GTT Victoria Summary Notes:
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

Held at the Greater Victoria Public Library, Main Branch Community Room from 1:00 until 3:00 PM

IN ATTENDANCE:
Tom Dekker, Albert Ruel, Aeden, Skye, Hanna, Elizabeth Ferrington, Linda Bartrum, Vera Crowson, Douglas, Trevor, chari Adamson, and Sharon and Kelly (library staff.)

Albert Ruel announced that the CCB’s awareness campaign, White Cane Week, is scheduled for the week of February 7 to 13, 2016. He handed out White Cane Week badges for all those who were interested in helping to promote the event. Albert also informed the group that February is also an awareness month for retinal diseases.

Discussion took place regarding the monthly meeting agenda and that it could be a good idea to let everyone know what is upcoming, especially those who do not have email. A phone tree was suggested for those without email. Aeden proposed we reverse our typical agenda and use the first half of the meeting for peer mentoring. That way, if the meeting topics are not totally relevant for everyone, at least those in attendance will benefit from the technology mentoring. All were in favour of this change.

Aeden, a GTT member from Nanaimo, addressed the group on the topic of accessible gaming for the visually disabled. The following are sites and games he recommended people check out:

Cobalt.com
https://cobolt.co.uk/contents.asp?id=1
Shop for a wide range of products including talking clocks, talking multi function radios, talking combination ovens, talking watches, microwave cookware, a range of glasses, mouse magnifier and cordless mouse magnifier and more.

Audiogames.net
http://www.audiogames.net/
This site contains a listing of archived games, including strategy games, puzzle games, word games, adventure games and many more.

AppleVis
http://www.applevis.com/ios-app-directory/games
For Apple users, check out this site for accessible games, including a series entitled: Blindfold games, including blindfold BOWLING, Blindfold CRIBBAGE and more.

PCS.NET
Check out this site for more games. It’s been updated recently. Mostly Windows based.

Two Apple fun and fitness games to try are:
The Walk; and
Where’s My Yellow Ducky?

Rsgames.netg
This site is great for games that can be played with other people.

Quentin C’s play room
http://www.qcsalon.net/en/
The Playroom is a free online gaming platform, especially made to be accessible to visually disabled people. Join in on games with others on this site.

SpoonBill Software
http://www.omninet.net.au/~irhumph/
Spoonbill Software, Albany, Western Australia, the home of free computer games for sighted, vision-impaired and blind players. All games are free though most of them are for the Windows platform.

GVPL Overdrive Software
Tom announced that the upgraded version of Overdrive works really well on the library system. He will work with library staff to show them how best to use it.

Library staff reminded members that local libraries will all have at least one computer with screen-reading capabilities for use by visually disabled persons.

Albert did another demonstration of the Orcam video unit.
Tom will present on music apps at our next meeting.

Technology Tips and Tricks

1. Deleting lots of text in an iPhone edit field.
Tap the delete key once and hold it down on the second tap.
It will delete from the end of the field to the beginning of the field.
2. Messaging with Siri.
Use the Add command to let Siri know you want to add to the text message rather than starting the message over again.
3. Voiceover Starter is an iPhone app/game that is super helpful with learning all the
NEEDED gestures FOR I PRODUCT USE.
4. If you need to check if something is level, go to the second page of the compass and
you’ll find the level feature.
5. Apple’s Voicedream Reader
Will play pretty well every book format on the iPhone.
6. Email Albert Ruel if you’d like a copy of a super-accessible calendar in a Word doc format.

Respectfully submitted,

Hanna Leavitt