can be a great way to reinforce the learning of braille letters while accomplishing meaningful and relevant tasks on an I-device. Plus, the built-in screen reader on Apple products provides instant audio feedback, which is a great motivator and learning support for students!

To activate the on-screen braille keyboard:
1. Select the Settings Application from the Home Screen.
2. Press the “General “button, found within the Settings main menu.
3. Press the “Accessibility” options button.
4. Press the “VoiceOver” options button.
5. Press the “Rotor” options button.
6. Find the Braille Screen Input function.
7. If Voiceover doesn’t say, “Selected,” double-tap on braille-screen input to add it to your rotor.

Though it’s beyond the scope of this article to explain the Rotor and how it works, I recommend this website which provides a very helpful explanation: http://www.voiceover-easy.net/References/RotorFunctions.aspx

Once you’ve followed the above steps, you’ll also want to configure your braille-screen input to best meet your needs before using it for the first time. Visit this link to learn more about how to select uncontracted or contracted input, six or eight key entry, and the braille code you wish to use when typing. By default, the braille code that is used for Braille Screen Input is Unified English Braille:
http://www.voiceover-easy.net/AdvancedOptions/OtherInputMethods.aspx#section0300

Once you’ve added braille screen input to your rotor and configured the settings for the first time, the braille screen input will now be available to you whenever you’re within a text field and need to type. Simply perform the Rotor gesture to select braille screen input.

How to Type using On-Screen Braille Input: Once activated, there are two options for typing using braille screen input. Table-top mode (when your device is laying flat on any surface) allows you to use your index, middle and ring fingers for typing as if it were a Perkins brailler. Screen-away mode, which I prefer and find more reliable, is preferable for smaller devices (such as the iPhone). To use braille screen input in screen-away mode:

• Activate braille screen input in your rotor
• Hold your iPhone in landscape orientation (that is, with the screen facing away from you, and the home button to the right).
• Hold your iPhone using your thumbs on the top edge and your pinky fingers on the bottom edge of your device. Your Index, Middle, and Ring fingers should now form two vertical columns of three dots just like the dots in the braille cell.
• Imagine this braille cell in front of you before typing, with dots 1, 2 and 3 placed vertically on the left and dots 4, 5 and 6 placed vertically on the right. Press down the fingers that correspond to the dots of the symbol you’d like to form. For example, press down your left index finger (which should be located on the top left of your screen in landscape orientation) to form the letter “A”, and press your left index, right index and right middle fingers together to form the letter “D”.

Try doing the entire alphabet for practice!

Other useful gestures when using braille screen input in screen-away mode:
• Swipe with one finger towards the left to delete the previous letter
• Swipe with one finger towards the right to insert a “space”
• Swipe with two fingers towards the right to move to the next line (VoiceOver will say “new line”)
• Swipe with three fingers towards the left to switch to contracted mode (which allows you to type contractions).
Swipe with three fingers towards the right to move back to uncontracted mode.

Now, you can type in braille on your device wherever you are!

Braille: A Story of Personal Life-Long Empowerment
By Leo Bissonnette, Ph.D.

As we celebrate the contribution of Louis Braille and his impact on our individual lives today, this issue features articles that make a strong case for the value of braille. My story adds to this accumulated statement of empowerment and the need to keep braille relevant in the lives of the blind today.

Like so many others in the blind community, I have listened to audio books since I was able to operate the record player that used to store talking books back in my early childhood. Today I enjoy reading books on my iPhone, using my Victor Reader Stream, or sitting at the computer. As important as the digital age is to me, nothing has even come close to empowering me as a blind person the way braille has.

A Little About Me
I was born with low vision and started my education working in large print. Then my mother, who was quite the advocate in making sure that I received a good education and essential rehabilitation services, felt that braille should be a tool added to my toolbox. So I started learning braille in third grade while attending the Montreal Association School for the Blind. I quickly took to using braille right away, and have used it as my first tool, taken from my toolbox, on a daily basis ever since.
Back to the Present
These days, what with the portability and low cost of ebooks, it seems that braille is struggling to keep its place in the lives of the blind. The high cost of braille displays compounds the problem, making it easier to simply abandon braille, or perhaps relegate it to infrequent use. Does it really matter if Braille becomes a medium that exists only in the memories of older blind people? Is it time to move on to more modern and cost-effective ways of communicating the written word, or should we fight to bring braille back to the forefront of our collective consciousness? Why is braille still relevant today?

I believe braille is essential for good writing. I would not be the proficient speller I am today if I had not read hundreds of thousands of braille words over the course of my life. While any decent screen reader provides the ability to spell words and review lines of text character by character, it is virtually impossible to catch all formatting and spelling errors in a document with speech alone. Anyone who uses text-to-speech software at all knows all too well the frustration of deciphering b’s from d’s, and sorting out all of the words that sound alike but are spelled differently such as there and their.

When I really need to digest something I am reading, I will slow my speech rate down or transfer the content to an SD card for later reading on my braille display. I am constantly amazed at the number of errors I find in documents I am reading in braille that I did not catch with speech alone.

Would I want to go back to the days before I had my iPhone and portable book reader? No way. Am I as likely to use a slate and stylus today as I was 50 years ago—although I still carry one in my brief case just in case I need it? Probably not. Can I imagine what my life would be like if I never again read another line of text in braille? I don’t even want to dwell on the thought!

Exploring Braille Settings on iOS
by Kim Kilpatrick

This will be the first in a series of articles exploring the use of braille displays with iDevices.

In this article, I will briefly describe the braille settings and show you how to pair a refreshable braille display with an iDevice. Braille support for iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, and iPad Mini is built into the screen reader which comes with your iDevice. This screen reader is called VoiceOver. Most braille displays work well with VoiceOver. You must use Bluetooth to pair a braille display with your iDevice. Unlike other Bluetooth devices (keyboards, headphones, speakers) braille displays are not paired in the Bluetooth settings but are paired in the VoiceOver braille settings.

Braille Settings
In Settings on your iDevice go to General, then Accessibility, then VoiceOver. You can also ask Siri to open VoiceOver settings. Double tap on Braille.

The settings are as follows (double tap each setting to explore its options):
1. Braille Display Output (this is what you read on your display). You can choose from uncontracted 6-dot braille, uncontracted 8-dot braille and contracted braille. Double tap on the one you want.
2. Braille Display Input (what you use when brailling with your display). Again, you can choose from uncontracted 6-dot braille, uncontracted 8-dot braille and contracted braille.
3. Automatic Braille Translation: When this is turned on, it translates braille contractions as you type. When it is off, it waits until you press space to translate the braille.
4. Braille Screen Input: This is for typing braille on the screen of your iDevice. I will discuss this in a future article.
5. Status Cells: This will also be discussed in a later article.
6. Equations Use Nemeth Code: You can toggle this off or on depending on how you feel about Nemeth code.
7. Show on screen keyboard: I will discuss this in a future article.
8. Turn pages when panning: This is also a toggle and I suggest you leave it on as when reading a book it will just keep going to the next page.
9. Braille Translation: In English braille your options are: English (unified), English (US) and English (United Kingdom)
10. Alert display duration: This will be discussed in a future article.
11. Choose a braille display: Verify that Bluetooth is enabled on your iDevice.

Pairing Your Braille Display
Make sure that your braille display is in Bluetooth or pairing mode. How you achieve this varies depending on your display (consult your braille display manual). Then, find your braille display in the list below the heading titled Choose a braille display and double tap on it.

Some displays pair automatically while others require a PIN to be entered. Check your braille display manual for more information.

Once the display is paired, it should stay paired.

When turning off the braille display and/or iDevice, lock the device first, then turn off the display. When turning them back on, turn on the braille display first then unlock your device. They should pair again without you having to do anything in the braille settings.

If you need help using your braille display with your iPhone, or have questions or topics you wish to be covered, let us know.

BLC on Social Media

Braille Literacy Canada is now on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn! Find us there to receive news about BLC and braille, to stay informed, and to join a network of others devoted to braille just like you.

[Twitter]@brllitcan
[Facebook] Braille Literacy Canada/brailleliteracycanada.us10.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=83d7b705ce15164e7d276ebc9&id=5801fede7f&e=50d41d60d5>
[LinkedIn]LinkedIn/brailleliteracycanada.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=83d7b705ce15164e7d276ebc9&id=a06b5e8777&e=50d41d60d5>

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