As the Canadian public debates the Government’s promise to support the right to die legislation, there is another conversation taking place in our community: Do we as blind, deaf-blind and partiall…

Source: Can non-profit service providers sometimes cause more harm than good?

One of the phone meetings of the Philadelphia Computer Users’ Group for the Blind and Visually Impaired discussed various resources available to obtain free technical help. I compiled a list …

Source: Free Computer Help and Support Resources for the Visually Impaired

Source: Judy Dixon’s Accessible Game Book

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

GTT Vancouver Summary Notes

November 18, 2015

Present: Shawn, Rosamunde, Carol, Fay, Louise, Pat, Albert, John, Peg, Mary, Clement, Matthew, Lilo

Clement and Matthew presented a variety of ways that Podcasts and both eBooks and Audiobooks can be accessed with iDevices:

iBooks App:
• iBooks can play both eText and audiobooks
• Some of the more popular places to get audiobooks are; iTunes, Audible.com, Publishing companies and directly through iBooks
• iBooks that you get from I-tunes might be from Amazon or many other places. eBooks will be read by Voice Over whereas audio books are read by a live narrator
• When you open iBooks you get 5 tabs along the bottom; My books, featured books, top charts, search, and purchased
• Once you purchase an audiobook it will show up in my library
• When you click on the title it will start reading the book where you stopped reading last time
• You can skip back 15 seconds by doing a one-finger double tap on the Back Button, or double tap and hold it and it will keep skipping back in 15 second segments providing beeps at each 15 second interval.
• The purchase tab is just for E-books, not for audiobooks
• eBooks are electronic files which are read by your screen reader or Voice Over. Audiobooks are a recording of somebody reading the book.
• In an iBook there will be a table of contents tab

The Sleep timer:
• Once you have selected the number of minutes in sleep timer the user must click the Done Button
The sleep timer can be engaged after a number of minutes or at the end of the current track/chapter

Gestures that work in iBooks:
A Two-finger double tap will pause and resume playing the audio book you’re listening to.
A two-finger single tap will pause and play an eBook you’re listening to

A two-finger swipe down will start reading from where you are in an eBook
If your phone rings while you are listening to music or any type of book a two finger double tap will answer the call, and the same gesture will hang it up again. When your phone starts to ring it will pause your book or music immediately, and it will resume playing as soon as the call is terminated.

The Audible App and Audible.com:
• You must purchase audio books over the internet on a computer or your iDevice
• Once your books are purchased you can open the audible app on your iDevice or the Audible app on a computer to access them
• Tapping the Refresh Button will update all your purchased books on your phone for you to download
• Rate and review – they will recommend other books that are similar to the ones you rate high
• Good Reads is an app that will recommend books
• Mark as finished allows you to search by unfinished books which will make your list shorter
• Once you start downloading a book you can start reading almost immediately
• You can set the sleep timer to turn your book off in a desired number of minutes
• You can change the number of seconds to skip back if you do fall asleep or lose your place in the book for some reason
• The Sleep timer can be found under the more Button
• Make sure you have selected device instead of cloud to ensure you are not using data to listen to your downloaded books.

Audio and Video Podcasts:
• A podcast is a radio show that you can listen to on demand
• Topics range from sports, assistive technology, life skills, religious info, schools, etc.
• You subscribe to a podcast to transfer files to your device – either audio or video
• Once subscribed to a podcast you will automatically receive the latest ones when you connect to WIFI
• Podcasts are free
• You can listen to your favourite internet radio program

Downcast is a good app for listening to podcasts and costs $3.49 on the App Store:
• Once you are in the downcast app you can search through the podcasts you have
• To add a podcast you select Add at the bottom of your screen
• To add a podcast manually you can enter the web address with the internet feed
• Top podcasts are the popular podcasts
• You can go to Search and type something like CBC; You’ll get a list of about 120 CBC podcasts
• Once you select a podcast it will give you options to add the podcast or subscribe
• You can adjust your settings to only download when you are on WIFI
• Look for other adjustable settings within the app
• You can set it only to download the last 5 or 10
• In downcast settings you can set it to only keep the last 5 podcasts you have listened to and it will automatically delete the rest.

Clement and Matthew recommended podcasts:
• AppleVis
• CoolBlindTech
• iFocus – Hadley School for the Blind
• Americas Test Kitchen
• Joe Rogan is a good comedy podcast

Next Meeting will be December 16 and we will not have a set topic planned. Plan to come and bring your technology questions and get some help and answers.

My Experience with the Lower Mainland Skytrain VIP Service:

I was recently able to travel the Vancouver area Skytrain System independently, and with confidence and grace to attend the GTT meeting in New Westminster hosted by Blind Beginnings at their offices at 227 6th Street thanks to the VIP assistance services offered by TransLink staff. It was my first attempt at travelling on public transit alone in the Lower Mainland, and it came to pass because I asked Rob Sleath about the VIP assistance that I had heard about, but never inquired after before this most recent trip. Here’s how it all went.

I arrived at the South Terminal of YVR on a flight from the Qualicum Beach Airport and took their 7:30 AM Shuttle service to the YVR Canada Line Skytrain Station. A fellow Shuttle rider assisted me to the bottom of the escalator, whereupon I called the Control Room for the Canada Line portion of the Skytrain system, 604-247-5703. An attendant showed up soon thereafter and guided me to the next train heading for the Water Front Station, and she called ahead to arrange someone to meet me there to guide me to the Expo Line Station. I’m not sure if they coordinated with the Expo Line folks, so I called their control room just to make sure, 604-520-5518. She turned me over to an attendant who works that line mid-way there, and he once again ensured that I was on the next train heading for New Westminster Station, and he also called ahead to arrange for someone to meet me at that end. The final stage was the biggest surprise to me, as that attendant guided me through the Station and on to the Bus Loop so that I could catch the next #106 to my final destination, where I arrived at about 9:30 AM.

I was hugely impressed with the services rendered and with the timing of it all. At no point did I have to wait all that long for them to arrive, and each of them were respectful and courteous.

If anyone is planning a trip to this area and plan to use the Skytrain system please don’t hesitate to call on them for support. Store those two numbers in your phone before you leave home. I must also note that the noise on the 30-year old Expo Line trains is considerable, so hearing the Station announcements was hit-and-miss. I turned on my Blind Square App just to make sure I stayed in touch with my location along the way. It seems this 30-year old line is getting to be a little worse for wear, so be sure to select a seat under a speaker for your own security and confidence.

I really want to thank all the advocates who have ensured that we have this great level of support should we choose to access it. I can foresee a time when I might do some travelling on this system completely independently, however for now I won’t ever hesitate again to ask for the help I need.

Thx, Albert

The Perkins School for the Blind’s video, “Technology: Making a Difference in the Lives of People Who are Blind” is pure and simply worth the click. Check it out at this link  

Source: Worth the click: Perkins School for the Blind’s video, “Technology: Making a Difference in the Lives of People Who are Blind”

Source: I’m a bad _____, But It’s Not because I’m Blind!

Source: WHIPPED