Full Issue: AccessWorld February 2016

Cruising as a Senior with a Visual Impairment: How to Get the Most Out of Your Adventure

Jamie Pauls

For many adults who have worked hard all their lives and managed their finances wisely, retirement years are a time to relax and enjoy the fruits of their labor. Many seniors enjoy traveling, either alone or with others. If travel is the goal, the method of travel and the destination become the obvious questions to answer. Visual impairment is a factor that determines how many people, young and old, decide to explore the world. For a blind person, a driving tour is impossible, unless someone else takes the wheel. One method of travel that is accessible to both blind and sighted alike is taking a cruise. Your ship becomes your home for a time, and service is part of the experience.

When an individual with a visual impairment decides to take a cruise, the list of questions to be answered can become quite long, and possibly daunting. Where can you go? How much will it cost? Which cruise line will give you the best experience? What challenges will you experience on your journey?

Bill Kociaba: an Experienced Cruise Taker who is Visually Impaired

Bill Kociaba knows a thing or two about cruises. From a young age, his family took numerous trips at sea, and Kociaba sold cruises for a living for about five years. All told, he has been on at least 50 cruises in his lifetime. Kociaba is not a man who allows blindness to define who he is. Of his current work, he likes to say that he is a fitness instructor who is blind, not that he is a blind fitness instructor. He was not born with blindness, and Kociaba has not allowed blindness to keep him from doing the things that really matter to him, and that includes taking cruises. When his business as a fitness instructor began to slow down in 2009, he turned to booking cruises for a living. Although he does not currently sell cruises, his passion for cruising is still alive and well today. He has been on a couple trips to Europe, numerous vacations to the Caribbean, and an Alaskan cruise. After 50 cruises, the destination isn't as important to Kociaba as his time aboard ship, but the destination possibilities are virtually limitless.

Cruise Lines

When planning a cruise, you should ask yourself what you want to get out of the experience. If you enjoy the party life, Kociaba recommends Carnival. If you want to be pampered, Celebrity Cruises might be more to your liking. Some cruise lines are geared more toward the family, while Holland America specializes in meeting the needs of seniors. The important thing to keep in mind is that each cruise line has a different focus, and therefore your experience will be somewhat different depending on whom you choose to travel with.

Cruise Expenses

One nice thing about taking a cruise is that it is possible to pay for pretty much everything up front. If you don't care to have a balcony cabin with a window, it may be possible to spend not much more than $100 per day for sleeping quarters and food. If you want a balcony cabin where you can drink coffee by yourself and enjoy the ocean, and if you decide to opt for more intimate dining with specialty foods, you may spend significantly more for your trip. Also, Internet connectivity will cost extra, so be prepared to spend some time offline. If you will need to be online more frequently, be sure to factor that into your budget when you book your cruise. Many options are available, and you can customize the cruise to your liking.

Planning for Your Cruise

There are a lot of details to consider when booking a cruise, and a mistake could cause you to be barred from boarding your ship when it comes time to depart on your adventure of a lifetime, so Kociaba recommends that the novice traveler seek the advice of someone who sells cruises for a living. CruiseCompete is a site where you can enter your destination and receive alerts of competitive offers for your trip. Some organizations like Mind's Eye Travel book cruises with the needs of the visually impaired person in mind. Although it is possible to book a cruise directly with the cruise line you plan to use, Kociaba says that an outside agency can often give you a better rate.

Although a passport isn't absolutely essential for every cruise, it is highly recommended. If you are somehow separated from your ship during an excursion, not having a passport can greatly complicate your return to the United States. All documentation must match your passport, and someone who is familiar with cruise line policies can help to ensure that all travel documents are in order.

It is possible to bundle airfare with your cruise, so that you literally don't have to give your luggage a second thought from the time you board your airplane at home to the time you arrive at the door of your cabin on the cruise ship, but this will certainly increase the cost of your trip. Many people opt to take care of their own airfare and transportation to the port of departure.

Cruise Ship Accessibility

Although Kociaba generally takes cruises with his wife, he often chooses to walk independently on the ship. He states that he usually cannot go more than 15 or 20 feet before a crew member asks him if he needs assistance. If he does, the staff member will generally walk with him to his destination rather than giving him general directions. It is worth stating again that each cruise line has its unique focus. If service is of the highest priority, a blind person may be able to obtain more assistance than they would on a ship where the focus is on setting a party atmosphere. Braille signage is common on doors and elevators, and braille menus can sometimes be obtained.

Activities While at Sea

Although you may be taking a cruise to an exotic location, the fact remains that you will spend most of your time at sea. Larger and larger cruise ships are being designed and built, and the activities provided onboard these vessels are becoming increasingly elaborate.

It is possible to eat pretty much 24 hours a day on a cruise, if one chooses to do so. Buffets of every type, fixed formal dining, and intimate dining featuring specialty foods are all a part of the experience. Drinking, dancing, magicians, and music are dotted throughout the ship. Swimming, sun bathing, and simply relaxing with a good book are also possible.

Kociaba says that the newest ships are going all out, providing activities such as wave pools, zip lines, and bumper cars. After 50 cruises, Kociaba doesn't even really care about the destination anymore, because the latest ships have so much to offer that one never needs to leave the boat, if they choose not to.

Finally, while it is possible to enjoy much food and drink for the price of the cruise, alcohol, soda, and some specialty foods cost extra. It is possible to purchase prepaid packages for these amenities in advance, or on the boat once you arrive.

Cruise Excursions

As amazing as these floating cities are, most travelers will want to take an excursion or two when the ship docks at the various ports of call along the way. Whether it's swimming with dolphins, feeding stingrays, or touring the landmarks of Europe, there is plenty to do if you leave the boat for the day.

Kociaba says that cruise lines aren't responsible for you once you leave the ship, so you may want to do a bit of homework before you decide what excursions to take.

Handling the Unexpected

Although medical facilities do exist on cruise ships, keep in mind that they are limited. A cruise line such as Holland America may be more likely to be able to deal with the needs of seniors, as that is their focus.

One concern that many people have is that of seasickness while they are on the ship. Kociaba says that cabins up high or toward the front of the ship will experience more movement than those in the center, down lower, and toward the back of the boat. That being said, the newest ships on the ocean are massive in size, and are equipped with stabilizers that reduce motion to a great extent. One may be more likely to experience a gentle, rocking sensation at night rather than any feeling of being tossed on the waves.

The Bottom Line

If you take a cruise, you will travel in style, with a staff to take care of your every need. You will have the consistency of a familiar environment whether you are away from home for three days or three weeks. You can choose to spend only a few hundred dollars, or several thousand, depending on type of cruise you take and the luxuries you decide to include.

If you are a senior who wishes to enjoy retirement by traveling the world, the life of a cruise ship might just be the life for you!

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Best Android Apps for People with Low Vision

Shelly Brisbin

The expanding accessibility options included in the Google Android operating system, plus a wide array of affordable mobile devices that run the Android OS, have made the platform an increasingly popular choice for those looking for a smartphone or tablet. Since Android is an open operating system, deployed by a number of manufacturers on their phones and tablets, buyers can choose from an array of hardware, without having to wonder whether the gadget they like best is accessible. In addition to the TalkBack screen reader, Android's recent versions allow users with low vision to build their own accessible experiences using a combination of settings for changing the way the screen looks. A few vendors, including Samsung, have even added accessibility tools of their own to the stock Android environment.

But as accessible as your Android phone or tablet may be out of the box, there's a whole world of apps available that you can use to customize the way your device screen looks, increase your productivity, and even deploy the built-in camera to get a closer look at the world around you. The vast Google Play store includes many apps you can buy or download for free, that you can use to customize your mobile device. In this article, we'll take a look at some of the best apps for Android users with low vision. Keep in mind that there are many more accessible apps that work well with the TalkBack screen reader, and also provide great productivity for both those with visual impairments. Our focus here is on apps that support a low-vision Android user experience, and also make it possible to use a phone or tablet as a visual assistant. For more apps that are accessible to blind and low-vision users, check out the community website, Inclusive Android, where members rate and review a wide range of Android hardware and software.

Know Your Android OS

Because Android runs on such a wide array of devices, it isn't surprising that a number of versions of the OS are in circulation. That's important because not all accessibility features and apps are available on all OS versions. Though previous Android versions have provided accessibility options, version 5, also called Lollipop, marked a particularly important gain for users with low vision, who benefit from tweaking a device's visual interface. Lollipop (and its successor, Marshmallow) added the ability to invert the colors on your device screen, providing a dark background under light text and icons. If this is a feature you wish to use, or if you want to use apps that accomplish the same task, be sure you have Lollipop (or later) installed. It's also a good idea to check your Accessibility settings to see whether the maker of your device has added options of its own. Samsung, for example, has done this, and other device makers offer their own keyboards, and speech engines, which might be useful to you, but which you'll want to compare to the stock Android offerings in those categories.

Enhance Your View of the World Around You

The camera on your mobile device can do a lot more than take snapshots. You can use a variety of apps to turn your device into an electronic magnifier, a scanner, or an object and color identifier. Though we're focusing on apps for users with low vision, the scanning and identification apps listed here are also accessible with TalkBack, making them great choices for those with complete vision loss.

AMagnify from MPaja

AMagnifiy (free or $1.31, Android 2.2 or later) uses your device's camera to zoom in on what it is pointed at. Magnify text, freeze the image you've taken, and invert the magnified image. The paid version removes ads. You will find many magnification apps in the Google Play store. AMagnifiy is a great choice because it is both extremely simple to use and offers great features.

Smart Magnifier from Smart Tools Co.

Use Smart Magnifier (free, Android 2.3 or later) as a full-screen magnifying glass, or concentrate the enlarged area in a smaller section of the screen. Onscreen controls make it easy to zoom, auto-focus, freeze, and flip magnified images, or to use your device's LED flash to add more light.

Office Lens from Microsoft

The scanner app Office Lens (free, version varies with device) from Microsoft is designed to allow you to scan whiteboards, business cards, photos, or other single-page items you might encounter in business or educational situations. Use OCR to capture text, and save your scanned files in Microsoft Office apps, or as a PDF. You can save your scans to Microsoft's OneNote or OneDrive services. You'll find plenty of scanning and OCR apps in the Play Store. Office Lens excels at making quick scans, cropping your images intelligently, and sending them out into the Microsoft ecosystem.

TapTapSee from CamFind Inc.

Take a picture of an object, and use TapTapSee's (free with in-app purchases, version varies by device) combination of automated and human resources to get identifying information. Find out the color of the shirt you've chosen, or whether you've pulled a lime or lemon from the fridge, and lots more.

Customize Android

Stock Android allows the user to change the size of screen fonts, and to magnify your view of the screen by zooming in on it. You can download third-party apps that customize specific parts of your home screen and app experience. You may find that the size of icons, the layout of the keyboard, or the style of notifications, for example, are challenging, while other parts of the interface either don't need adjustment, or can be viewed effectively by making changes to accessibility settings. Or, you can go further, by replacing the default Android launcher, a program that controls the way app icons, backgrounds, homescreen text, and the app tray appear onscreen. Some launchers integrate with text-enlarged versions of apps for reading mail, sending SMS messages, and making phone calls.

BIG Launcher from Big Launcher

BIG Launcher ($10, Android 2.1 or later) is a simplified Android launcher, with large icons and text, and a choice of color themes. Your homescreen is replaced by a thick-lined grid, with room for just a few apps, each of which has an extra-large icon. When you tap a BIG Launcher icon, you'll see simplified and greatly enlarged views for making calls, sending SMS, viewing contacts, accessing mail, and more. The developer, Big Launcher, offers a number of apps that work with the launcher, and that utilize the same extra-large, bright icons, text, and colors. You can choose font size, color themes, and which icons should appear on the home screen (other apps appear in an alphabetical list, behind a single icon.) And you can disable unneeded apps. Some users may find BIG Launcher's appearance and approach to be overly simplistic. Others, who may have less experience with, or interest in, tech gadgets, may find it pleasingly straightforward. The app is marketed as a tool for seniors, many of who might not have used a smartphone before.

MessageEase Keyboard from Exideas

Designed to help you type faster, and with as few fingers as possible, MessageEase (free, Android 2.2 or later) is an alternative onscreen keyboard for your device. You can use it instead of the default Google device keyboard, or you can launch it for specific tasks, like typing texts, and return to the usual keyboard when you're done. MessageEase uses large letters, arranged based on how frequently you're likely to type a particular one. The R key will be near at hand, while you might have to reach a bit to find the Z, for example. You can also customize the keyboard's layout and color scheme.

Giganticon from Gabriel Taubman

Though you can use the built-in zoom feature to magnify your view of items on the device screen, you might find it easier to make some or all of your app icons bigger. To use Giganticon (free, Android 2.2 or later), install it and select an app whose icon you want to enlarge. You'll have to choose each individually.

NoLED, Madmack

Choose notifications to appear on your device, even while locked. NoLED (free, Android 2.1 or later) displays icons representing e-mail, SMS, voicemail, Google Talk, and an array of other apps. Choose the ones you want to see onscreen, and adjust their color, hue, and saturation. Though the icons themselves are small, you can pick just those that are the most important to you, choose colors that are easy for you to see, and position them to appear where you like when a notification arrives.

Shades, from Eyes-Free Project

Bright displays can be challenging for those with sensitivity to light. If you typically turn your screen brightness to a low setting, and still find that it allows too much light in, Shades (free) may be useful. It allows you to reduce the brightness of your screen below the typical level set by the hardware. As a side benefit, lower brightness saves battery life.

Reading and Writing

The selection of apps available for writing and reading on your Android device is vast. With built-in accessibility features and font options within individual apps, you can use almost any mainstream app that handles text. Here are a couple of tools specifically designed for accessible text wrangling.

Accessible Editor Talkback, Philosoft

Philosoft produces a number of apps for making standard mobile features more accessible (others include a phone dialer, SMS text app, and a reading app). Accessible Editor (free, Android 4.0 and later) lets you enter text via the keyboard or with your voice. Edit and view what you enter using one of several large font sizes, or have it read to you. You can choose which speech engine and voices you want to apply, as well. Combine with the same developer's Accessible Keyboard, which is also free, to get an extra-large QWERTY keyboard.

@Voice Aloud Reader from Hyperionics Technology

Even if you don't use TalkBack, you may wish to use speech to read specific books, articles, webpages and other text. Once the @Voice Aloud Reader app (free or $4.99 without ads, Android version varies by device) and a text-to-speech engine are installed, you will be able to save documents, webpages, or other text to the app, from within a web browser or reading app. Once you've saved items to read, use @Voice Aloud Reader to navigate through, and hear your text read aloud, using the speech engine and voice you've chosen.

Mainstream Apps with Low-Vision-Friendly Options

Sometimes, a great accessible app is one that just happens to provide exceptional support for features already available in Android. Large icons, rich font and color settings, or the ability to add voice commands in areas where they don't already exist end up being useful to everyone.

A Better Camera from Almalence

Here's an example of an app with lots of features that's also easy to use. A Better Camera (free light version or $1.99 for full version, Android 4.0 or later) helps you take better photos with your Android device, and gives you access to a number of settings to help you focus on what you see in your viewfinder. A grid with bright, thick lines helps you center images and keep subjects aligned in the viewfinder, while large buttons surrounding the image area give you access to settings for burst photography, night mode, video, focus, ISO selections, and more.

Commandr for Google Now, from RSenApps

Google Now is probably already on your device. Access it from the Google app, and use "OK Google" to search your device, and the web, by voice. Commandr for Google Now (free Android 4.1 and later) allows you to add many new voice commands. Play specific music, open apps, use a flashlight, take a selfie, and lots more.

Total Commander, from C. Ghisler

One of the ways you can customize your Android experience, not to mention boosting productivity, is to install a file manager. These apps allow you to upload and download files from computers, cloud services, Internet services, and other mobile devices. In addition to providing a number of ways to move files, Total Commander (free, Android 1.5 or later) is accessible to TalkBack, and includes options to customize the color scheme, text size, and even the font used.

The Platform Grows Richer

Until recently, conventional wisdom held that the Apple iOS, found on the iPhone and iPad, was a better operating system for users with visual impairments. Developers seemed to believe this too, since many important accessible apps have not migrated to the Android platform. Happily, this is changing, with announcements in 2015 that important blindness-focused apps are now in the Google Play store. In addition to following the links in this article, search the store for those apps you might have been waiting for, or for tools that do things you were previously unable to find. There's a lot out there to like.

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Out of Sight or Out of Sound: There Is Always a Way—Living with a Secondary Hearing Impairment

Deborah Kendrick

Ask any seasoned deaf person if they would prefer coping with no sight or no hearing and, pretty consistently, you'll get the answer that it is far easier to be deaf than blind. On the other side of the sensory arena, ask any seasoned blind person the same question and you will get an absolute declaration that blindness is the easier sensory loss to address.

In either case, part of the solution to "working around" a sensory loss is to use the other in its place. Blind people learn to "see" what is around them by using sound. Deaf people learn to "hear" what is around them by fine-tuning their sense of sight.

When the sensory input channels for both sight and hearing are diminished or diminishing, the challenge of finding methods for communicating, participating and, in short, fully engaging in the joys of life loom larger, but are never insurmountable.

In the 21st century, where technology blossoms exponentially on an almost daily basis, there are plenty of work-arounds to be found. Because AccessWorld regularly addresses the use of technology for those who are blind or have low vision, this article will look at the combined vision/hearing disability from the vantage point of someone who has little or no hearing and a secondary disability of impaired vision.

Approaching the problem is simply for perspective in this article. There are an estimated four million Americans with combined vision and hearing disabilities and as we live longer, that number is steadily increasing.

Tell It Like It Is

With any disability, candor simplifies. If you have central but no peripheral vision, carrying a long white cane informs those around you that you have difficulty seeing, rather than allowing them to assume that you are rude or clumsy.

Similarly, if you tell those around you that you have difficulty hearing, they will generally speak up. If you don't tell them, you leave room for the mistaken assumption that you are not paying attention or not very smart!

Take Charge of Your Own Sound Environment

When you are blind or visually impaired, your hearing doesn't magically increase, but your attention to what you hear does. Hearing becomes more acute. In a social context, this means you listen more carefully to what is being said and how. Many blind people work in professions where the nuance of communication is essential— psychology, social service, law, and journalism—and individuals find that these nuances can be gleaned using clues other than the visual ones of body language and facial expression.

But if your hearing has decreased, the game changes somewhat. Perhaps you can hear just fine in a quiet room if the person speaking to you is three or six or perhaps eight feet away, but if the environment is noisy or the person addressing you is at a greater distance, their voice is inaudible or unintelligible.

The solution is to do everything you can to take charge and create an audio environment that works for you. At a meeting or in a restaurant where there will be ambient noise, choose a seat with a wall behind you. Thus, only the sound in front of you will come into your ears. Select a seat that is centrally located, placing you within equal range of as many of the voices as you want to hear as possible. If there is a choice, always choose smaller rooms over larger ones, and smaller groups over larger ones as well. In a lecture or performance situation, sit in the first or second row, and as directly in front of the person speaking or performing as possible. If background music is playing (and competing with the sounds of human voices that you want/need to hear), ask if it can be turned off or the volume decreased. Apply the same principles in your own home or the home of a friend or family member. If people are gathered for a meal, choose the most centrally located seat at the largest table. If the focus of the gathering is to share a movie, sit close to one of the speakers.

Sound Technology

It may sound clichéd, but there has been no better time to experience hearing loss than in the 21st century! Digital hearing aids are tiny and powerful. Many of them are nearly invisible and, while the sound may not be exactly what it would be if your biological hearing was perfect, the enhanced volume and clarity such devices can provide is astonishing.

As with any change, there is an adjustment period involved in learning to hear with hearing aids. You may experience the sense that your clothes are crackling or your hair is, that your own footsteps are clattering, or that the commonplace sounds of running water or opening food packages are suddenly raucous. When hearing aids are new, fine-tuning them to the individual takes a bit of time and expertise. Three or four trips to the audiologist, along with some patience and a willingness to analyze the situation, will improve your experience and have you reveling in the joy of hearing birdsongs and human conversation again with ease.

But hearing aids are just the tip of the technological iceberg when it comes to hearing loss. Bluetooth speakers and headsets can enhance the volume and audio clarity of your TV, telephone, audio book player, and more. A high performance Bluetooth sound bar, for example, can be paired with your TV, tablet, smartphone, and more, to deliver room-filling sound that is loud and clear for everyone.

Similarly, both wired and Bluetooth headsets can bring the sound from most electronics directly to your ears. Using a headset with your iPhone, for example, makes it much easier to hear and understand any audio from the phone, whether you are listening to music, an audio book, spoken GPS directions, or the other person in a phone conversation. In addition to the earbuds included in the purchase with most smartphones, there are a number of high performance wired and Bluetooth headsets to augment volume and clarity. Look for ones with inline volume controls.

Direct Connections

In addition to the variety of external speakers and headsets designed to enhance sound for everyone, the person who wears hearing aids has even more options for a direct connection to sound. From wearables to mini microphones, the hearing health marketplace is exploding with a smorgasbord of direct connection devices. Want to be sure you hear every word of a movie playing on your television? There is a device that can plug into the auxiliary port on your TV and deliver its audio directly into your hearing aids. The same technology can be used for direct delivery of sound from virtually any electronic device in your home or work environment.

Want to be sure you hear everything a presenter has to say? Ask him or her to clip a small microphone-like device to a jacket (or wear it around the neck) and every word will sound as though it is being spoken directly into your ear. Again, the same device could be used by a friend or family member walking with you through a mall or amusement park. Even though he or she is 20 feet away, with a direct-connect FM or Bluetooth device in hand, all commentary regarding the route you are taking or the description of sights around you will be easily heard and understood.

The guidance of an audiologist will be needed to select the best wireless hearing accessory, and to make sure that one is selected that is compatible with your particular hearing aids. You will also need the assistance of an audiologist or other hearing professional to pair your new accessory appropriately with your hearing aids. Phonak makes several excellent accessories but there are other manufacturers as well.

Sometimes, tweaking your hearing technology to play nicely with your vision technology can be a challenge, but as more people experience a combined vision and hearing loss, the larger the pool for sharing tips and tricks becomes. The bottom line is, just as you learned that life can be lived to the fullest without perfect vision, so you will also learn in time that impaired hearing can be accommodated with technology.

Whether out of sight or out of sound, there is always a way!

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Accessible Personal Finance: Dollars and “Sense” for Blind and Low-Vision Seniors

Bill Holton

Personal finance is, meant to be personal, private, not something you necessarily wish to share a lot of information about with members of your social support network who help you with paperwork, or even your children. The good news is that these days, with just a bit of technological knowhow, you can handle all but the most complex of your banking, retirement planning, portfolio management, and other personal finance tasks yourself.

Recently, under the sponsorship of J.P. Morgan Chase, the American Foundation for the Blind undertook a multi-month evaluation of the current state of online and mobile accessibility for a variety of personal finance institutions. In the January 2016 issue of AccessWorld we outlined our findings in Spotlight on Personal Finance Accessibility.

Overall, we discovered that the state of accessibility for personal finance websites and mobile apps has improved dramatically over the past five to ten years, and, more importantly, it is still improving. Read on to learn how, as a person with a visual impairment, these findings affect you and your access to financial resources and information.

Accessible Banking

These days nearly every bank and credit card company offers monthly statements in accessible format: large print, braille, even recorded audio files sent on a disk. Most also offer special toll-free phone numbers where you can use your phone's dial pad to access balance and transaction information. And the next time you visit your bank's ATM you will likely discover it has an audio jack where you can plug in a set of headphones to you use voice guidance to withdraw cash, transfer funds between your accounts, and complete other banking transactions without sighted help.

Using these resources, it's possible to keep up with your balances and spending. But if you are the sort of person who used to update your checkbook registry on a daily basis and kept all of your credit card receipts in a folder to reconcile against your monthly statements, you may be interested in a software package called Money Talks, a talking banking and credit card registry program from the American Printing House for the Blind. Even better—these days any bank worth keeping your money in offers a website, a mobile app, or both, where you can accessibly review a list of your latest transactions and check balances. But that's just the start. Gone are the days when you had to fetch a printed bill from your mailbox, write a check, and then find a stamp for the return envelope. Today you can pay all of your bills from your computer or on your smartphone using online bill pay, and the process is usually quite accessible and easy to accomplish. It's even easier when you have most of your mortgage, utility, telephone, and other bills delivered straight to your bank in eBill format, or sent to your inbox with an auto-pay option using either your bank's bill payment system or a credit card.

Guarding Your Nest Egg

You probably already have your Social Security and pension checks automatically deposited, saving you a trip to the bank. But if you have an IRA account, a 401(k) plan, or significant savings and other investments including stocks and bonds, you may feel your visual impairment has limited your ability to actively manage your nest egg. After all, how can you research a mutual fund or a municipal bond so you can make choices yourself? How can you place a trade without calling your high-price full-service broker, or make a financial plan that will help ensure your money will last your lifetime?

The answer is simple: you can. It's possible to accomplish nearly any wealth management task to which you set your mind, thanks to the Internet and screen access technologies.

Keeping up with the State of the Economy

Along with Talking Books, the National Library Service also offers a number of recorded periodicals. These include general interest, mass-market magazines such as People, Sports Illustrated, and Good Housekeeping. Their catalog also includes Money, Kiplinger's Personal Finance, The Economist, and Consumer Reports, which often covers matters financial. Even if you've never given much thought to those retirement accounts—especially if you've not given it much thought—it is probably time to educate yourself in the ways of the financial world. You can get any or all of these magazines on subscription from your regional library and play them on your NLS Digital Book Player, or download the issues as they are produced and listen to them on your mobile device. While you're at it, ask your regional library to send you a few recorded books that cover personal finance topics, such as The Road to Wealth: A Comprehensive Guide to Your Money, by Suze Orman; Don't Mess with My Money: The Dolans' No-nonsense Lifetime Money Plan, by Ken and Daria Dolan; and The Veteran's Survival Guide: How to File and Collect on VA Claims, by John Roche. See the AFB technology guide Using Technology for Reading: Solutions for People with Visual Impairments and Blindness to learn how to get started with NLS Talking Books.

Newsline subscribers also enjoy free access to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, and selections from Investor's Business Daily. Bookshare members can choose from hundreds of books covering everything from money management to advanced trading strategies. You can learn more about Bookshare by going directly to the site at Bookshare.org to sign up.

Managing your Retirement Assets

If you are still working, it's likely you are still making contributions to your IRA or 401(k) plan. You receive quarterly statements detailing your plan's balance, profit/loss, and a listing of all the investments you have, along with performance statistics. You can also retrieve this information anytime you wish via a toll free number. But it can be tricky to use a phone call to help select a new investment, or to identify one that has run its course and should be sold.

Like banks, the financial institution that administers your IRA or 401(k) has likely improved their website accessibility dramatically over the past few years. If you tried accessing your retirement accounts before and were disappointed, it's definitely worth another go. Many large financial institutions, such as Fidelity, offer mobile apps. Ask your plan's administrator if they offer an accessible app.

If you have already retired, or are about to, you may choose to transfer your 401(k) assets to a different institution, since many employers encourage a move, or even begin charging an annual fee to administer your account. Consult your current bank or IRA administrator. They can perform what is known as a rollover, which is a tax free way to move your retirement funds. As with banking, many of these institutions go to great lengths to accommodate their blind and low-vision customers. For example, Wells Fargo offers an accessible 401(k) website.

If you combine all of your retirement accounts at the same place you bank there's an added benefit: the ability to easily transfer funds from your retirement account into your bill paying account.

Just want to know how much you have? Consider Mint, this mobile service uses apps available for both Android smartphones and Apple iPhones.

Both versions are fairly accessible, and after entering your various accounts and real estate holdings you can get an updated "at a glance" financial summary of your account balances and your net worth anytime. The app also categorizes your various checking, ATM, and credit card purchases to help you monitor your spending habits.

Accessible Brokerages

What if you are retired and wish to take a more proactive role in managing your various retirement and non-retirement investments? If you are using a full-service broker, those commissions can be pretty steep. Of course you are paying for the convenience of a broker who's a phone call away and the research and advice he or she can provide. If you feel you can do a better job yourself, or if you simply want to take a small portion of your nest egg and do your own due diligence, a discount broker may be just the ticket. And these days just because the commissions are discounted, it doesn't mean the service is less than full.

We described brokerage online and mobile accessibility in depth. In this article we will describe the features of two online brokers, Schwab and Scottrade, which may be of particular interest to those with visual impairments.

  • Both Schwab and Scottrade offer websites where the needs of a screen reader or screen magnification users have been identified and accommodated with helpful screen tips, heading navigation, and labeled form fields. Both brokerages also offer accessible mobile apps and touch tone telephone trading. Most accounts can be opened accessibly and completely online using an eSignature at the Schwab website. Scottrade new account forms must be printed, signed, and mailed in, and currently you will likely need sighted assistance to complete them. Commissions at Schwab start at $9 per trade, Scottrade starts at $7.
  • In addition to an accessible web interface, both Schwab and Scottrade also offer a network of local branch offices, where you can establish an in-person or telephone relationship with individual representatives who will come to know your particular issues if you have an accessibility or other technical issue. Neither charges to open or maintain an IRA or rollover 401(k) account. On the contrary, you will likely be offered a number of free trades or cash incentives to rollover an existing retirement account.
  • Both Schwab and Scottrade offer banking services, including bill pay. If you receive regular dividends or bond coupon payments you can have them automatically transferred into the bank account to pay your various bills. You can also set up the transfer of funds into and out of your various accounts to a different brokerage or bank, accessibly and free of charge.
  • Each of these brokerages offer hundreds, if not thousands, of mutual funds which incur no transaction charges. This is handy if you wish to maintain the same portfolio you held in your prior account.
  • Both of these discount brokerages offer accessible real time quotes, historic price and volume information you can download in text format, and various stock and mutual fund screeners. Company overviews, SEC filings, dividend history, and company headlines and press releases can also be read in text format using a screen reader or magnifier.

Advanced Research and Financial Education

If you want to keep an eagle eye on your stock holdings, there are ways to do this accessibly. Start out at the company's website. Look for an "Investors" link near the bottom of the page. AT&T stockholders, for example, can find a treasure trove of press releases, quarterly conference calls, and lots more on their Investor's Relations webpage.

If you're new to managing your own investments, Investopedia is a mostly accessible place to get started with your financial education. Yahoo Finance is a resource used by everyone from the novice investor to seasoned traders. There you can create one or more model portfolios and gain quick access to everything from company profiles and analyst ratings to the latest headlines and insider trades. The Yahoo website and mobile apps are extremely accessible, due in large part to the efforts of a dedicated accessibility team. (Warning: Yahoo Finance hosts a user message board for each listed security. These posts are anonymous, so take anything you read there with a five-pound block of salt.)

Taking Stock

Hopefully, this article has left you feeling just a bit more empowered when it comes to handling your personal finances using access technologies. Some of the resources we've discussed are sight-impaired specific, including as the NLS Library Talking Book program, Newsline and Bookshare. Others are standard resources used by the general population—banks, brokerages, and a wealth of education and research resources—that can be accessed despite your level of vision. And there are more springing up all the time.

Some of the latest offerings include Simple, an online bank with automatic budgeting features; Wealthfront, an automated investment service that creates and manages custom portfolios for even small net-worth investors; and Robin Hood, a service that offers free stock trades. In the coming months we'll be evaluating these and other services to see how they stack up in regard to both features and accessibility. So keep coming back. We think it will be a valuable investment of your time.

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An Overview Survey of Home Appliance Accessibility

Aaron Preece, Neva Fairchild

In years past, AccessWorld has covered extensively the accessibility of home appliances. With the rapid advance of technology, it is time to once again explore home appliance accessibility. This article surveys some of the most common large appliances and provides an overview of the current state of accessibility. For this article, we reviewed the washers and dryers, oven/range/cooktop combinations, dishwashers, and microwaves on offer at local big-box stores. . This article contains reviews of select appliances from three different price points and from varying manufacturers. The controls of each device are described and the accessibility of each control scheme is noted.

Please note that the prices quoted here were those found in-store during our review and may have changed since publication.

Washers and Dryers

Washers and dryers display a range of control types and the accessibility of any given device hinges on small details. The first washer we will discuss is the Samsung 5.6 Cu. Ft. 15-Cycle High-Efficiency Steam Front-Loading Washer. This device uses a digital control knob and touch controls for interacting with the machine. The knobs turn continuously, which means they do not have a set start or end. A tone plays every time the dial is turned and a light indicates the selected option. There is no tactile indication of where the knob is currently pointed, making it difficult for someone who is blind to discern the current position. The selected option does reset to the same setting every time the washer turns on, so it is possible, though difficult, to count the number of tones to the left or right of the default position to select a desired option. Someone with low vision may be able to see the light (though the text may be unreadable) and use memorization to follow the position of the knob. A tone sounds when a touch control is activated. There were short grooves between each touch control, but these don't extend to the edge of the raised portion containing the controls, so there is no way of determining by touch what control you are about to activate without actually activating it. The accessibility of the touch controls could be improved by the addition of tactile markers to the position just before the control itself so that you can identify each control without touching it directly. The Start and Stop buttons were, thankfully, actual buttons that can be located by touch and that provide feedback when activated. This washer is normally in the mid to high price range at $1,399; it had been reduced to $999 at the time of our review.

The next device is the Samsung 7.4 Cu. Ft. 11-Cycle Steam Electric Dryer. This device is similar to the previous washer in that it contains a digital knob with no tactile markings to alert a user who can't see the indicator LEDs to the current selection. Instead of touch controls, however, this dryer is equipped with pressable tactile buttons. At $599, this device is in the mid to low price range, which follows a trend that we noticed where lower priced appliances are more likely to be accessible. This device was paired with an accompanying washer, the Samsung Activewash 4.8 Cu. Ft. 11-Cycle High-Efficiency Top-Loading Washer (also $599), that possessed very similar controls altered to conform to the options of a washer instead of a dryer.

The next set of devices is a budget washer and dryer set. The Whirlpool Cabrio 4.3 Cu. Ft. 12-Cycle High-Efficiency Top-Loading Washer ($474) is fantastically accessible for a mainstream appliance. A single button starts the washing cycle. On either side of the front panel are dials that have a start and end point and also include a raised tactile arrow that indicates where the dial is pointing. In the center is a knob that spins continuously, but that also has a raised arrow on it. If a user memorizes the position of each option, he or she can use the washer without problem. The accompanying dryer is the Whirlpool Cabrio 7.0 Cu. Ft. 13-Cycle Electric Dryer ($474). The controls on this dryer appear identical to those of the washer, aside from the fact that instead of a Start button, the center knob depresses and serves as the Start button.

Ovens and Ranges/Cooktops

All of the oven and cooktop/range devices we reviewed had nearly identical controls. The first device we'll discuss is the Frigidaire 30″ Self-Cleaning Freestanding Electric Range ($504). This device has the controls in the back of the burners as is customary for cooktops. There are four dials, two on each side of the oven control that control the temperature of the burners. The user presses the knob and turns it to set the temperature. The dials have slight indentions that indicate where the dial is pointing. The burners themselves are part of a solid piece of ceramic that does not offer differentiation between the surface and the burner, which may make it difficult to find the burners. The oven controls appear as a flat, featureless control pad with non-tactile buttons similar to a microwave.

The mid-range oven/range combo we surveyed was the Whirlpool 30″ Self-Cleaning Slide-In Electric Convection Range ($1,200). The control scheme on this oven/range is nearly identical to the Frigidaire's discussed above. The controls are located on the front of the appliance and the tactile markings on the dials for the cooking elements are at the bottoms of the dials instead of on their tops. Otherwise, this control appears the same with the same featureless flat panel control pad for the oven.

The high-end Samsung 30" Self-Cleaning Freestanding Dual Door Electric Convection Range ($1,500) is very similar to the other two reviewed here, though its steel dials slightly taper towards the indicating ends. Otherwise the controls appear identical to the other models we surveyed. Overall, these ovens are all similarly accessible. The cooktops we looked at were all ceramic/glass without differentiation for cooking elements. The temperature controls for cooking elements were accessible but the oven controls would require the addition of tactile markers to be accessible.

Tips for Selecting and Using Glass Cooktops

More and more kitchens have glass cooktops rather than traditional coil or gas burners today, and if you have low or no vision, you may think that using a glass cooktop is difficult, if not impossible. Not necessarily. If you are shopping for a cooktop, you can look for features that make a glass cooktop more usable than you might think. If you are stuck with what you have, and the following features aren't present, don't despair, there are a few tips below that will help you persevere.

Look or feel for changes in texture on the glass surface. Some models have textured burners and others have textured negative space and smooth burners. Texture can help you to place the pot before the burner is turned on. If you bump or lift the pan after the burner is hot, you can lift the edge of the pan nearest the handle and slide the pan slowly back and forth to feel or listen for the texture when the pan slides on an off the textured surface. There's no need to lift the handle more than a half-inch, so you shouldn't spill. Try this technique when the pan is empty and the cooktop is cool to get accustomed to what you will hear and feel.

Some manufacturers outline the burners with an accent color. If you have some remaining vision, experiment at the store to determine whether you can see the contrast of these markings best when the glass is light, white, or almond, or if they are more visible when the glass is black and the accent is white. You may want to choose an option that combines both of these features to insure you will be able to use your cooktop if your vision diminishes over time.

Controls are also an important consideration when choosing a new appliance of any kind. Cooktops tend to have flush digital touch controls or knobs that turn. Check for tactile indicators on the knobs to make it easier to set the burner. Pay attention to the placement of the knobs as well. If they are arranged in a line along one side of the cooktop, it is harder to know for sure which knob controls which burner. Those arranged in a square pattern make it intuitive that the top right knob controls the top right burner. It is also important that controls are located at the front of the cooktop so that you do not have to reach across hot burners. Heat resistant tactile bumps are available to mark flush digital controls. It is important that the surface be cleaned with alcohol for the dots to stick well, but even then, they will very likely need to be replaced from time to time.

So, if you have a glass cooktop with no texture and no contrast rings, what can you do to place your saucepan in the right spot? First, contact the manufacturer and ask if it makes an overlay to help people who are blind to use the model you have. Keep asking until you feel you have exhausted the knowledge of anyone associated with accessibility at the manufacturer. Second, get someone sighted to help you know which size burner is in each of the four corners of your cooktop. While it is cool, ask them to place pots of the right size on each burner so you can feel the space available around each. If you need to, make a small model so you can remember which are the small burners and which are the large, get your art supplies out and make one that can be placed on the inside of a nearby cabinet door. It's necessary to use the right size pan to be able to use the next technique.

While the stove is cool, place a pan that will cover the entire burner already filled with what you want to cook in the spot where you think the burner is located. Turn the burner on high and hold both hands well above the pot so you can feel the heat coming from the burner. To avoid the risk of burning your hands, you may want to start out with your hands at shoulder level and move your hands slowly down toward the source of the heat. Spread your fingers wide and, with your palms facing down, move your hands above the pan to see if there is more heat on one side or if the heat rising up is fairly even. Adjust the pan until the heat feels about the same all the way around the circumference of the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and cook your food as desired. If you have some residual vision, you may be able to see the orange glow of the burner once it is turned on high, but be careful not to look too closely as you may singe or burn yourself. Never cook on high, only use high to intensify the heat to make it easier to feel or see for a short time. Glass cooktops may not be the easiest to use for someone who is blind or has low vision, but they can be mastered. Practice is the key to success.

Dishwashers

Unlike stoves, ovens, washers and dryers, the dishwashers we reviewed sported a wide range of control schemes.

The first dishwasher we'll discuss is the LG SteamDishwasher 24″ Tall Tub Built-In Dishwasher with Stainless Steel Tub ($989). Without modification this dishwasher is not accessible—the touc controls do not have non-visual identifying information. Unlike some touch button control panels, where the indentations for each button can be felt beneath the panel's membrane, the controls on this dishwasher appeared as a solid piece of hard plastic. This dishwasher could be made partially accessible with the addition of tactile overlays for the featureless buttons.

The LG 24″ Tall Tub Built-In Dishwasher is slightly more accessible ($720). This dishwasher includes a series of tactile button controls; note that on the website, this model number of dishwasher is listed as having "Hidden Smooth Touch Controls" so it is important to check the model in person to make sure that it is the correct version.

The Bosch Ascenta 24″ Tall Tub Built-In Dishwasher with Stainless-Steel Tub ($539) has analog tactile buttons, meaning each key corresponds to a single function. When keys are pressed, LEDs light to tell the user that the function is active.

The Bosch Ascenta 24″ Front Control Tall Tub Built-In Dishwasher with Stainless-Steel Tub ($449) is less accessible than the more expensive one mentioned above. It has tactile buttons, however these buttons are arrow keys that cycle an LED through options.

Microwaves

For this review, we are focusing on mainstream microwaves, thus talking microwaves such as the Cook Magic or Magic Chef will not be included in this article. Most of the microwaves we reviewed are very similar, with a physical keypad that lacks tactile features because the keys are behind a membrane. Most microwaves we surveyed held to this standard, but there were two that used different control schemes.

The first and lowest priced microwave followed the common control scheme. This microwave is the Sunbeam Digital Microwave Oven, 0.7 Cu. Ft. ($54 at Target). This microwave has a vertical control panel with three sections. The top section contains the quick settings keys such as those for cooking a potato or frozen dinner. Below this section lies the physical keypad. Below the keypad are the Start and Stop keys as well as a key to quickly add time to the clock.

The next microwave is a mid-range with features that make it accessible. This microwave is called the Panasonic NN-SN968B Luxury Full-Size 2.2 cu. ft Genius Countertop Microwave Oven with Inverter ($149 on Amazon). This microwave possesses tactile automatic cooking sensor keys as well as a tactile key for quick settings for popcorn. Functions such as defrost and "Quick minute" lie between the tactile buttons at the top of the display and a raised line just above the keypad, which makes orientation easy. Each row of the keypad is preceded by a raised line that dips in the center of the middle row of keypad keys making it easy to identify the key that you are looking for. At the bottom of the keypad are two tactile buttons for Stop/Reset and Start. Because of the tactile nature of the keypad, it is possible to accurately identify the non-tactile keys that would be difficult to locate on most microwaves.

The Panasonic 2.2 Cu. Ft. Full-Size Microwave also contains tactile features. This microwave has a tactile knob for setting time, but the knob turns continuously, making it possibly inaccessible as an LED light identifies the position of the knob. The other buttons are tactile including an "Add Minute" button, which could allow a method for entering time accessibly. Out of the various microwaves we surveyed including those discussed here, the Panasonic NN-SN968B was the most accessible microwave that was not designed specifically for accessibility.

The Bottom Line

Based on the appliances we surveyed, analog controls are still the most accessible. Even when digital controls use tactile elements, they still can be inaccessible due to the manner in which they communicate the selected option, such as the endless spinning knobs of the Samsung washers and the Bosch dishwasher with tactile arrow keys that control an LED display. In regards to standard appliances, very little has changed from years past and the lower cost options that include analog controls still remain the best choices for accessibility. Until manufacturers add better accessibility to their devices, it is heartening that the older analog style of control is still available.

Manufacturers have been producing appliances that can be connected to mobile apps through Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in recent years. Mobile connected appliances may provide significant advances in appliance accessibility, especially if apps allow users to control the appliance from a smartphone or tablet. In our next article in this series, we will be looking at mobile connected appliances to explore the accessibility of the apps themselves and determine if they enhance the user experience for people with visual impairments.

Product Information

Samsung 5.6 Cu. Ft. 15-Cycle High-Efficiency Steam Front-Loading Washer
Manufacturer: Samsung
Phone: 1-855-726-8721
Current Price: $1,299

Samsung 7.4 Cu. Ft. 11-Cycle Steam Electric Dryer
Manufacturer: Samsung
Phone: 1-855-726-8721
Current Price: $649

Samsung Activewash 4.8 Cu. Ft. 11-Cycle High-Efficiency Top-Loading Washer
Manufacturer: Samsung
Phone: 1-855-726-8721
Current Price: $649

Whirlpool Cabrio 4.3 Cu. Ft. 12-Cycle High-Efficiency Top-Loading Washer
Manufacturer: Whirlpool
Phone: 1-866-698-2538
Current Price: $599

Whirlpool Cabrio 7.0 Cu. Ft. 13-Cycle Electric Dryer
Manufacturer: Whirlpool
Phone: 1-866-698-2538
Current Price: $599

Frigidaire 30″ Self-Cleaning Freestanding Electric Range
Manufacturer: Frigidaire
Phone: 1-800-374-4432
Current Price: $599

Whirlpool 30″ Self-Cleaning Slide-In Electric Convection Range
Manufacturer: Whirlpool
Phone: 1-866-698-2538
Current Price: $1,439

Samsung 30″ Self-Cleaning Freestanding Dual Door Electric Convection Range
Manufacturer: Samsung
Phone: 1-855-726-8721
Current Price: $1,399

LG SteamDishwasher 24″ Tall Tub Built-In Dishwasher
Manufacturer: LG
Phone: 800-243-0000
Current Price: $989

LG 24″ Tall Tub Built-In Dishwasher with Stainless Steel Tub - Stainless Steel
Manufacturer: LG
Phone: 800-243-0000
Current Price : $809

Bosch Ascenta 24″ Tall Tub Built-In Dishwasher with Stainless-Steel Tub
Manufacturer: Bosch
Phone: 1-800-944-2904
Current Price: $539

Bosch Ascenta 24″ Tall Tub Built-In Dishwasher
Manufacturer: Bosch
Phone: 1-800-944-2904
Current Price: $449

Sunbeam Digital Microwave Oven, 0.7 Cu. Ft.
Manufacturer: Sunbeam
Phone: 1-(800) 458-8407
Current Price: $54

Panasonic Black 2.2 Cu. Ft. Microwave Oven
Manufacturer: Panasonic
Phone: 800-211-7262
Current Price: $154

Panasonic 2.2 Cu. Ft. Full-Size Microwave
Manufacturer: Panasonic
Phone: 800-211-7262
Current Price: $188

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The AFB Center on Vision Loss: A Showcase of Accessibility and Independence in Daily Living

Neva Fairchild

Dallas, Texas, is home to a must-see destination if you or someone you love has a visual impairment. The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) Center on Vision Loss, located at 11030 Ables Lane, promotes increased awareness, understanding, and knowledge in the following areas:

  • Strategies for living with vision loss
  • Information and products useful to consumers, family members, and professionals
  • Resources for helpful services

Opened in 2006, the Center on Vision Loss is a real-world laboratory through which the latest in products and environmental design are offered to people new to vision loss as well as to those who may be seeking new solutions to living or working as independently as possible with vision loss. Every year, an average of 1,000 people visit the Center to learn about common causes of vision loss, the latest in environmental design, and access technology.

The Center also educates family members and professionals from a variety of fields about environmental and product modifications that can be made to enhance the independence of people with vision loss.

The Center hosts tours and produces seminars on an array of topics for a variety of professionals including home health workers, occupational therapists, educators, eye care professionals, and even interior designers. Many of the seminars held at the Center make their way to the AFB eLearning Center as webinars or podcasts.

One of the most unique aspects of the Center is Esther's Place, a specially designed and fully equipped model home built within the office. Each room includes appropriate and accessible products and appliances, designed or adapted for people with varying degrees of vision loss. The environmental design of Esther's Place includes different types of lighting and examples of the use of color and texture contrast to enhance safety and promote independence in every area of the home.

Caption: Bathroom towels that contrast sharply with their surroundings make them easier to see for people with low vision.

The information and examples of adapted living areas seen in Ester's Place may inspire you to make changes to your living space, which will increase your independence. Esther's Place is a showcase for educational tours and hands-on demonstrations to individuals and groups.

Caption: High contrast place settings make finding the plate, cup, utensils, and napkin easier for people with low vision.

The Center on Vision Loss also provides assessment services to developers and manufacturers of new products and designs, and often partners with AFB Tech, universities, and research groups to investigate, review, and test new technologies and consumer products. In short, people take away hope and inspiration, knowing that there is life after vision loss.

For more information about AFB's Center on Vision Loss, or to schedule a tour, e-mail or call 214-352-7222.

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Reading Remains Fundamental with the Help of NFB-Newsline

Bill Holton

While it may be true that newspapers are rapidly losing readership, these publications still hold a great deal of value, especially in small towns where the only news source is the local daily or weekly. The New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, and other national and international news sources are also essential tools for keeping up with current affairs and trends. The good news is that having a visual impairment doesn't mean you can't read your favorite publications—and you don't even need a computer to do so!

While you're at it, you can check out the latest local forecast and weather alerts, consult your TV listings, and even search for a great new job. It's all made possible by the National Federation of the Blind's free service, NFB-Newsline. Here's how it works (even if you're an NFB-Newsline subscriber, you may want to read on for a new development in the iOS mobile app).

Getting Started with NFB-Newsline

NFB-Newsline is available to anyone who is unable to read printed newspapers because of vision loss. The service is sponsored by state chapters of the NFB, and currently it's available free to qualified residents of every state except North and South Dakota, Wyoming, and Alaska.

There are three ways to sign up for NFB-Newsline:

After your registration has been processed, you'll receive a letter containing your activation code and instructions on how to set up your account. Once you've completed the account setup, you can access over 400 publications, including local, regional, national, and international newspapers, magazines, and breaking news channels such as CNN and ESPN Online. Read all you want for free; the number of publications you access is limited only by the number of hours in the day you have to read them.

Subscribers also have access to local weather conditions and forecast, a jobs hotline, and a daily TV schedule, with program names, times, and channels customized to your local over-the-air availability or location and cable/satellite provider.

Accessing and Reading NFB-Newsline Content

There are many ways to access and read newspapers, magazines, and other print content using NFB-Newsline.

Over Your Phone

NFB-Newsline offers a toll-free call-in number, 888-882-1629, as well as a direct toll number, 646-600-6969, to call to hear the news read aloud. There's also a search page where you can enter your phone number and retrieve a local call-in number, where available.

Add this number to your speed dial, and be sure to use a local number, whenever possible, to help conserve program funds. Note: If you are using a mobile phone, remember, access charges may apply. If you plan to do a lot of listening on the go, consider upgrading to an unlimited calling plan.

The NFB-Newsline call-in lines use synthesized speech to announce menu choices and to read content. The default voice is extremely clear and easy to understand. There are also volume, pitch, and speed controls you can adjust to your liking and save in your account preferences.

At the beginning of your first call you will be asked to enter both your six-digit account number and four-digit Personal Identification Number (PIN). Subsequent calls from the same number only require that you confirm that you are the caller.

After you sign in, you are presented a series of numbered options. Press the appropriate digit on your phone's dial pad to make your choices, search for magazines and newspapers and have various articles read aloud, create a favorite publications list for quick access, check local weather, browse local TV schedules, and see what's on sale at your local Target store. NFB-Newsline can also help you find employment. Enter your Zip code and desired search radius and you can review mainstream job postings being advertised in your area. And if you don't catch every word of an article or job listing the first time, fear not. At any time you can have the material reread, or have a text copy sent to your registered e-mail address.

On Your Computer

As mentioned above, you can have individual articles sent to your e-mail inbox. You can also subscribe to various publications and have new issues e-mailed to you automatically first thing every morning so you can enjoy them with your morning cup of coffee. Alternatively, simply log onto NFB-Newsline Online. You can access the same content at any time using your Web browser paired with your favorite screen access software.

On Your Portable Player

If you have a National Library Service Digital Talking Book (NLS DTB) player, you can install a small downloader application onto your PC. Downloaded publications will be converted from text to audio, DAISY III audio files, which you can then copy to a standard USB flash drive or special, writeable NLS cartridge. You can listen to these files using either the Standard or Advanced model of player. However only the Advanced model allows you to jump instantly among newspaper sections and individual articles so you can skip around and read just what you want.

Various notetakers and third-party DAISY audio players can also download and play NFB-Newsline content. Two of the most popular players are the Victor Reader Stream from HumanWare and the Book Port Plus from the American Printing House for the Blind. Each of these players is small enough to fit inside a purse or pocket, so it's easy to take your reading with you anywhere. Click either of the device names above to learn more.

On Your Mobile Device

If you have a smartphone or tablet, you don't even need a portable DAISY player to access Newsline content on the go. Simply point your smartphone's browser to NFBNewslineOnline.org and access your favorite content using Talkback for Android or VoiceOver for iOS. Even more convenient: set up e-mail subscriptions to your favorite periodicals and use your device's e-mail app to read them.

Apple iPhone and iPad users have an exciting, additional option: you can get quick, one-stop access to your NFB-Newsline account by downloading and installing the NFB-Newsline app, available free from the iOS App Store. The app is completely accessible using VoiceOver. Just make sure the "Navigate by Headings" option is enabled on your VoiceOver rotor, as this is the element used to skip ahead or back from article to article. (Note: to learn more about this feature and other VoiceOver commands, check out the AFB Technology Guide: Cell Phones, Tablets, and Other Mobile Technology for Users with Visual Impairments.

The NFB-Newsline app offers the same publication options as the call-in number and website. You can browse for your hometown newspaper or other publication, then access the latest issue, or add it to your favorites list. This way, the next time you open the app you can access your daily must-reads even quicker.

Do you have a specific topic you'd like to read about in depth? The latest app version, 2.1, includes a Global Search feature, located in the Publications/Settings menu. There, you can create and edit global searches by entering search words or phrases. Select if you want to search newspapers, magazines, or channels, and whether you wish to conduct your search on the complete Newsline library, or limit your search to your list of favorites. Lastly, you can specify the time range: today's issue, the previous issue, major issues, and all issues. What's being said about your hometown team across the country? Use the NFB-Newsline mobile app to find out.

TV listings are also available on the app. Configure the list with your favorite channels for a shorter and easier to navigate program name/time/channel grid.

The last mobile app feature we'll discuss here is local weather. Double tap the Weather icon and you'll be offered information useful to the blind and which is not usually included in a weather report: whether it's day- or nighttime. This is followed by the current conditions for your local region, or, if you enable the app to use your device's location services, it will tell you current conditions for whatever vacation spot or grandchild's college town you happen to be in. Current conditions are followed by a detailed, hour-by-hour forecast for the next twelve hours, and the daily forecast for the next seven days.

A Lifetime of Reading

In this article we've demonstrated that it's possible to keep up with the local news and other current affairs with a visual impairment. Of course your ability to keep reading doesn't end there. In the AFB technology guide Using Technology for Reading: Solutions for People with Visual Impairments and Blindness, we discuss several other reading resources, including:

The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped: The NLS Digital Talking Book program is a free service that allows patrons to borrow recorded books and magazines through the mail to be played on an on-loan Digital Book Player, or to download them and listen on a compatible DAISY player or mobile phone or tablet.

Bookshare: This membership service offers access to a repository of over 200,000 titles, including many of the latest best sellers, playable using either a DAISY player or mobile device.

Amazon Kindle: These commercially available titles can be played using either an iOS or Android mobile device running VoiceOver or TalkBack.

Audible: This Amazon subsidiary is the largest purveyor of commercially available recorded books, including most of the latest best sellers. Recorded books can be played on your computer, or downloaded and played on your mobile device and most DAISY players.

Learning Ally: Life scholars will appreciate this subscription service where volunteer readers record books, describing images, charts, and other data usually missing from recorded books.

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A Day in the Life: Technology that Assists a Visually Impaired Person Throughout the Day

Bill Holton

In this special issue of AccessWorld we're rolling out the red carpet and introducing ourselves to a growing population that is all too frequently overlooked and chronically underserved: seniors who are blind or have low vision. At AccessWorld, our mission is to find and share innovative new ways in which technology can enhance and improve the lives of those with visual impairments, from finding and keeping a new job, to enjoying recreational activities independently or with friends and family. We'd like to take this opportunity to outline and describe just a tiny sampling of the mainstream and "blindness aware" technology we cover from month to month. Read on, and you will discover solutions to life's little challenges that you can use throughout your day, from the time you wake up until it's time to say goodnight.

Good Morning: Accessible Alarm Clocks

If you use an alarm clock to wake up, not too many years ago you would have needed to purchase a special, adaptive large number clock face, or one of only a few talking clocks. Today nearly every electronics, department, or discount store sells a clock that speaks the time aloud. Some of the most popular include Talking Atomic Clocks, which use radio signals to automatically set themselves to match official US Atomic Clock Time and date. Most can also be set manually with voice feedback, and many include extra features such as hourly or half-hourly chimes to help you track your day, and indoor and outdoor temperature announcements.

Dislike pushing buttons? The Moshi Voice-Interactive Alarm Clock may be just the ticket. Moshi clocks respond to voice commands, such as "What time is it?" and "Set an alarm for 7:30 AM."

Taking the Correct Medications

In the past, those with visual impairments had to rely on creative and innovative ways to identify their prescription bottles to confirm they were taking the correct medication. Some used braille labels; others relied on the different pill shapes and sizes, or put rubber bands around some bottles and stored different medications in different locations to help keep them straight. You still had to remember which medication to take when and how often, however, and this could be confusing if you were taking several different medicines.

Happily, thanks to considerable lobbying, new guidelines have been set to help ensure the accessibility of medication bottles and packages.

Most national chain and mail-order pharmacies now offer some variety of free, accessible prescription labeling. Ask your pharmacist if they offer this service, and if yours does not, consider switching to a pharmacy that does. Three popular labeling solutions include:

  • Talking Pill Reminders: These talking reminders attach to a prescription bottle and include a beeping reminder alert, along with the ability to record and replay an audio message describing the container's contents and proper dosage.
  • Audio Digital Label: This gum-wrapper-size device is programmed by the pharmacist with the prescription name, dosage, doctor's name, refill date, and other critical information. Press the device's single button and the information is spoken in clear, easy-to-understand synthesized speech.
  • The ScripTalk Station: This free device works in conjunction with specially tagged prescription bottles provided by participating pharmacies. Tap the pill bottle against the top of the Station and the medication name, dosage, and other information is spoken aloud. The ScripTalk Station can also be connected to a computer to obtain additional drug information.

Some Must-Have Technology: Computers and Mobile Devices

We mentioned in the last section that you can connect a ScripTalk Station to a computer to get additional medication information. As we proceed through our day, we will encounter more and more devices and services that require a computer or a mobile smartphone or tablet. You will discover that gaining a working knowledge of at least one, and preferably both of these technologies is going to be essential in enhancing your quality of life through accessibility.

If learning to use a talking computer or smartphone sounds daunting, it isn't. We at the American Foundation for the Blind have compiled a series of comprehensive guides to help you get started, including Using a Computer with a Visual Impairment: A Beginner's Guide to Computer Accessibility and Cell Phones, Tablets, and Other Mobile Technology for Users with Visual Impairments.

If you prefer to stick with your trusted flip phone, there are several models still available that use synthetic speech to announce the Caller ID, your contact list, even text messages you send and receive. After you read the Mobile Guide, however, we feel confident you will want to switch to a smartphone running either the Google Android operating system or the Apple iOS operating system. Your mobile carrier can even help you select the phone that is best for your needs, and offer help with accessibility issues ranging from alternate billing methods to technical support with your new device.

If you already have a computer, most have built-in accessibility features, including screen readers and magnification software. If you don't own a computer and funds are limited, check in with the folks at Computers for the Blind where they refurbish donated computers and offer them at discounted prices to the visually impaired.

Out and About: Orientation and Mobility

If you're employed, it's time to head off to work. If you're retired, maybe it's time to take a walk or run an errand. You could ask your spouse or a friend to come along or give you a ride, but of course you'd prefer to be as independent as possible. You're going to need some orientation and mobility (O&M) training.

Orientation is the ability to know where you are and where you want to go, whether you're moving from one room to another, or walking downtown for a shopping trip. Mobility is the ability to move safely, efficiently, and effectively from one place to another, crossing streets, and using public transportation with a white cane, guide dog, or another mobility aid. These skills and others are taught by professional O&M instructors. Find one using the AFB VisionAware state by state Directory of Services.

As part of your O&M training, your instructor will doubtless introduce you to some of the many high-tech mobility aids now available, including the following:

  • Trekker Breeze: This handheld GPS navigation device is both powerful and easy to use. It can announce your current location and map out a route to your destination, announcing cross streets and shops, restaurants, and other points of interest (POIs) as you go. Later, it can retrace your route to take you back home.
  • GPS on your mobile device: The iOS and Android smartphones all include built-in GPS receivers along with access to Apple and Google maps respectively. Each of these mobile mapping services is free and extremely accessible, but there are also a number of blindness aware navigation apps that provide spoken street crossing announcements, "look around" features that speak the names of POIs as you point your device in various directions, and many other extra bits of information that make traveling safer and more enjoyable for those with visual impairments. Two of the most popular of these navigation apps are Nearby Explorer for Android and Blindsquare for iOS.

Both Google Maps and Apple Maps have begun to incorporate local transit information, so you may also be able to use your mobile phone to check the schedule, plan a route, and find the nearest bus, train, or subway stop to start you on your journey.

Getting Down to Business: Scheduling and Reading

Whether you are still working or enjoying an active retirement, your calendar is probably full—now you just need to keep track of your various appointments. Mobile phones and tablets all come with preinstalled calendar apps that work well with the built-in magnification and screen reading software. You can also access your calendar on your computer, enter new appointments, and have them automatically synched with your mobile device so you can check your schedule on the go. Many talking feature phones also include accessible calendar software, but it is considerably more difficult to sync this information with your home PC.

It's easy to access your favorite newspapers and magazines. We also mentioned several sources for accessible books and other reading matter. But what about that memo you found lying on your desk? Or your daily mail? Until quite recently, people with visual impairments relied on "reading machines" and special OCR software to turn the printed page into machine readable text. But these days, reading a printed page can be as easy as snapping a picture with a mobile device. Thanks to the KNFB Reader, a text recognition app that is now available for both Android and iOS devices, all you need to do is point your phone at the printed page or envelope you'd like to read, tap the "Take Picture" control, and in seconds the text will be recognized and read aloud.

It's Lunchtime: Finding a Place to Eat, Paying for Your Meal, and Enjoying Social Media

Getting hungry? Your GPS navigation app can list all the nearby restaurants, from burger joints to that fancy French bistro you've always meant to try. These days you can even consult the menu online before going to the restaurant. Still don't know where you want to eat? Consider a mobile app like Yelp, which not only lists all of the local restaurants and other businesses, it also offers user rankings and reviews, menus, and the ability to scan your options by category, such as Italian Cuisine, or Take Out.

So you settled for fast food, and it's time to pay for your burger, fries, and shake. Now, is that bill in your hand a fiver, a ten-spot or a $20? There are several apps that can identify paper currency held in front of your mobile device's camera. The US Bureau of Engraving and Printing offers a pair of currency identification mobile apps for iOS and Android. They also offer a free iBill Money Identifier. Insert the edge of any bill into the iBill and it will announce the denomination in your choice of speech or beep tones.

Wow—the afternoon flew by, and it's time to head home. The bus doesn't travel to your suburban home, so you are waiting for the paratransit van, which offers curb to curb service to people with disabilities. You have a few minutes until the van arrives, so why not check Facebook and see how your granddaughter's dance recital went? The recital's photo collection is easy to follow along with, because your daughter-in-law always adds descriptive captions to each image she posts. Facebook is constantly striving to make its website and mobile apps more accessible to the sight impaired.

Home at Last: Identifying Objects and Making Purchases

You're still full from lunch, so you think maybe you'll just heat up a can of soup for dinner. Here's the challenge: there are about a hundred cans in your cabinet, and you have no interest in playing a game of pantry roulette. This is one of those situations where it would be nice if you could borrow a pair of eyes, just for a few minutes. Believe it or not, you can do just that.

Be My Eyes is an iPhone app that connects you to a network of over a quarter million volunteers. The app uses your device's camera to initiate a video session, during which the volunteer can look through your phone and help you distinguish the can of chicken noodle from the tomato soup. The app will be available for Android smartphones soon, and best of all, both the app and the service are free.

Oops, that was your last can of chicken noodle soup. It's time to buy more. Check with your local grocery store—it may already offer online ordering with home delivery, or perhaps it is about to.

You can also purchase most non-perishable food items online, along with most anything else you would like delivered straight to your front door, from dish soap to a new TV. The best place to get started is at Amazon. They offer a screen reader optimized web interface and their mobile apps are quite accessible.

Time for Some Fun: TV and Movies

Did you know there are special secondary audio tracks on many TV programs where a narrator describes the action?

Many movie theaters also offer special headsets on request that play an audio description track synced to the action on the screen. The Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA) includes a number of provisions regulating the production and availability of accessible broadcast media and devices: television sets, set-top boxes, digital video recorders (DVRs) and descriptive video for broadcast and non-broadcast channel programing. To put it simply, starting in July of 2016 many more TV networks and local channels and cable systems will be required to provide even more hours of descriptive programming every week. New TV sets, DVRs and cable boxes must also be made accessible to the blind. For a thorough look at the impact of this barrier-breaking legislation, check out Is Accessible TV Viewing Finally on its Way? in the January 2015 issue of AccessWorld.

Many new sets, including the latest models from Samsung, already feature a voice guide that voice announces channel numbers, program names, and the upcoming week's schedule. Comcast subscribers can already get a Voice Guide, which can be easily accessed using the cable box remote.

And while we're on the subject of remotes, how would you like to replace that table full of remotes with a single remote that's easy to see? Consider the illuminated Big Button Remote, available for $24.95 from the Chicago Lighthouse. For even more accessible TV remotes, check out AFB's Esther's Place, a virtual model apartment where each room features a number of accessible products and appliances for people with varying degrees of vision loss.

Day's End

It's the end of our virtual tour, and it's time to leave the virtual bedroom and head to your actual one. We at AccessWorld hope that after you set your talking thermostat and take your nightly medications, you'll sleep a little better, having learned many of the ways technology can help you reclaim your independence and enjoy your senior years. We also hope to see you next month back here at AccessWorld so we can introduce you to even more groundbreaking accessibility products and technologies. In the meantime, we'd love to hear from you.

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Letters to the Editor

Dear AccessWorld Editor,

I enjoyed Bill Holton's article Spotlight on Personal Finance Accessibility and look forward to reading future articles and reviews.

I am one of the fortunate people who has had very few problems accessing financial institutions on the web. I've done online banking for at least two decades; my credit union and online savings bank have both been very accessible. My former employer's NetBenefits site had a couple problems one year when my screen reader hadn't caught up with the newest HTML navigation technology, but there have always been work-arounds for that.

Occasionally I have problems navigating that site to determine how my 401(k) is doing, but there are a couple work-arounds there too. My credit card company's site is very accessible.

Mary Emerson

Dear AccessWorld Editor,

The article, Making the Transition from English Braille to UEB by Jamie Pauls, mentions use of contractions that look different to those in English Braille American Edition (EBAE.) I've read British contracted braille for many years and suspect that the decision to use contractions in different ways was influenced by British contracted braille. I've seen words such as "fever" written as f followed by dot 5 e, "edition" written with the ED sign at the beginning of the word, and the "of" sign in the middle of words such as "professor" and "profound."

BANA has a book called The ABC's of UEB. It's intended for transcribers, but some of the rules described there might be helpful. BANA also has links to some UEB publications produced overseas; one handy one is the Guidelines for Technical Material, which describes symbols and usage rules for math, science, and computer notation.

Mary Emerson

Dear AccessWorld Editor,

Great article on Making the Transition from English Braille to UEB by Jamie Pauls in the January AccessWorld issue! While its true screen readers are incorporating UEB into their translation tables, I've found one very annoying thing they've not addressed as yet, that being the way a string of words in all caps is handled. The BANA website says:

A triple dot 6 means that the next passage (three or more words), is capitalized. To show the end of the capitalized passage, the capitals mode terminator (dot 6, 3) is placed, unspaced, following the last capitalized word.

With JAWS and NVDA at least, this is not happening as yet, and I'm not sure note takers are doing it either. Hopefully someone will figure out a way to address this, as for me at least it's very annoying to see the double dot-6 in front of every word of a long paragraph written in all upper case. I frequently read products from National Weather Service including technical discussions, and they always enter the text in all upper case.

Thanks,

Pete De Vasto

Dear AccessWorld Editor,

I liked the January issue. I have these observations.

Don't forget Michael Mellor's book Louis Braille: a touch of genius (DB63350) about Louis Braille, too. It was very well-written and narrated biography of Louis Braille (1809–1852), a blind Frenchman who by age 16 designed a code of raised dots enabling blind people to read and write easily. [The book] discusses his schooling, his love of music, and the advantages of his tactile reading system. For junior and senior high and older readers. 2006.

I was sorry you only had one letter in the Letters to the Editor section. I enjoy those. Did no one write last month?

UEB will continue to be interesting. I'll figure it out and read it, but I suspect for personal use, I'll stay with the braille I know—at least for the time being.

Thank you

David

Dear AccessWorld Editor,

I'm just writing you to let you know that I made a Jet account after reading

To me, it appears really usable. I browsed and added an item to my cart. I will use it when I buy online next I think. The accessibility could of course be better, but it works for what I would need it for.

Thank you for this article, Evaluating the Accessibility of Jet, a New Online Shopping Site, by Bill Holton.

I was going to check the site out, but forgot about it actually until I saw this review.

Scott

Dear AccessWorld Editor,

I liked Janet Ingber's Article, Focus on the Hospitality Industry, Part 2: Using Your iOS Device to Book a Hotel Room. She did a great job in the March 2015 issue of AccessWorld. I think it is very important to educate the hotel developers about blindness. And they need to make their apps fully accessible to blind and visually impaired users. This way, blind and visually impaired users can independently book hotels. Some hotel websites are not fully accessible to blind and visually impaired users. The developers need to be educated about blind people and their needs. Right? I love reading AccessWorld. Thank you for making this publication accessible to blind and visually impaired users.

Have a good day,

Valentin Eugen

Dear AccessWorld Editor,

This letter is in response to the holiday shopping articles published in the November and December issues of AccessWorld. I did all of my holiday shopping on Groupon, and I love it. I found this site to be super accessible with VoiceOver, and it has a free app to boot. I would suggest trying it out. The point of the app is to give lower prices, and it even tells you what the original price was. It's a very straightforward free app, and it has a wide variety of products for sale.

Best regards,

Destin Miller

AccessWorld Recognizes February as Low Vision Awareness Month and Encourages Seniors to Adopt Access Technology

Lee Huffman

Dear AccessWorld readers,

Last month AccessWorld celebrated the birthday and life's work of Louis Braille. I hope everyone had a chance to visit The Louis Braille Museum on the AFB website, and read The Reading Fingers, the full text of Jean Roblin's classic 1952 biography of Louis Braille, and Braille, the Magic Wand of the Blind, Helen Keller's essay on Louis Braille. If not, I encourage you to take a look at these great works.

As we move from celebrating the achievements of Louis Braille to recognizing February as Low Vision Awareness Month, valid questions are, "Who experiences low vision," and "What exactly is low vision?" Low vision is a term commonly used to mean partial sight, or sight that isn't fully correctable with surgery, medications, contact lenses, or glasses. In the United States, the most common causes of low vision are age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy. People can also be born with conditions such as albinism or optic nerve damage that can result in low vision. People of all ages, children and seniors alike, can experience low vision, due to eye disease in most cases, but also due to eye injury.

The largest population of Americans who experience low vision is seniors over the age of 65. This is why, for the month of February, AccessWorld is focusing, so to speak, on topics and technologies that may be especially relevant to seniors. Seniors, at times, may be hesitant to adopt the use of technology, especially access technology, and in this issue of AccessWorld, we want to help break down barriers, remove the uncertainty of what technology and access technology can do, and demonstrate how it can help improve independence and daily life.

People with low vision can use magnification devices, electronic devices, computer-access software, and other access and mainstream technologies to maximize their remaining vision, or they can learn alternative ways of doing things, such as using their senses of touch and/or hearing. As our regular readers know, AccessWorld regularly reports on many technologies used by people with low vision. For additional information on living with low vision, please visit the AFB VisionAware Low Vision resources page.

We at AFB are working with the National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision (NRTC) at Mississippi State University as a partner to bring you this special AccessWorld issue on aging. The NRTC recently received a grant from the Rehabilitation Services Administration to provide training and technical assistance to programs serving older adults with blindness and low vision. This aging issue is part of our joint emphasis to encourage and prepare service providers to introduce seniors to technology they can utilize in their everyday lives. We also intend for information in this issue to be useful to persons who are themselves aging with vision loss.

In observance of Low Vision Awareness Month, I encourage everyone to have a complete eye exam from a licensed ophthalmologist or optometrist. Getting a yearly exam increases the chances of early detection and diagnosis of conditions that may lead to vision loss. If you or someone you know has experienced significant vision loss, I encourage you to have a low vision examination.

A low vision examination is quite different from the basic examination routinely performed by primary care optometrists and ophthalmologists. A low vision examination includes a review of your visual and medical history, and places an emphasis on the vision needed to read, cook, work, study, travel, and perform and enjoy other common activities. The goals of a low vision exam include assessing the functional needs, capabilities, and limitations of your vision; assessing ocular and systemic diseases; and evaluating and prescribing low vision therapies. Education and counseling of family and other care providers; providing an understanding of your visual functioning to aid educators, vocational counselors, employers and care givers; directing further evaluations and treatments by other vision rehabilitation professionals; and making appropriate referrals for medical intervention are all a part of a low vision evaluation.

The low vision examination takes much longer than a typical eye exam, but the information gained can be invaluable. No matter what your visual acuity, it is important to understand any diagnosis you may receive and to keep your eyes as healthy as you possibly can.

I would like to take this opportunity to remind readers of the "Comment on this Article" link at the bottom of each article. This link allows you to provide direct feedback on an article to the author and me; we want to hear your thoughts, questions, comments, or concerns. As a publication, being responsive to you, our readers, is our priority.

Sincerely,
Lee Huffman
AccessWorld Editor-in-Chief
American Foundation for the Blind

AccessWorld News

Microsoft Makes Changes to its Accessibility Strategies

Very recently, Microsoft announced some organizational shifts and investments in how it is going to be leading and driving accessibility across the company. Important information is provided by Microsoft in its blog post, Moving forward on Accessibility.

AFB's VisionAware Posts New Survey to Capture Information about Older Workers who Experience Vision Loss

AFB's VisionAware is conducting a survey for people who are blind or visually impaired, who experienced vision loss at age 55 or older, and who continued to work or returned to work after vision loss. The criteria for taking the survey are as follows: (1) You experienced vision loss that started when you were age 55 or older and (2) You continued to work or return to work after experiencing vision loss (even if you are retired now). If the answer to both criteria is "yes," please take this 22-question survey. We will enter your name in a drawing for a $100 Amazon gift card if you participate and share your contact information with us.

The survey will help AFB develop and update information on VisionAware for older individuals with vision loss who are seeking to retain jobs or find employment.

Please take our survey.

Envision Names Second Round of Research Fellows and Awards First Round Projects a Second Year

Envision recently announced that it has awarded two new postdoctoral fellowships to Andrea Urqueta Alfaro, PhD, from California and Arun Kumar Krishnan, PhD, from India for research to be conducted at its Envision Research Institute (ERI), based here in the United States. Both studies are expected to commence in the first quarter of this year. In addition to naming two new fellows to the ERI, Executive Director Laura Walker, PhD, announced both of the first round fellows, Tony Succar, PhD, from Australia, and Rezaul Karim, PhD, from Bangladesh, had been awarded a second year to continue their respective studies.

Fellowships at the ERI provide an educational environment where appointees identify?solutions to improve the quality of life for people who are blind or visually impaired. Through mentoring, the fellows are put on the fast?track to independent and impactful?research?careers. Each fellowship is awarded for one year, with a second year contingent on progress in the first.

Dr. Alfaro's fellowship is being generously funded through a partnership with LC Industries, a sister National Industries for the Blind agency to Envision. She recently received her degree in psychology from the University of California, Berkeley and holds a master's degree in special education from San Francisco State University. Her dissertation examined engagement and attachment patterns in infants with visual impairment. Two mentors will advise Dr. Alfaro while she conducts her work at the ERI. Dr. Joshua Miele, director of the Video Description Research and Development Center and Description Research and Innovation Lab at the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute in San Francisco, will advise on accessibility technologies and multisensory processing pertaining to early childhood education. Dr. Walker will advise Dr. Alfaro on quantitative research techniques and analysis.

Dr. Krishnan's fellowship is being generously funded through a partnership with Bosma Enterprises, a sister National Industries for the Blind agency to Envision. Dr. Krishnan has a background in pediatric optometry and low vision and holds a bachelor's degree in Optometry from the Elite School of Optometry in Chennai, India. He completed his PhD with Harold Bedell, PhD, at the University of Houston, and prepared a dissertation focused on structural and functional changes at the preferred retinal locus in patients with central field loss. While working at the ERI, he will be mentored by Dr. Susana Chung, OD, PhD, from the University of California, Berkeley, a leader in his chosen area of research.

After releasing a call for applicants last summer, Envision heard from numerous candidates who submitted letters of intent to apply. Envision selected and invited five candidates to submit full research and training proposals based on their qualifications, their potential for future research careers and the alignment of their proposed projects with the mission of the ERI. All applications were reviewed externally by experts in blind and visually impaired (BVI) research. Those who were not invited to apply this year were given constructive feedback to help prepare a future application.

The two new research fellows will now join their first round counterparts who made significant progress in blind and low vision research.

Retinal Consultants of Arizona Announces New North Phoenix Location; Adds Second Airplane to Clinical Practice

Retinal Consultants of Arizona (RCA), one of the nation's leading Retina & Vitreous clinical research and patient treatment facilities, announced it has purchased a 35,000 square foot building in North Phoenix to become the latest expansion of its clinical practice and research institute. This building adds to RCA's growing network of more than 35 locations throughout Arizona serving patients with retina diseases such as Macular Degeneration and Diabetic Eye Diseases. The new building will be operational later this year. Retinal Consultants will maintain its current practice locations.

In addition to the new building, Retinal Consultants of Arizona has added a second airplane, a Beechcraft King Air 200, to further serve patients at a higher frequency outside of the Phoenix-metro area. This is a practice model that RCA has instituted in order to provide patients living throughout the state to have access to the best retina care available. RCA physicians and staff travel daily with medicine, equipment and gear to various parts of the state to serve its patients, including communities such as Tuba City where RCA has been treating the Native American population for more than 20 years.

A large part of the new building will focus on the Retinal Research Institute, which is currently the largest, most active research institute in the country focused exclusively on diseases of the retina, macula, and vitreous. The research institute, and the RCA physicians, are sought after for their expertise and dedication to researching and studying new treatments toward retinal diseases and have contributed to the advancement of new drugs, treatments and surgical processes available to patients.

Get Three Free books from Seedlings in 2016

Every blind or visually impaired child (ages 0–21) in the U.S. and Canada may now get three free books from Seedlings Braille Books for Children! Seedlings has expanded its Book Angel Program for 2016. The program was originally called "Anna's Book Angel Project" in memory of its Director's 19-year-old daughter who was killed by a drunk driver in 2001. Each year, every blind child registered received one free book in Anna's name, but thanks to Seedlings' generous donors, that number is now three. Just register your child or student online.

FCC Considering a Proposal to Unlock the Set-top Box

Most Americans get their television programming through Cable or Satellite TV, and that usually requires consumers to rent or buy a device commonly called a set-top box. In an effort to spur competition and address the rising costs of renting a set-top box, the Federal Communications Commission Chairman is proposing to create a framework through which consumers may receive television programming content via their choice of delivery device. The proposal is up for consideration at the Meeting of FCC Commissioners on February 18, 2016. The FCC contends that U.S. consumers spend $20 billion per year to lease set-top boxes.

Supporters of the idea to move away from the set-top box gateway believe that consumers will benefit from having more choices, greater flexibility, improved technology innovation, greater competition, and lower prices. Companies are already in the marketplace poised to take advantage of changes in the delivery of television. For example, Google, Amazon's Fire TV, TiVo, a producer of competitive set-top boxes, and Apple TV, are offering alternative means of obtaining video content and television channels.

Cable and satellite providers, collectively known as Multichannel Video Programming Distributor's (MVPDs), have formed a coalition, Future of the TV, to oppose the proposal. They argue that consumers would be hurt because they would have to buy new devices to obtain the variety of programs they now get?through the set-top box and that support for diverse programming and consumer privacy would be weakened. The National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA), which represents cable TV companies, notes that app-based television services are already growing rapidly.

Any significant change in the nature of television program delivery will likely take a while to get sorted out. However, alterations to the current system, still dominated by access and control through the set-top?box rather than the television receiver, may affect individuals with vision loss. By the end of 2016, set-top boxes, as well as television receivers, must include access features to allow individuals who are blind or visually impaired to independently control and operate the equipment. Samsung and Panasonic have already developed television receivers with accessible controls, while Apple TV, as noted in a previous issue of AccessWorld, has continued to improve accessibility. Bypassing the set-top box with these devices might benefit consumers with vision loss. However, Comcast has already introduced an accessible set-top box, and as other Cable and satellite systems follow suit later this year, the situation will get better for those who get their television that way. Stay tuned for further developments. IN the meantime, if you want to follow the FCC action on this topic, the official proceeding is?MB Docket No. 15-64.

Wrap-up Report from CES 2016

Paul Schroeder, John Lilly

With a big thank you to the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), AFB was again able to attend the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the annual global technology tradeshow that takes place in early January in Las Vegas. CTA, formerly the Consumer Electronics Association, made it possible for John Lilly, who works in the AFB Tech office in Huntington, WV, and me to attend the show. The official show ran from Wednesday, January 6 through Saturday, January 9. On Monday and Tuesday, special briefings, some of which I was able to attend, were held for the media. Here is our show wrap up.

As Lyle Lovett might say, CES is not large, it's huge. More than 3,800 exhibitors unveiled their latest technologies across more than 2.47 million square feet of exhibit space to more than 170,000 industry professionals. Perhaps most surprising for the new visitor to CES is the size of the exhibit booths. Many booths resemble nothing so much as the large suburban homes that the products on display are meant to, eventually, fill up.

This year, we tried to focus on technologies for home and health, which are major growth areas for the consumer technology industry. John also took a close look at various virtual and augmented reality lens- and head-mounted display technologies to see what kind of value these might offer to people with usable low vision. And, never fear, we fit in time to look at some of the many audio technology companies that come to CES, because we love our headphones and earbuds, especially Bluetooth connected ones. And, on the topic of Bluetooth, it seemed like the current view is every technology is better with Bluetooth. There was reportedly even a Bluetooth-enabled flower pot at CES.

Technology of Special Interest to People with Vision Loss

Samsung is continuing to strengthen its commitment to accessibility. The company included an accessibility section within its booth at CES. One of the items on display was the Samsung UN55KU7500 Smart UHD TV with Accessibility Features. The TV won a Best of Innovation award. The TV incorporates voice output menus for controlling and choosing features as well as a remote with decent tactile keys.

One of our first booth visits at CES was Casio, which was heavily promoting its new rugged smart watch. We were there to see something else they are quite proud of, the 2.5D Printer system for producing tactile graphics and braille. The tactile printing component of the printer relies on heat to raise images, dots, lines etc. up to 2.5 millimeters on specially produced paper treated with micro-powder. The new printer also allows for standard printing on the same sheet. The graphics and the braille felt sturdy and substantial.

Casio expects to introduce the 2.5D Printing Technology into the Japanese market in the spring of 2016. I was told that the cost for the printer might be between $18,000 and $20,000 US and each sheet of paper is likely to be priced at $2-3 US.

The printer is fairly large in size, resembling a coffee table that has a computer with a large touchscreen built into the top and two printing components underneath. Have a look at the website for more information. Casio also plans to bring the printer to the 2016 CSUN technology conference in March.

French start-up MagicaVision was showing an Android phone designed specifically for people who are blind or visually impaired. The phone (which resembles a long rectangular TV remote control), features a touchscreen display on one side and tactile buttons on the other side. Besides phone functions, the device will also work as a TV remote, color and light detector, obstacle detector, and more. The company says it will launch the device in France later this spring and hopes to bring it to the US late in 2016. The target price is $199 US. You can find some information at the MagicaVision website.

Polymer Braille Inc., a North Carolina company that hopes to revolutionize braille display technology was also at CES. Their concept is to use advanced polymer plastic to create the force to drive the braille pins. They do not have a prototype display to show yet, but their hope is to launch a multi-line display within a year. The goal is certainly worthy, but many attempts that have been made to develop new braille display technologies have thus far not succeeded.

Capturing Those Special Audio Moments

Who has not wished they could have saved a priceless audio moment or that essential comment missed in a meeting? Well, Kapture, a new audio recording device featured at CES, might be just the solution. We had a chance to discuss the device with Mike Sarow, co-founder and CEO,of the Cincinnati-based Kapture Audio. The Kapture device is a wrist band that continuously records audio in a 60-second loop. Simply double tap the wrist band, or the clip-on, watch-sized device and a recording of the previous 60 seconds of what you've heard or said is beamed to the associated app on your iOS or Android smart phone. According to the Kapture Audio website, the omni-directional microphone picks up sound within a 5-foot radius. Sarow said he developed the concept as a means to encourage us to listen more attentively to the people around us. He says that grabbing those priceless snippets of things our children say has been a big draw. Others use the device to "capture" key points in a meeting. Of course, it's easy to imagine that people who are blind might want to share interesting audio clips the way people now share photos.

The device, which costs $129 for the wrist band, is easy to use. Sarow says he is working on improving VoiceOver support, noting that some of the editing functions are not currently fully accessible. Audio clips are stored in your cloud-based account.

Tech in the Home

The connected home was a major focus of many companies at CES. We took a look at some products from iHome and iDevices. Both had similar functionality, allowing users to control electrical devices with the Apple voice-responsive Siri assistant as well as an iOS app. The smart devices were in many different forms such as electrical outlets and plugs, switches, light bulbs, thermostats, and even water leak detectors. Smart home devices could provide critical access for individuals with vision loss using an app on a smart phone to control mostly inaccessible hardware. Unfortunately, many of the companies were unable to comment on compatibility with VoiceOver or Talkback, but AFB will work to test access and make screen reader compatibility a standard feature of smart home apps.

Monitoring and Managing Health

In the healthcare area, the folks at Qardio were pleased to show off how well the QardioArm blood pressure monitor works with VoiceOver on Apple iOS products. We tested it with an iPhone using VoiceOver and found it very easy to set up, take measurements, and review results. The Qardio team also showed off QardioBase, a smart scale that measures your weight, body mass index (BMI), muscle mass, body fat percentage, and water and bone composition. We appreciated the candor of Qardio's CTO, Rosario Iannella, who indicated the app still needs some work for full VoiceOver access. It was possible to set up and use the device and read the results, but a bit more work will be needed to make the results easier to navigate and use. The company seems dedicated to making its products accessible through the app and their success with QardioArm shows they can do it. The QardioArm sells for $99 and the QardioBase for $149. Visit the Qardio website for information.

We also met with Omron Healthcare, a leading provider of clinical blood pressure monitors. Omron was showing two new blood pressure measurement devices and promoting its new initiative to address heart health. We looked at the new Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor, which includes an onboard display just like their upper arm model. It also communicates with the OMRON Connect app, but the app (which will be out later this year) does not work that well with VoiceOver. Along with providing blood pressure readings, the new wristband monitor also provides physical activity and sleep data. Omron representatives we spoke with said they were looking at changes to the app to improve VoiceOver access.

ReliefBand provides a technology-based solution for motion sickness or morning sickness. The target price for the band is $89. It delivers various levels of a mild electrical pulse to nerves in the wrist, which helps with nausea. The stimulation feels like a very mild electric shock.

For parents with vision loss who worry about supervising their child out in public areas, especially playgrounds and the like, the Child Angel might be a useful solution. This wearable technology allows you to track and find your child through GPS, Wi-Fi and GSM signals. Through the app, available for iOS and Android, you can determine your child's movements on your smart phone. An alarm is triggered if your child's device is disconnected and the battery lasts up to 48 hours. In my conversation at the booth, it seems that an alarm can also be set if your child moves too far away.

Virtual Reality

With virtual reality products hitting the consumer market, it seemed like a good idea for John to check out the products and research on display at CES, to determine if virtual reality can be used to assist individuals with low vision. At least one of the companies was actually touting their product for just that purpose. So, let's start with that one.

NuEyes, starting at $5,995, is a head-mounted display with an integrated camera, similar to the Jordy from Enhanced Vision. Designed to assist individuals with low vision, the device resembles a pair of sunglasses and fits over eyeglasses. The glasses stabilize images when magnified, and have different contrast settings. They also work with voice commands and swipe controls on the side of the device. NuEyes was a CES 2016 winner for technology that improves lives.

Vuzix received a Best of Innovation award at CES 2016 for their iWear wireless virtual reality headset. The iWear headset, which costs $500, is designed as a gaming and entertainment device and has integrated stereo headphones. The M3000 Smart Glasses (pricing not yet available) are an augmented reality device that overlays graphics and text. The M3000 has been "purpose-designed for commercial, professional, and prosumer users." Reps in their booth at CES were pushing this device to be used mainly in the medical and industrial fields, but it could have many more uses. The glasses have a semitransparent display that is positioned in front of the eye and an accompanying HD camera for recording and/or remote assistance. A related product, the M300 Smart Glasses (pricing not yet available), resembles the M3000 except the display is opaque instead of transparent. The display is fixed on an arm that can be positioned in the outer top portion of your field of view on either side of the glasses. The display is also designed so it can swing completely out of view when not in use. The frames of the smart glasses are designed to not interfere with prescription eyeglasses so both can be worn at the same time. This device may be worth further examination for potential uses, particularly in the low vision community. The HD camera, small and light enough to wear without fatigue, has image stabilization, which could be used to magnify certain items. One feature that the Vuzix representative mentioned is that the camera can be used to scan items such as a can of soup with the information provided via speech through the integrated earpiece.

I also had the opportunity to test out some research from Purdue University, which is developing a device that allows virtual reality devices to track forward and back positioning in 3D space. A virtual solar system was on display for demonstration of the technology. When you looked at a planet and moved forward, you zoomed into that planet. The currently available virtual reality headsets only allow for side-to-side and up and down movements. This technology would be a great addition for virtual reality.

The consumer version of the Oculus Rift, priced at $599, was on display, but unfortunately had an average wait time of about 2 hours to get a demo. The Samsung Gear VR was also available for a demo at the Oculus booth. The Gear VR is much more portable compared to the Rift. The Gear VR needs to be paired with a recent Samsung Galaxy smart phone, which acts as the display. This means that you won't be carrying any extra weight if you are transporting the Gear VR. The Gear VR is priced at $99.

What about Audio: Turn it Up!

It seemed like every company that makes headphones, earbuds, or speakers was at CES. Here are some highlights of our visits at CES. Obviously, we did not make it to anywhere near all the audio booths. Lots of companies were showing off waterproof or splash resistant Bluetooth speakers, so get ready for outdoor parties this summer. It also seemed like every booth had Bluetooth earbuds.

Invoxia, a French company, announced that its Triby speaker is the first third-party device to include the Amazon Alexa Voice Service. Triby is a portable connected speaker designed for the kitchen, including a magnetic back. Along with the Amazon Echo features, Triby includes Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, allowing Internet calls and a touchscreen message board. The Triby with Alexa will be available in Spring 2016 at a retail price of $199.

Another French company, Akoustic Arts, was demonstrating a directional speaker called the A. The A streams sound in a tight beam of perhaps a foot or so. Outside of the beam, you can't hear the speaker, or at least not very well. It was hard to demonstrate this at CES, because it was so loud on the exhibit floor, but the concept may prove interesting for people who want sound from a speaker but only in a discrete area, such as in front of their computer. In fact, company representatives said they are in discussions with computer manufacturers to place the speaker and associated technology in laptops.

Moving on to headphone and Bluetooth accessories, we were able to see a few interesting technologies. ZAGG, the mobile accessories company, showed off the FLEX ARC headset Wearable Earbuds + Speaker. The device is a neck loop frame with earbuds that extend and retract along with external speakers and microphone for listening and talking without the earbuds. The device we saw was not yet functional, so we couldn't judge the sound quality. It is expected to be out later this year at a retail price around $100.

We had a chance to visit Aftershokz, the developer of bone conduction headphones that are fairly popular in the blindness community because the headphone transmits sound into the cheek bone leaving the ear open to hear other sounds. We checked out their newest releases: Treks Titanium wireless, available for $129.99, and Bluez 2S, available for $79.95. Both offer powerful drivers and seem to be well constructed. The Trekz were built particularly for exercise and outdoor enthusiasts with a flexible titanium band.

Some of the more interesting Bluetooth earbuds were on display in the start-up area of CES. For example, Canadian start-up Revol technologies was showing off the Revols Bluetooth earbuds for which they had just completed a very successful Kickstarter campaign. Revols Bluetooth earbuds contain a gel that allows them to conform to the shape of your ear, which is then hardened to maintain the fit. The earbuds and associated app also include a system for passing through external sounds, along with an equalizer and a protective sweat resistant skin. They hope to ship earbuds by June or July 2016 at a target retail price of around $300.

Alpha Audiotronics, a New York City start-up, was showing their skybuds product and associated phone case. The Bluetooth earbuds are stored in the base of the phone case, which also includes a built-in charger for the phone and buds. They also sell a "pocket case" with built-in charger for the buds. They hope to ship the product in May 2016, for $279 with the phone case.

Hong-Kong-based Aumeo Audio has developed a small device to personalize the audio output levels to any headphone of your choice. Through an app, you first test your hearing to determine which frequencies may need to be enhanced. Then the device, which retails for approximately $200 and easily fits in a shirt pocket, delivers audio that is tailored to your specific hearing sensitivity. In a test at the booth, it was difficult to hear improvement from the device, but, in fairness, CES is a very loud place.

Plantronics unveiled the Voyager Focus UC, a business-oriented, stereo Bluetooth headset with Active Noise Canceling technology. The headset is built to provide great sound for conference calls or listening to music, and it also supports mobile and PC-based communications. Plantronics lists the battery life at 12 hours of talk time. The Voyager Focus UC retail price is $299.

Audio-Technica demonstrated its continued commitment to high-resolution audio. Among other headphones, they were eager to demonstrate the ATH-SR5BT wireless Hi-Res Audio headphones. The on-ear Bluetooth headphones are also equipped with aptX sound-improvement technology, specifically created to improve audio performance over a Bluetooth transmission. The ATH-SR5BT also feature a detachable cable with microphone and controller. They are hi-res compliant when connected via the included cable. The headphones should be available in the spring for around $200.

Finally, for those of us who sometimes need headphones at night but are looking for something a little lighter and less bulky, Bedphones, flat on-ear headphones designed for comfort while sleeping, might be the answer. The headphones, now in their 3rd generation, sell for around $59, and while they do not output a very high volume, the sound quality is good.

AcousticSheep also offers headphones designed for sleep. Their SleepPhones Harmony integrates Bluetooth wireless headphones (within a headband) with built-in sensors along with an audio application and a cloud server. The system is supposed to detect and analyze the wearer's head movement while they sleep to adjust volume, sounds, and beats based on the level of sleep.

As any of these or other stories we picked up at CES develop, we'll be sure to keep you posted.