Tag: CCB Visionaries Chapter

CCB-GTT Weekly Meetings, May 16 to May 22, 2021 via Zoom 

You are invited to the CCB’s GTT Zoom meetings where we focus in on the technology needs and concerns of Canadians who are blind or low vision.  The calls will take place over the accessible Zoom Conference system, which will allow participants to dial in using their landline phones, smart phones, or computers.  You will find the Zoom link and phone numbers below the meeting listings. Please pay special attention to the “(NOTE)” notation after some of the meeting listings. Different zoom platforms are used for different meetings and some require preregistration. 

CCB-GTT OPEN CHAT 

Monday, May 17, 2021, 1:00 PM Eastern/10:00 AM Pacific: 

Host: Kim Kilpatrick 

Topic: Open tech chat 

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CCB-GTT NORTHERN ONTARIO AND RURAL CALL 

Tuesday, May 18, 2021, 7:00 PM Eastern/4:00 PM Pacific: 

Facilitators:  Brian Bibeault and Dorothy Macnaughton 

There will not be a specific topic, but this will be a chance to ask any tech question of the people on the call.  Everyone from across Canada is welcome. 

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CCB-GTT PRESENTATION 

Wednesday, May 19, 2021, 1:00 PM Eastern/10:00 AM Pacific: 

Presenter: Kim Kilpatrick 

Topic: Using the address book which is built into your IPhone 

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CCB-GTT All ABOUT ANDROID  

Wednesday, May 19, 2021, 7:00 PM Eastern/4:00 PM Pacific: 

Topic: The contact list on your phone: how to create and search for a contact. 

Tracy and Matthew have put this group together to share their experiences navigating Android devices. We welcome the input from users of all experience levels so we can learn together. Please make sure your device in which you will be signing into the Zoom meeting has your proper name, so the host will recognize you and let you into the meeting. 

(NOTE) Registration required, Email: aaug.canada@gmail.com 

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CCB-GTT TORONTO ZOOM CALL 

Thursday, May 20, 2021, 6:00 PM Eastern/3:00 PM Pacific: 

Host: Jason Fayre 

Topic: Passwords. Seemingly hundreds of them, everywhere! Every email account, every social media platform, every government portal, financial institution, everything online has its own password! Every one has to be long, include symbols and numbers, and capitals and lower case letters! How on earth can I keep track of them all? Jason will offer up some of the best tips and tricks for managing all those pesky passwords, reviewing a few of the most popular password management apps, and generally educate us on how best to make online access easier and more secure.  

 (NOTE) The meeting credentials are different for this meeting,  

To join the CCB GTT Toronto Zoom meeting on your smart device, click this link:  

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/93700586904?pwd=cmZxU2JKdmMvREpOOFRDeGdpbWdxQT09 

One tap mobile 

+12042727920,,93700586904#,,,,*005761# Canada 

+14388097799,,93700586904#,,,,*005761# Canada 

Dial by your location 

+1 647 558 0588 Canada 

Meeting ID: 937 0058 6904 

Passcode: 005761 

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CCB-GTT OPEN CHAT 

Friday, May 21, 2021, 1:00 PM Eastern/10:00 AM Pacific: 

Host: David Greene 

Topic: Open discussion 

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(Note) Early notice, there will be no “Open Chat” call on Monday May 24, 2021 

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CCB-GTT PODCASTS 

You can subscribe to the CCB Podcast feed by searching for CCB/Canadian Council of the Blind Podcast on the Victor Reader Stream, or your favourite smart device Pod Catcher. You can use this like to the originating distribution source. https://ccbpod.podbean.com/ 

New this week, Rogers Ignite TV, (Part 2) with Wayne Antle and Jim Hamilton 

CCB-GTT TECH 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 

You will get an email back from the list asking you to confirm your subscription. Simply reply to that email and you are subscribed. You will then receive a second email welcoming you to the list and describing how to use it. You are then ready to post your technology questions and/or answers to the list.  

For more information visit: https://groups.io/g/GTTsupport 

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Security procedure remains in effect. 

When you enter the waiting room before a meeting, please ensure that you give us a recognizable name. If you are calling for the first time or from a land line, please e-mail the CCB’s Receptionist, (Shelley Morris) ahead of time to let us know your name and number so we will let you in. Shelley’s email is: ccb@ccbnational.net  

If you need help doing these things or learning to use zoom, please contact us and we can help you. 

You can participate by phone or Internet from wherever you are: 

 

CCB is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. 

https://zoom.us/j/9839595688?pwd=N01yeERXQk4rWnhvNCtHTzZwdXcwQT09 

Meeting ID: 983 959 5688 

Password: 320119 

Alberta One tap mobile for Smart Phones: 

+15873281099,9839595688# 

BC One tap mobile for Smart Phones: 

+17789072071,9839595688# 

Manitoba One tap mobile for Smart Phones: 

+12045151268,9839595688# 

Montreal One tap mobile for Smart Phones: 

+14388097799,9839595688# 

Toronto One tap mobile for Smart Phones: 

+16473744685,9839595688# 

 

Direct Dial: 

Alberta: +1 587 328 1099 

BC: +1 778 907 2071 

Manitoba: +1 204 515 1268 

Montreal: +1 438 809 7799 

Toronto: +1 647 374 4685 

 

For more information, contact: 

Kim Kilpatrick, CCB GTT Coordinator 

GTTProgram@Gmail.com 

1-877-304-0968 Ext 513 

David Greene, CCB GTT Accessibility Trainer 

accessibilitytraining7@gmail.com 

1-877-304-0968 Ext 509 

Corry Stuive, CCB National Program Coordinator 

corry.gtt@ccbnational.net  

1-877-304-0968 Ext 550 

CCB-GTT Weekly Meetings for White Cane Week, February 7 to February 13, 2021 via Zoom

You are invited to the CCB’s GTT Zoom meetings where we focus in on the technology needs and concerns of Canadians who are blind or low vision.  The calls will take place over the accessible Zoom Conference system, which will allow participants to dial in using their landline phones, smart phones, or computers.  You will find the Zoom link and phone numbers below the meeting listings. Please pay special attention to the “(NOTE)” notation after some of the meeting listings. Different zoom platforms are used for different meetings and some require preregistration.

CCB-GTT OPEN CHAT

Monday, February 8, 2021, 1:00 PM Eastern/10:00 AM Pacific:

Host, Kim Kilpatrick,

Topic, although we are open to all tech topics on this call, since it is White Cane Week, a possible topic is: How has technology changed your mobility?

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CCB-SPECIAL WCW FIRESIDE CHAT

Tuesday, February 9, 2021, 7:00 PM Eastern/4:00 PM Pacific:

Host, Sam Moore

Join us on Zoom for a Special White Cane Week event! Bring a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy a virtual Fireside Chat on Mobility and Identity! Listen to our panel members as they discuss their views on the white cane, mobility and how it ties into who they are. This is an event for both new and long-time white cane users. Learn through the lived experience of our panellists, ask questions, and have fun.

(NOTE) The meeting credentials are different for this meeting, they are as follows, below applies to this meeting only.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/92300397014?pwd=K25hcFV0TkZKQ0hjZ2ZId1g2ZERNdz09

Meeting ID: 923 0039 7014

Passcode: 265534

For more into contact smoore@ccbnational.net

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GTT PRESENTATION

Wednesday, February 10, 2021, 1:00 PM Eastern/10:00 AM Pacific:

Host, Kim Kilpatrick,

Topic, In the first part of this series, we talked in general about podcasts, what they are, what platforms they are on, why you might want to explore them? In part two, I will go through two free apps for I devices, the native podcasts app and the overcast app.

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CCB-GTT NATIONAL CALL

Wednesday, February 10, 2021, 7:00 PM Eastern/4:00 PM Pacific:

Laurie Davidson (the Executive director of CELA library) and two of her staff will be joining our call to give us updates on CELA services and to answer any questions and take any feedback you might have for them.

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CCB-GTT YOUTH ZOOM CALL

Thursday, February 11, 2021, 8:00 PM Eastern/5:00 PM Pacific:

Host, Nolan Jenikov

For individuals between the ages of 16 and 25ish.

(NOTE) The meeting credentials are different for this meeting, preregistration required. For more info contact Nolan at nolan.gtt@ccbnational.net.

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CCB-GTT OPEN CHAT

Friday, February 12, 2021, 1:00 PM Eastern/10:00 AM Pacific:

host, David Greene,

Topic, Open discussion,

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CCB Visionaries Virtual Expo Forum

Saturday, February 13, 2021, 2:00 PM Eastern/11:00 AM Pacific:

For Discussion:

The question before the panel: “In its present form, is Ontario’s Assistive Devices Program (ADP) adequately serving people living with vision loss?”

Background:

For the past 20 years, Ontarians with vision loss have been fortunate to have benefited from the ADP, which has partially funded some of the costs associated with their essential assistive devices. The technology revolution has impacted the lives of people living with vision loss to such a dramatic extent that there are very few activities that a person who is blind or partially-sighted cannot participate in today when equipped with the appropriate technology.

Moderator:

Dr. Keith Gordon is the Senior Research Officer of the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB) and the author of the CCB report “The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Canadians Who Are Blind, Deaf-Blind, or Partially-Sighted,” published in April 2020. He is past Vice President of Research of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), where he directed all research activities. He’s also an adjunct professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences at the University of Toronto and an Honorary Teaching Fellow in the School of Optometry and Vision Science at the University of Auckland. Dr. Gordon is a board member of a number of national and international organizations associated with vision.

Panelists:

Ian White was born with congenital glaucoma. He grew up sighted, completing a Bachelor of Applied Arts degree from Ryerson’s School of Interior Design in 1989. In 2001, Ian experienced sudden vision loss. In 2011, he co-founded a vision loss peer support group, guiding its transformation in 2013 into a chartered Chapter of the CCB, the CCB Toronto Visionaries. As Chapter President he created Experience Expo, Canada’s only exposition and consumer show for those living with vision loss, and has encouraged the creation of several new CCB Chapters. Ian is the recipient of the CCB’s 2019 Outstanding Achievement Award, and has been recognized by the CNIB and the Government of Ontario for his work as a volunteer community leader. In 2020, Ian completed an undergraduate degree with high distinction in Philosophy at the University of Toronto.

Mike Potvin has worked with the CCB both in a full- and part-time capacity since 2004. He is the Editor of the Visions newsletter as well as of White Cane Magazine. Mike works at Health Canada as a Senior Human Resources Assistant and has a degree in Sociology from Carleton University.

Samantha Moore is the Coordinator of Public Relations and Youth Programs at the CCB. She’s passionate about accessibility to technology and public spaces for everyone. Samantha believes that with the proper resources and technology, blind, low-vision, and deaf-blind youth can be extremely successful leaders.

Minette Samaroo is President of the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians (AEBC), Toronto Chapter. As the President of AEBC Toronto Chapter, Minette is actively advocating for social change for people with disabilities. One of the areas she focuses on is equitable employment. In 2019, Minette led the development and execution of the Disability Advantage Program. Minette is also the National Vice President of AEBC and the Project Lead for the current COVID-19 Relief Project for people with disabilities.

(NOTE), The meeting credentials are different for this meeting, Preregistration required via the following link,  Click here to register now

—

Security procedure remains in effect.

When you enter the waiting room before a meeting, please ensure that you give us a recognizable name. If you are calling for the first time or from a land line, please e-mail the CCB’s Receptionist, (Shelley Morris) ahead of time to let us know your name and number so we will let you in. Shelley’s email is ccb@ccbnational.net.

If you need help doing these things or learning to use zoom, please contact us and we can help you.

 

You can participate by phone or internet from wherever you are:

CCB is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

https://zoom.us/j/9839595688?pwd=N01yeERXQk4rWnhvNCtHTzZwdXcwQT09

Meeting ID: 983 959 5688

Password: 320119

Alberta One tap mobile for Smart Phones:

+15873281099,9839595688#

BC One tap mobile for Smart Phones:

+17789072071,9839595688#

Manitoba One tap mobile for Smart Phones:

+12045151268,9839595688#

Montreal One tap mobile for Smart Phones:

+14388097799,9839595688#

Toronto One tap mobile for Smart Phones:

+16473744685,9839595688#

Direct Dial:

Alberta: +1 587 328 1099

BC: +1 778 907 2071

Manitoba: +1 204 515 1268

Montreal: +1 438 809 7799

Toronto: +1 647 374 4685

For more information, contact:

Kim Kilpatrick, CCB GTT Coordinator

GTTProgram@Gmail.com

1-877-304-0968 Ext 513

David Greene, CCB GTT Accessibility Trainer

accessibilitytraining7@gmail.com

1-877-304-0968 Ext 509

Corry Stuive, CCB National Program Coordinator

corry.gtt@ccbnational.net 

1-877-304-0968 Ext 550

GTT National Conference Call Summary Notes, How to Search and Download From the New CELA Website, September 11, 2019

GTT National Conference Call.

 

An Initiative of the Canadian Council of the Blind

 

Summary Notes

September 11, 2019

 

 

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

08 GTT National Conference Call Summary Notes, How to Search and Download From the New CELA Website, September 11, 2019:

 

 

What is CELA:

  • The CELA accessible library service for print disabled Canadians provides many services including: downloadable recorded DAISY books, downloadable DAISY eBooks, downloadable Bookshare DAISY eBooks, DAISY books on CD mailed to your home, braille books mailed to your home, print-brailled books for kids, over 150 downloadable DAISY e-text magazines, recorded DAISY magazines by download or mail, and over 40 daily newspapers that can be read online.
  • In early 2019 CELA launched a new accessible website that brings together their collection and that of Bookshare searchable from one place.
  • Many will recognize these CELA services to be the same as those previously provided by the CNIB Library. CELA took over the CNIB Library in 2014 and now serves all print-disabled Canadians not just those who are blind or vision impaired.

 

The Players:

  • In addition to playing CD books the Victor Reader Stratus can also receive direct to player DAISY books over the Internet. The user chooses their book by logging into CELA online and once a book is chosen it is sent directly to the player. For non-computer users, CELA customer service or your local Librarian can set up a reader profile for you and then the CELA computer will choose your books and send them directly to the player or on CD mailed to your home.
  • It is also suggested some may prefer the pocket sized Victor Reader Stream which can accept the direct to player books and perform other online functions Such as getting Bookshare books and listening to podcasts and radio stations.
  • CELA Direct to Player audio books can also be played on your iPhone or Android phone using the free Dolphin EasyReader app.
  • CELA audio books can also be downloaded through Dropbox to iPhones and played using the Voice Dream Reader app.

 

How much does it cost:

  • There is no fee for CELA service or Bookshare service.

 

 

How do I find CELA:

  • Visit the CELA web site for information on all their services or call their customer service at 1-855-655-2273.

 

For more information please contact your GTT Coordinators:

 

Albert Ruel                   or                        Kim Kilpatrick

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

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

 

CCB Backgrounder:

 

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

 

CCB National Office

100-20 James Street Ottawa ON  K2P 0T6

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

 

Works of art reimagined by Francine Kopun The Toronto Star

Works of art reimagined

OCAD University students rework a selection of AGO paintings into hands-on art the visually impaired can appreciate

 

Francine Kopun

The Toronto Star, Jan. 4, 2019

 

Peter Coppin remembers the discussion with a visually impaired student that helped him understand how much can be misunderstood when a person has to depend on words to understand what someone else can see.

 

They were talking about Italy and the student knew that Italy is shaped like a boot. But when Coppin described it as a boot with a high heel like the Three Muskateers would wear, the student laughed out loud. He had been envisioning Italy as an entirely different kind of boot shape and the idea of Italy as a Muskateer boot was comical to him.

 

It’s these chasms in understanding that Coppin and the Art Gallery of Ontario are trying to bridge with a program that brings multisensory projects, based on works of visual art, to AGO museum tours for people in the blind and low vision community.

 

While in the past museums have relied heavily on audio recordings and guides to bridge that gap, new practices are being brought on board, including multisensory aids designed by graduate students at OCAD University.

 

“Visuals are dominant in our culture. If you are a part of society and you don’t have access to visual items, then you don’t have access to a lot of  stuff about the culture that people who have vision have access to,” says Coppin, associate professor of the inclusive design graduate program and director of the perceptual artifacts lab at OCAD University.

 

In Coppin’s graduate class, students select a work of art at the AGO to interpret for people living with vision loss.

 

This year – the second year of the program – the works included four paintings: Tom Thomson’s The West Wind, Otto Dix’s Portrait of Dr. Heinrich Stadelmann; La Demoiselle de magasin by James Tissot and Jar of Apricots by Jean-Siméon Chardin.

 

In a way, it’s about getting back to the roots of what museums used to be, said Melissa Smith, co-ordinator of the gallery guide, adult education officer and access to art programs for the AGO.

 

Early museums began as private collections, typically belonging to the wealthy, who would share art and artifacts they had purchased or collected on their travels. They were displayed in “wonder rooms.” People were allowed to touch the items as part of the experience.

 

The AGO already offers multisensory tours for people living with vision loss, which include some works that can be touched – including the museum’s large Rodin sculptures – under supervision, but providing 3-D support for works of visual arts offers the possibility of evoking more than just the sense of touch.

 

For months, Coppin’s students grappled with the idea of how to render the terrifying look on Dr. Stadelmann’s face into a tactile experience and how to communicate the cold of the water in The West Wind.

 

“We were totally drawn to this portrait; the eerie atmosphere,” said student Shannon Kupfer, speaking of the Dix portrait. “I was dying to interpret it.”

 

Dix layered paint on the doctor’s eyes – they appear to bulge. He seems haunted. His hands are in fists by his sides. Kupfer and her partner, Tyson Moll, wanted viewers to feel that tension, and also feel the deep wrinkles in his face.

 

They made a 3-D replica of the doctor’s head in polymer clay that felt cold and a bit yielding, but still firm to the touch. The eyes bulge like they do in the painting.

 

They sewed hair onto his head in little batches, to mimic the strokes of the paintbrush in the painting. They made the body boxy and rigid, to communicate the physical tension in the painting. They gave him a rigid collar, backed by cardboard. His fists were made of polymer clay coated in silicone.

 

They also made it out of products that were easy to care for – the clothes are fastened with Velcro to make it easier for curators to remove them and wash them if necessary.

 

They recorded an audio component – a fluent German speaker reading a passage from one of Dr. Stadelmann’s writings, concerning avant-garde art in relation to what was then considered psychiatric wisdom. They included the hissing noise that used to accompany recordings played on records.

 

“It’s not just engaging for the low-sight community, it’s engaging for everyone. It’s such a cool way to get kids – or anyone – more engaged with art,” Kupfer said.

 

The problem of communicating the coldness of the water in Tom Thomson’s piece was solved more simply, with a bag of blue slime. To convey the feeling of wind, the students invested in a $20 miniature fan from Amazon.com.

 

“When you stand in front of this painting you can feel the strong wind because of the shape of the tree and the waves on the lake,” said student Norbert Zhao.

 

John Rae, who lost his eyesight in his 20s and is now blind, has been on the AGO multisensory tours and experienced the works made by this year’s OCAD students. While he liked the Otto Dix sculpture, some things didn’t communicate as planned. For example, without knowing anything about the painting, when Rae touched the sculpture, he thought the doctor was a boxer wearing gloves, because of the way the hands felt. “That comes from me as a sports fan,” said Rae, a retired public servant and a board member of the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians.

 

Rae liked the multisensory adaptation of Jar of Apricots, by students Nikkie To and Grace Mendez. The painting is a still life that includes a jar of apricots, a glass of wine, bread and a cup of tea.

 

Their model included dried apricots for tasting, jarred scents including a cork soaked in wine and apricot jam with added artificial apricot scent; 3-D printed objects including a tea cup and wine glass to handle, background music from the period and others sounds – touching the wine glass triggered the sound of a liquid being poured.

 

While Rae believes the multisensory aids provide another tool, he thinks museums in general need to consider making more objects available for handling by the blind and vision impaired. He cited as an example ancient pottery – while a museum may have perfect examples on display, it may also have imperfect examples in storage. What would be the harm, asks Rae, in making those available to people with limited eyesight, especially since the tours happen infrequently, involve about six to 12 items, and small numbers of people?

 

“One can learn a fair amount from the expertise that the people who run these tours bring to the table, but there is no substitute for being able to touch,” Rae said.

 

The challenge at the AGO, Smith said, is that in an art gallery the works tend to be flat and one-of-a-kind.

 

“Our conservators and curators do their utmost to ensure the objects, like sculptures, which make the most interesting objects to touch, are cared for and exhibited to support this program,” Smith said.

 

Ian White, president of a local Toronto chapter of the Canadian Council of the Blind called the CCB Toronto Visionaries, said that while AGO tour leaders excel at describing art in a way that triggers the imagination, the multisensory tours are evocative.

 

“It starts a conversation about the piece, about the artist, about the history,” White said.

 

“It really allows people to engage with works that are part of our collective culture.”