Smartphone App Give Sight to the blind

New smartphone app gives sight to the blind

				New smartphone app gives sight to the blind Jonathan Mosen, who has been blind since birth, spent his evening snapping photos of packages in the mail, his son's school report and labels on bottles in the frid...
				View on in.reuters.com	Preview by Yahoo

http://www.kathyskids.org

Ms. Kathy's Kids Blog: http://mskathyskids.blogspot.com/

BBC News - A watch for blind people (with Thanks to Eric Guillory)

From: Eric Guillory To: Eric Guillory &Sent: Wednesday, April 9, 2014 10:20 AMSubject: BBC News - A watch for blind 

-->

I've seen one of these timepieces and really like it. I plan to make it my Christmas/birthday present this year. There was a time when I used to wear a talking or glowing watch, but, as is true for using one's cell phone to check the time, these devices are not always practical. And, as much of a champion as I am of Braille literacy (I use Braille every day), the Braille watch just hasn't worked out well for me, as I am apparently too bombastic when checking the time and can accidentally move the hands. It is not inexpensive, but that is the case for any fashionable watch. I'm passing this along as an FYI for you/your students.

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26920782?ocid=socialflow_twitter#story_continues_3

Eric Guillory, Director of Youth Services

Louisiana Center for the Blind

101 South Trenton Street

Ruston, LA 71270

Voice: 800-234-4166 (extension 3009)

Fax: 318-251-0109

Skype: brllovingdad

 

"Together, we are changing what it means to be blind."

Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers

From: Gene Fleeman 


Hi everyone,
I've started the petition "Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers: Incorporate voice technology, audio queues, and/or tactile buttons into your flat panel appliances to make them accessible to the blind and those with low vision." Thanks to 500 supporters, the petition is off to a good start. But to really make a statement to the Appliance Manufacturers of how important this issue is to those with sight impairment, I need your support to make the number of signatures to grow exponentially! Lets join together to make our voices heard.
Thank you,

Will you take 30 seconds to sign it right now? Here's the link:

http://www.change.org/petitions/association-of-home-appliance-manufacturers-incorporate-voice-technology-audio-queues-and-or-tactile-buttons-into-your-flat-panel-appliances-to-make-them-accessible-to-the-blind-and-those-with-low-vision

Here's why it's important:
I started this petition on Change.org, because of the perceived lack of demand, appliance manufacturers have been reluctant to build inexpensive voice/touch technology into their products, thereby making them inaccessible to the blind.  There are approximately seven million blind or low-vision people living in the United States today, and that number is growing every day, due to causes ranging from birth defects, diabetes, to combat injuries, etc.  We clean, do laundry, iron, sew, and travel independently. We are foodservice managers, attorneys, scientists and more.  And yet, when it comes to operating our touch panel home appliances we are practically helpless.  Why?, because appliance manufacturers refuse to incorporate inexpensive technology that already exists­such as those used in smartphones and iPads that make their flat panel appliances accessible to the blind.
By including audio cues, speech output, or tactile buttons, manufacturers will reduce the likelihood that a blind or sighted person will inadvertently touch a spot on a panel and turn on a burner without knowing it, potentially causing a fire or serious personal injury. Without accessible technology being offered to consumers, people who were once able to cook and clean independently could well find themselves unable to live alone in their own homes.
But it doesn’t have to be this way! If manufacturers incorporate inexpensive audio and/or tactile technology into their products, they will make a huge difference in the safety of the blind and others as well as the ability of the blind to continue to lead their lives independently, while simultaneously gaining thousands, if not millions, of newly satisfied customers. This is good for blind people who will remain independent; good for manufacturers who will sell products that the blind can use and that are safer for all who buy them; and good for society, which will not be asked to help normally competent human beings live in assisted living or nursing facilities simply because new appliances do not have displays they can read.
By signing our petition, you will be showing your support and telling the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers to work in collaboration with the National Federation of the Blind to get their manufacturer members to incorporate these immeasurable improvements in the quality of life, convenience, and safety of the blind and those who are losing their vision.
Again thank you for your support,
Gene Fleeman
Member,
National Federation of the Blind

Android Platforms: More "E-Accessibility!"

Accessibility features are publicized more for iPhone smart phones and iPads but our Android devices also have  accessibility features for the blind and visually impaired. I agree, there needs to be more but I don't want to short change what Android does have. My own smart phone and tablet are Android based and I have discovered several aps that my students and friends can use.

I use Vlingo on my phone along with the regular speech feature. It gives me hand free accessibility. It senses when I am in the car and comes on automatically based on the movement of the phone.    Vlingo asks me what I'd like to do and then it reads my texts. I an also return texts to senders by voice. However if one is riding in a car while voice texting,  the microphone may pick up extraneous noises from the tires on rough roads and get 'confused.' Of course one has to also make sure no one else is talking in the car and that the volume on the car stereo is turned down or off. Sometimes I use it with the blue tooth I have over my sunvisor for extra volume. The GPS device can be used for driving or walking and it speaks. It can also stay on when one is not in the car because it talks all the time to let me know when a texts arrives and who the text is from. It also reads the sender's phone number and the text itself. I even know when I get a tweet!

Talkback is another cool talking ap for the visually impaired.

My Samsung has a separate keyboard that slides out from under the screen so it can be accessed instead of using the touch screen. One of my former students says she likes this feature because she can feel the keys better. She is currently using an older model phone and is reluctant to get a smart phone. As a braille reader--and a very independent one, I might add--she likes to feel the keys and is used to their placement and functions. She said she might like the GPS function on a smart phone because she travels a lot. Expense may be an issue for some. It is possible to have and use free aps and to use a pre-paid system. I use a Go-Phone and a Lenovo tablet which is less expensive for me as far as having to be under contract.

Once again, I am not promoting one platform over another. I just want accessibility features to be presented for both platforms so that the reader can make his/her own decision about which is best for his/her particular needs.

Here are some other links that will assist in accessing Android features or provide more information:

http://www.codefactory.es/en/products.asp?id=415
http://voices.yahoo.com/the-android-accessibility-blind-6394418.html
http://mashable.com/2012/07/17/android-app-for-blind-smartphone-users/
http://www.downloadsarea.com/Android_Mobile-Accessibility-UK/
http://eyes-free.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/documentation/android_access/index.html
http://www.google.com/accessibility/products/
http://www.androidaccess.net/
YouTube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPkgFljFtVI

Top 10 Iphone Aps for the Visually Impaired

This article not only lists the aps but it describes what they do and how they cost. The most expensive is one for $44 and most are about $2. There are a couple of useful ones that are totally  FREE. To see the list and read the entire article from About.com, go to this link: http://assistivetechnology.about.com/od/ATCAT6/tp/Top-10-Iphone-Apps-For-The-Visually-Impaired.htm

Someday Soon, the Blind May See

http://www.healthtechzone.com/topics/healthcare/articles/2012/05/16/290499-someday-soon-blind-may-see.htm#.T7p2EXhipjo.email

Kurzweil 3000 Supports College Students with Learning Disabilities

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	Kurzweil 3000® and firefly support college students with learning disabilities
	See why community colleges across California choose Kurzweil 3000 - firefly to support their students. Kurzweil 3000® - firefly, the award-winning, research-based, assistive technology tool, has been helping learners of all ages with learning disabilities—those diagnosed with dyslexia, dysgraphia or other literacy challenges—to learn and succeed alongside their peers since 1996. The best just keeps getting better! New Disabled Student Services pricing for colleges and universities is now available. Affordable upgrade and conversion opportunities are also available for those customers with older versions of our software. Contact Sales and place your order today! Kurzweil 3000 Delivers Digital and Print File Accessibility • Direct access to Word, PDF, RTF, TXT, and more! • Scanning and reading of any print document • Output to DAISY 2 audio • Save to DAISY 3 • Integration with Bookshare and other online content resources • Read the Web using Internet Explorer® or Mozilla Firefox® • MathML support with MathPlayer™ from Design Science, Inc. • MP3 audio file creation for use with iPods, iPhones, and iPads Language Learning Supports • Multiple English and bi-lingual dictionaries • Google® Translator • American Heritage® Human Pronunciations • English and Spanish picture dictionaries • Scanning and recognition in multiple languages for the same file • Voice Note tool Research and Process Writing Functionalities • Brainstorm and Outline tools • Sticky notes • Mark-up extraction to outlines and column notes • Writing templates for common assignments • Auditory spell check • Word prediction • Thesaurus and online reference tools Our NEW web-based firefly product provides anytime, anywhere access to digital content with the most useful supports required by students, including: • Text-to-speech • Dictionary and translation tools • Highlighters Mac or PC? Never worry about which OS you need to support. Kurzweil 3000 Web License with firefly works on both platforms, at school, at home, wherever web access exists...at no extra cost. To learn more go online to Kurzweil 3000 - firefly Higher Education. Thanks for believing in Kurzweil 3000 - firefly. We appreciate your business.
	© Cambium Learning Cambium Learning Technologies | 24 Prime Parkway, Suite 303 Natick, MA 01760 Contact Us | Blog | Unsubscribe Share: Facebook LinkedIn Twitter

Visual Impairments Specialist Scotlandville Elementary http://lee.ebrschools.org/kathynicholslee
http://www.kathyskids.org
http://teacherweb.com/LA/RobertELeeHigh/MrsMichael/t.aspx
http://mskathyskids.blogspot.com

Tactile Gloves Allows Deaf/Blind to Text

This is fantastic!
	Tactile Gloves Allows Deaf/Blind to Text Source: patheos.com Thomas L. McDonald | Technology

Sound imaging: clever acoustics help blind people see the world (w/ Video)

The concept is apparently simple and two prototypes have been successfully tested. Laser and digital video cameras become the eyes for the blind man and see the objects and activity going on around him.

Researchers from the University of Bristol have developed powerful real-time image processing and some clever algorithms to then identify objects and obstacles, such as trees, street furniture, vehicles and people. The system uses the stereo images to create a “depth map” for calculating distances. The system can also analyse moving objects and predict where they are going.

This article --
Sound imaging: clever acoustics help blind people see the world (w/ Video)--continues at this link:
http://phys.org/news165759079.html

Technology for blindness: iPhone Opens Doors for the Visually Impaired

iPhone opens doors for the blind and visually impaired 89.3 KPCC At a blind technology conference in Culver City, Brian Albriton, who's completely blind, shows a visually impaired friend how he connects his Braille Bluetooth keyboard to his iPhone. "Check this out here," Albriton says. A beep sounds.http://www.scpr.org/news/2012/03/05/31516/iphone-opens-doors-blind-and-visually-impaired-acc/

89.3 KPCC

Georgia Tech developing Braille-like texting application for visually impaired

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/georgia-tech-developing-braille-like-texting-application-for-visually-impaired/

Fwd: Google Alert - technology for blindness

ICT helps the blind
Bizcommunity.com
... a blind researcher at the CSIR. Fellow researcher Gerhard van den Berg was also involved in the development of the product. Van der Walt is respected in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT) for disabilities.See all stories on this topic »

I'm sorry but if that is the small portable note taker for the blind in South Africa they have not seen the smaller Braille'n'Speak Millennium from Freedom Scientific that we have been using for years here in the US. ~Ms. K

http://mskathyskids.blogspot.com

[The vOICe] Implant gives new hope to the blind

Implant gives new hope to the blind.
By Tom Avril, Inquirer Staff Writer.
At first, sitting in church one Sunday, Michael Adler couldn't tell what the
whitish glow in front of him was.
Adler, 49, had been legally blind since childhood, and his vision eventually
deteriorated to pretty much zero.
But now, on the back of the pew in front of him, he saw something. And then he
realized: It was the pages of a hymnal. His new "eye" was starting to work.
Two months earlier at Wills Eye Institute, surgeons had implanted a small array
of electrodes in the back of Adler's left eye - a speck of metal no bigger than
the word eye on this page. In the last few weeks - with the aid of a small video
camera in his sunglasses that transmits images to his retinal implant - he has
begun to gain some limited vision.
"Every day, I can make out more than I could the day before," he said after a
round of follow-up tests at the University of Pennsylvania. "It's very weird
trying to get used to it."
Surgeons have implanted the devices in the retinas of 32 people around the
world. All have a severe form of retinitis pigmentosa, an inherited disease that
causes retinal degeneration.
Much like a cochlear implant enables a deaf person to perceive sound, the
retinal implant bypasses damaged cells in the eye, transmitting signals to the
same part of the brain that registers images in people with normal vision.
"It's sort of like, all the phone lines are in place and you didn't have the
phone," said Julia Haller, ophthalmologist-in-chief at Wills. "This replaces the
phone."
The resulting black-and-white images are very low-resolution, consisting of just
60 pixels - far too fuzzy for users to pick out letters on an eye chart. To
Adler, a massage therapist who lives in Mantua, Gloucester County, the face of
his 9-year-old daughter looks like a bright, featureless oval.
But he can see the outlines of doors and sidewalks, and he can pick out plates
on the dinner table.
This type of surgery is just one of several futuristic techniques that
scientists are exploring to help the blind, advances that until recently were
only a dream.
In younger patients with another type of blindness, researchers have had some
success with gene therapy, restoring a modest amount of vision by injecting
corrective genes. Two such efforts are under way at Penn: one in collaboration
with Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, the other with the University of
Florida at Gainesville.
Elephant on a typewriter.
Other methods under scrutiny include stem cells, which would regenerate the
eye's rods and cones, and cortical implants, which are a bit like what Adler has
in his eye, but which are placed directly in the brain, bypassing the eye.
"The progress is remarkable compared to what it was five years ago," said Andrew
Mariani, a program director in the National Eye Institute's division of
extramural research. "What it will be in another five or 10 years, we can just
guess."
Along the way, scientists are starting to learn new things about the brain's
plasticity - its ability to adapt.
In blind people, especially those who lose their sight at an early age, parts
of the visual cortex are commonly borrowed to enhance other senses, said the
University of Southern California's Mark S. Humayun, a leader of the
retinal-implant project.
So a big question is, when some sight is restored, are those parts of the brain
borrowed back? Humayun, a biomedical engineer and an ophthalmologist at the
Doheny Eye Institute at USC, plans to use brain scans to answer that question.
Another puzzle is why people with the implants are able to see much of anything,
because the implanted electrodes, though gossamer-thin, are still much thicker
than the natural machinery they replace.
In the center of a healthy retina, the signal from each light-sensitive cone
cell is transmitted to one ganglion cell, and ultimately through the optic nerve
to the brain.
In blind people with the implants, on the other hand, each electrode stimulates
10 to 20 ganglion cells at once, Humayun said.
"It's sort of like an elephant typing on a typewriter," said Tim Schoen,
director of preclinical research at the Foundation Fighting Blindness, which has
funded Humayun's work in the past.
But it seems to work.
Yet in a limited way, it seems to work. Some patients do better than others, but
so far all 32 have been able to see something, according to Second Sight Medical
Products, the California maker of the device.
It is called the Argus II, after the 100-eyed guardian of Greek myth.
It was designed with the help of the U.S. Department of Energy, which has
contributed $51 million and technical expertise from its national labs. DOE
scientists are now working with the company to make a higher-resolution device
with more than 200 electrodes.
The goal is to build an implant with 1,000 electrodes, though the department has
not committed funding beyond next year.
Even the current 60-electrode device is a feat of engineering, not the least
because of where it has to perform: the warm, salty surroundings of the human eye.
Adler learned of the trial from the physicians at Penn's Scheie Eye Institute,
where he had been going for years.
They felt that Adler had the motivation to cope with what would likely be a
bewildering new stimulus, and the energy to return for years of testing.
But they warned him not to hope much.
"Repeat after me: I don't have any expectations," ophthalmologist Samuel G.
Jacobson told him.
The three-hour surgery was performed June 29 by Allen Ho and Carl Regillo,
surgeons at Wills Eye and professors of ophthalmology at Thomas Jefferson
University.
Once Adler was under anesthesia, they opened his eyelids wide and deftly cut
through the conjunctiva, the membrane that covers the white of the eye. They did
that so they could place a thin belt, called a scleral buckle, entirely around
the eyeball.
The buckle is used to hold a disk-shape receiver on one side of the eye.
Eventually, the receiver would accept signals from the camera and electronic
circuitry outside Adler's body.
Then the surgeons performed a vitrectomy, making a tiny incision in the white
of the eye, suctioning out the jelly inside and replacing it with a saline solution.
Finally, they made another small incision in the eye and inserted the electrode
implant, which was connected to the receiver by a thin cable.
The implant was then fastened to the center of Adler's retina with a microtack.
It took several weeks for his eye to heal.
On Aug. 12, he returned to Penn to try on his custom sunglasses, equipped with a
camera the size of a pencil eraser.
The switch was turned on, and at first, the sudden new stimulus was a bit much.
"It looked like I was staring into a flashlight," he said.
The device was fine-tuned, and he returned the next week, Aug. 19, to take home
the glasses for good.
By Aug. 22, he had started to get the hang of it, picking out blurry objects on
the dinner table, though he couldn't tell exactly what they were. The next day
he saw the hymnal at church.
At Penn's Scheie building, where the circular concrete walls evoke the form of
a giant eye, he has been returning each Wednesday for tests with Jacobson and
Artur V. Cideciyan, a research associate professor of ophthalmology.
In one test, he must find a white square measuring three inches across that pops
up in various spots on a computer screen.
Most of the time he gets it right, successfully touching the square with his
finger, though his hand-eye coordination is a bit rusty from years of disuse.
The implant device is small, providing only a 20-degree field of view, and so
he must swivel his head to see things. He is fully aware that the implant is
experimental, and that it may not ever make much difference in his day-to-day life.
Still, he is delighted. And Cideciyan said his performance may improve as his
brain trains itself to make sense of the newfound information.
Last week, vacationing in Ocean City, N.J., with his wife and daughter, Adler
could see the lights on the boardwalk at night.
As he walked to dinner one evening at Clancy's by the Sea, he saw what he
thought was the restaurant's dark doorway, though he had to ask someone to make
sure.
"This is all new to me," he marveled.
Source URL:
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/education/20090908_Implant_gives_new_hope_to_the_blind.html

iPad Helps Children with Severe Vision Problems--Cortical Visual Impairments

http://www.theipadfan.com/research-shows-ipad-helps-children-severe-vision-problems/

NPR.org - Note-Taking Made Easy For Legally Blind Students

Ms. Kathy thought you would be interested in this story: Note-Taking Made Easy For Legally Blind Students
http://www.npr.org/2011/04/15/135442950/note-taking-made-easy-for-legally-blind-students?sc=emaf

*Listen/Watch on NPR.org*
Many stories at NPR.org have audio or visual content. When you visit the link
above, look for a "Listen" or "Watch" button.
For technical support, please visit NPR's Audio/Visual Help page:
http://help.npr.org/npr/consumer/kbdetail.asp?kbid=152

deafblind communicator

https://secure2.convio.net/psb/site/Ecommerce/1218257422?VIEW_PRODUCT=true&product_id=5441&store_id=1101

Re: for your amusement [an article emailed from a former student]

This article about a former student was sent to me by the former student it is about. Wait. Did you follow that? Well, you'll "get it" when you read the message and the article below.
~K

http://www.kathyskids.org
Ms. Kathy's Kids Blog: http://mskathyskids.blogspot.com/

---

From: Ray Foret Jr;
To: The City Cafe <the-city-cafe@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Sun, December 19, 2010 4:33:05 AM
Subject: for your amusement

Hi,

You will not believe what I just came across.  I Googled my own name and there popped up, among the results, this newspaper article about me published back in 2003.

"Published: Wednesday, July 16, 2003 at 7:53 a.m.

Ray Foret Jr. is nothing short of a full-fledged computer geek; a handle the 38-year-old Houma native proudly and insistently dons.

He admittedly spends too much time sitting at the computer checking his e-mail, exchanging messages on one of the two Catholic message boards he is a member of and chatting with others with an affinity for going barefoot.

His e-mail signature bears the tag: "Sincerely Yours, The Constantly Barefoot Ray."

KRISTY MAY/THE COURIER

Ray Foret Jr. laughs at a joke e-mailed to his home computer. Blind since birth, Foret uses a software program that reads the messages outloud.

Foret's computer use would significantly be limited if not for screen-reading software.

He was born blind and the technology allows him to access the Internet, e-mail applications as well as take advantage of the multitude of computer-related opportunities available.

The JAWS software allows the operator to use the computer via short-cut command keys, also called hot key commands, instead of employing a mouse.

Audio instructions are spoken, which can be programmed in various languages. Foret's computer reads aloud with a British accent, possibly because of the two years his family lived overseas.

Such computer applications are pricey: Foret's software alone cost $900.

He said 70 percent of blind people who are of working age are unemployed, and as a result most go without the technology.

"People think (blind people) can't do anything, much less work," he said of common stereotypes.

Foret lives on a fixed income and understands the importance of cutting corners, saving money and making the little he has last.

He wouldn't be able to enjoy his current computer-literate lifestyle if not for the West Houma Lions Club donating a computer and the screen-reading software to him about a year ago.

Before, he used a telephone Internet service, which got to be expensive. One bill rang up $399.67 for a month's usage.

Page 1 of 2

http://www.houmatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030716/FEATURES/307160303&template=printpicart 12/19/10 4:28 AM

He knew friends with the screen-reading application and his mother, Carolyn Foret, explained to the group her son was looking for a job and needed the computer and software to send out resumes.

Previously, Foret held positions in various computer technology fields in Arkansas and Nebraska with his favorite position being a disc jockey at a local radio station.

Lisa LeBoeuf, Lions club first vice-president, who served as president at the time of the donation, discussed Foret's case with club members.

The project was approved by the membership, and shortly after, LeBoeuf began making the necessary arrangements.

"He's blind and out on his own. He lives by himself. He inspired me when I first talked to him," said LeBoeuf, a 13-year member, of the donation, which neared $2,000.

"He's so smart when it comes to computers. He inspires me . to talk to him and to know how much he knows about computers."

Most of Foret's hobbies are linked to the computer. He downloads historic speeches and recordings. His jewel is a recording of Thomas Edison from 1808.

Home theater is another of Foret's favorite pastimes.

"I watch TV not listen to TV. I don't feel the need to change what I say since I'm blind," he explained.

"I can't always expect the world to adapt to me because I'm blind. I figure out ways to do what I want to do."

Foret walks to the voting polls unassisted and has sound political views. He plans to vote for State Rep. Hunt Downer, R-Houma, in the upcoming gubernatorial election, and he's not fond of politically correct terms like visually impaired.

He's a member of the Louisiana Center for the Blind, where he learned how to live independently, and the National Federation of the Blind, which taught him how to use a long white cane to move about.

Foret even cooks for himself.

Foret, who has been having a difficult time finding a job, is working on a business venture where he would remaster old audio recordings. He is currently saving for the computer software as well as a DVD burner.

"I'm finally going to be able to fulfill my dream," Foret said.

Staff writer Jewel Bush can be reached at 857-2207 or jewel.bush@houmatoday.com.

Copyright © 2010 HoumaToday.com — All rights reserved. Restricted use only.

Page 2 of 2

"

Sincerely, 

The Constantly Barefooted Ray!!!

Now A Very Proud and very happy Mac user!!!

Skype Name:

barefootedray

Raymond, I can't get over the reporter's amazement that you actually cook for yourself! LOL!

Fw: Blind Access Journal

I'm a little behind sharing this but here it is... http://www.kathyskids.org Ms. Kathy's Kids Blog: http://mskathyskids.blogspot.com/ --- On Mon, 11/8/10, Blind Access Journal  wrote: From: Blind Access Journal <editor@blindaccessjournal.com> Subject: Blind Access Journal To: mskathy Date: Monday, November 8, 2010, 7:07 AM Blind Access Journal AT&T Describes How to Fix iPhones in Arizona Whose Time Fell Back by One Hour on Nov. 7 Posted: 07 Nov 2010 04:39 PM PST While Arizona did not observe the Sunday end of Daylight Saving Time, some iPhones in the state configured with default settings did, falling back an hour along with those in the Pacific time zone. April, an AT&T customer service representative, reported that the issue involves the configuration of time zone support in the iPhone's Mail, Contacts and Calendars settings. By default, time zone support is on and set to Cupertino. April provided the following instructions for disabling time zone support, so that this information can be obtained from AT&T's network: These steps will work for sighted users who are not running the VoiceOver screen reader for the blind. Instructions for blind users follow. Tap Settings on the Home screen. Tap Mail, Contacts, Calendars. Tap Time Zone Support. Tap the button to turn Time Zone Support off. If you are a blind iPhone user who relies on Apple's built-in VoiceOver screen reader, follow these steps to turn off time zone support: Press the Home button to move to the Home screen. Flick left or right to locate the Settings icon. This will be found on the first page of most iPhones. Double tap Settings. Flick right several times to locate Mail, Contacts, Calendars. Double tap Mail, Contacts, Calendars. Flick right until you locate "Time Zone Support, On." Double tap "Time Zone Support, On." You are now in the time zone support window. Flick to the right a couple of times to find a button labeled "Time Zone Support, On." Double tap the button to turn this feature off. The iPhone will now pull all its time zone information from the cellular network. Once the time zone support setting has been deactivated, close the settings screen by pressing the Home button and test the time change by following these steps: Press and hold down the Sleep button on the top of the iPhone for two seconds. Double tap the Power Off button. Single tap the button if you are not using VoiceOver. The iPhone will announce it is shutting down. Wait 5 or 10 seconds. Hold down the Sleep button for two or three seconds to start the iPhone. Allow 10 to 15 seconds for the iPhone to fully power up. If you use VoiceOver, its active status will be announced. The iPhone starts in a locked state, with the current time shown. Flick to the left a couple of times to hear it announced. Flick to the right twice and double tap to unlock the iPhone and go on your merry way. As always, comments, corrections and all constructive feedback is useful. You are subscribed to email updates from Blind Access Journal To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. Email delivery powered by Google Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

Treating Blindness is More Than Meets the Eye

I heard this story on the radio and it finally came to my in box.
Sometimes, I'm concerned about people who were never able to see or who lost vision very early in life and whether or not they process what they see...and if having to do all that is worse for them than not seeing.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129731859

Computer Technology for the Blind and Visually Impaired

This is for some of you that have asked how my kids (and former kids) access the computer.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/60315/computer_technology_for_the_blind_and_pg2.html?cat=15

http://www.kathyskids.org
http://mskathy.proboards30.com
http://mskathyskids.blogspot.com