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Accessible Insights Blog Posts

Mobile Accessibility by Code Factory goes Android with robust features

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Terrassa (Barcelona), Spain, March 2nd, 2011
Today, Code Factory is delighted to introduce Mobile Accessibility, a screen-access application that allows people who are blind or have low vision to use an Android phone in an intuitive, easy and simple way. Mobile Accessibility is the first accessible Android application that permits intuitive touchscreen navigation of Android phones, featuring text readback via natural sounding voices powered by Nuance’s Vocalizer® text-to-speech technology.

Mobile phones have proved to be among the fastest-changing consumer technologies in the world – particularly with the advent of the Android platform. So making mobile phones accessible to the blind and visually impaired is therefore challenging, fascinating, thrilling and totally exciting all at the same time,” explained Eduard Sánchez, Code Factory’s CEO. “There was no doubt that we would target the  Android platform, as we very quickly realized that there was a real need in this specific market for an accessible solution that can provide a user-friendly experience for all blind and low-vision consumers. Mobile Accessibility allows everyone, from beginners to the most tech-savvy, to use an Android phone, no matter if it has physical keys or is touchscreen-only.”

Mobile Accessibility is two products in one:

A suite of 10 accessible applications (Phone, Contacts, SMS, Alarm, Calendar, Email, Web, Where am I, Apps and Settings) that have been specially designed for the blind and visually impaired. They all have a simplified interface whose textual information is spoken using Nuance Vocalizer® voice synthesis.
A screen reader that allows users to get out of the suite and navigate the standard interface of their phone.

“Mobile Accessibility provides both access to the mainstream apps of the phone and access to special apps for blind people. Why? Because our philosophy has always been to allow our users to use the phone the same way as everyone else. However, we also believe that having some special apps for the most common tasks can be extremely useful if it means gaining in productivity,” added Eduard Sánchez.

The major features of Mobile Accessibility are the following:

Touch navigation: You can use Mobile Accessibility not only with the trackball or the physical keyboard of your phone, but also with its touchscreen! Simply move your finger around the screen and the voice synthesis will read the text located under your finger. Or if you prefer, you can also swipe up/down/right/left and tap on the screen to navigate through the interface. And if you wish you can enable sound and vibration feedback.
Easy to input text: In or outside the Mobile Accessibility suite you can use the touch QWERTY keyboard as well as the speech recognition to write text quickly and easily. Imagine writing an SMS or an Email using your voice only.
Voice synthesis: Code Factory has been making mobile phones accessible to the blind and visually impaired for many years now, and they know that the voice matters… and a lot! For Mobile Accessibility, Code Factory has partnered with Nuance® to leverage its trusted Vocalizer text-to-speech technology, providing consumers with natural sounding voice readback. 

“With around 314 million visually impaired persons around the world, we believe that it’s our joint obligation to facilitate access to information and mobile communication to everyone” says Arnd Weil, VP & General Manager Automotive / Consumer Electronics, Nuance Communications. “By offering screen reader functionality for Android phones using Nuance Vocalizer, Code Factory gives blind and visually impaired persons access to one of the most important mobile platforms with the market’s most natural sounding and intelligible voices.”

Inside the Mobile Accessibility suite of accessible applications you can do the following:

Phone: Make calls, answer calls, hear the caller ID and manage your call log.
Contacts: Manage your contacts, even those from social networks such as Facebook. 
SMS: Compose and read short messages. Manage conversations.
Alarms: Set your alarms.
Web: Full web browser experience, similar to what you can find on your PC. Jump by the control of your choice (links, paragraphs, headings, forms, etc.) to navigate faster to the information of your interest. Bookmark your favourite webpages.
Calendar: Create, edit and delete a calendar entry. View all events per day, week or month.
Email: Full access to your Gmail account
Where am I? : GPS application that gives you updates on your current location.
Settings: Change ringtone. Configure feedback and notifications (vibration or audio). Configure keyboard echo, punctuation verbosity, speech pitch and rate, etc.
Quick access to date and time, phone status information such as battery level and network coverage, number of missed calls and unread messages, etc.

To hear Mobile Accessibility in action listen to videos and audio demos at www.codefactory.es/en/products.asp?id=415#video

Mobile Accessibility supports all Android phones from version 2.1 and above. Please note that voice recognition is only supported with version 2.2 and above. Note also that if you want to use the screen reader functionality of Mobile Accessibility you will need a phone with physical navigational controls such as a trackball or trackpad. You can find more information about Android phones at www.google.com/phone/#manufacturer=all&category=all&carrier=all&country=all&reset_filters=1

At the time of this release Mobile Accessibility is only available in English, but soon Code Factory will release other versions of Mobile Accessibility for Spanish, Italian, German, French and Portuguese. Note that Mobile Accessibility doesn’t support multiple languages at one time. If you buy the English version of Mobile Accessibility you will not be able to use it in another language like French or Spanish. There will be a specific version of Mobile Accessibility for each language and each version will have to be purchased separately.

You can now get a Mobile Accessibility Demo from the Android Market and try the product for free for 30 days:

Mobile Accessibility Demo US: market.android.com/details?id=es.codefactory.android.app.ma.vocalizerenudemo&feature=search_result
Mobile Accessibility Demo UK: market.android.com/details?id=es.codefactory.android.app.ma.vocalizerengdemo&feature=search_result

Soon Mobile Accessibility will be available for purchase through the Android Market at the price of 69 EUROS. You can purchase the application directly from the Market application of your Android phone, or from the web page market.android.com . Before buying the app make sure to check out our website at www.codefactory.es/en/products.asp?id=415 to see what carriers offer the product for free to their customers.

To learn how to use Mobile Accessibility for Android, please consult the user guide at www.codefactory.es/MA/en/ma_1_0_manual.html. For technical assistance, please submit a ticket through Code Factory’s Help Desk at www.codefactory.cat/helpdesk/.

For more information about Mobile Accessibility and Code Factory subscribe to the Mobile Accessibility mailing list at www.codefactory.es/en/list.asp?id=88, visit our website at www.codefactory.es or follow the company on Twitter at twitter.com/codefactory and use the hashtag #MA to talk about Mobile Accessibility.

About Code Factory 
Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Terrassa (Barcelona), Spain, Code Factory is the global leader committed to the development of products designed to eliminate barriers to the accessibility of mobile technology for the blind and visually impaired. Today, Code Factory is the leading provider of accessible mobile applications such as screen readers, screen magnifiers, and Braille interfaces. Code Factory’s products are compatible with the widest range of mainstream mobile devices running on Symbian, Windows Mobile, BlackBerry Smartphones, and Android. Among Code Factory’s customers are well known organizations for the blind such as ONCE in Spain, and carriers such as AT&T, Bouygues Telecom, SFR, TIM and Vodafone.

About Nuance Communications, Inc.
Nuance is a leading provider of speech and imaging solutions for businesses and consumers around the world. Its technologies, applications and services make the user experience more compelling by transforming the way people interact with information and how they create, share and use documents. Every day, millions of users and thousands of businesses experience Nuance’s proven applications and professional services. For more information, please visit: nuance.com.

 

For more information, feel free to contact Code Factory S.L.:

Code Factory, S.L., Rambla d’Egara 148 2-2, 08221 Terrassa (Barcelona)
HelpDesk, www.codefactory.es
Code Factory, S.L. – 2011

LL

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Word Press Help Center to reopen March 14

If you are a self-confessed and unapologetic non-technical person who just likes it when things work,  but who does not always feel compelled to know Why, then you may have hired an expert to assist you in putting up your web site or blog.  I have.  Even though I’m sure it is not by any means beyond me to accomplish some of the day-to-day maintenance of my web sites and blog, I don’t want to.  It doesn’t interest me, the frustration factor due to potential inaccessibility isn’t worth the effort.  We cannot all be good at everything, and I’m especially good at knowing what I’m not good at.  Knowing one’s limitations is very freeing.

 

One of the resources I’ve mentioned here in the past has been Word Press Help Center.  They helped me to install my blog, as well as to install some of the plug-ins and tools I use.  You can get an accessible theme for Word Press, but the back end, or Word Press dashboard is still fairly problematic when it comes to accessibility.  That has proved to be a disappointment, but that’s a post for another time.

 

What was a greater disappointment, though, was when I attempted to reach my pro at Word Press Help Center not long ago, only to find that they were shutting down.  They were no longer accepting new jobs, and the entire operation would be offline by February 28th.  So, I began to look around for another WP pro to help me with some upcoming projects.  Once you find someone great, it’s really depressing to lose them.  I was very sorry to see WP Help Center go.

 

Happily, just today I read that the business has undergone a change of management and will be back online in just a few  weeks.  As a satisfied repeat customer, I can tell you that this was very good news.  Nathan Garza, previously a Word Press expert on staff and all-around good guy, is taking over the business and will reopen on March 14th.  The WP Help Center is a busy outfit, and I suspect that with Nathan’s help it will continue to be busy.  However, with reasonable pricing and excellent customer service, I think you’ll be glad you called them if you have a Word Press issue, great or small. 

 

Here are some links:

Story from Alex King blog.

 

AlexKing.org

 

Word Press Help Center

 

I always say that sometimes accessibility is achieved through the efforts of people who are willing to assist and accommodate via personal service.  It’s easy to understand why THAT works.

 

LL               

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A new and accessible way to fully interact with Facebook via email

I’ve now written a few reviews of apps or services that will allow you to conduct some aspect of your business or social networking life by way of your email inbox.  If you are like me and spend more time communicating on your desktop than on the web, then you likely have tried a couple of these services.  My latest foray into this particular product genre had been Tweety Mail, which enables users to use Twitter through any email inbox.

 

If you have used an app with a more limited scope such as Tweet Beep, or have tried a more robust option such as Nutshell mail, you may want to take a look at this new offering by the people who brought you Tweety Mail.  It’s called the Friend Mail, and the current version is a beta release.  However, the site  claims this stage will be a short one, and the service will be fully realized in just a few weeks.

 

Right now, the service is free, although a pay for premium features version will likely soon follow.  As the name suggests, The Friend Mail allows you to fully interact with your Facebook account via your email inbox.

 

What makes this service attractive for me  is the ability to post updates and review activity not only on my FB profile account page, but I can access my fan pages as well.  By sending an email to page@thefriendmail.com, you can post an update to all of your fans.  By sending an email to news@thefriendmail.com, you can collect twenty updates from your account profile news stream.  There are email addresses for specific activity whether posting and commenting or sharing and liking.  You can even schedule activity for maximum engagement throughout the day.  The sign-up process takes only a minute, the process is accessible, and so far all of my efforts to interact with my FB account and pages have been a breeze.  If you’ve been looking for a way to post a Facebook update to your fan page via email,  The Friend mail is for you.

      

Go here to check it out: The Friend Mail

 

LL

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Everything you ever wanted to know about disability, but were afraid to ask

When it first occurred to me that it was time to condense my sporadic article writing into the more current blog format, my original intention was to write to the non-disabled community.  My idea was to mirror my educational mission statement, which is to address the society with which the disabled community interacts, not the people who are themselves disabled.  As a speaker, I thought I could do more good by seeking out the HR professionals, the employees of retail, hospitality, and health care establishments, in an effort to reach those who serve the widest array of individuals from all walks of life.  I decided to augment that notion with some passionate writing on the subject.

 

Yet, my target audience has eluded me.  What can I do to bring them to the table?  How can I offer education to a seemingly indifferent general public?

 

So, I have asked.  In an informal canvassing of my non-disabled universe, I have learned that what keeps people away from  seeking information on the topic of disability can be boiled down to fear.  Fear of exposing themselves as ignorant, fear of being vulnerable to ridicule, fear of being offensive.  Most surprisingly, a fear of bringing about that which they are most curious.  Simply put, some people are superstitious, believing that if they ask questions about disability, they are "putting it out there into the universe," as one respondent said.

 

I really want to throw open the curtains and allow the bright light of truth to shine in here.

       

To that end, I have assembled a mastermind group of brilliant people who will participate in  a question-and-answer feature on the Accessible Insights Blog.  Each are experts in their own field, some are IT pros, web development experts, legal eagles, or access and universal  design gurus.  They will field readers’ questions about disability and related issues, as each are members of the disability community.  This Q and A aspect of the blog is not meant for responding to tech support questions by people new to assistive gadgets, rather, it is meant for the edification of those who are  not disabled by those who are.  Think  of this as an "everything you ever wanted to know about disability, but were afraid to ask" type of thing.  It is my version of the Linked In or Yahoo answers feature, except that it is a much narrower niche.

 

We’re ready, so start sending in your questions.  Need information about living with vision loss?  We know all about it.   Know of a caregiver who could use a heads-up?  Send them the link to this  post.  Concerned about an aging loved one, and you want to talk to a real pro?  Ask away.  Got a friend who could use a little attitude adjustment?  We’ll set ’em straight.  Simply click the link for the accessible contact form at the top of the page.  My group of insightful experts will be ready with myth-busting responses and advice about hiring and interviewing, conflict resolution, workplace inclusion, barrier-free living, assistive tech tips and much more.

 

Looking forward to hearing from you!

 

LL 

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For this architect, all Rhoads lead to accessibility

By now you have probably read an article or two in the new "Accessible Experts" series here at the Accessible Insights Blog.  Today’s profile features Marcela Abadi Rhoads, who is an architect specializing in universal design, creating barrier-free spaces for people from all walks of life.  Here’s your chance to learn some ways to make any space an accessible space.

 

Marcela was born in Panama City Panama and moved to Dallas, Texas as a child.  She attended the University of Texas where she received a degree in architecture.  After working with several architects, she became interested in accessibility and pursued additional education to become a registered accessibility specialist (RAS).  Her goal was to start her own architectural and consulting firm, believing that this part of architecture was an important part.  "At the time that I got registered I got married and when my children were born, I decided to start my own firm."  Marcela adds, "I focus on the commercial part of architecture which includes the consulting and teaching of our professionals and building owners all about the ADA and how they must apply it to their designs.  My firm has grown steadily every year and I was recently asked to write a book.”"

 

Intrigued by Marcela’s expertise, I asked her for an interview.

 
LL:  What was it about architecture in particular that interested you as a vocation?

MAR:  As far as I can remember I always wanted to be an architect.  I’m not sure when I was a little girl what it probably meant, but that is what I knew I wanted to do.  I grew up watching my Uncle, who owned his own construction company, build many buildings.  I also saw my grandmother, after all her kids had grown and out of the house, go to school to become an interior designer.  I saw her also doing her school projects with awe.  And my cousins were also in the same way wanting to be architects.   I also always loved to draw and thought I was pretty good in math.  So the combination of my influences and my talents led me to the road I took in my profession.

 

LL:  Yours is a male dominated field, is it not?  How has being a woman in this field posed challenges for you?

MAR:  This is a male dominated field indeed.  I am not only a woman, but I’m short and look young, and live in the South to boot.  So it was not easy to fit in with all the men in my field.  They didn’t take me seriously right away.  I had to really try harder to be noticed, or even to be appreciated.  Since I went to a high end design school, if I was not the best, I shouldn’t even be in the program….Professors discouraged me from continuing.  They thought I should go to interior design school instead.  They also didn’t see any potential beyond the shallowness of design.  Architecture, as I later found out, has many layers and roles we as architects can play.  I later discovered my love of people was much higher than my love of design.  And thus my career developed into more of a Principal who deals with clients and trains them, rather than the designer who only interacts with the computer.  I think I have earned my peers respect, but it did take me a while longer to be accepted because I wasn’t one of the guys.

 

LL:  What was it about accessibility in particular that inspired you to focus on this niche of your business?

MAR:  It might have been that living in Panama with my disabled grandmother who used a wheelchair for all my life, and seeing how difficult life with architectural barriers was for her, that when I learned more about the ADA and how freeing it is, I wanted to be a part of it.  Initially it seemed to be a way to stay home with my kids as I reviewed drawings and became a consultant.  But the more I did it, the more I realized how important it is and that I could make a difference.  I really enjoy that part of the ‘niche.

 

LL:  For our readers, can you define "Universal Design" and other specialty terms associated with your industry?
MAR:  The term Universal Design has to do with not only designing for wheelchair access, but making a space usable for everyone. For example, making spaces larger and more open can help not only people in wheelchairs, but other mobility devices.  Counters that are lower can help people in wheelchairs but also people that are shorter than average.  There are also hardware like door levers instead of knobs that help people with arthritis or people in wheelchairs who don’t have the use of their hands.  There may be a door way that if the frame is painted a darker color than the wall or door, then a person with low vision can detect the doorway in an easier way. There are many things that able-bodied  people take for granted and the little things that can make a big difference to a universal population, and it does not affect the look of the space, but it enhances the experience.

 

LL:  Have you ever encountered resistance to the idea of focusing on accessibility?

MAR:  Recently I had a conversation with a client who happens to be a landlord.  They travel to Europe all the time, and said that over there they just get used to the small bathrooms, and no access and nobody complains.  He said we in this country go overboard.  They said that we don’t take care of our bodies and that is why there are more disabled people here.  I could have slapped him (with my book that he had just purchased), but I much rather explain it and teach it away.  It is a big challenge.  The lack of knowledge and awareness is so vast that it frustrates me sometimes.  I also went to the AIA convention recently and there was only ONE accessibility seminar.  All the others were about sustainability.  What good is a building that lasts 100 years and does not pollute the environment, if the disabled community can’t get into it?  Don’t get me started!

 

LL:  What do you see trending in your field?  Do you see more of your colleagues embracing the need for design accommodations?
MAR:  Right now, the trend in my field is more about sustainable and green concepts.  There is a small movement for designing for the aging which incorporates the Universal design concept and Aging in Place, but it seems to be a small number.  Hopefully as it catches on,  it will become broader.

 

LL:  Do you find that you have to sacrifice any aspect of design integrity or function or esthetics in order to make a structure accessible?

MAR:  Good designers will not sacrifice one inch of design integrity, aesthetics or function.  One of our masters, Mies Van De Rohe, stated "Form Follows Function."  We are taught to design for the function and a good architect will take the challenge of access and make a beautiful space.  The Wiley Theater in Dallas Texas designed by Rem Koolhaas has a gorgeous ramp system which takes the patrons down a steep hill to the entrance below.  It is so beautiful; you forget that it is a ramp.  Frank Lloyd Wright designed the Guggenheim Museum with one long ramp which everyone enjoys using to go around the exhibit.  You don’t have to make things look industrial and ugly to be accessible.  As problem solvers it is a charge we should embrace.

 

LL:  Many may think that making these kinds of in-home alterations can mean unsightly or institutional-looking additions.  Are there ways to create beauty as well as access and function?

MAR:  Who doesn’t like a larger bathroom and kitchen?  Making things more accessible and universal really should enhance a space.  The idea is not to get intimidated by the concept of “universal” design or “accessibility”.  It is a way to make a space better for everyone.  Most designers that are good at what they do will always find ways to make things more pleasing and functional.  As we discussed earlier there are companies that are starting to understand that things that are made for the disabled people do not have to be ugly and institutional.  Great Grabz has a variety of grab bars that anyone would love to have in their bathrooms.  There are cabinet makers who invented a cabinet with a pull out base which becomes a bench and creates a knee space.  So a wheel chair user can pull it out easily and use the sink via the knee space, but an able body person can pull it out and use it as a seat.  And it looks great.  There are other design solutions out there, so my advice is to partner up with an architect or interior designer who is familiar with accessibility and they will guide you.

 

LL:  Do you have any tips for people at home who are considering a remodel to accommodate the needs of a loved one who has a disability?  Any "DIY tips to offer? 

MAR:  I am not a “DIY” kind of person.  I much rather pay someone to do it for me.  However, if you want to do it yourself, think about what barriers are present in the home.  Typically it is the front door with steps or high threshold, so creating a ramp might be the right way to approach it.  There are some pre-fabricated ramps that you can install, or you can have one designed and attempt to do it yourself.  But you can also install (easily, I’ve been told) upper cabinets that pull down to a lower level.  They are by www.cornicecabinet.comFor the most part; try to find projects that will be useful and not get overwhelmed with all the one’s that need to be done.  Also, some might be more difficult to do yourself, like widening a doorway, but things like putting up grab bars or changing door knobs to levers might be easier.

 

LL:  Tell our readers about your book. 

MAR:  Thank you for asking!  I am very proud of the book.  It is called The ADA Companion Guide and it was published by John Wiley and Sons.  It is all about the new changes to the ADA design guidelines.  After the ADA was passed into law in 1990, the design guidelines were published in 1991.  Then they changed after many people gave their feedback and comments.  In July of this year is when they passed the new version.  My book has the new rules and pictures, commentary all about the way the accessibility rules affect the built environment. Hopefully it will be useful and make things more clear and understandable.  You can buy at my web site www.abadiaccess.com or Wiley.com  or even on Amazon, and Barnes and Noble online.  If you want to go to the Brick and Mortar store, I’m sure they can even order it for you.

 

LL:  Is your book for anyone, or mainly pros in your industry?

MAR:  The book is more for professionals and builders.  It is a technical book with explanations and examples on how to apply the standards.  The book will help architects, interior designers and facilities managers who deal with the design and construction of their facilities.  It will also help firms that work on Federal projects, and even federal court rooms and court houses.  But it will also help the builders, building owners and tenants of buildings that will need to be familiar with the guidelines so that they will make sure they are adhering with the law.   Even lawyers and students could use it for their edification.

 

LL:  What else would you like readers to know?

MAR:  I love to help and make things easier for the building industry.  I am a huge advocate of the disabled community, but since I’m also an architect I see things both ways.  I can typically brainstorm on difficult conditions to find solutions to make things accessible.  I am available to answer questions about the  new rules.

 

To contact Marcela for consulting or to request a presentation, you can find her on the web on social media:

Twitter: @Abadi_Access

Facebook: Abadi Accessibility News or ADA Companion Guide

Linked In: Abadi Accessibility News group

You can read her blog at:  abadiaccess.blogspot.com 

Web site:  abadiaccess.com:

Or, via email at marhoads@abadiaccess.com
:  
Thanks for reading, and check back soon for another interview with a new accessible expert. 

LL

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A few simple ways to support disability-aware businesses

How many times in your life have you complained about poor customer service or problematic business practices?  How many times have you been so furious about the way you were treated at a place of business that you went out of your way to make sure management (and anyone else who would listen) was informed?

 

How many times have you done the same when you were treated well?

 

It is often said that people are far more likely to complain than to praise.  Perhaps sociologists can explain why, maybe it has something to do with that "fight or flight" instinct, and when we are angry we want everybody to know about it.  While I have certainly done my share of complaining, I believe we are most effective when we go out of our way to explain the ways in which business was conducted exactly right.

 

One reason that complaining can be effective is because the alacrity with which a solution is proposed is usually in direct proportion to your willingness to make a scene.  The greater the stress you place on everyone concerned, the more likely they are to appease you so as to quickly remove you from their face.  However, once departed, you and your complaint are likely soon forgotten, simply because total recall is vastly uncomfortable for everyone.  That is, unless they’re laughing, having made you the day’s water cooler topic.  However, you certainly did nothing that would make the next person’s experience there any better.

 

While repeat business is the goal of any company, even this type of positive reinforcement may not go far enough.  Are they doing well because of advertising?  Pricing policies?  Nice decor?  A low pressure environment?  What was it, exactly, that worked?  Disability-friendly policies may not be high on a list of success analytics, but there is much we can do to raise our profile as a desirable consumer demographic.  In the process, we can make the experience better for the next customer.

     

If you are a person with a disability and you have a great experience at a retail establishment, restaurant, or web site, take the time to elaborate on the reason.  It’s easy to use positive reinforcement that will generate good will with staying power.  Here are some ways to show support and appreciation to a business that empowered you:

 

If an employee was discreet and respectful, make sure they know how much you appreciated your experience.  If the store manager went out of his or her way to accommodate you, let the store owner know, even though making that accommodation may not have been a specific store policy.

 

It is important that while you are praising the business, whether in person, over the phone or in writing that you explain why you are showing your appreciation.  Try to come up with something a bit more inspired than "Dude, cool store."  Let the staff know why what they did was beneficial, and encourage more of the same.  Tell them that once a business is known to be accessible, people with disabilities will spread the word, and will be loyal customers.  Remind the employees that their efforts are not simply a matter of disability awareness, it is a matter of excellent customer service.
 

If you are blind or visually impaired making a purchase online, and the ecommerce page offers an audio CAPTCHA option, be sure to write to the company and tell them how much you appreciated having that option.  Explain that, because of this accommodation, you were able to complete the transaction without sighted assistance.  Of course, that is its purpose, but it is always nice for the site owner to know that the consideration was not in vain.

 

If an employee utilizes some clever trick to assist you in signing on the dotted line, devising an ingenious method of identifying "which way is up," helping you to navigate around barriers or accomplish your business without humiliation, tell them why their choice to exercise discretion is so valuable.  There have been times when, in  doing just this, I was invited to come back and conduct staff training so that all employees could benefit from my experience.

 

Finally, do your part to ensure that a disability aware business is around for awhile.  Share your knowledge with friends, tweet or blog about the company and their disability aware policies or environment.  Consider it your contribution to our economic recovery.  Pay it forward!

 

LL 

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An awareness month message of inspiration for advocates

Cliche:  A trite or overused expression.  A word or phrase that has lost its meaning through overuse.

 

The problem I have with most motivational speakers and writers is that they mainly traffic in cliches.  What makes one motivator more popular than another at any given point is that they make an old platitude sound new again by saying it in such a way that, for some, it has the ring of truth.

 

I happen to believe that all motivation is self motivation.  I’ve yet to meet another living soul who could motivate me to do anything.  Now, that doesn’t mean that I have never felt inspired by another.  There is a difference.  The distinction, to me, lies in something intangible, as suggested in the quote by William Yeats who said "Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire."

Perhaps the difference is in the part of speech that is chosen.  "Inspiration" is a noun.  "She is an inspiration."  To motivate is a verb.  She motivated the team to win.  However, you could use inspiration as a verb also, as in "She sought to inspire the team."

 

Are the two words interchangeable?  I’m not sure.  For example, "Fear motivated him to run like hell."  Yet, one would not say, "He is such a motivation."  I think of inspiration as a word that is applicable to people, and motivation is a word that applies to things other than people.  "The stock market crash motivated him to save every penny."

 

Maybe I’m treading on shaky ground here.  Splitting hairs.

 

I bring all this up so as to provide you with a bit of inspiration.  Lately I’ve been feeling as though I’m not accomplishing enough.  I’ve been feeling as though I’ve achieved a lot, others have achieved more, or have achieved better.  Do you ever feel as though you were on the cutting edge of something, only to have others pass you by as if you were standing still?  You may have had a web site fifteen years ago, but now there are as many web sites as there are humans on the globe, and you have been thoroughly buried by them.  Do you feel as though but for adequate funds, an assistant or two, enough time or energy you too could have been Amazon?

 

I understand.  The pioneers take the arrows, as the cliche goes, and you have been pierced through by others who have done what you’ve done, only with greater success.  Some have even seemed to imitate you, ripping off your format, your ideas, your style.  What to do?  I have implemented a thousand ideas that someone else  had the wherewithal to better execute.

 

So, here’s the inspiration, wrapped in a cliche:  No one is better at being you than you.  The chances of you being born exactly who you are is something like 80 octillion to one…I think that’s a number with thirty zeros after it, or something like that.  Where I pulled that from, I do not know.  Some motivational speaker, maybe.  The point is, though, that you bring a unique perspective  to whatever you do, and that makes you singularly qualified to do it.  Just because there are other blog’s out there that provide accessibility tips, disability awareness missives or news of the latest assistive tech gadgets or development techniques, it doesn’t mean that yours are any less valuable.  Even I have received some incredibly gratifying "fan letters" from people who appreciate what’s happening here at the Accessible Insights Blog, and I’m all but invisible.

 

Here’s something else:  We cannot afford to lose you.  If you are a member of the awareness community, using your voice to enlighten others , realize that even one fewer voice is unacceptable.  We need you to keep the fire burning.  While we may wish to be the one voice that is heard above all others, the authority and the leader to which all others aspire, it is the roar of our collective voices that matters just as much.  Even with all of the others out there whom you may regard as competition, we still have a long way to go to reach that pinnacle of equanimity and justice for all that we seek.  This reality is evidence in and of  itself that you are needed.

 

Whatever it is that motivates you to continue, whether cliches, competition or just dogged determination, burn brightly on.  Keep fighting the good fight, continue to stoke those embers, and remember I’ve got your back.

 

LL

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The Accessible Insights Blogcast has been fed to Feedburner

Ever glacial in my efforts to stay atop the steadily increasing apps and tools that are absolutely essential for business promotion, I have at long last submitted my blog feed to Feedburner.  However, I wanted to submit the audio feed, not just the text feed.  If you have noticed the “listen” button attached to my blog posts, you may not have ever clicked on it.  If you do, you will be able to listen to a text-to-speech version of my posts.  The button also enables you to download an MP3, or listen to the audio post on ITunes.

 

If you want to use the Odiogo control page for the feed, you can go here:

 

Accessible Insights Blogcast control page

      

This page allows listeners to one-click subscribe or to share the post.  On the other hand, as soon as I submit the blog to the eight billion feed directories out there, you’ll be able to find it at nearly every turn.  Lucky you.

 

LL 

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2011 conference schedule for assistive technology events

Whether you belong to an organization such as the National federation of the Blind or the American council of the Blind, or you just love to wander the booths and ogle the new tech gadgets and product features, there is bound to be an event near you.  Here is a truncated list of a few of the larger events, but if there are any local and regional events about which readers should know, please comment.  Also, if you plan to show your product or service at any one of these events, please let us know and provide your booth number so we can stop by and say hello. 

 

California State University at Northridge (CSUN) International Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference
March 14th – March 19th, 2011
San Diego, CA

Baruch College Conference on Employment and Visual Impairment
April 15th, 2011
New York, NY

 

NYC 5 Boro Employers Forum and Technology Fair
May 18, 2011
Bronx, NY

 

The Texas Assistive Technology Regional Conference
June 14th – June 16th, 2011
Houston, TX

 

VISIONS Conference
June 23rd – June 26th, 2011
Baltimore, MD

 

National Federation of the Blind (NFB) National Convention
July 3rd – July 8th, 2011
Orlando, FL

 

American Council of the Blind (ACB) Conference
July 8th – July 16th, 2011
Reno, NV

 

Envision Conference
September 21st – September 24th, 2011
St. Louis, MO

 

New England Library Association (NELA) Conference
October 2nd – October 4th, 2011
Burlington, VT

Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) Chicago Conference
November 3rd – November 5th, 2011
Schaumburg, IL

National Ergonomics Conference & Exposition (NECE)
November 15th – November 18th, 2011
Las Vegas, NV

 

I’m sure I’ll be at one of these, so hope to see you there. 

 

LL

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Avenues to Access: A Capitol Hill Roundtable Discussion

If you are interested  in equal access and inclusion issues, you are welcome to participate in this roundtable discussion.  Please read the media advisory below and then watch for links on audio and video feeds of the event.  The deadline for submitting questions is tomorrow, so don’t wait long if you want to be part of the event. 

 

Contact:  Doug Sprei, Director of Media Relations
dsprei@rfbd.org; (202) 684-8915

Avenues to Access –  
A Capitol Hill Roundtable Conversation
With People Who "Learn Differently"

When: February 7, 2011; 10 a.m. to Noon
Where:  U.S. Capitol Visitor’s Center, Congressional Meeting Room North

WASHINGTON, DC — Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D) will host a roundtable spotlighting remarkable students with learning differences – and the transformative impact that accessible content and assistive technology has made in their lives.
This event brings journalists face to face with individuals who have overcome blindness, dyslexia and other learning disabilities – to flourish in higher education and move toward success in the workplace. Complementing their personal accounts, the Roundtable will explore how public policy can support students with learning differences, empower parents, and help educators gain access to critical assistive technology. Some of our Roundtable participants include:

  • Scott MacIntyre: "American Idol" finalist and entertainer; he is a visually impaired Marshall Scholar and a former RFB&D National Achievement Award winner.

· Ryan Ansel: A student whose struggles with acute dyslexia have become a powerful motivator; he is now a thriving biology major at Davidson College.

  • Daniel Standage: U.S. Marine Corps veteran, blinded by a rare reaction to a vaccine received while on duty; he is now serving disabled veterans making a return to college.
  • Denna Lambert: Born with congenital cataracts, she has sidestepped visual impairment to become a manager at NASA’s Goddard Space Center.
  • Kyle Wittenauer: Despite severe spatial processing deficiency and dysgraphia, he was accepted early decision at Yale to study neuroscience and play football.
  • Amy Laudeman, Public Policy Associate, National Center for Learning Disabilities will expound on policy issues with Brad Thomas, SVP Public Policy and Advocacy at RFB&D.
  • Several parents of children with learning differences will add their voices to the Roundtable, sharing firsthand accounts and family perspectives on special education.
  • Andrew Friedman, RFB&D President and CEO, will present the organization’s strategic roadmap for widening access through new assistive technologies and services.

Remote coverage by bloggers and journalists is encouraged; please forward your questions for panelists and interview requests to dsprei@rfbd.org; or call 202-684-8915.

Credentialed media are welcome to attend; RSVP by noon February 4 to dsprei@rfbd.org, or call 703-581-2498.

About Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic®

Founded in 1948, RFB&D serves more than 300,000 K-12, college and graduate students, as well as veterans and lifelong learners – all of whom are blind, visually impaired, dyslexic or have other disabilities that prohibit them from reading standard print. RFB&D’s collection of more than 64,000 digital textbooks and literature titles – delivered through internet downloads and available on Macs and PCs, CD and various assistive technology devices – is the largest of its kind in the world. More than 5,500 volunteers across the U.S. help make RFB&D’s content available, which students rely on to achieve educational success and entry into the workforce.  RFB&D, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, is funded by grants from the U.S. Department of Education, state and local education programs, and the generous contributions of individuals, foundations and corporations.  For more information, call (866)732-3585 or visit www.rfbd.org.

 

LL

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