Resource: iOS Beginners Web Based Tutorial

This is an awesome web site for beginners to learn their iDevice. Not only is the content superb but the navigation via headings allows you to easily and quickly get to the parts you are interested in. Also, the fine tuning to your particular device is exactly what beginners need. It avoids the tedious “if your device is x then do y or if your device is w then do z etc.”

For best results they recommend that you access the web site from your computer while following the lessons with your iDevice.

http://www.voiceover-easy.net/

REminder GTT national Conference call all about web browsers tonight March 9 7 PM eastern 4 pacific.

This is just a reminder of our regular GTT national conference call being held tonight March 9 at 7 PM eastern 4 Pacific.

OUr topic tonight is web browsers.

Which one do you use the most?

Which are the most accessible?

Which do you use on what device or system?

We will discuss the major browsers and talk about their pros and cons.

Bring your tips and suggestions and questions as well.

Here is the call in info

1-866-740-1260

Passcode 5670422

GTT Edmonton Supplementary Information for March 14, 2016 Meeting

Hello GTT Edmonton;

We have good news. In addition to the agenda just sent out we will have guests at our March 14 meeting. Lisa Boone the local rep in Edmonton for Aroga
will join us. Lisa will be accompanied by Michel Pepin the Canadian sales manager for HumanWare. Michel will bring the latest Explore electronic hand held
magnifiers from HumanWare. These new magnifiers come in 3 different sizes and are excellent for magnifying print whether at home or on the go. They also
plug into your TV to view documents on a large screen.
There is more information about the Explore models at the Aroga web site:
http://www.aroga.com/portable-print-magnifiers/

If you are low vision, these new units are well worth checking out. Join us March 14.

Best regards,
Gerry Chevalier
GTT Co-coordinator
gtt.edmonton@gmail.com
Tel: 780.465.7021
CCB National Blog and Resources
http://www.GTTProgram.wordpress.com

Next GTT national Teleconference call all about accessible web browsers Wednesday March 9 2016 7 PM Eastern 4 Pacific. 

Next GTT National Teleconference Call All About Accessible Web BrowsersJoin us on Wednesday March 9 for our next national GTT teleconference. 

Our calls are always held on the 2nd Wednesday of every month at 7 PM Eastern time (4 Pacific time) 

Our topic for this month is accessible web browsers. 

What browsers do you use? 

On your portable devices? 

On your PC? 

On your Mac? 

Which ones are most accessible with screen readers and screen magnification software? 

Join us for a web browser discussion. 

Bring your tips and tricks and questions. 

Here is the call in info. 

1-866-740-1260 

Passcode 5670311 

 

Article: The ACB Braille Forum, February 2016, Part 1: A Plethora of Possibilities

American Council of the Blind
February Braille Forum

The Things I Do Today
Part 1: A Plethora of Possibilities
by Paul Edwards
As I write this article, I have a baseball game on in the background. I am currently using satellite radio to listen to it. Essentially, this means Sirius XM radio. It offers me a range of listening options that, for the most part, did not exist 15 years ago. My subscription allows me to listen to every major league baseball, football, basketball or hockey game. I can listen to the Cable News Network, MSNBC, Fox News, the BBC World Service, three public radio channels, 80 or 90 music channels and much, much more!

I have over 200 Internet radio stations loaded on my Victor Reader Stream, second edition. I have several programs on my iPhone that allow me to choose from among thousands of listening options. I am currently downloading 15 or so podcasts automatically to my Stream or my phone, and get dozens of newspapers through NFB-Newsline both on my phone and on my Stream just as painlessly.

Put simply, I can now get more information every day than I can possibly use, and it has revolutionized some of the ways I spend my time. I am going to use the next few articles to provide more information about some of the things I have talked about so that more of you may have the same problem I have. I have so many options in terms of what I can listen to that I couldn’t possibly access nearly all that I have, even if I worked at it 24 hours a day.

I read books using Bookshare, BARD, Kindle, Audible, Librivox, and Ibooks, to name some of the sources I use. I have probably 25 accessible games on my phone. I have four or five GPS programs, a few scanning programs, a couple of money identifiers, a few calendars, a light detector and a whole host of other applications that I can use whenever I choose.

Does this seem like information overkill? Perhaps it does to some! For me, instead, it represents diversity and choice. Oh, and did I mention that I have almost 5,000 songs on my phone and several music-playing programs?

The truth is, oh best beloved reader, I can choose to read in braille, using high-quality speech synthesis through Voice Dream or listen to human readers. I am writing this article using a notetaker, and my notetaker allows me to access Facebook, Twitter, play music, listen to radio stations, download podcasts, and on and on and on. I probably spend more time with all these toys than most people do because I can! I’m retired now and I never slept much anyway. But, even though you don’t have to be a constantly connected nerd like I am, you should be able to know what’s out there, and ought to know how to do the things I do.

I don’t have to depend on American news sources. I can get my news, and do, from the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and a whole range of other countries that make online information available in English. When I was growing up, I did some of the same things using shortwave radio. However, reception was iffy and sunspots would often make reception questionable. While stations occasionally go silent for a few seconds, for the most part, everything I listen to is crystal clear. The quality of the books I receive is essentially “publisher” good!

So, stay tuned over the next few issues for articles about podcasts, Internet radio, satellite radio, Voice Dream, and other stuff too! But don’t blame me if you get less sleep and can’t turn the stuff off. It is addictive to have access to the world, and I don’t want to kick the habit!

I do not consider myself an expert on any of the subjects I am going to be writing about. I hope that one of the things that will happen is that what I write will prompt others who know more than I do to write about their experiences and their approaches. I will be telling you about the way I deal with things and will provide my understanding of how things work. I have not been a real technology guru since DOS went away, which is a very long time ago.

The other issue I will deal with, to a degree, concerns platforms. My next article will be about satellite radio, so the problem will only arise to a minimal extent. For other articles, there are more devices than you can shake a stick at that can do what I will be talking about. I will try to provide some information about which they are, and talk a little about how each works. I do not intend to provide detailed instructions for most things, but I hope that the advice I give will help folks be more prepared to take the plunge! Devices change too, and so do applications. I will be writing about the current versions of both software and hardware. I will tell you what I use, but inevitably there will be changes that will invalidate some of what I will say. That is the way life is in today’s ever-changing digital world, and I have no intention of going back and correcting outdated details.

So, now I have another thing to do with my day! I get immense fun out of what I do! I want more of you to try some of the things I like doing. Let me know what you like and don’t like! If I am making people mad or frustrated, I need to know it. I may not be too old to change!

So come with me! Let me tell you what I know and what I think and what is good and what is bad about the things I do today!

GTT Vancouver Summary Notes, February 10, 2016

Summary Notes, GTT Vancouver

February 10, 2016

Attendance: Shawn, Matt, Clement, Albert, Betty, Geri, Faye, Carol, Maria, Peg, Victor, Owen, John, Mary and Monty.

Matt started the presentation by slowing down the iPhone speech then went over the basic settings of the iCloud app. Phew, thanks for that Matt.

1. Open Settings and one-finger swipe right until iCloud is found;
2. Double-tap with one finger to open it and it will display the iCloud heading;
3. One-finger swipe right to explore the screen where your Apple ID/iCloud account user name/email address is found first;
4. The next item is the Family Sharing icon. This will display nothing if you are not sharing with others, and will display the name of the account being shared. Note that the credit card assigned to the shared account will be available to all who share it. Restrictions can be placed on it so go forth with care.
5. The next item is called Storage and is followed by the amount of space remaining in the free 5GB offered by Apple, or the remainder of your purchased storage. Items stored there are Backups, Photos, Documents, Contacts, Emails and Calendar entries.
6. Next is iCloud Drive and it will display an on or Off Button. This is a file sharing Cloud based storage system like Dropbox, One Drive etc.
7. The next several items allow you to turn On or Off the specific apps access to iCloud. Each can be customized so explore them to see how you wish to have them saved to iCloud.
8. Note that if Voice Over says the word Button after the On or Off indicator it means that you will have other features to customize once you one-finger double-tap on the item. If it merely says On or Off, then it will alter that state when you one-finger double-tap on it.
9. The Backup item in iCloud is where you can customize the things you wish to have backed up and when that will take place. You may have it done automatically, or manually as you prefer. If your iDevice is indicating that a Backup hasn’t happened for some time you can ask it to Backup Now . Just double-tap on Settings/iCloud/Backup/Backup Now.
10. The Find My iPhone can be used to locate your phone if it’s been lost at home or on the bus, and it can be used to delete all data on the device if stolen. A version of the app is available for other iDevices, and can be used using a PC or Mac from a web page to locate the missing iDevice.
11. The Log Out button at the bottom of the iCloud Settings page if clicked will prompt you to delete or save the items you currently have in iCloud so use it with care.
12. Note that your iCloud and Apple ID user names and passwords are key to you having access to these vital services, so ensure that you have a secure means of storing and accessing this info when needed.
13. The end of the meeting saw the group discussing how to upload Photos to Dropbox as a means of removing them from the iDevice. Also, documents can be stored in Dropbox so that they can be accessed from your iDevice while in meetings etc.
14. Discussion also ensued around the management of the storage on your iDevices generally. If your iDevice is getting short on space you can look at the apps that aren’t being used, the books already read and photos no longer needed on the device with a view to removing them as a strategy to free up space.
15. By double-tapping on Setting/iCloud/Storage/Manage Storage icons you can explore which apps are using all the space on your iDevice. The highest users are usually listed at the top. This will allow you to decide what might no longer be needed so that you can go to those apps and start deleting material.

Question: If one doesn’t want to use iCloud are there other options?
Answers: iTunes can be used to backup your iDevice, and photos may be uploaded to Dropbox and similar Cloud storage services. If iTunes is used then your Backups aren’t in the Cloud but right there in your own computer.

Question: Is iCloud safe to use? Will it mean that Apple now has access to my children’s photos?
Answers: It’s not strictly necessary, however it is convenient to use for Backups and to share resources across your devices.
*Security of Cloud technology is similar to that of Credit and Debit Card transactions, and all other forms of online purchasing.
*Risk always exists, and yet Apple’s inscription systems are thought to be more than adequate.
*Apple does retain a master key to all files stored on their servers and will hand it over to Police Agencies when legally required. The Apple servers are located in the USA and are bound by American laws. They may mine the data for target marketing, so the user is wise to read the agreements before using this product.
*It is most helpful when the user loses a phone and wants to have everything restored to the new one.
*If you don’t want your work email account to be saved on iCloud you can customize many of its features.
*It can be used to keep an eye on what children purchase through Family Sharing etc.

Question: What about Syncronizing? What happens if you delete something from one device, will it disappear from the others as well?
Answers: These types of customizations are available in the iCloud app.
*If the same Apple ID is used by others then it is thought that all saved Contacts etc will be shared.
*iCloud Drive allows you to access folders of photos etc, however the Backup system can only be used to Restore the Backup to the device in question.
*For Family Sharing there is a limit of 6 people who can be added to an account, so that means French Catholic families can’t share as broadly as others.

Question: Are Text Messages also shared through iCloud?
Answer: No, settings are available in the Messages app in Settings that allow sharing between devices.

Resource: The National Braille Press sells a couple of books that are well thought of for those who wish to learn more about their iDevices using Voice Over. They are called iOS 7/8/9 Without The Eye and are written by Jonathan Mosen. They are reasonably priced and come in several different formats. Here is some contact info from his first offering:
iOS 7 WITHOUT THE EYE
Jonathan Mosen
Distributed by:
Mosen Consulting
http://www.mosen.org

Before the break the group was asked if a CCB Chapter can be established provided that at least 6 individuals are willing to become members of the Canadian Council of the Blind. Shawn who has been Coordinating the GTT Vancouver group is already a member of the POCO Youth Chapter, and Clement and Matthew are Volunteer Facilitators so will become Associate Members. Several participants opted to purchase a $10 annual membership so a Chapter was born. Now we need someone to step forward as Co-Coordinator to assist Shawn in that work.

Non-members will always be welcomed, so this doesn’t mean that the meetings are now restricted to only CCB members.

Congratulations and welcome aboard GTT Vancouver.

Respectfully submitted,

Albert A. Ruel
CCB Western Coordinator
GTT Initiative

News Release: Barrier Free BC Official Launch Postponed 

Hello Barrier-Free BC Supporters,
 
Due to circumstances beyond our control, our Wednesday media event on the Steps of the BC Legislature has been postponed.
Please stay tuned for an announcement regarding the rescheduling of our official launch.
 
Thanks very much,
 
Reed (Barrier-Free BC Oversight Committee member)

GTT Toronto Meeting Notes All about accessible kitchen gadget. 

Here are the meeting notes from the last GTT Toronto meeting. If anyone else on the blog has other gadgets to share with where you got them, please email 

gttprogram@gmail.com 

Here are the notes for our February 18 meeting. Thanks to Chris Malec for preparing these.

Jason Fayre opened the meeting with a welcome. A new announcement list has been set up to keep information flowing to members. The purpose of making a new list is to improve the usability of the list for those running it. Use will be seamless during the transition. Subscribing to the list will allow you to receive notes from each meeting. If you’re not on the list already, send an email to gtt-toronto-announce-request@lists.fayretech.com with the word subscribe in the subject line or message body. If you’re already on the list you’ve been moved over. Gtt..toronto@gmail.com will get you in touch with the group organizers.

 

The meetings should be driven by the members, so if there are topics you’d like to see covered, let us know. Bring ideas up now, or email them to the organizers.

 

Next month the topic will be iPhone aps, presented by Martin Courcelles, who’s been in the accessibility industry for a long time. In April we may cover screen magnification, but the floor is open for other ideas. Other ideas we’re considering are: how to get audio described content, Android aps. Meetings will run till June, we’ll take the summer off, then start again in September.

 

Jason then introduced Donna Jodhan to present on low tech gadgets for the kitchen. Jason added that he also brought an iGrill and a talking kitchen scale, which are higher tech gadgets.

 

Donna began by identifying http://www.speaktome.com as a website from the U.S. where many of these gadgets come from.

The first item is a doorbell. It has 6 different chimes: it’s $29 U.S. It’s something you can set up yourself as a blind person.

The second item is a popcorn popper. It’s for the microwave. It takes 2 minutes to pop the corn with no additives. Donna has used it and likes it. The cost is $27.25 U.S.

The next item is the beep egg indicator. You drop it into a pot of water with your eggs. There are 3 distinct melodies that play, one for each level of doneness. The soft boiled melody is Oh Suzanna, medium is Take Me Out to the Ball Game, and hard boild is Hail Hail the gang’s all here. You set it to your desired doneness. $19.95 U.S.

The next item is a cooker that plays the sound of a clucking chicken when your eggs are boild, but we’re not sure what level of doneness the clucking chicken indicates. $30.

The next item is an electric hotdog cooker. It holds between 6 to 10 hotdogs, and the sound of a barking dog plays when the dogs are done. $30.95.

The next item is talking measuring cups. It measures up to 3 cups, and takes 3 double A batteries. It measures dry or wet ingredients, and costs $59.95. There’s probably a cheaper equivalent in Toronto. The next item for fun, is cups with varying sounds that chime when the cup is lifted off its dedicated platform. The sound unit detaches for washing. Each cup is 12 ounces and a set is $11.95 U.S.

The next item is a salt shaker that makes the sound of a slot machine when picked up.

Next is a liquid level indicator. You place it on the side of a glass or container. One sound tells you when you’re getting close to the top, and another sound tells you when you’ve overflowed. This one isn’t new, $12.95 U.S.

There’s a talking coffee maker, the buttons are easy to find, and it talks to you during the set up process to instruct you. Donna didn’t know the make, but will get back to gtt with that information. The speech is very clear, and tells you when your coffee is ready, and guides you through the steps of making the coffee. The last item is a timer. Many of us have timers already. Donna’s favourite timer is available from the Braille Superstore in Vancouver by mail. It’s a small unit you can attach to your belt. The timer will count down by minutes then seconds, and there are 6 different alarm sounds to choose from.

 

Jason opened the floor for anyone to describe favourite kitchen gadgets. Ian raised the Hamilton Beech talking microwave, and many agreed it’s a great unit. Ian said it’s one of the best devices for blind people. Some said it’s no longer available, but a member said it’s available through Blind Mice Mart. A member who works with Regal said that they sell talking scales, and the popcorn popper Donna described. Donna said one of her favourites is the knife with a guide to help slice things.

 

Jason described his iGrill. It’s a thermometer that has a probe that sticks into the meet, there’s another attachment that sits outside the stove and communicates with your smart phone to tell you the temperature. The cheapest model is about $60, and the most expensive is maybe $90. You can set alarms for it to go off when your desired temperature is reached. It’s not low tech, but is extremely useful. He also brought a talking kitchen scale. This is useful for precise measuring of ingredients. This is available in the CNIB store. Many devices may not be designed for blind people, but are still very useful. He found a microwave in a mainstream store that has proper buttons rather than a touch pad. He described a one cup measure that had a very distinct tactile line inside for measuring smaller amounts. A few people said that the Forman Grill is very easy to use. It has a simple tactile temperature control, only one lever.

 

Donna asked about accessible stoves. Is there such a thing? Jason answered that he recently got a stove that’s usable, if not entirely accessible. It’s flat top, but there is some texture to help centre a pot. It requires help initially to mark the touch screen, but starting the stove automatically sets it at 350, which is helpful. Once the buttons are labelled it’s easy to use. It’s a Whirlpool.

Someone may win a free version of KNFB reader app for android or I device.

Hello everyone.

This message came to us through Lorne Webber of the Edmonton GTT group.

Sorry for the short notice but we just received this.

I am not familiar with this news letter listed below but it sounds like a great contest.

If you have an android or I device and do not have this app, it is a really great one and the cost usually is around $100.

People who subscribe (it’s free) to the Blind Perspective newsletter by visiting:

http://www.theblindperspective.com/

and jump by heading  down to the heading called “How to Subscribe”

Then click on February’s newsletter at: 

http://www.theblindperspective.com/current.htm

and move down to the heading called “Movers & Shakers”. Near the end of that article about KNFB Reader is the following directions:

“I would like to conclude this article with some great news. Sensotec has graciously offered to give one of our readers the KNFB Reader app, for either

an iOS or Android device user.

So readers if you are interested here is what you need to do:

-Answer the following question, in 300 words or less; How would a KNFB Reader make you more independent?

-Email your answer to: 

contest@theblindperspective.com

-All entries must be received by February 20 in order to qualify”

 

Accessible Technology Press Release, Talking Infrared Thermometer

*Note: This may be in US Dollars so buyer beware:
For immediate release!

Due to increased production the price on the very popular Talking Infrared Thermometer (model IRT-1) from Brooks Technology has been reduced to just $99.95!

The thermometer was designed specifically for the blind and vision impaired as a cooking and safety aid and can easily measure the temperature of items
being cooked, the oven, fridge, freezer, bath water, coffee, etc. without the need for physical contact. It is powered by 2 AA batteries, weighs just
5 ounces, and fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. It includes a built in speech tutorial, and can be set to speak in English, Spanish, or French.

The temperature range is from minus 94 to 716 Fahrenheit. 3 buttons allows the user to change language, and set readout to Fahrenheit or Centigrade.
It speaks clearly and is easy to use.

In the year since I designed and introduced the IRT-1 it has found a multitude of uses, from helping blind auto mechanics do car repairs, a blind restaurant
owner verifying food temperatures, to blind herpetologists maintaining proper tank temperatures for their gecko lizards!

The IRT-1 can help promote safety and independence to vision impaired individuals and is especially useful for the newly blind in overcoming the fear of
cooking!

The IRT-1 is available for $99.95, plus shipping. For organizations that require it my W9 form will be sent on request.

A picture is attached, as well as a few links to podcasts where a demonstration of the thermometer can be heard.

Thank you

Phil Brooks, Owner

Brooks Technology.

Contact information:

website:
http://www.brooks-technology.com

email:
sales@brooks-technology.com

Telephone: 408-781-4577. Hours of operation are 9AM to 5PM Central Time

Links to podcasts:

1.Â
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/introduction-to-the-irt-1-talking-infrared-thermometer/

2.Â
http://media.serotalk.com/podcasts/SeroTalk/Phil%20Brooks%20Interview.mp33.Â
http://blindbargains2.rssing.com/chan-19002605/latest.php

GTT Edmonton Summary Notes, February 8, 2016

Summary Notes
GTT Edmonton Meeting February 8, 2016

The most recent meeting of the Get Together With Technology (GTT) Edmonton Chapter was held February 8 at 7pm at Ascension Lutheran Church 8405 83 Street in Edmonton.
14 people attended.

Special Note: The group observed a minute of silence in memory of a dear friend and member, Harold Schnellert, who passed away January 27, 2016. Harold was the husband of Wendie Schnellert our volunteer treasurer. Harold was also the former president of CCB National. Both Harold and Wendie were instrumental in supporting the start of GTT Edmonton. Our hearts and prayers go out to Wendie and her family. We will all miss Harold.

February Feature Topic – Free Screen Readers
Ximena (pronounced Menna) presented her Apple MAC. Highlights:
• Mac has a screen magnification Zoom feature included (Command, Options + or Command options -) The two buttons next to the space bar and + to zoom in – to zoom out.
• Voice over (the built in talking screen reader) is easily accessed (Command F5). Command key is on either side of the space bar.
• VoiceOver has multiple voices to choose from both male & female.
• The Mac even has Described Video Access through the settings Accessibility menu.
• If you have follow-up questions, Menna may be contacted at ximena.perez@shaw.ca

Russel presented Window Eyes screen reader for PCs. Highlights:
• Window Eyes is a powerful screen reader for Windows PCs.
• You may download Window Eyes for Free if you have a licensed copy of Microsoft Office 2010 or later installed on your computer. You can download it from:
http://www.windoweyesforoffice.com/
• Window Eyes provides support for braille.
• eSpeak and the Microsoft Speech Platform are included.
• you can also purchase Eloquence and Vocalizer Expressive voices from any Canadian distributor. There is a list of distributors at the above web site.
• Window Eyes will conveniently unmute your computer if it is muted when you start the program.
• You can easily modify speech rate, volume, and tone using Control+Alt+ arrow keys.
• Window Eyes is a product of AI Squared who also make the Zoomtext screen magnification software.
• If you do not have Microsoft Office you may also purchase Window Eyes from Aroga.

Lorne presented the free screen reader NVDA for PCs. Highlights:
• NVDA (non visual desktop access) is a powerful open source screen reader for Windows PCs.
• It is used by over 60,000 users in over 120 countries and 40 languages.
• The NVDA project was started by two blind programmers in Brisbane, Australia. You can download it free from:
http://www.nvaccess.org/
• They request a donation which helps to continue NVDA development especially to make it available in developing countries.
• NVDA keyboard commands are similar to JAWS.
• NVDA provides support for braille.
The built-in text to speech voice is eSpeak.
Other voices including Eloquence and Vocalizer Expressive can be purchased as add-ons.
• There are many other NVDA add-ons developed by programmers around the world to do many additional tasks. You can learn more about the add-ons at:
http://addons.nvda-project.org/index.en.html
• Because NVDA is free and used extensively, many Windows software companies now test the accessibility of their programs using NVDA as their benchmark.

After Sight Device
• Mike McWilliams asked members if adding a directional audio indicator to his After Sight device would be of use to help you walk a straight line such as when crossing an intersection or open area. Participants were enthusiastic about adding this feature.
• Mike is also hopeful the object recognition database can be expanded from 1000 to 5000 objects.
• You may contact Mike McWilliams at:403-488-1247 or mike.mcwilliams@after-sight.com
Web: http://www.after-sight.com

Next Meeting (Monday March 14 at 7pm)
• Our member, Owais, will present his HIMS BrailleSense note taker and show the power of computing and using the Internet with Braille.
• Gerry will present the online functions of the Victor Reader Stream new generation including Podcasts, Bookshare, radio, Wikipedia/Wiktionary lookups, and Direct to Player books.
• Send your meeting topic ideas to GTT.Edmonton@gmail.com.

Meeting Location and Logistics
• Ascension Lutheran Church 8405 – 83 Street NW, Edmonton.
• We meet in the basement hall. 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 typically every second Monday of the month at 7pm.
• If you have someone helping you your assistant is welcome to remain for the meeting.

GTT Edmonton Team
• Carrie Anton is visually impaired and is the accessibility specialist for Athabasca University.
• Gerry Chevalier is blind. He is retired from HumanWare where he worked as the Product Manager for the Victor Reader line of talking book players.
• Heather MacDonald is the specialist for CNIB career and employment services. She has a wealth of experience helping blind and visually impaired people with the challenges of finding employment.
• Russell Solowoniuk is blind and works with alternative formats and assistive technology at Grant MacEwan University.
• Lorne Webber is blind and is the accessibility specialist for Norquest College.

GTT Edmonton Overview
• GTT Edmonton is a chapter of the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB).
• There are GTT groups in Ottawa, Toronto, Kingston, Northern Ontario, Sydney, Edmonton, Victoria, Nanaimo, Vancouver, and more to come.
• There is also a national GTT monthly toll free teleconference.
• GTT Edmonton promotes a self-help learning experience by holding monthly meetings to assist participants with assistive technology.
• Each meeting will present a feature technology topic and general question and answer about any other technology.
• Small groups or one on one assistance is possible at the meetings.
• Participants are encouraged to come to each meeting even if they are not interested in the feature topic because questions on any technology are welcome. The more participants the better able we will be equipped with the talent and experience to help each other.
[End of Document]

Reminder next GTT national conference call all about talking to your Iphone, Ipad, or Ipod touch. Our next GTT national conference call will take place on Wednesday February 10 at 7 PM Eastern, 4 PM Pacific time. Our topic for this call is how to talk to your phone. Ever wondered how to use Siri on an Iphone, Ipad, or Ipod touch? What can you ask of her? Also what is the difference between Siri and Dictation? What about the google voice app? Join us learn together as we share our tips and tricks and even outrageous and funny things you can ask siri. Please RSVP to Kim so she has an idea of numbers. You can email her at gttprogram@gmail.com Or call her at 1-877-304-0968 X 513. Call in info is 1-866-740-1260 Passcode 5670311 

Next GTT national conference call Wednesday February 10 7 PM Eastern 4 Pacific.  Talking to your I Device:  how can you best work with siri? 

Our next GTT national conference call will take place on Wednesday February 10 at 7 PM Eastern, 4 PM Pacific time. Our topic for this call is how to talk to your phone. 

Ever wondered how to use Siri on an Iphone, Ipad, or Ipod touch? 

What can you ask of her? 

Also what is the difference between Siri and Dictation? 

What about the google voice app? 

Join us learn together as we share our tips and tricks and even outrageous and funny things you can ask siri. 

Please RSVP to Kim so she has an idea of numbers. 

You can email her at 

gttprogram@gmail.com 

Or call her at 1-877-304-0968 X 513. 

Call in info is 

1-866-740-1260 Passcode 5670311 

Excellent resource for anyone in Ontario. Very exciting development about accessing prescription information. 

With great thanks to Chris and Marie Stark who have asked me to publish on the blog.This is great and exciting news. 

Would love someone to demonstrate one of these at GTT meetings. 

If anyone else has obtained one, we’d love to hear about it. 

“New Service to Access Information on Prescription Medication Labels

Dispensed by Shoppers Drug Mart in Ontario

Reading or understanding the contents and instructions of labels on

prescription medications is a source of problems and frustration for many

people, particularly for persons who are blind and others who have

difficulty reading print material. The small print and look-alike packaging

of medicine vials can lead to confusion, non-compliance, and mistakes. A

solution to this serious issue, the ScripTalk Station prescription reading

device, developed by EnVision America, is now available at Shoppers Drug

Marts in Ontario. 

The ScripTalk works by simply pressing a button on the device and placing

the special talking label over the reader, which then speaks all the

information printed on the label including drug name, dosage & instructions;

warnings and contraindications; pharmacy information; doctor name;

prescription number and date; warnings etc. More information on the

ScripTalk technology can be found at

<https://www.envisionamerica.com/products/scripability/scriptalk/&gt; ScripTalk

| En-Vision America – Assistive Technology for the Blind and Low-vision

Community. You can also view an

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLSkkFXDWV0&gt; overview video of the

ScripTalk for Pharmacies on YouTube and an

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLRe0Z6wnzk&gt; overview video of the

ScripTalk system for customers on YouTube. 
The first step to obtain a ScripTalk prescription reader is to contact your

Shoppers Drug Mart owner/pharmacist who is responsible for initiating the

process. Information on the ScripTalk was sent, a while ago, to all

Shoppers Drug Mart stores in Ontario. Customers who are blind should

discuss their needs with their pharmacist, who can then contact their field

support teams with any inquiries regarding available options. 

Once you have decided to get the ScripTalk reader, you will be asked to sign

a program registration document required by EnVision America, who will then

send a reader directly to you. There is no cost to the customer who is

blind. 

There is, at present, a 48 hour lag time between requesting a medication at

your pharmacy, and the pharmacist sending the information to Shoppers Drug

Mart Head Office who then prepare the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)

lables required by the ScripTalk device. New prescriptions requiring

immediate use will be a problem for the customers initially. Hopefully, this

lag time issue will soon be resolved, so that customers can access their

prescription information at the same time as the print ones are dispensed.

For medications that are being refilled on a regular basis, it is a matter

of planning for this lag time when renewing your supply.  

I have received my free ScripTalk prescription reader. It is very easy to

use. An instruction CD is included to help with set up and operation. The

ScripTalk labels are on each one of my medications, which enables me to read

all the pertinent information for all my medications, for the first time. 

If your Shoppers Drug Mart Store is totally unwilling or unresponsive to

your drug prescription information needs, tell them to contact Ashesh Desai,

who is the senior manager responsible for this service. If that does not

work, then contact him directly at the coordinates below. He was very

helpful to me.  

Ashesh Desai Bsc. Phm |
Senior Vice-President, Pharmacy Operations and Transformation | 
Shoppers Drug Mart HQ
243 Consumers Road, Toronto ON M2J 4W8 
Tel. 416-490-2769 
Toll free: 1800-746-7737 Open until 8:00 PM and ask for him. 
Email: adesai@shoppersdrugmart.ca <mailto:adesai@shoppersdrugmart.ca> 

At present, there is no link for information regarding the ScripTalk on the

Shoppers Drug Mart website. However, Shoppers Drug Mart’s Accessible

Customer Service Practice document for Ontario can be accessed at:

<http://files.shoppersdrugmart.ca/stores/Accessibility-Standards.pdf&gt;

http://files.shoppersdrugmart.ca/stores/Accessibility-Standards.pdf&nbsp;

The ScripTalk Mobile app is also available in the Google Play Store. It

provides another way to read the ScripTalk labels prescription information

on some, but not all, Android devices. ScripTalk is not available at present

for iPhones and other Apple devices, because Apple does not allow the use of

Near Field Communication (NFC), which is required in order to read the RFID

labels being affixed on medication containers for the ScripTalk. 

I would like to thank Rob Sleath and Access for Sight-Impaired Consumers

(ASIC) for all their work on this issue in B.C. and for their help and

advice to me as I worked with my local Shoppers Drug Mart. More information

on ASIC and other drug store chains in B.C. offering the ScripTalk is

available at <http://www.asicbc.ca&gt; http://www.asicbc.ca .” 

GTT Vancouver Summary Notes, January 20, 2016

Summary Notes, GTT Vancouver

January 20, 2016

Topic of the day was Siri and many of the ways he/she can make your life easier, with 17 in attendance and Matt and Clement conducting the session:

1. Use Siri to search for things like the score in the hockey game, what movies are playing, what time it is, dictionary definitions, weather where you are or anyplace else you can name, etc. Sometimes Siri will give you the answer verbally and sometimes she will tell you to take a look. When she says take a look you have to use your finger to check what is on the screen and double tap on the one you want to see more closely.
2. Creating reminders – Ask Siri to remind you to make a call when you leave this place, or when you get to work or home, provided both places are programmed into your contacts it will remind you when you get there, or when you leave.
3. Creating events – if you want to add something to your calendar you would say something like “Create an event for Jan 21 at 1:30 PM titled, Dentist Appointment with Sally Sue. That will have Siri create the event with a Subject Line and if Sally Sue is in your contacts list she will receive an invitation to the appointment by email. Events in your calendar will need to be checked. Siri will only remind you about an event in your calendar if you have also set default reminders. If you create an event in your calendar you will find a reminder button. If you click on that it will ask you remind me in an hour, a day, a week, etc. You can also ask Siri if you have any appointments on April 7th, or when is my next Dentist appointment?
4. Setting alarms – Wake me up at 6:00 am or turn on my 9:00 alarm, and you can also turn off all alarms by asking Siri to do just that.
5. Calling and Facetiming people – You can say “Call persons name” if they are in your contacts. If they are not in your contacts you can say their phone number. Facetime is free to another person with an Iphone or Ipad. It’s an Internet call that requires an Internet connection
6. Turning on the timer – Say “Set a timer for 10 minutes – Great for cooking. You can also set a timer while you are walking on the treadmill, listening to music or to a book
7. What time is it will have Siri tell you the time, and if you ask for the time in Toronto Canada it will give you that as well. You can also ask what day is it, or what day will April 7th be.
8. What song is playing – If a song is playing in the background it will tell you.
9. Play songs from your favourite artist – If you have an artist on your phone you can ask Siri to play songs by Bon Jovi for example. If you have Apple music it will even play artists that are not yet on your phone.
10. Make reservations if the restaurant that does reservations through Open Table.
11. Ask Siri to open any app on your phone like mail, messages, settings, Blindfold Blindfold Blackjack, etc.
12. Performing calculations – Ask what is 24 times 3 will give you the answer. The answer will be on your screen so you can use your finger to refer to it again.
13. Conversions – You can ask Siri to convert dollars to pounds or metric to inperial. How many cm is 3 feet.
14. Dates – What day of the week is Chinese New Year or or Ash Wednesday this year it will tell you, and if you ask it what day of the week your birthdate was it will show you the results.
15. Use Siri to change settings – Ask it turn on blue tooth, turn on airplane mode, or turn off cellular data.
16. Mapping – Ask how do I get home or how do I get to White Spot. It will start up directions and it will give you the turn by turn directions
17. Texting – To send a text to a person in your contacts you say “Tell Matthew hello”. Siri says “Your message to Matthew says Hello” Do you want me to send it? You say yes, and the text is sent. You can reply to a text with Siri as well. Tip: Hold the home button until you stop speaking so Siri doesn’t cut you off before you are finished your message. If you know the number on your regular bus stop you can text 33333 which will give you the bus schedule for that stop.
18. Movies – Ask Where is Star Wars playing or What time is Star Wars playing at the Landmark cinema.
19. Following sports – What was the result of the last Canucks game, when will they play again or who scored during their last game.

Topic for next time – iCloud on Feb. 10 from 10:00 AM until 12:00 PM.

GTT Victoria Summary Notes, January 6, 2016

GTT Victoria Meeting, January 6, 2016

Summary Notes

The January meeting took place at the Central Library, 735 Broughton Street from 1-3:30 PM. There were 11 people in attendance.

This month’s meeting featured a presentation by Mike Gower from IBM Canada, regarding accessibility of the ribbons that replaced the traditional menus as of Microsoft Office 2007. He explained that Freedom Scientific added a new feature to the JAWS screen reader, enabling users to virtualize the ribbons. Thanks also to Linda Bartram, who experimented with virtualized ribbons after the meeting and producing the notes attached at the end of this report. Thanks also to Mike for offering to do occasional presentations on other topics that may be of interest to the group.

Tom then gave a brief presentation about Q-Seek, another convenient tool from Accessible Apps for Windows PC users. This is the same company that produces Q-cast for podcast management as well as the Chicken Nugget Twitter client, demonstrated at previous meetings.

Q-Seek provides the capability for a very flexible pop-up reference and search facility anywhere in Windows. Simply select text, then Alt-Control-Q to open the Q-seek window with the selected text automatically copied into the search field. Then tab to a list of the search types and use the arrow keys to select from ten choices. These include: word definitions; synonyms; antonyms; calculation; spell check; translate (into English); Wikipedia search; manage lookup (for programmers); stock quotes; and, urban dictionary. Press enter and the search result appears in a text box. Paste the result anywhere by pressing Alt-F4 to close Q-seek, place the cursor in a document and do the usual Control-V to paste.

Note that Accessible apps software is developed by blind programmers, so all of their apps are extremely screen-reader-friendly. All apps are available as free demos for a limited time, so you can try before you buy.

Tom also gave a very brief tour of what it is like to navigate around the screens of a Windows phone, as he has had the chance to use a Nokia Windows phone, running a beta of WindowsPhone 10. It looks like it has the potential to be quite accessible. The worst problem so far is that the on-screen keyboard is extremely sensitive and currently difficult to use, even for someone who has a lot of experience with the iPhone on-screen keyboard. We will provide feedback to Microsoft in this regard and will be watching for improved accessibility in the first public release of WindowsPhone 10.

Linda announced that there will be an open house at Pacific Training Centre for the Blind on Thursday January 21 from 4 PM to 7 PM.

The next VocalEyes described event at the Belfry Theater is “The Valley”, and takes place on Sunday, February 21 at 2 pm. The Belfry Theatre is located at 1291 Gladstone Avenue in Victoria (250-385-6815). Described by Rick Waines and followed by a Touch Tour. Ticket prices vary.

Suggested topics for our next meeting include, a discussion of accessible games and game apps, and music apps. Tom can share his experience with Apple Music. We also hope that members will do some exploring, or share their experience regarding other music apps and accessible games.

We will send out a notice a week or so before the next meeting, which will take place at the Central Library at 1 PM on Wednesday, February 3.

Information on Virtual Ribbons
from Linda Bartram

To turn on virtual ribbons:
1. Go to the Jaws screen
2. Press alt to open the menu bar
3. Right arrow to help
4. Down arrow to Start Up Wizard and press enter
5. Tab to next and press enter.
6. Tab to next again and press enter.
7. Jaws will say “use virtual ribbons” check box unchecked.
8. Press the space bar to check.
9. then tab to next and press enter three more times until you come to the finish button
10. Press the enter key. You will be back on the Jaws screen and the startup wizard will close. Virtual ribbons is now your default.

GTT Toronto Meeting Notes January 21, 2016 about social media

Here are the notes from the GTT Toronto meeting which took place on Thursday January 21, 2016. The topic was social media. 
Hello everyone,

Here are the notes from last night’s meeting.

Jason Fayre opened the meeting with a welcome, and said that next month’s meeting would have as its focus low tech kitchen gadgets presented by Donna Jodhan. He introduced Rylan Vroom, assistive technology instructor at Balance for Blind Adults, to talk about social media.

 

Rylan began by saying he’d be discussing Facebook, twitter and LinkedIn.

There are two main ways to access Facebook on the computer. There’s Facebook mobile, and regular Facebook. Facebook mobile is good because it doesn’t show graphics, is low bandwidth, and more blind friendly. M.facebook.com. He did a demo starting at the top of the page. Near the top is an edit field to search for a person. Facebook supports hot keys. If you have new messages, you’ll see it indicated near the top. Chat is the cool section where you can chat with anyone you know who’s on line. The pages link allows you to administrate any pages you manage. He talked about how you can choose who you share your posts with, friends, friends of friends, or public. Below this is an edit field where you can enter the text of your post, photos etc.. Below this are birthday notifications of your friends. Below this are all the posts of people you follow. They are displayed as heading level 3, so you can use H to move through them. Lots of people use hashtags, which are best viewed on a Braille display. Posts will show you when a post was posted, and who it was posted to. Using H is generally a good way to navigate through the home page. At the bottom of the main page is a “see more stories” link. Entering on the profile link takes you to your profile. Using H here will display your most recent posts. On the message page, you can use B for button or E for edit field, to move through your messages.

 

He next went to the regular Facebook page. It allows you to access your privacy settings, which is harder to do on the mobile page. Ian raised the concern that sometimes Facebook system updates can set security settings back to default. Brian M offered the adage that if you post something you should probably be prepared for the entire world to see it. Rylan added, “If you wouldn’t send it to your grandmother, don’t post it.” Brian added that Facebook has gotten better at emailing when they change their security protocols.

 

Poking is a strange form of Facebook flirting. It allows a temporary exchange of profiles.

You’ll also get a list of updates from Facebook groups you’ve joined. In general, the full site has much more stuff than the mobile site. Debbie asked if uploaded photos get automatically rotated to appear correctly. Rylan answered that he didn’t know, but that he suspects Facebook will correct mistakes in uploading. He warned that if you forget your Facebook password, the process for verifying yourself involves having to identify photos of your friends, so as a blind person, this is a problem. Neila raised the idea of using the ap on a mobile device. Rylan said the down side of this is that the mobile ap often malfunctions, and that entering posts on a touch pad can be tiresome. In general though it is workable, and can do things like geotag your photos. Brian M added that the mobile ap can deal with the password problem by sending you a text for verification. Ian proposed that you can hook up a blue tooth keyboard to your mobile device to make it easier to post. Judith wondered why she gets so many emails telling her about things on Facebook. Rylan replied that it’s because she’s not logging in enough, and that there’s a link in Facebook emails to change your subscription preferences, i.e. what kinds of emails you get from Facebook. Debbie asked for clarification, with a phone, are you using the ap, or the Facebook mobile site. Rylan replied that this is a matter of preference. The ap is different in how you interact with it, and special things may need to happen if you’re using a Braille display.

 

Twitter is completely different, it’s a micro-blogging site. Twitter is evolving, but at its base it’s a micro-blogging platform. One of its most powerful features is the ability to index specific topics, i.e. hashtags. You can search for a hashtag and find any tweets using this hashtag, i.e. talking about the same thing. Hashtags are ever-changing and time and context related, so you have to watch what you’re doing. Under windows there are a couple of twitter clients, which are ways to use twitter. TWBlue and Chicken Nugget are two that blind people use. You can also access twitter directly from the twitter website. Night Owl is a client for Macs. Twitterific is a good ap for the iPhone. Jason said Tweetings is a useful android ap. The twitter ap for iPhone is sort of accessible, but not entirely.

 

He did a demo of Chicken Nugget. He did a search for the hashtag A11Y which is a short form for accessibility. This opens a buffer with a vertical list of tweets about A11Y. He showed some of the menu functions, example search, either for a person or a hashtag, updating your profile, how to manage audio that might come attached to a tweet, managing the audio cues that Chicken Nugget uses to convey information…. You can directly message someone on twitter if they’re following you. There are hot keys for most functions, and you can hide the visual window, meaning that you can operate twitter without it showing on your screen. You can directly access links included in tweets. If you choose to follow someone on twitter, this means you see everything they post publicly. There’s some twitter etiquette that they’ll follow you back, unless they’re a celebrity. He demonstrated looking up someone’s profile. This displays information about them such as a bio, and where they are in the world. Debbie asked how to shorten a URL to put into a tweet. Rylan answered that some twitter clients will do it automatically, or you can look up a good URL shortener. The @ at symbol relates to users, the # number symbol relates to hashtags. Debbie made the point that lists can be a really helpful way to categorize the information or topics you follow. She asked if you can add an account to a list without actually following it. A few people answered that you can. Neila asked if there’s any user guides. Rylan answered that each twitter client has their own. Brian commented that the twitter website is completely usable, but twitter clients are much faster, especially if you’re very active on twitter. He also added that twitter isn’t mere fluff. You can get lots of information that’s relevant to you, network, ask for tips or help with something specific, and get really quick answers. It’s an extremely useful tool. Rylan said this is true, and the trick is taking the time and effort to curate it all.

 

LinkedIn is more of a business networking site. You can find jobs, connect with fellow professionals, and find articles on profession related topics. It’s entirely different from Facebook, because it’s very profession oriented. He did a demo of the site. Never use LinkedIn with internet explorer, because the LinkedIn site has useful tags with key strokes and accessibility information, and older versions of IE can’t handle them. LinkedIn is good at making connections between you and people you might know. The main page looks somewhat like facebook’s, with profile and update options. Neila raised the point that you can join groups in LinkedIn, and endorse the skills of people you know. Debbie asked if the mobile site is easier, and also is there an easier way to follow conversations on LinkedIn. Brian M said he finds the iPhone ap significantly easier when following and interacting with conversations.

Braille braille refreshable braille.  Will it ever come down in price? 

Braille braille refreshable braille 
By Kim Kilpatrick 
I have been reading braille since I was six. It has always been extremely important and crucial for me to use braille whenever and wherever I can. 
Refreshable braille brought braille back into my life again after many years of little braille for me.

This was because I had a screen reader and audio books and was told I could not have braille text books and also that the screen reader on my computer would be enough for me to get things done.  
When I got braille back and could use it with a computer, I cried! 

The braille display hooked to my computer meant that I could turn speech off and just read and write in braille. 

The way I always wanted. 

 I was so moved to be reading and writing again. 
Apple has made it very easy to read and write braille with their I Devices and macs. They support most of the refreshable braille displays on the market. You can read and write braille (as I am doing now to create this post) with my Iphone and braille display. 
You can also use their braille screen input to type braille with your fingers directly on to the screen of your device. 
Exciting yes! If only android phones and devices would improve the program Braille Back so you could use contracted braille. But refreshable braille has been always very very expensive. 
Well out of the range of many people who would love to use it. 
Several projects are always in the works to bring down the price of braille displays. 
The expensive part at the moment is the technology of the braille cells. 
People are working on this. 
One example is a group in the article below. 
I would love to have a multi line, inexpensive braille display in the hands of all who would love to use it. 
Thanks also to braille literacy Canada for your great conference call about braille last weekend. 
http://www.brailleliteracy.ca&nbsp;

 More about that in another post. 
Here is the link to the article. 
http://www.engin.umich.edu/college/about/news/stories/2015/december/bringing-braille-back-with-a-better-display-technology

GTT Edmonton Summary Notes, January 11, 2016

Summary Notes
GTT Edmonton Meeting January 11, 2016

The most recent meeting of the Get Together With Technology (GTT) Edmonton Chapter was held January 11 at 7pm at Ascension Lutheran Church 8405 83 Street in Edmonton.
15 people attended. Note that contact information and useful links related to this meeting are listed in the Resources section below.

January Feature Topic – Edmonton Public Library
We thank Wendy Gronnestad-Damur from the Idylwylde branch of Edmonton Public Library for her presentation on library services available to the print disabled. Highlights of Wendy’s presentation:
• EPL services are free to Edmonton residents.
• Home delivery of materials is available depending on the customer’s circumstances.
• Assistive technologies such as CCTV, hand-held electronic magnifiers, and SARA scanner/reader are available at the Stanley Milner main branch.
• Audio books from Overdrive can be downloaded using a computer or the EPL iOS app.
• EPL has DAISY CD books and Described Videos to loan.
Membership in Canada’s CELA network offering 80,000 DAISY and braille download books.
• CELA Paper braille books.
• CELA Online newspapers.
• CELA Audio DAISY magazines for download.
• CELA also gives optional download access to Bookshare’s over 125,000 e-text DAISY books.
• You may register for CELA service at your library if you self-declare as being print-disabled.
• NNELS e-text books.
• Library Talking Book club that meets in main branch every second Wednesday of the month.

After Sight Device
Mike McWilliams updated us on the prototype After Sight Device. This device now offers:
• Vibrating and verbal warnings of obstacles up to 5 metres ahead and above chest level.
• Object recognition.
• Sensory substitution soundscape of the surrounding environment.
Mike hopes to create a nonprofit business model to subsidize the cost of the device to be below $200.

AMI TV
We thank the AMI TV crew (Meagan, Vivian, Mark) who attended our meeting to do a story and interviews about our GTT group. The interviews will eventually air on AMI TV channel 888. We will advise when we get details on the broadcast schedule.

Resources

• For more information about Edmonton Public Library services for the print-disabled visit:
http://www.epl.ca/assistive-services/
• Edmonton main Library Access Department may be reached at 780.496.1888.

• The CELA Library web site is
http://www.celalibrary.ca/
• CELA toll free customer service number is 1-855-655-2273
• You can learn more about CELA Direct to Player download books at:
CELA-CNIB Direct to Player
• To learn more about Bookshare visit:
http://www.bookshare.org/

• For more information about the demonstrated After Sight sensory substitution device contact:
Mike Mcwilliams
Cell:403-488-1247
Email: mike.mcwilliams@after-sight.com
Web: http://www.after-sight.com

• AMI-TV can be viewed on Shaw cable channel 888.
• AMI-Audio radio reading service can be listened to on channel 889.
• AMI Audio can also be streamed to a Victor Reader. See the HumanWare Playlist on your Victor Reader Stream radio bookshelf.
• AMI web site is:
http://www.ami.ca/Pages/default.aspx
• The describe video TV schedule can be viewed at:
http://www.ami.ca/Pages/Described-Video-Guide.aspx#main

Next Meeting (Monday February 8 at 7pm)
• One of our members has offered to talk about how she uses her MAC computer.
• We also have a couple of other topics yet to be confirmed. Watch your email for the agenda in early February.
• Send your meeting topic ideas to GTT.Edmonton@gmail.com.

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

GTT Edmonton Team
• Carrie Anton is visually impaired and is the accessibility specialist for Athabasca University.
• Gerry Chevalier is blind. He is retired from HumanWare where he worked as the Product Manager for the Victor Reader line of talking book players.
• Heather MacDonald is the specialist for CNIB career and employment services. She has a wealth of experience helping blind and visually impaired people with the challenges of finding employment.
• Russell Solowoniuk is blind and works with alternative formats and assistive technology at Grant MacEwan University.
• Lorne Webber is blind and is the accessibility specialist for Norquest College.

GTT Edmonton Overview
• GTT Edmonton is a chapter of the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB).
• There are GTT groups in Ottawa, Toronto, Kingston, Northern Ontario, Sydney, Edmonton, Victoria, Nanaimo, Vancouver, and more to come.
• There is also a national GTT monthly toll free teleconference.
• GTT Edmonton promotes a self-help learning experience by holding monthly meetings to assist participants with assistive technology.
• Each meeting will present a feature technology topic and general question and answer about any other technology.
• Small groups or one on one assistance is possible at the meetings.
• Participants are encouraged to come to each meeting even if they are not interested in the feature topic because questions on any technology are welcome. The more participants the better able we will be equipped with the talent and experience to help each other.
[End of Document]

Resource: Saving CELA/CNIB Library Zipped DAISY files to a Dropbox folder for uploading to Voice Dream Reader

Saving CELA/CNIB Library Zipped DAISY files to a Dropbox folder for uploading to Voice Dream Reader:

Note: This set of instructions was requested at the end of the discussion during the January 13 National Conference Call titled, “All About the Mac”. Strangely, these are PC based instructions related to the use of Voice Dream REader on iOS devices.

To access the two sets of instructions in this document search for ## and your word processor will take you to the start of each section.

##CELA Library search and Download instructions

1. open your favourite web browser then brows to http://iguana.celalibrary.ca/iguana/www.main.cls?surl=CELA-home&lang=eng&theme=reset
2. Scroll to the Sign-in link and press the enter key. Type your user name and password and press the enter key;
3. Press the letter E in order to access the Search edit field. Using JAWS or NVDA you will press the space bar to activate the Edit Mode, then type your search string, for example, “Chevalier, Gerry” will bring up the following result, CNIB digital library audio tutorial;
4. Use the letter H to navigate to the Heading for the second result, then use the down arrow to read about the Zipped DAISY book available for download, then continue down arrowing to the Get It! DAISY Download Zip Button and press the enter key;
5. In the resulting page down arrow to the Download Button and press the enter key;
6. With Internet Explorer you will hold down the Alt key while pressing the letter N, then Tab to the Save Button and press the space bar to actually start the download;
7. Use the down arrow button to access the Return to Search Results and press the enter key to go back as above;
8. Check your Downloads folder to see that your book has been downloaded. Allow some time for this to occur, which will be dependent on the speed of your internet service.

##To move the DAISY Zipped file to your Dropbox folder do as follows:

1. Navigate to your Downloads folder and locate the desired Zipped file;
2. Copy or Cut the file to the Clipboard with Alt X or Alt C respectively;
3. Navigate to the Dropbox icon on your Desktop, then locate the sub-folder you wish to store the Zipped file into and press the enter key to open it;
4. Paste the Zipped file into the folder with Alt V;
5. Once the Zipped file finishes loading into your Dropbox account you will have access to it from Voice Dream Reader.

##How to download a Zipped DAISY file to Voice Dream Reader from Dropbox:

1. In Voice Dream Reader navigate to the Add Button and do a 1-finger double-tap;
2. Flick right or left with 1-finger to access the Dropbox icon and do a 1-finger double-tap to open it;
3. Flick right with 1-finger to locate the file, or the folder where the Zipped DAISY file will be found. If it’s in a folder a 1-finger double-tap will open the folder, then flicking to the right or left with 1-finger will allow you to navigate to the desired file;
4. Once the file is located do a 1-finger double-tap to start the download process. Flicking right and left with 1-finger will access the progress bar for the download and loading processes. Flick to the OK Button once done and do a 1-finger double-tap;
5. This will land you back in the Dropbox folder, so flick right or left to the Done Button and do a 1-finger double-tap to return to the main Voice Dream Reader screen;
6. Flick right or left with 1-finger to access your stored material to find the book just downloaded and do a 1-finger double-tap to launch it.

If you have any questions about the above please be in touch with Albert Ruel at GTTWest@CCBNational.net or 1-877-304-0968 Ext. 550.