Summary Notes
GTT Edmonton Meeting May 13, 2019

The most recent meeting of the Get Together with Technology (GTT) Edmonton Chapter was held May 13 at 7pm at Ascension Lutheran Church 8405 83 Street in Edmonton.
12 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 Topic – Independent Living Low Tech Aids
Low Tech Aids Demo
Stephannie Leach, Independent Living Skills Specialist at Vision Loss Rehab Alberta (a Division of CNIB), demonstrated some inexpensive low tech aids and free apps that can be used in the home to promote independent living. These devices included:
• Color Reader is a hand-held device that can be placed near an object such as an item of clothing and it will speak its color.
• Level Indicator: Place it on the edge of a cup, pour in liquid and it will beep when the cup is full.
• Talking Kitchen Scale to weigh small items and ingredients.
• Talking Measuring Cup: It announces the amount of liquid you pour into the cup. Buttons to select water, oil, or milk. 1 Liter capacity. Detaches from its base for washing.
• Pen Friend is a talking label device. IT comes with 250 labels that can be attached to items such as clothing, containers, file folders, CDs, whatever you wish. Speak a description of the item to the Pen Friend and the next time you touch the label with the Pen Friend it will speak back what you said. Clothes washing does not damage the label. Pen Friend can also play MP3 files. It also comes with magnets. Place a talking label on a magnet and it can then be reused on items such as canned food.
• Talking Bathroom Scale with a setting for pounds or kilograms.
• Reminder Rosie is a handheld device that you can talk to. You can ask it the time, tell it to remind you about appointments or things to do, all just with your voice and no computer.
• Talking watches and clocks.
• Seeing AI App for iPhone: This is a free app from Microsoft that you can download from the app store. It helps with many tasks including speaking colors, reading out loud short text such as package labels and envelopes, reads package bar codes, reads out loud longer paper documents, identifies Canadian, U.S., UK currency notes, identifies faces, and more.

CNIB STEP Program and Retail Store
The above items can be subsidized through the CNIB STEP program for Alberta CNIB clients. Contact your local Edmonton CNIB office at 780.488.4871 to learn more or visit the office at #600, 11150 Jasper Avenue. CNIB also has a retail store at this address where the above items can be viewed and purchased.

Home Visit by Stephannie Leach
CNIB clients can also come into the Edmonton office to see these devices at the CNIB store or they can call to book an appointment with Stephannie to come to their home to help them with their independent living skills. You may also contact Stephannie by email at Stephannie.Leach@vlrehab.ca

Next Meeting (Monday June 10, 2019 at 7pm)
• Carrie and Lyle will explain the accessibility settings built into Windows 10 that make it easier for low vision users to use Windows 10 computers.
• 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.
• 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 more talent and experience we will have 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, activate the “Follow “link 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]