GTT Edmonton Summary Notes, Taking Pics with iPhone, June 11, 2018

Summary Notes

GTT Edmonton Meeting June 11, 2018

 

The most recent meeting of the Get Together with Technology (GTT) Edmonton Chapter was held June 11at 7pm at Ascension Lutheran Church 8405 83 Street in Edmonton.

14 people attended.

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

 

June Topics –Taking Pictures/Videos with iPhone

 

iPhone Pictures and Videos

Huseyn, a Grade 4 student, provided the members with an overview of how he uses his iPhone 6 to take pictures and videos.  Some of the suggestions that Huseyn provided regarding the use of his iPhone camera are as follows:

  • Use the Camera app to take both pictures and videos. All controls in the camera app are fully accessible.
  • Use the Camera Mode button to choose between taking a photo or video.
  • Use the Camera Chooser to select either the front or back facing camera.
  • Activate the Take Picture button or Record Video button depending on whether you select photo or video mode.
  • There is a button to stop the video recording or you may double tap with two fingers.
  • Take a still photo and text the image to a friend for interpretation.
  • Use the video to record a presentation or even a conversation – as then you can re-listen to it at a later date or show it to friends to “prove your point”.
  • Take a selfie.
  • The slow-mo feature of the camera is fun to use.

 

Some of the general commands that Huseyn demonstrated are as follows:

  • Touch or slide your finger around the home screen and VoiceOver tells you the names of every app.
  • Touch a button or icon to hear its label. The last label you hear can then be activated by double tapping with one finger.
  • Instead of sliding your finger around the screen you may also Flick left and right with one finger to move back and forth between elements.
  • Huseyn noted that the WhatsApp was a good app to download for messaging and free phone calls.  Huseyn uses it to communicate with his Grandfather.

 

New at CELA – Magazine Subscriptions

Gerry noted CELA Library now offers the ability to subscribe to any of their 150 magazines. You need to call customer service (1-855-655-2273) to set up your subscriptions. Once you are subscribed, the corresponding magazine will be automatically added to your Direct to Player bookshelf when each issue is available.

 

iPhone Gestures

Gerry took a small group to demo and discuss basic iPhone gestures.

  • Gerry reviewed basic gestures as previously summarized in the February 2018 meeting notes.
  • Gerry also covered the 3 finger gestures. Swipe up or down with 3 fingers to scroll up or down through a long web page or document. Swipe left or right with 3 fingers to scroll the screen left or right such as moving between the various pages of the home screen.
  • The app switcher was also discussed. It lists all the open apps on your phone. You reach the app switcher with a double click of the Home button.
  • In the app switcher a 3 finger scroll up is a shortcut to close the app. It is a good idea to close apps from the app switcher as this reduces memory usage and improves battery life. Also, if an app is misbehaving it may help to go to the app switcher and close that app then relaunch the app.
  • Be careful with the 3 finger gesture because if you accidentally double tap with 3 fingers this turns off speech. If your speech goes silent try double tapping with 3 fingers to turn speech back on.
  • The gesture help screen is a good place to practice gestures. Each gesture you perform will be announced as well as its purpose. This helps you to confirm that your gestures are interpreted correctly by the phone. To quickly reach the help practice screen, tap twice with 4 fingers. To leave the help practice screen again double tap with 4 fingers.

 

Next Meeting (Monday September 10 at 7pm)

  • We will break for the summer and meet again the second Monday of September. Have a great summer!
  • 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 across Canada as well as a national GTT monthly toll free teleconference. You may subscribe to the National GTT blog to get email notices of teleconferences and notes from other GTT chapters. Visit:

http://www.gttprogram.wordpress.com/

To subscribe, use the form at the bottom of that web page to enter your email.

 

National GTT Email Support List

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

GTTsupport+subscribe@groups.io

 

[End of Document]

 

 

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

Tech-Ease/ Get Together with Technology

Regina Drop-In Meeting

Summary Notes

May 26, 2018

 

Sponsored by Vision Impaired Resource Network (VIRN),

Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB)

And the

Regina Public Library

 

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

 

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

 

Access 2 Entertainment Card:

Home

– 3 years for $20, 5 years for $30

– Through the Easter Seals Website or Access 2 Entertainment website

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

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

 

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

Home

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

 

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

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

 

The Access 2 cardholder pays  regular admission price.

 

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

Movie theaters throughout the province are:

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

 

Places in Regina:

Vendors. Royal Saskatchewan Museum. RCMP Heritage Museum..

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

Rainbow theaters Golden Mile..

Moose Jaw Vendors:

Tunnels of Moose Jaw. Western development Museum…

 

Saskatoon Vendors:

Fitness on 25th. YMCA.

Western development Museum Saskatoon..

Forestry farm and Zoo..

 

North Battleford:

Western development Museum.

Apply First Time

 

How to Apply:

STEP 1

FILL OUT APPLICATION

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

 

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

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

 

Complete “Section D – Administration Fee Payment”.

 

STEP 2

MAKE PAYMENT

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

OR

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

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

 

MEMBERSHIP PRICES (2 options)

$20 for a new 3-year card

OR

$30 for a new 5-year card.

PAY ONLINE.

 

STEP 3

SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

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

Submit Sections B, C, and D.

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

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

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

Submit application online.

 

CNIB Photo ID Card:

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

 

Saskatchewan Identification card:

Issued from SGI:

– It is valid for 5 years and is $10

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

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

 

Accessible Games (iOS, unless otherwise noted):

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

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

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

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

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

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

– Blind Cricket – hard to play, but accessible

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

 

Notes from Michelle “Some accessible games for GTT”:

– Crafting kingdom

– Dice world

– Blind fold series

– Black jack and solitare. .  By Mobility ware

– Zany touch. Or Zany Touch free

– Papa sangra  1 &2

– Blind  legend

– Audio defense

– Where’s my rubber ducky. Audio archery

– Mine sweeper

– De steno games

– Audio game hub

– Cribbage pro

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

 

PC Games:

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

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

 

Physical Games – Games that have tactile or Braille options:

– Braille cards

– Braille Uno

– Braille Monopoly

– Braille Scrabble

– Tactile MasterMind

– Jump a peg, tactile peg jumping game

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

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

– Tactile Battleship

– Tactile Chess/Checkers

 

Announcement from the Library:

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

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

– No mouth piece instruments are available

 

Next Meeting:

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Connect with us:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/techeasesk

Tech-Ease YQR YXE (@techeasesk) | Twitter

twitter.com

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

 

CCB Press Release: Accessible Canada Act

CCB Press Release: Accessible Canada Act
list of 4 items
Subscribe
Past Issues
RSS
Translate
list end
View this email in your browser
Canadian Council of the Blind Logo
Press Release re Accessible Canada Act (Bill C-81):

As President of the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB), it is a pleasure to send this message to inform you, about the proposed Accessible Canada Act. We
want to thank Minister Duncan for introducing the act, as well as Minister Qualtrough for the initial steps in the process. This Act has been through the
first reading and tabled until fall sitting.
Thank you to all of you who attended the consultations held in your communities over the past two years. We as an organization have had representation
in meetings with the Ministry of Disabilities, Sports and Science on this act as well. We are pleased with the bill once passed, and any amendments that
may come, will ensure that our shared spaces will be more accessible to all, job opportunities will increase and transportation improved.

Please read the letter from Government of Canada below for further details.

Sincerely,

Louise Gillis, National President
The Canadian Council of the Blind
100-20 James St.
Ottawa, ON
K2P 0T6

Minister Duncan introduces the proposed Accessible Canada Act

From:
Employment and Social Development Canada

News release

Most significant progress for people with disabilities in over 30 years

June 20, 2018                    Gatineau, Quebec
Employment and Social Development Canada

Today, following the most inclusive and accessible consultation with Canadians with disabilities and with the disability community, the Honourable Kirsty
Duncan, Minister of Science and Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, introduced the proposed Accessible Canada Act to Parliament. This historic
legislation would enable the Government of Canada to take a proactive approach to end systemic discrimination of people with disabilities.

The goal of the legislation is to benefit all Canadians, especially Canadians with disabilities, through the progressive realization of a barrier-free
Canada. The act would establish a model to eliminate accessibility barriers and lead to more consistent accessibility in areas under federal jurisdiction
across Canada.

The bill outlines how the Government of Canada will require organizations under federal jurisdiction to identify, remove and prevent barriers to accessibility,
including in:

list of 6 items
• the built environment (buildings and public spaces);
• employment (job opportunities and employment policies and practices);
• information and communication technologies (digital content and technologies used to access it);
• the procurement of goods and services;
• the delivery of programs and services; and
• transportation (by air as well as by rail, ferry and bus carriers that operate across provincial, territorial or international borders).
list end

The Government of Canada is providing funding of approximately $290 million over six years that will further the objectives of the new legislation.

The act would strengthen the existing rights and protections for people with disabilities, under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian
Human Rights Act and Canada’s approval of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It will do this through the development,
implementation and enforcement of accessibility standards, as well as the monitoring of outcomes in priority areas. These requirements will be enforced
by the new powers and enforcement measures needed to ensure compliance, and overall implementation will be monitored. No longer will Canadians with disabilities
be expected to fix the system through human rights complaints, instead, new proactive compliance measures will ensure that organizations under federal
jurisdiction are held accountable to ensuring accessible practices.

As the Government of Canada moves forward with the implementation of the proposed act, continued and meaningful participation by Canadians with disabilities
will be crucial towards realizing a barrier-free Canada.

The Canadian Accessibility Standards Development Organization (CASDO) will be Canada’s first-ever standards development organization exclusively dedicated
to accessibility issues and will be led by persons with disabilities.

In keeping with the objectives of the bill and respecting the Government’s approach to historic and modern treaties, we will also support the work of First
Nations leaders and communities to improve accessibility on reserve.

While this legislation is a significant first step in ensuring a barrier-free Canada for all Canadians, the Government of Canada will work collaboratively
with partners in both the public and private sectors to create opportunities for full participation by people with disabilities in their communities and
workplaces, and to help change the way society thinks, talks and acts about disability and accessibility.

Quotes
block quote
“Society benefits when all Canadians can fully participate. The proposed accessible Canada act represents the most important federal legislative advancement
of disability rights in Canada in over 30 years. Thank you to the many community leaders and advocates who have worked for years and decades to make this
happen. With the proposed act now in Parliament, we are one step closer to our goal: to have a truly inclusive and accessible Canada.”

– The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities
block quote end

block quote
“Today’s announcement marks a significant milestone in improving accessibility for all Canadians. As a life-long advocate for disability rights and a person
living with a disability myself, I am proud to lead a portfolio tasked with enhancing accessibility in federal buildings and establishing an accessible
procurement resource centre. This important work will help ensure the goods and services purchased and offered by the Government of Canada are more accessible
for all Canadians.”

– The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Public Services and Procurement
block quote end

Quick facts
list of 4 items
• In 2012, approximately 14 percent of Canadians aged 15 years or older reported having a disability.

• Between 2011 and 2016, disability-related complaints represented just over half of all the discrimination complaints received by the Canadian Human Rights
Commission.

• The 2012 Canadian Survey on Disability indicates that there are approximately 412,000 people with disabilities who had the potential and willingness
to work, but who were unable to secure or retain employment.

• According to the 2012 Canadian Survey on Disability, 49 percent of people with disabilities aged 25 to 64 were employed, compared with 79 percent of
Canadians without disabilities.
list end

Related products
list of 4 items
• Summary of the accessible Canada act
• Backgrounder: Tabling the proposed Accessible Canada Act – Engagement
• Backgrounder: Accessible Government
• Backgrounder: Opportunities Fund enhancements support recruitment and retention of persons with disabilities
list end

Associated links
list of 2 items
• Accessible Canada
• What we learned report
list end
Twitter
Facebook
Website
Copyright © 2018 The Canadian Council of the Blind, All rights reserved.

 

Guest Post: Braille Literacy Canada Newsletter June 2018, a Publication of Braille Literacy Canada

Newsletter ● June 2018

Message from the President

Dear members of Braille Literacy Canada,

 

I love braille.

 

I love to read it. Left to right. Right side up. Even upside down or backwards (which is completely possible – trust me!).

 

I love to read it alone, or when I’m out. Or when I just accidentally happen to stumble upon it in an elevator or on a sign. Or when the electricity fails and I’m the only one able to read to my nieces and nephews. Lights out? No problem. I love the feel of the dots as they run beneath my fingers.

 

I love the scent of every braille book I’ve ever received. Just like those dusty old print books I remember, these scents tell a story of their own, transporting me back in time to the first place – that library, that corner on the kitchen floor, that classroom – when I first opened its pages and the world was brought to me. Even to this day, decades after I was first introduced to the wonders of Louis Braille, I am in awe that six mere dots could hold the key to every letter, symbol, word, thought, story.

 

I love electronic braille books, too. The feel of the crisp dots, the sound as each line refreshes to reveal a new secret. I love that, thanks to the wonders of modern technology, I can hold thousands of pages – endless possibilities – on one small device.

 

I love to write braille. I love the loud, clunky, ever reliable, ever present Perkins brailler, with its iconic “ding!” as I reach the end of a line. And the satisfying “punch” as I press the stylus into the paper. I love that – even with all the fabulous technology around me – I can carry this one small tool everywhere, just like a pen and paper, and it will never, ever fail me.

 

I love braille because it truly is literacy. And that, as I have experienced firsthand, is nothing short of freedom, emancipation, and equality. I love braille, not because it is a replacement for any other format (like audio), but because it is part of the rich tapestry of choices available to me. Braille, however, has transformed me into a reader, a writer, and not one who must rely on others. With these tools in hand, it has made everything possible.

 

It was at the age of six when I first began learning braille. In those very first days before braille and I knew each other, I saw it as something that set me apart. My Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments, with her infinite wisdom and creativity, encouraged me to invite a sighted classmate to those first few lessons. That first year, we made braille Valentine’s Day cards for everyone in my class along with special decoder cards. It became a yearly tradition. I very quickly came to see that – yes, braille did set me apart. But in an immensely positive  way. I wasn’t the odd one out who “needed” braille. I was the luckiest one of all, because I was the only student in the class learning it. Fast forward many years later, I began working as a rehabilitation specialist, teaching braille to children, adults and seniors, and now also as a Ph.D Candidate, where I experience the joy of engaging in meaningful braille related research every day.

 

I write to you wearing my new cap as President of Braille Literacy Canada, to thank all of you who participated in our recent Annual General Meeting, either in person or virtually, and for putting your trust in your new 2018 BLC board. Our organization is successful not merely due to one person, but because of the many busy working hands – both on and off the board – who collaborate to make BLC what it continues to be today. And with this in mind, I am eager to introduce you to our new 2018 board, which includes:

 

  • Natalie Martiniello, President
  • Daphne Hitchcock, Vice-President
  • Anthony Tibbs, Treasurer
  • Kim Kilpatrick (Canadian Council of the Blind), Secretary
  • Jen Goulden (Crawford Technologies), Past President
  • Cathy Ausman, Director
  • Rebecca Blaevoet (Tactile Vision Graphics), Director
  • Jessica Blouin (T-Base Communications), Director
  • Jen Jesso, Director
  • Jenn Monks, Director
  • Laurie Moore (W. Ross MacDonald), Director
  • Dwila Nixon, Director
  • Cheryl Roberts-Dupasquier, Director
  • Melanie Romer-Noel (CNIB), Director

 

I am excited to work with such a talented team of braille readers, transcribers, producers, teachers and researchers for the 2018-2019 BLC year. On a personal note, I want to thank our Past President, Jen Goulden, for her countless years of dedication and commitment to the organization.  We are fortunate that we can continue to benefit from her immense knowledge and experience as she remains on the board as our Past President, and I know she will continue to be an invaluable member of our board. On behalf of all of us, thank you Jen!

 

In addition to the elections, two proposed bylaw amendments were considered at the AGM. The first proposal (which would have resulted in lifetime members who were “inactive” being excluded from quorum calculations) was tabled and not voted upon. The second proposal (which relaxes term limits on the board so that an individual may remain on the board more than 3 terms but only if they are elected to a different position) was accepted by the members. For more details on each of these proposals, please see the documentation included in the 2018 AGM call or write to us for more information.

 

Two workshops were also held at the AGM. The first (presented by Kim Kilpatrick and myself) focused on the use of braille displays with iDevices. In the second workshop, Jen Goulden and Anthony Tibbs introduced participants to a freely available braille transcription program developed by the American Printing House for the Blind called “BrailleBlaster” (http://brailleblaster.org/).

 

We look forward to continuing our tradition of offering braille related teleconferences throughout the year – So let us know what topics you’d like us to feature, and stay tuned!

 

We are always happy to hear from you! If you have ideas, stories to share, comments, or questions, please feel free to write to me at president@blc-lbc.ca.

 

Here is to a year full of possibilities, hard work, lots of fun – and most of all – many, many dots!

 

Yours truly,

 

Natalie Martiniello

President, Braille Literacy Canada

 

Membership in BLC

 

BLC membership coincides with the calendar year. If you are not yet a member or haven’t renewed for 2018, we invite you to visit http://www.brailleliteracycanada.ca/en/about-us/get-involved/become-a-member.

 

If you are a member you can:

 

  • Have your say: attend the Annual General Meeting
  • Get involved in the work of BLC: join one of our committees
  • Help to promote the use of braille in Canada
  • Participate in teleconferences on braille-related issues (free for members)
  • Receive our bi-monthly newsletter, as well as other communications, directly from BLC
  • Get answers to all your UEB questions: join our UEB listserv by sending an email to UEB-request@lists.blc-lbc.ca.

 

Braille Copies of the BLC Newsletter Now Available Through CELA!

The Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA) now offers braille versions of the BLC newsletter upon request. Readers can subscribe by emailing help@celalibrary.ca or by calling 1-855-655-2273 and asking to subscribe to the braille copy of the Braille Literacy Canada newsletter. The newsletter will also continue to be published electronically. Thank you to CELA for this partnership!

 

Calling all braille stories!

By Kim Kilpatrick

 

In our recent survey of BLC members, you asked for more personal stories about how we use braille in our news letter.  We want to deliver!  In honour of International Literacy Month in September, we will be publishing a special issue of the newsletter devoted to “braille in action” – filled with your personal stories about braille. Help us celebrate braille as literacy and the brilliance of braille! Send us your stories about how you use braille or what braille means to you. Be as creative as you like – stories, letters, poems – we’d love to read it all! We invite submissions from braille readers of all ages (children, adults, seniors!), parents, teachers and anyone else who has a braille story to share! Send your entries  (in English or French) to info@blc-lbc.ca by August 31st and help us spread the word about the beauty of braille!

 

Naming the Newsletter

We haven’t received many submissions, so we will keep the contest open and announce a winner for the September issue. Please email your suggestions to info@blc-lbc.ca. Thanks to those of you who have already sent in your ideas!

 

The Brailler Bounce Initiative

 

We are continuing to run this program but we do not have braillers available at this time. We will send out an update to BLC members once we have more braillers on hand and are able to take new requests.

 

Immortalizing the Edie Mourre Scholarship Program: Calling on all members to help us secure the future of this important initiative!

By Anthony Tibbs, BLC Treasurer

 

Braille Literacy Canada established the Edie Mourre Scholarship Program in 2008 to provide financial support for those seeking certification as a transcriber or proofreader of braille.  The scholarship has been offered annually since that time, as funds have become available.

 

We have an exciting opportunity this year to make this a permanent and self-sustaining program, but we need your help to make it happen! Between now and November 30th, 2018, every dollar donated to BLC in support of the Edie Mourre Scholarship Program will be matched by a third-party donor (up to $6,500).  That means that if BLC raises $6,500 by November 30th, we will actually have raised $13,000.

 

The exciting part is that with $13,000 in hand, we will have enough to establish a permanent endowment fund to guarantee that the Edie Mourre Scholarship will be awarded to at least one deserving applicant each and every year.

 

Consider this – If every single member of BLC raises $100 between now and November 30th, we will have surpassed our goal! Just $100 each! Or $20 a month between July and November. Here are some creative ideas on how to help us get there – If you have other fundraising ideas, we’d love to hear from you!

 

  • Host a special brunch, lunch, dinner or braille game/braille bingo party at your house. Invite all your friends and ask them to donate $20 (or an amount of your choosing) to attend. Make it a braille themed party if you like!
  • Follow the link below: One of the options is to donate $20 each month between now and November 30th to total $100!
  • Share the link on social media. Spread the word to family, friends and teachers!
  • Give a Coffee – Ask your friends and colleagues to skip one morning coffee and bagel by giving the amount they would typically spend on that meal – and donate it to a good cause instead! Better yet, donate and eat that delicious meal anyway!
  • Kids! Help your child run a lemonade stand – maybe include some braille chocolates for sale too! Check out the Braille Superstore for chocolate braille molds.
  • Braille Read-A-Thon! Students or any supporters obtain pledges from their friends and family members for the number of pages of books that they can read in a month – Raise money while keeping up those braille skills over the summer!
  • Get a local coffeehouse or club to host a poetry slam. Charge admission at the door, and advertise a Poetry Slam night with prizes. To raise awareness, challenge each participating poet to write a poem about your cause and invite braille readers to participate too!
  • Stay tuned for special announcements about other exciting ways you can help, while celebrating braille too!

 

Donate now: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/blc-lbc/campaign/edie-mourre/

 

Email treasurer@blc-lbc.ca or visit http://www.brailleliteracycanada.ca/en/donate-now for more information on other methods of donating to BLC and to the Edie Mourre campaign.

 

 

BLC Goes to Seeing Beyond the Horizon!

By Daphne Hitchcock

 

The 15th Biennial Canadian Vision Teachers’ Conference: Seeing Beyond the Horizon was held in Nisku, Alberta last month, May 3-5. Most every province and territory was represented by at least one of the 200 delegates.

 

A comprehensive line up of keynote speakers and presenters covered a wide range of topics, including cortical vision impairment, technology options, creating accessible materials, Canadian National Standards, budget AT solutions, teaching strategies, youth transitions and much more. It was difficult to decide which session to attend, as there were so many excellent presentations available. Fortunately, the presenter handouts are available for download through accessing this link https://sites.google.com/site/2018cvtc/handouts.

 

Braille Literacy Canada PosterBLC presented at the conference poster session. Delegates could view information and ask questions about BLC activities, who we are, membership benefits and BLC contributions. There was an opportunity to enter a membership draw at the poster session. This attracted additional new members – welcome!

 

All conference delegates were given an BLC info flyer in their conference bag.  To heighten our BLC profile and support the CVTC conference, BLC donated 3 children’s books in print and braille (UEB) to the Silent Auction.

 

Towards a simpler contracted French Braille

Originally published in the May 2018 BLC newsletter, authored By Anne Jarry, M.Ed, CVRT/SRDV

Translated into English by Emmanuel Blaevoet

 

In this column, I will share with you my opinion on the reform of the contracted French Braille code that might be taking place soon.

 

Personally, I had the pleasure of learning contracted French Braille as an adult after losing my sight at the age of 25 due to juvenile diabetes.  Back in 1986, there was no such thing as computer speech software.  So, Braille was for me the only option to read, write and learn, whether at University, or later on, at work. I have loved the fact that through the discovery of French braille, a whole new world of information and knowledge reached me.

 

However, considering that the contracted French Braille code contains over 900 symbols, one had to be extremely motivated and focused to learn and master this beautiful but extensive code. Had there been any speech software or audio access to information available to me at the time, would I have chosen to follow this arduous path? Today, less and less people who lose their sight at a later age deliberately choose to learn the contracted French Braille code. Why? Is it really far too difficult to learn over 900 braille symbols? Failing to think carefully on the state of abbreviated French Braille today, we might not be able to keep it a viable option for future blind and visually impaired learners.

 

We seem to be on the verge of finding a solution today. A process, initiated in 2008 at the same time that the new Uniform French Braille code was adopted, and later implemented in 2010, is the last stage towards the reform of French Braille. For the committee in charge, the positive points are important. They suggest, among other things, a huge reduction of the number of contractions to 103, down from over 900. We could see a greater number of readers and users of contracted French Braille, but also a greater number of teachers would be able to learn it and teach it in return.

 

All the same, changing a code that has been in effect since 1955 is not welcomed by all long time French braille users. A survey that was held from January to March 2018 gave us insight into the point of view and opinions of French Braille users and readers throughout the whole of Quebec. Following this survey, the members of the Quebec committee will present their report to the international representatives of the whole Francophonie in June 2018.

 

We will then have to take into account the input and comments of experts from Quebec as well as from the rest of the French speaking world before we can see the adoption of the new code. This extensive task is a necessary step but might require, as often the case, a fair amount of diplomacy and resilience in order to reach a consensual agreement from all parties.

 

If you would like a copy of all working documents supporting the work of this committee, as well as the documents in their .brf version, please feel free to reach me via email at anne.jarry@umontreal.ca.

 

It will be my pleasure to provide them on demand.

 

Looking forward to the opportunity to write the next column and announce the adoption of the new code very soon!

 

Study on the Experiences of Adults and Seniors who Learn Braille

By Natalie Martiniello

 

I am seeking participation for a research study that I am conducting through the University of Montreal to better understand the experiences of adults who have learned braille. The results from this study will help us to better understand the facilitators and barriers that adults experience during their braille training, and how to improve the training provided in future. We are seeking participation from people who are blind or who have low vision, are 40 years or older, and who have learned braille sometime within the past 10 years. Participation would involve a single, confidential, anonymous phone interview that will take between 60 and 90 minutes to complete.

 

If you are interested in participating, we will send you a consent form in advance that will tell you more about the study in either large print, braille or electronic (email) format. You also have the option of requesting a copy of the questionnaire in advance, to give you a better idea of the kind of questions we’ll ask.

 

The results from this study will help rehabilitation professionals design braille training programs that better meet the needs of adult and senior learners. Please feel free to tell others who may be interested in participating as well. Please feel free to write to me at natalina.martiniello@umontreal.ca to learn more. Thank you for your time.

 

Braille Club at the CNIB Community Hub (GTA) Update

By Karen Brophey

 

June 8 – with Literacy Staff from Deaf Blind Community Services we kicked off Deaf Blind Awareness month with a Braille Demo table in front of the Hub on Yonge Street! We handed out Braille Activity sheets, let folks try out a Perkins and put their hands on some books. Inside they had a chance to learn how people communicate via Intervenors, two-hand manual, etc. In the kitchen we handed out ice cream cones! (some kids even used fingerspelling to request their choice of flavours).

 

Coming Up:

 

  • June 23 – at the Hub’s next party for kids at the Hub (1525 Yonge St.) we’ll demo how to use the Perkins to draw tactile pictures.
  • June 24 – join CNIB walking in Toronto’s Pride Parade – all are welcome! We have 10,000 braille bracelets that we’ll be handing out as we walk!
  • July 7 and 8 – visit the Braille Club at the Maker Festival being held at the Toronto Reference Library (Yonge and Bloor!)
  • September 24 we’ll have a booth at Word on the Street at Toronto’s Harbourfront.

 

Lots more in the works including presentations and activities for the Braille Conference!

 

ALL braille enthusiasts are welcome to attend our meetings. Contact karen.brophey@cnib.ca for more information!

 

Low-Cost Refreshable Braille

By Jen Goulden

 

You may have heard people wrongly claiming that braille is dying but the reality is that it is very much alive. The future of literacy for blind people is more secure now than at any time in the past, thanks in large part to the advent of refreshable braille technology. Whether you use a notetaker on its own or you connect a display to your computer or smartphone you are benefiting from technology that makes braille easier to access than ever before. The only drawback is that the cost to purchase one of these devices has traditionally been significantly more than most people can afford to spend. Thankfully that is beginning to change! In the last couple of years a number of braille devices have been developed. While most of them are still in the testing phase it looks like there will be some affordable options for braille readers in the very near future.

 

While attending the midterm executive meeting of ICEB in Ireland earlier this year I had a chance to check out a couple of these low-cost devices. The Canute e-reader is a multi-line braille display with a total of 360 cells. The braille is very easy to read and because it refreshes one line at a time you don’t have to wait for the whole page to refresh before you can continue reading. I found that this model is much quieter than previous versions. Although it can be used to read any kind of document it would really be beneficial for material such as music scores, math textbooks and even tactile graphics. For more information please visit www.bristolbraille.co.uk.

 

The Braille Me is another device that will soon be available. This 20-cell display has some notetaking capability and can be connected to a computer or paired with an iPhone. The braille is crisp and the display has cursor routing buttons. One thing that is different about the Braille Me is that the keyboard is closer to the front and the braille cells are at the back, which is the opposite of most devices on the market. It also does not contain dots 7 and 8. It does make some noise when the display refreshes, but I believe that the advantages of the Braille Me make it an excellent option for low-cost refreshable braille. For more information please visit www.innovisiontech.co.

 

Tips for Transitioning to Post-Secondary Learning

By Betty Nobel

 

At this time of year, I often think of students transitioning to post secondary learning.  Many students will be excited but a little fearful about going to college or university.  While support varies in different provinces, what students can count on is that the braille and other supports they had access to previously will not be the same as in high school.

 

What to do?  Here are some ideas.

 

Get some O&M training on campus.

 

Use the internet until you are comfortable being online.

 

Practice scanning printed materials and converting image files to text

 

Find out about how you can obtain adaptive equipment, including refreshable braille technology, if you need it.

 

Contact the disability services department and see if you can get a reading list for any of the courses you want to take.  This way, you can sometimes “get ahead of the game.”

 

Organize financial aid if needed.

 

Find out about sources for written materials such as Kindle, Ibooks, etc which can be accessed with speech-output and refreshable braille

 

Make sure you have a membership with Bookshare.

 

Listen to Ted talks or other podcasts and practice taking notes.

 

Don’t hesitate to ask for help when you need it.

 

Remember to acknowledge and appreciate those who assist you and try to find ways to give back to them.

 

Make sure that you take breaks and find balance in your life.  School is important, but so is your mental health.

 

And most important…HAVE FUN!

 

Harry Potter and UEB

By Jen Goulden

 

What does Harry Potter have to do with UEB, you ask … well, aside from the obvious answer that braille makes it possible for blind people of all ages to read these fabulous books? It’s probably more precise to ask what UEB has to do with Professor Dumbledore.

 

Based on member feedback, we’ve decided to highlight a UEB-related question in each issue of the newsletter. What better place to start than the magical world of Harry Potter?

 

Our UEB list recently received a question regarding the use of the “ed” contraction in the word Dumbledore. As we had hoped when setting up this list, there was some discussion back and forth on why the word should or should not be contracted. UEB allows for contraction use that would not have been permitted before, but Duxbury – which is quite reliable about these things – does not contract Dumbledore. So, does the famous fictional professor have a contraction in his last name? Why or why not?

 

No. According to The Rules of Unified English Braille, groupsigns such as “ed”, “st” and “wh” should not be used when the contraction would bridge two words in a non-hyphenated compound. As a result, the word “boredom” can be contracted but “kettledrum” cannot. If you’re like me and thought that Dumbledore is just a name that J.K. Rowling made up you might be surprised to learn that it can also refer to an insect, some sort of dung beetle. It also happens to be considered a compound word, so the “ed” contraction cannot be used.

 

If you have code-related questions about UEB and would like to join our list, please sent an email to ueb-request@lists.blc-lbc.ca.

 

If Braille Were Print

 

In the Winter 2016 issue of Future Reflections, Erin Jepsen wrote a passionate and powerful piece that so eloquently and clearly articulates the importance of braille – that braille is to the blind what print is to the sighted. In it, she addresses head on many of the misconceptions and stereotypes about braille that are voiced through the questions we too often hear from others: Isn’t braille hard to learn? Is braille really needed, now that we have access to so much audio? Jepsen beautifully illustrates that if we replaced the word “braille” with “print” many of these questions would not be asked. And that is the crux of it – braille is literacy!

 

To read this article and share it with others, go to: https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/fr/fr35/1/fr350110.htm

 

Social Media Updates

Here is a taste of some of the gems posted on the BLC Facebook and Twitter pages over the past few weeks!

 

Braille Literacy Canada honours Darleen Bogart with the President’s Award:

http://www.brailleliteracycanada.ca/view.asp?ccid=388

 

If Braille Were Print? This article from Future Reflections is a must read:

https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/fr/fr35/1/fr350110.htm

 

You may have read recently about a new universal standard for #Braille displays adopted by the USB Implementers Forum. This is an industry body comprising  manufacturers and software developers who wish to move the USB specification forward. Participants include Microsoft, Apple and Google among many others.

Freedom Scientific has been a part of the process that has led to the adoption of this standard. Read more here: http://blog.freedomscientific.com/usbhid1/

 

International Council on English Braille Country and Committee reports from the 2018 ICEB mid-term Executive meeting in Dublin are now available:

http://iceb.org/papers18.html

 

Check out this great post on how to incorporate #braille and #literacy skills into your blind student’s yoga activities! A great example of how to combine different parts of the expanded core curriculum #braille #ECC #PhysicalLiteracy

http://www.pathstoliteracy.org/blog/yoga-activities-increase-literacy-skills?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Paths%20to%20Literacy%20Newsletter%20May%2029%202018&utm_content=Paths%20to%20Literacy%20Newsletter%20May%2029%202018+CID_6574467e363155775ac2b881d51342c0&utm_source=Paths%20to%20Literacy%20newsletter&utm_term=Yoga%20Activities%20to%20Increase%20Literacy%20Skills

 

Harry Potter fans will know that Dobby the houseelf would like this idea! Braille socks for the visually impaired:

http://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2018/04/16/korean-company-makes-braille-socks-for-visually-impaired.html?platform=hootsuite

 

The evolution of #tactile solutions for doing #math. Today, students can use a tactile graphics pad for complex equations:

http://www.perkins.org/stories/adding-it-up

 

Tips for promoting #braille in your community:

http://www.afb.org/info/national-literacy-program-fact-sheets-resource-lis/tips-for-promoting-braille-in-your-community/35

 

Graduate student creating digital #braille smartphone app for deafblind users:

https://coolblindtech.com/graduate-student-creating-smartphone-app-for-deaf-blind-users/

 

Wondering which assistive technology options to use with beginning braille readers http://www.pathstoliteracy.org/technology/assistive-technology-beginning-braille-readers

 

From the International Council on English Braille – UEB UPDATE: New UEB symbol for the check mark/tick (dots 4,146) is approved for use:
http://iceb.org/ueb.html

 

@brllitcan

Braille Literacy Canada

LinkedIn

 

Guest Post: Blind News Victoria, a Publication of the Pacific Training Centre for the Blind, Summer 2018

Blind News Victoria

 

A publication of the Pacific Training Centre for the Blind

Vol. 8: Summer 2018

 

 

Well here we are almost half way through 2018 and the end of another Pacific Training Centre for the Blind (PTCB) school year.  Here are some of the highlights of the winter-spring term.

 

  • PTCB celebrated the graduation of 4 students, TJ in January and Ann, Anna and Delores in June.  They have all worked very hard to complete graduation requirements which include cooking a meal for 8, learning Braille and screen reader technology and becoming as independently mobile as their physical limitations would allow.  Congratulations to TJ, Ann, Anna and Delores.  We’re all very proud of your accomplishments. 
  • Our first Home Stay student, after six months of intensive training, has now returned to Chilliwack and is living on her own and planning to attend school this summer and fall.  Please consider becoming a Home Stay host.  It is a very rewarding experience knowing that you have really made a difference in a young blind person’s life.  Contact us if you would like to know more about the Home Stay host’s role.
  • AMI (Accessible Media Inc.) spent two days filming PTC training sessions and doing interviews with both staff and students for a 23 minute documentary which will air on AMI’s Our Community.  We do not know yet when it will be scheduled but will let you know.
  • PTCB has received several awards and grants in the past year including the top ABC Life Literacy Innovation Award which included a grant of $20,000.  Elizabeth travelled to Ontario to accept this award and give a power point presentation about PTCB.

 

Please consider becoming a member of the Pacific Training Centre for the Blind Society.  Membership is only $5 per year.  The larger the membership, the more successful the Society will be in acquiring grants from the government which are essential to us carrying on the vital work of the PTCB.

 

To join call Elizabeth at 250-580-4910 or email

info@pacifictrainingcentre.ca

 

You can also join on-line through our website which can be found at

Pacifictrainingcentre.ca

 

 

DID YOU KNOW?

 

The Butchart Gardens has Nightly live entertainment at 8:00 and fireworks set to music Saturdays at nightfall during the summer.

Highlight: July 27 Victoria Symphony

 

Go to

https://www.butchartgardens.com/summer-entertainment-calendar/

 

for a list of dates and performers.

 

There is free admission to those with a CNIB card and free admission for your attendant with your Leisure Pass.

The #75 bus takes you right into the grounds

 

***

You can find out what’s happening in Victoria between Blind News Victoria newsletters by listening to the live Victoria Community Report on AMI Audio at 7:00 a.m. (repeated at 9:00 a.m.) every fourth Thursday.  The next report will be on Thursday June 28.

 

AMI Audio can be found at 889 on your television or on line at

 

ami.ca/report-pacific

 

If you miss the live report, you can listen on-line to the most recent report.

 

****

The Victoria Society for Blind Arts and Culture offers an Arts and Cultural Bursary to its blind members, reimbursing 50% of the cost of an arts or cultural activity up to $50.

 

For information or to apply, contact Linda Bartram

250-595-5888

Email: lbartram@telus.net

 

 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

 

Theatre SKAM Summer Festival Sunday July 15, 2018

360 Harbour Road, Victoria

Free described event at 2:00 and 4:30

Walk along the Galloping Goose Trail and stop at several venues to take in a short theatrical performance described by Rick Waines, VocalEye live describer.

Note: This event involves 15 – 20 minutes of walking along a level trail and standing at four,   5 to 7 minute performances.

 

To register for this free described event contact Sierra

sierra@skam.ca

Or by phone 250-386-7526

 

For those booking the 2:00 walk and coming on the bus, a Victoria Society for Blind Arts and Culture member will meet folks at 1:15 at the bus stop on the north side of Esquimalt Road at Harbour Road. 

For those using HandyDart, book your ride to 354 Harbour Road, to arrive by 1:30 and you will be met there and escorted to the event.

Let Sierra know if you wish to be met at either the Esquimalt bus stop or 354 Harbour Road when you book your place

or contact Linda at 250-595-5888

lbartram@telus.net

 

 

***

Described tour at the Royal BC Museum (organized by the Victoria Society for Blind Arts and Culture)

Egypt –The Time of Pharaohs

Monday July 23 at 3:30

 

Admission: Adult (19+) $17.00

Senior (65+) $11.00

Youth (6-18) $11.00

Student (19+ w/ ID) $11.00

Attendant is free if you have a Leisure Pass

 

For more information about the museum call 250-356-7226 or 1-888-447-7977

reception@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca

 

For more information about the described tour contact Linda at 250-595-5888

lbartram@telus.net

 

 

 

***

The VIP Singers will be performing in the library courtyard at noon on Tuesday July 24.  Come and enjoy this free lunchtime concert.

 

 

***

The PTCB hopes to organize Kayaking and a picnic in August with Power to BE at Prospect Lake.  If you would like to receive more information as it becomes available, call Linda to register your interest at 250-595-5888.

 

 

***

The PTCB AGM will be held in September on either the afternoon of September 11 or 18so please set aside these dates until we have finalized the date.

 

 

 

ABOUT THE PACIFIC TRAINING CENTRE FOR THE BLIND

 

The Pacific Training Centre for the Blind (PTCB) is a Canadian grassroots nonprofit charitable service organization founded and run by blind people.  Its training fosters independence, where blind people empower blind people to be employed, independent and free.

 

The Blind People in Charge Program, provided by the Pacific Training Centre for the Blind, is the only program of its kind in Western Canada that offers regular, intensive rehabilitation to people who are blind or who are losing their vision; it is also the only program that uses an empowering, problem-solving model of instruction, where blind people are the teachers, planners, directors and administrators.

 

The program involves a collaborative, positive, and empowering approach to blindness, where blind people learn from and teach each other in a supportive, can-do atmosphere. Instructors and mentors teach the skills of independence such as Braille, adaptive technology, cane travel, cooking and other life skills, and develop strategies for coping with blindness and vision loss in a sighted world.

 

The Blind People in Charge Program held at the Victoria Disability Resource Centre 817a Fort St., runs two days a week from 10:00 – 4:00 and participants are encouraged to attend as full time students (12 hours a week).  Drop in students are also considered.  Teaching takes place in group and one-on-one sessions and participants progress at their own pace.  Past participants have ranged in age from 24 – 88.  Anyone over 18 who is blind or is experiencing significant vision loss may apply including those who are experiencing other challenges.  There is no charge to students; however donations are always welcome.  For more information, or to participate in our program, please contact us.

 

Phone: 250-580-4910

Email:  info@pacifictrainingcentre.ca

 

 

CCB Tech Articles: Donna’s Low Tech Tips, Talking Measuring Cup, July 2, 2018

July 02, 2018

Meet the talking measuring cup

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

Today, I’d like to talk about the talking measuring cup.

 

Meet the talking measuring cup

 

I have always wanted to find a talking measuring cup and I recently found this online.  I have every intension of buying this but I wanted to share my info with you so that you could go out and see for yourself.  I think that this product will do exactly what I am hoping for.

 

Description

Lifetime Guarantee

This is the measuring cup that verbally announces the volume of wet or dry

ingredients, eliminating the need for cooks to estimate by eye. When set in

its base, the cup states how much has been poured into it in a clear female

voice—1 1/4 cups is spoken as “one and one-fourth cups”. Tare function

lets chefs add multiple ingredients without emptying the cup. The cup can also compensate for items with different densities, such as water, oil, milk, flour, and sugar to ensure recipes are followed precisely. Readings can be stated in volume (cups or milliliters) or weight (ounces or grams). The three

-cup capacity cup is made of unbreakable frosted plastic, has a removable flip-up lid, and is microwave and dishwasher safe for easy use and clean-up. Base wipes clean. Requires two AAA batteries. 6″ H x 7″ W x 5″ D. (1

1/4 lbs.)

The Talking Measuring Cup comes

with The Hammacher Schlemmer Lifetime

Guarantee at no additional charge. If

this product ever disappoints you, for any

reason, you may return it for exchange, credit, or

refund.

Should you have any questions, we are available 24 hours a

day, seven days a week.

Please call 1-800-321-1484 to

speak with a product specialist or email us at

customerservice@hammacher.com to receive a response within one hour.

Item 82370

Price $59.95

 

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

Recipes – A collection of hard to find recipes

Audio mysteries for all ages – Comfort listening any time of the day

Home and garden – A collection of great articles for around the home and garden

Or you can subscribe to all 3 for the price of $30 annually.

Visit http://www.donnajodhan.com/subscription-libraries.html

 

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

Have yourselves a great day and see you next week.

Donna

Podcasts to Go: How to Play Podcasts on your iOS Device – AccessWorld® – June 2018

AccessWorld: Technology and People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired is a monthly periodical for anyone who uses or wants to use assistive technology, provides technology training, has students or clients who use technology, needs to make purchasing decisions, or wants to keep abreast of technological trends and events.
— Read on www.afb.org/afbpress/pubnew.asp

CCB Tech Articles: Donna’s Low Tech Tips, Pouring Liquids, June 25, 2018

June 25

Pouring liquids

 

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

Today, I’d like to talk about pouring liquids.

 

When pouring cold liquids use your index finger to position the spout over and in contact with the edge of the glass.  Slowly pour the liquid into the glass using your index finger to gauge the liquid level.  Listen to the change in sound as you pour the liquid.  Also, become familiar with the weight of the empty glass and notice the change as the glass is filled with liquid.

 

Frosted or coloured drinking glasses are much easier to see.

 

When pouring hot liquids put your finger slightly over the edge of the cup and stop pouring as soon as you feel the warmth of the liquid.  Be sure your finger is                         placed away from the direct flow                   of liquid.

 

When pouring hot liquids you may find it easier to place the cup in the sink or on a tray.

 

A liquid level indicator is another alternative when pouring hot liquids.  It is a simple battery operated device with two prongs that hang over the inside edge of the cup and bleeps when the liquid touches the prongs.                                      (Liquid level indicators are                             available from CNIB as well as at other places).

 

Measure water before boiling.  A measuring cup with a spout makes it easier to pour both hot  and cold liquids into other containers.  For example, fill your teapot with cold water and pour it into your kettle, so that you boil exactly the right amount.

 

People who are visually impaired should take advantage of color contrasts!  Pour dark liquids into light-colored containers and light liquids into dark-colored containers.

 

To find the proper place to open a milk carton, locate the seam which runs along one corner edge of the carton from top to bottom.  Always open the carton on the side opposite to the seam.

 

I hope that these tips are helpful to you.

 

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

Recipes –

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

Audio mysteries for all ages –

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

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

 

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

Have yourselves a great day and see you next week.

Donna

 

Guest Post: Barrier Free Canada Press Release, June 22, 2018

Barrier Free Canada applauds the tabling of the Accessible Canada Act by the

Minister of Science, Sport, and Persons with Disabilities

OTTAWA (June 22, 2018) – Barrier Free Canada/Canada sans barrières (BFC/CSB)

is celebrating the introduction on Wednesday of the long-awaited federal

accessibility legislation, the Accessible Canada Act. It is hoped that the

legislation will help to make accessibility and inclusion a priority for all

federally-regulated and federally-funded organizations.

Over the past several years, BFC/CSB and a myriad of other charitable and

not-for-profit organizations have worked tirelessly holding consultations,

conducting research, and preparing recommendations and advisory reports to

inform the content of this federal legislation.

“Wednesday was a momentous day,” said Donna Jodhan, President and founder of

BFC/CSB. “Canadians with disabilities have long dreamt of the day when

accessibility and inclusion in government services would be clearly

mandated, and we are now one step closer to that full inclusion.”

In 2010, Canada ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of

Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), pledging to address the exclusion and

accessibility barriers that people with disabilities face in Canada. The

introduction of this legislation is a tangible step toward making this a

lived reality for Canadians with disabilities.

Legislation exists to protect the rights of Canadians with disabilities

within the federal sector, such as the Canadian Human Rights Code, the

Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and the UNCRPD itself. But as Anthony Tibbs,

Treasurer of BFC/CSB and a lawyer with Merchant Law Group explained, “These

tools are reactive and provide remediation for people whose rights have been

denied – but only if the person is willing or able to fight through a court

process. What Canada needs, and what we hope this legislation will offer,

are proactive standards (and meaningful oversight) to prevent the

discrimination from happening and take the enforcement obligation off the

backs of the people who are meant to be protected.”

Jodhan added, “A few years ago I was forced to take the federal government

to Court because government web sites and online services were needlessly

inaccessible to me as a person who is blind. I hope that federal legislation

mandating accessibility will avoid anyone else having to repeat that

adventure in the future.”

BFC/CSB will be reviewing the proposed law in detail in preparation for

hearings anticipated to be held after parliament returns by the committees

tasked with reviewing the legislation.

BFC/CSB is a non-partisan not-for-profit organization that has been

advocating for legislation to ensure accessibility and inclusion for

Canadians with disabilities at both the federal and provincial levels for

more than five years.

# # #

For more information, write to info@barrierfreecanada.org or call Anthony

Tibbs (514-248-7777).

Gaming Blind | Accessible Media Inc.

After losing her sight, Shelby Travers thought video games were a part of her past. Join her as she discovers how accessible gaming is to the blind and partially sighted community today, picking up a controller for the first time in 10 years.
— Read on www.ami.ca/category/documentaries/media/gaming-blind

CCB Tech Articles: Donna’s Low Tech Tips, Talking Thermometer, June 11, 2018

June 18 2018

Meet the talking Thermometer

 

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

Today, I’d like to talk about the talking thermometer.

 

Meet the talking thermometer

 

There used to be a time when dreaming of having a talking thermometer was just that; just a dream!  No more!  This nifty device has been on the market now for several years and you can find them as either stand alone units or folded into other gadgets.

 

As an example, you may find talking thermometers that also tell you the time.  Mine tells me the time as well as both the indoor and outdoor temperatures.  It tells the time on the hour.

 

Again, it is the best of both worlds.  The advantage of a stand alone unit may be that there are no other add-ons to it; clock, alarm, time, and so on.  The advantage of having it as part of another gadget is that you get other things with it but if that main gadget breaks or stops working then there goes the thermometer along with it.

 

Almost all talking thermometers will give you the temperature in both Farinheight and Celsius versions.

So go out there and make friends with the talking thermometer.

 

Want some contact info?

Here are a few places for you to contact if you are interested to learn more.

CNIB – toll free = 1800 563 2642

Frontier Computing – toll free = 1-888-480-0000

Or visit http://www.futureaids.ca

You can also call them at 1-800-987-1231

There is also no harm in checking out http://www.independentlivingaids.com and

http://www.maxiaids.com

 

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

Recipes –

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

Audio mysteries for all ages –

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

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

 

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

Have yourselves a great day and see you next week.

Donna

 

 

9 Mistakes You’re Making With Your iPhone – FashionBeans.com

Have a love/hate relationship with your iPhone? Fix it by stopping these bad habits!
— Read on www.fashionbeans.com/content/mistakes-youre-making-with-your-iphone/

CCB Tech Articles: Donna’s Low Tech Tips, At The Table, June 11, 2018

June 11 2018

At the table

 

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

Today, I’d like to talk about things to consider while at the table.

 

To locate items at your place setting, start at the edge of the table and with your fingers                            curled and arms flexed, move gently toward the centre of the table until you find your plate.  With fingers low to the table, extend arms and fingers gradually to the right and left to find silverware, teacup, glass, salad bowl, bread and butter plate, etc.  Accidents can happen easily, so remember to keep your hands on the surface of the table and move slowly.  If you cannot find the item you need, ask for it to be passed to you.

 

To determine contents on a plate, use the tip of your knife or fork to gently probe the food on the plate, noting the difference in the texture, shape, smell, and location of the food on the plate. Try to determine any special characteristics.  Are there paper containers of relish?  Is the baked potato cut down the middle?  Does it contain any sour cream or is a separate container provided?  Is there finger picking food on the plate?  Does the meat have a “cooking-directions” marker pierced into its middle?  Does the meat have a bone?  Is the decorative salad cut or are there large lettuce leaves?  Is there a separate container of gravy or sauce on the plate?  Such questions are endless, yet each is easily answered by thoroughly checking out the contents with your utensils and determining the characteristics of your food before you start to eat.  As with most people, you will make the occasional mistake or misjudgment.  Laugh it off, learn by it, and go on.  If you are doubtful or need affirmation of your plate’s content, don’t be afraid to ask.

 

A sighted person may describe the location of the various items on the plate. Imagine the plate to be like the face of a clock.  For example, if peas are located at the top of the plate, it is said that the peas are at 12 o’clock.

 

You may find it helpful to turn your plate so that foods that require cutting or special attention, such as meat or corn on the cob, are brought to the bottom of the plate (6 o’clock position).  In this way they are easier to locate and manage without reaching over other foods.

 

“Loose” food such as peas or corn can be difficult to pick up.  Many people use a “pusher” such as a piece of bread, a roll, or a knife to help guide food onto the fork.  Another idea is to gently move the “loose” food, i.e., peas, against a barrier of “solid” food, i.e., mashed potatoes.  This will give you the advantage of being able to get under the “loose” food, as the barrier prevents such food from moving around the plate.

 

While eating, direct the motion of the fork or spoon toward the centre of the plate. Food on the plate should be pushed inward for it tends to move out to the edge of the plate during the normal course of the meal.

 

As you eat, be aware of the weight of the food on your fork or spoon.  With practice and patience, you will soon be able to gauge whether you are lifting an appropriate amount of food.

 

When sprinkling salt from a shaker onto food, sprinkle first into the palm of your hand to determine the amount and how fast the salt is flowing.  This will prevent a fast-flowing shaker from ruining your food.

 

It’s easier to put sticky jam, honey, etc., on your bread if you use a teaspoon to scoop it out of the jar and then use the back of

the spoon (or a knife) to spread                      it.

 

People who are visually impaired should keep colour contrast in mind when setting the table. White plates almost disappear on a white tablecloth but show up well against a plain dark tablecloth. Similarly, if food is dark (such as roast beef), use light dishes and if food is light (fish, cheese, eggs) use dark plates.

 

It is fine to make special requests (ie., to have meat cut or shellfish served out of the shell) when eating away from home.

 

Don’t hesitate to ask for assistance at home or when                                     eating out.

 

I hope that these tips are helpful to you.

 

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

Recipes –

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

Audio mysteries for all ages –

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

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

 

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

Have yourselves a great day and see you next week.

Donna

CCB Tech Articles: Donna’s Low Tech Tips, Talking Alarm Clock, June 4, 2018

June 04 2018

Meet the talking alarm clock

 

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

Today, I’d like to talk about the talking alarm clock.

 

Of course, there are several places where you can buy one of these and I would prefer not to endorse any one in particular but here is the picture.

 

I am always excited whenever someone comes along and improves on an existing product and this is what I have seen in the case of the talking alarm clock.

 

Just imagine!  Now you can find a clock that accepts voice commands!  No more having to press the button to hear the time!  No more having to set the time with buttons!  You now have the best of both worlds!

 

You can either choose to set and hear the time with the press of a button or you can do this through voice commands. Most of these alarm clocks come with extra nice to have add-ons.  Timers, thermometers, date, and more.  You can even choose which voice you want to have announce the time and so on and many of these voices are extremely clear and easy to understand.

 

No more having to depend on sighted assistance to set the time or alarm for me.  No more having to ask someone for the time.

 

So go out there and make friends with the talking alarm clock.

 

Here are a few places for you to contact if you are interested to learn more.

CNIB – toll free = 1800 563 2642

Frontier Computing – toll free = 1-888-480-0000

Or visit http://www.futureaids.ca

You can also call them at 1-800-987-1231

There is also no harm in checking out http://www.independentlivingaids.com and

http://www.maxiaids.com

 

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

Recipes –

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

Audio mysteries for all ages –

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

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

 

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

Have yourselves a great day and see you next week.

Donna

 

CCB Tech Articles: Donna’s Low Tech Tips, Medications, May 28, 2018

May 28 2018

Medications

 

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

Today, I’d like to talk about how we deal with medications.

 

If you are taking medication, you may wish to take advantage of the many pill organizers available at drug stores.  Some               have one section for    each day; others are larger and have two or more sections for each day.

These are especially useful for people who take several kinds of pills in the morning, at lunch, at dinner, and            at bedtime.

 

Organize medication according to frequency of use, in alphabetical order, or in categories used.

Large print or braille labels may be placed on medicine bottles to easily identify them.  Any personal marking (for example, a piece of tape) will do the trick as long as it is understandable by you.

When refilling medications, simply transfer the new medicine to the old bottle or ask your pharmacist to use the same container.  If your label will fit on the lid of the bottle, you only need to transfer the lid.

 

“Bubble Packing” service is available from drug stores. The system consists of a weekly supply of medication per card. “Days of the week” are located along the left side of the card and the “time of day” is located across the top of the card. The upper side of the card consists of a series of clear moulded elastic bubbles, containing the pills; the under side is foil. By pushing down on the bubble, and breaking the foil, medications are easily removed into your hand or small glass.                      Since the bubble is crushed by this procedure, it is always easy for a blind or visually impaired person to tactually check to ensure medications have been taken.

 

I hope that these tips are helpful to you.

 

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

Recipes –

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

Audio mysteries for all ages –

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

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

 

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

Have yourselves a great day and see you next week.

Donna

 

Ford Develops Smart Window Prototype For Blind Passengers — Feel The View, DriveSpark.com

Ford Develops Smart Window Prototype For Blind Passengers — Feel The View!

 

 

 

By Rahul Nagaraj

 

May 7, 2018, 12:49 [IST]

 

 

 

Ford has developed a prototype smart window, allowing blind passengers to feel the passing landscape outside.

 

 

 

The ‘Feel The View’ technology was created by an Italian startup, Aedo in collaboration with Ford. The prototype uses vibrations to give a blind or partially-sighted passenger a sense of the scenery outside.

 

 

 

The technology takes pictures of the passing scenery from the outer side of the window. The images captured are then converted into high-contrast black and white pictures.

 

 

 

These monochrome images are then reproduced on the glass using special LEDs. On touching the images, the various shades of grey vibrate at different intensities up to the range of 255. These vibrations allow the blind passengers to touch the scene and rebuild the landscape in their mind.

 

 

 

As the finger moves over the different parts of the image, different intensities of vibrations provide haptic feedback to the person using the technology.

 

 

 

The smart window technology also has an AI voice assistant, which uses the car’s audio system to give the passengers a context of what they are feeling.

 

 

 

A Ford spokesperson stated, “We seek to make people’s lives better and this was a fantastic opportunity to help blind passengers experience a great aspect of driving. The technology is advanced, but the concept is simple – and could turn mundane journeys into truly memorable ones.”

 

 

 

This technology of the Smart Windows is part of Ford’s Advanced Research. The company has no plans of introducing it in the market anytime soon. This might be part of Ford’s autonomous vehicle program to research how a vehicle will interact with its passengers when travelling.

 

https://www.drivespark.com/four-wheelers/2018/ford-smart-window-prototype-blind-passengers-feel-the-view-025618.html

 

Tech-Ease/ Get Together with Technology Regina Drop-In Meeting Summary Notes, Accessible Shopping & Banking, April 28, 2018

Tech-Ease/ Get Together with Technology

Regina Drop-In Meeting

Summary Notes

April 28, 2018

 

Sponsored by Vision Impaired Resource Network (VIRN),

Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB)

And the

Regina Public Library

 

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

 

In attendance: 11 Participants. Amber, Doug, Michelle, Kari (RPL), Camille, Wes, Donna, Lori, Anna, Barry, Jerome

 

Today’s topic: Accessible Shopping & Banking

 

 

Accessible Shopping:

We discussed pros & cons of online shopping in general

Pros: Fast, convenient, don’t have to go out and get help, don’t have to navigate new spaces or remember familiar ones, sometimes there are deals online that aren’t in the store, don’t have to haul things home from store or get a cab

 

Cons: Can’t see online pictures and descriptions aren’t always great, can’t try on clothes to make sure they fit, can’t feel fabrics, many only take credit cards, aren’t exactly sure what you’ll get

 

We discussed examples of online vendors that people in the room have used, the following is notes on each online vendor we discussed, I have tried to group them by type.

 

Online Only Vendors:

Amazon – $30 and then free shipping on all of their items, they have 3rd party vendors that should be avoided, can only use credit card at this time,  there is a disability support area you can contact if you need help due to accessibility and they are very helpful (https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/accessibility?ie=UTF8&ref_=s9_acss_bw_cg_a11ymcro_md1_w&skip=true or http://www.amazon.ca/access ), they have a great return policy as you can just put box in mail return to sender, they also work with people when there are problems to resolve them, you can call their customer service as well for help: 1-877-586-3230

Amazon.ca: Online shopping in Canada – books, electronics, Kindle, home & garden, DVDs, tools, music, health & beauty, watches, baby, sporting goods & more

www.amazon.ca

Amazon.ca: Online shopping in Canada – books, electronics, Kindle, home & garden, DVDs, tools, music, health & beauty, watches, baby, sporting goods & more. Free two-day shipping with Amazon Prime.

 

 

Zulily – Mostly clothes, sizes tend to run small, great deals, good return policy, takes a long time to arrive as they come from Asian countries primarily

 

Facebook Ads that lead to vendors – Hit or miss, many aren’t checked, a few of us have never received products from these and been ripped off the money

 

Stores that have online options:

Chapters – They will deliver to your house or the store, if you choose the store and there is any problem with it they can return your money in store. If you go to the store to purchase something and they don’t have it they will assist you to order it in via the webstore, can use credit card or paypal

 

Toys R Us – They have a lot more options online, they will deliver to the house and you can return in store or by mailing back if there is any problem, there are often deals online they don’t have in store and better prices

 

Wal-Mart – Can deliver to you or to the store, they can return in store if there is a problem with anything, more selection online, online does tell you if the item is available locally but it is not always accurate

 

Costco – Good for a variety of products, you can return in store, they ship right to your house or the store, some good deals online, saves having to deal with crowds in store, you still need a Costco membership to shop online

 

Best Buy – The accessibility of the site is not great, the mobile version is better than web version, they will help in store with website if they don’t have product in-store you are looking for

 

Quarks – They have more selection and better deals online but it is better to go in to store to try on shoes for sizing before ordering online

 

Online Marketplaces:

eBay – Is wither an auction site or a buy it now site depending on how you have your preferences set, the auction aspect can be addicting, Hit or miss, depends on the vendor, generally good for small cheap products as they come from online stores in Asian countries, very hit or miss when dealing with individual sellers, always read ratings before choosing who to deal with, long wait times primarily for things to arrive (2+ months), can use credit card or PayPal

 

Etsy – Artisans marketplace primarily for buying crafts and antiques, depends on the vendor, always read their rating before dealing with them, hit and miss for how long items will take to arrive, some items are made to order so make sure you understand what you are buying before you purchase as the expected wait times may be 3+ months, you have to have PayPal to use Etsy

 

Local Grocery Options that Deliver:

A lot of people felt the best way to utilize delivery from stores is to buy the things that are heavy or non-perishable like pop and paper towels and go to the store for the produce themselves

 

Save on Foods – Order online, deliver to your door, it gives you certain windows for deliveries, need a credit card, there is a delivery charge approx. $10

 

Superstore – Does not deliver but does do Click and Collect where you can choose items on-line and then show up in window and they will hand your groceries to you, need a credit card

 

Lakeview Fine Foods – Delivers locally on certain days to certain areas, $14 (ish) delivery charge

 

Walmart – Delivers to your door through their website but not a lot of fresh food options are available online, free delivery on orders over a certain amount (either $30 or $50)

 

Local and Fresh: http://localandfresh.ca/

– Local, fresh, seasonal produce, delivered monthly or more often, credit card online or debit at the door

 

Delivrr: https://www.deliverr.ca/

– Delivers whatever you want, how much you pay is how much you have delivered and how long it takes them to pick it all up, groceries, fast food, liquor, etc.

 

Reach Regina: http://www.reachinregina.ca/

– Delivers “convenience meals” pre-made meals on a weekly or monthly basis, made fresh and then frozen, just defrost, cook and eat, prices and plans vary

– They also have Good Food Box depots around the city to get local fresh, seasonal produce

 

Other notes about shopping:

  • PayPal – PayPal is a way to pay online, your PayPal account is linked to your bank account and/or credit card, it allows you to type in a username and password at checkout online instead of a credit card number, it is very secure and has been around for 15+ years
  • Both Safeway & Sobeys have commitments to help customers who are blind and partially sighted to shop, to take advantage of this the best plan is to call ahead or go during a down time (middle of the afternoon) and go to customer service to receive help with shopping
  • PC Points – offered through Superstore & Shoppers are a great way to earn free groceries, they have an app that goes on the mobile phone or a physical card, for the most part points are accumulated automatically but it is a good idea to check you received all the points you were entitled to after a shopping trip, this can be done online or through the app
  • In some cities Sobeys has a liquor store and it delivers, we don’t have this yet in Regina but it should be happening soon
  • In some cities Superstore delivers as well so keep an eye our for that option here in the future
  • In some cities (Moose Jaw, Saskatoon, etc.) there is a service called Mrs. Grocery that delivers, keep an eye out for this service coming here

 

Accessible Banking:

  • The main 5 banks have a commitment to accessibility: TD, Scotiabank, RBC, CIBC & Bank of Montreal
    • Because of this they have accessible ATM machines that have a place to plug in headphones so that the banking experience is audible
  • The mom & pop banks (like Conexus, Teachers, Affinity, etc.) do not have the same commitment but they often offer better customer service to help those with needs
  • All banks offer things like RDSPs, RRSPs and TFSAs, the bigger banks may not be as accessible in getting these things as the smaller mom and pop banks are.
    • Both RBC & Scotia have a phone line to help set up RDSPs
  • Some investment companies like Sunlife and Mackenzie group offer RDSPs, TFSAs, RRSPs, etc. and it may be advisable to go with one of these as the financial advisor will often come right tot your home

 

Some other items of note from today’s meeting:

  • The Regina Public Library has 18 Victor Stratus machines for loan, if you would like to borrow one please contact Outreach at the downtown library
  • By 2019  CELA will partner with Book share so even more titles will be available to CELA patrons
  • Sobeys is getting talking prescription labels, to find out more talk to your local Sobeys pharmacist

 

Nest Meeting:

will be Saturday May 26, we will also be meeting in June before our summer hiatus. The topic for the May meeting will be Accessible Games, mostly online, but also physical games will be discussed. We will also be discussing the Access 2 Entertainment card***

 

Connect with us:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/techeasesk

Tech-Ease YQR YXE (@techeasesk) | Twitter

twitter.com

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

 

 

 

GTT National Conference Call Summary Notes, NuEyes Smart Glasses, May 9, 2018

GTT National Conference Call.

 

An Initiative of the Canadian Council of the Blind

 

Summary Notes

 

May 9, 2018

 

Attendance: 12 participants.

Theme: NuEyes Smart Glasses

 

Rajish from NuEyes Presented about their device:

 

Removable smart glasses, US based California designed for military by two vets.

From 2X to 12X magnification

 

Watch TV, distance and close-up

125 grams, light weight. Looks like ordinary sunglasses.   There is a light that can be turned on and off battery pack can last for up to 14 hours with battery pack.

 

Prescription lenses can be inserted to the glasses.

Wireless Bluetooth remote to zoom and operate the camera and light.

 

3 different nose pieces.

Text to speech OCR, capture the image so the book doesn’t have to be held.  Change the colours and mirror the image for better contrast.

Headphone jack and Charging ports are magnetic.

Does it de-colonize, no.

64 GB of internal storage for photos and text.

Bluetooth speaker or headphones can be used, as there is no built-in speaker on the device.

Glasses will last up to 2 hours if fully charged.

There is a YouTube presentation for this device.

Best for Mac Degen, best for vision of 40/600 or better.

 

OCR happens in milliseconds.

OCR voice can be adjusted, for gender  and fast or slow.

Text size can be adjusted, as well as black on white or white on black.

Remote is about 2 inches and attaches to the finger with a strap.

Verbal commands for increasing and decreasing magnification.  Verbally request the glasses capture the image before you.

Controls on the bottom of the glasses for adjusting magnification.

30 degrees field of view with the glasses.

Auto light adjustment for bright or dark rooms.

NuEyes is primarily a magnification device with OCR features added.

It will magnify or OCR text on a wall like menus.

Firmware upgrades are pushed to the glasses when connected to Wi-Fi.

It can read bar codes as well, only when connected to Wi-Fi.

Scans QR codes, however not yet completely developed yet.

$8,595 CDN

NuEyes is more streamlined and less obtrusive when worn in public.

Funding programs, hoping that funding with loans through the company which will allow for monthly payments.

Not available through ADP in Ontario.

Based in California, and Rajish is in Toronto.

No current resellers in Canada, besides Rajish.

2 year warrantee.

Glasses are tested in harsh conditions and are built by a military contractor.

Android platform, with Facebook, Google Maps, Twitter and YouTube features to come.

Will it be able to install the BeMyEyes app from the Google Play Store? Not yet.

 

GTT National Conference Call Overview

  • GTT National Conference Call is a monthly discussion group of the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB).
  • GTT National Conference Calls promote a self-help learning experience by holding monthly meetings to present and discuss new and emerging assistive technology.
  • Each meeting consists of a feature technology topic, along with questions and answers about assistive technology.
  • Participants are encouraged to attend each meeting even if they are not interested in the feature topic because questions on any technology are welcome. The more participants the better able we will be equipped with the talent and experience to help each other.
  • There are GTT groups across Canada as well as an email distribution list where assistive technology questions are provided by participants. You may also 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.

 

National GTT Email Support List

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

GTTsupport+subscribe@groups.io

 

[End of Document]

 

 

 

GTT Edmonton Summary Notes, MAC vs Windows Computers and iPhone, May 14, 2018

Summary Notes

GTT Edmonton Meeting May 14, 2018

 

The most recent meeting of the Get Together with Technology (GTT) Edmonton Chapter was held May 14at 7pm at Ascension Lutheran Church 8405 83 Street in Edmonton.

17 people attended.

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

 

May Topics –MAC vs. Windows Computers and iPhone

 

MAC vs. Windows PC Discussion

There are several things to keep in mind when you are in the market for a new computer. The following are some considerations:

 

  • What do your friends and/or family use?  These are the people you will turn to for assistance. Are they a Mac or PC user?

 

  • What are you going to use the computer for? Most employers use Windows PC and Microsoft Office.

 

  • Microsoft Office works well on a MAC, too.

 

  • BrailleNote Touch works with both PC and MAC.

 

  • A MAC computer is more expensive than a PC. However, voiceover is built in and if you use a screen reader you do not need the expense of paying for JAWS.

 

  • On the other hand, you can get the NVDA screen reader (by a small donation) and it works with Windows.

 

  • If you are buying a new computer for a specific purpose, e.g. work or school, make sure you have enough time to become proficient with it before you need to use it for that purpose.

 

  • The built-in magnification on Windows is very good and in some respects is better than the magnifying program ZoomText.

 

  • One caution with MAC is that the operating system is colour-based and if you have some vision this can be overwhelming.

 

Russell’s MAC Experience

  • In 2009 Russell bought an iMac. At first, he was frustrated with all the interacting one had to do on the Mac, but after a while, it became second nature.
  • One concern Russell did have with the Mac is that Voiceover, the built-in screen reader on the Mac, did not let the user know when text was formatted in a heading style. This has recently change though, and in High Sierra, the latest Mac OS, and the latest version of Pages, the Apple equivalent of Microsoft Word, VoiceOver does now announce when text is formatted in a heading style.
  • Websites are easy to browse on the Mac with either Safari or Chrome. You can navigate by headings, links, visited links, etc. There is also a “Quick Nav” setting that allows single-letter navigation, so you can navigate a website by headings by pressing just the letter “H”, just as you can do on the Windows side using Jaws or NVDA.
  • Russell said he considers the Mac to be as accessible to a blind person as is Windows but did warn that there was no accessible database program for the Mac so, if a user had need of a database program, the Mac might not be the way to go.
  • Another factor that might prevent someone from purchasing a Mac is that a Mac computer usually costs quite a bit more than a Windows machine. This might be offset a little by the durability of a Mac. Russell purchased his iMac in 2009 and used it for 8 years without much of a noticeable slowdown till the last year.
  • Russell advised that if a blind person was looking to purchase a new computer, they shouldn’t be afraid to purchase a Mac because of accessibility concerns. The main thing is to think about what you will be doing with the computer, how much you are willing to spend, and then go out and try both platforms to see which you like better. If you are currently a Windows user, and plan to move to a Mac, there is quite a steep learning curve, so don’t purchase a Mac a week before beginning University or college courses.

 

Laptop versus Desktop

 

Some things for you to ponder as you decide about buying a laptop or a desktop:

 

  • What will you be using your computer for? If you will be using it mainly for email and web browsing, then a laptop will do. If you will be using your computer constantly, especially in one location, then you should probably get a desktop.

 

  • How much do you want to spend? A desktop priced around $300. – $400. will be about the equivalent of a $1000. laptop.

 

  • The keyboard on a laptop is smaller and may not have a built-in number pad which is necessary for navigating the screen with JAWS.

 

  • It is good to have some separation between the groups of function keys, so you don’t press the wrong ones.

 

  • It is also good to have space around the cursor cross keys, so you can quickly find them.

 

  • If you elect to buy a laptop you can still buy a full-sized keyboard and a large monitor to connect to your laptop.

 

  • When you buy a computer the F1-F12 function keys are often pre-set to special laptop functions.  This is not good for non-mouse users because many Windows functions require the F1-F12 keys (e.g. Alt+F4 to close programs, F2 to rename files etc.). To allow them to behave as normal Windows F1-F12 functions you may need to reset them in the laptop settings or get your vendor to reset them.

 

  • Laptops are more expensive to repair.

 

  • How much will you be moving around?

 

  • Desktops are generally faster although most of us don’t need the speed to do simple computing such as email, browsing, document writing.

 

  • Desktops are becoming smaller – now you can carry around a desktop and plug it into a monitor.

 

  • You can get breakage insurance if you think it is worthwhile.

 

 

iPhone Gestures

Gerry took a small group to demo and discuss iPhone gestures related to the rotor and text entry/editing.

  • The rotor gesture consists of using 2 fingers or 2 thumbs to make a small clockwise or counter clockwise rotating motion on the screen. Each rotation navigates through a contextual menu of options and each of these options has a submenu of choices that can be selected by flicking up or down with one finger.
  • For example, the rotor menu items might be characters, words, headings, speech rate, language and so on. If you were browsing a web page and you rotated to the Heading menu then you would flick up or down with one finger to jump forward or backward to headings on the web page. If you rotated to the Speech Rate menu you would then flick up or down with one finger to speed up or reduce the rate of Voice Over speech.
  • The rotor menu is contextual because the menu items change depending which program you are using.
  • You may add, remove, or reorder items on the rotor menu by going to Settings, then General, then Accessibility, then VoiceOver, then Rotor.
  • The rotor is handy for editing typos in dictated text. For example, suppose you are in the text message app focused on the message text field. Double tap with one finger to start edit mode. Now you can double tap with 2 fingers to start dictation, say your message, then double tap with two fingers once more to end your dictation. Now if you hear that there is a mistake in the dictated text you can correct it with the rotor. Rotate on the screen with 2 fingers until you hear the choice called, Words. Now you can flick up or down with one finger to move forward or backward a word at a time to the incorrect word and tap the delete key to erase one character at a time. You may also rotate to the menu choice called, Characters, to navigate the text by character.

 

Next Meeting (Monday June 11 at 7pm)

  • Huseyn has offered to demonstrate how a blind person can use the iPhone to take pictures and record videos.
  • 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 across Canada as well as a national GTT monthly toll free teleconference. You may subscribe to the National GTT blog to get email notices of teleconferences and notes from other GTT chapters. Visit:

http://www.gttprogram.wordpress.com/

To subscribe, use the form at the bottom of that web page to enter your email.

 

National GTT Email Support List

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

GTTsupport+subscribe@groups.io

 

[End of Document]

 

 

Now listen to Eyes On Success Podcasts on smart home devices, EyesOnSuccess.net

We recently added a new way for listeners to keep up to date with the latest episodes of Eyes On Success.

 

Now you can listen to Eyes On Success on your Alexa or google smart home devices.  Simply ask Alexa or Google to “play Eyes On Success podcast” and you won’t miss a thing!

 

We hope listeners enjoy this new capability and pass the word along to their friends.

 

Enjoy.

 

The Hosts: Peter Torpey and Nancy Goodman Torpey

Check out Eyes On Success (formerly ViewPoints)

A weekly, half hour audio program for people living with vision loss.

Find out more about the show and get links to past episodes at:

www.EyesOnSuccess.net

Find the podcast on iTunes or use the URL:

www.EyesOnSuccess.net/eos_podcast

Find us on social media at:

www.facebook.com/EyesOnSuccess

www.twitter.com/@_EyesOnSuccess

www.audioboom.com/EyesOnSuccess