Dear AccessWorld Editor,

I wish to comment on Bill Holton's article appearing in the August, 2014 issue entitled Book Review: Learn to Use the Mac with VoiceOver: A Step-by-Step Guide for Blind Users, by Janet Ingber. Bill did an excellent job with this article. I just got my first Mac computer last year a couple days after Christmas, and have really enjoyed learning a new operating system. I am a screen reader user, and I find that VoiceOver is a perfect addition to the screen reader market. Apple certainly did the right thing by including it in their core operating system. I have found all the voices very easy to understand. However, I do have one problem. For a little while now I've been experiencing a rather odd problem with the speech on my Mac. It will randomly cut off in the middle of a sentence and become very choppy, and/or stop dead in its tracks. This issue started occurring this summer. It doesn't happen a lot, but I'd say about once or twice per day for about 3–5 minutes. I've tried repairing permissions, as suggested on the AppleVis website and a couple e-mail discussion lists. A friend also suggested to me that this issue might be occurring when the Screen Curtain is turned off. In addition, I recently removed Chromevox from my system thinking that it might be the cause. But the problem still exists. I'm wondering if any other AccessWorld staff or readers have experienced this issue, and if so, what solution worked? I have a 13-inch Mac Book Air, mid-2013 model. But other than the aforementioned issue, I have absolutely no complaints about my Mac.

I have not yet read Janet's entire book, but I did read the introduction and table of contents last week when I was at my parents' house. A sister of mine also uses VoiceOver, and she currently has a copy of the book. Additionally, the guys who assisted my parents and me at an Apple store in our area were fantastic.

Sincerely,

Jake Joehl

Dear AccessWorld Editor,

I read with interest and pleasure the article Series: The Work of the Smith-Kettlewell Institute Part V: Bill Gerrey: Profile of a Pioneer, Scientist, and Role Model who is Blind. Deborah Kendrick has done an excellent job of capturing Bill Gerrey's quirky but intriguing and insatiable curiosity. I had the pleasure of being Bill's rehabilitation counselor and played a small part in getting him started on his profession. I recall once being with Bill when he and I were asked to evaluate one of the major banks' attempts at making an ATM accessible for blind persons. Bill was underwhelmed with the model we were examining. He had an implement with him that looked like a small hammer. When he tapped the machine we were looking at, the gizmo made the sound like breaking glass. He didn't harm the machine but certainly gave the bank staffer the impression that he had damaged the model. The interview ended shortly after that. So, it is good knowing that Bill still plays with his tinker toys.

Gil Johnson

Dear AccessWorld Editor,

Thank you for featuring Mr. Gerrey in this month's AccessWorld in Deborah Kendrick's article, Series: The Work of the Smith-Kettlewell Institute Part V: Bill Gerrey: Profile of a Pioneer, Scientist, and Role Model who is Blind.

As a twenty-something blind guy interested in all kinds of tech stuff, including ham radio, I had the privilege of spending a number of weeks learning how to solder and assemble stuff at the "Little School" that Smith-Kettlewell permitted in Bill's lab (happily staffed and powered by Bill, Tom Fowle, and Jay Williams). More than just learning the joys of sticking hot globs of solder to my fingertips and building things (including a RF field strength tester/transmitter tuning aid which I still own and use), I was encouraged, educated and inspired by Messrs. Gerrey, Fowle, and Williams.

If Bill Gerrey has the chance to read this, I would just like to say:

Thanks Bill for the time and friendship you, Tom, and Jay generously gave to me and the others who spent happy and informative hours at the "Little School," and for the opportunity of spending a great evening with you guys from "the lab" and Monica at your great house across from the San Francisco Mint!

Sincerely,

Ron Miller

Dear AccessWorld Editor,

I am writing in response to a letter submitted in the last issue sent in by Mr. Harrison of Triumph Technologies about the article An Introduction to Accessible QuickBooks by Intuit and My Blind Spot, by Aaron Preece.

Mr. Harrison's personal and professional frustrations centered on his quest for a usable accounting program are quite similar to tose that motivated us to reach out to Intuit to open discussions around making QuickBooks usable and accessible for the first tme. As a nonprofit based in New York City, My Blind Spot needed…accounting tools to manage our day-to-day finances and we sought out and looked to the repeated suggestions made by so many other professionals in financial management: Get QuickBooks. But, before we could heed the suggestions of accountants and bookkeepers alike, we had to first address the accessibility and usability issues that were very prevalent and very obstructive in the QuickBooksproduct lines. The frustrations a great number of us felt were very real and very unfortunate without question. But that has changed now.

What is exciting for me, both personally and professionally, are the choices before us, for the first time, when it comes to programs for the financial management of our small businesses. Now accountants, bookkeepers and tax preparers transitioning into the community can stay gainfully employed and do so by choosing a program that serves their needs as professionals. Cash Manager is a good program without question, but now the community can actively make a choice between accounting programs that meet their needs and work with adaptive technologies used by people who are blind, visually impaired, or print disabled.

The concepts and realities around our community finding software programs that are tried and true has been ever elusive and continues to be in far too many instances. At My Blind Spot we happen to believe that this is unacceptable and that accessibility needs to be priority one for private an public sectors in addition to governmental agencies. My Blind Spot is committed to that and has dedicated our efforts to educating and guiding corporate America, governmental agencies, and community-based organizations about accessibility and usability when it comes to the needs for virtual access for people with disabilities. We believe that access to the right tools promotes ability and restores infinite possibilities.

Intuit now sees the inclusion of accessibility and usability in their product offerings as a nonnegotiable. The progression of our discussions and efforts centered on accessibility and usability introduced into QuickBooks has spread t the teams managing and developing Quicken as well as the other product offerings under the Intuit stable of brands. Intuit CEO Brad Smith has himself assured My Blind Spot of this dedication and I believe him completely.

Anyone wanting to confirm Intuit's commitment to accessibility simply needs to write to Brad or even Ted Drake, Intuit's Senior Accessibility Engineer to confirm this for themselves.

While it is true more work remains in order to infuse even greater accessibility into QuickBooks for Windows, the journey has finally begun. As Lori Samuels, the Accessibility Manager who started this ball rolling at Intuit once said, "This is not a sprint, it is a marathon."

In my opinion, the inclusion of accessibility and usability engineered into computer programs and websites happening all around us is promising and hopeful. That a global giant like Intuit has finally seen accessibility as a nonnegotiable is fantastic. That QuickBooks is more accessible then ever is monumental, and Intuit is committed to improving their customers' financial lives so profoundly they can't imagine going back to the old way of doing things. I am sure that none of us in the blind and print disabled community ever want to go back to the old way of doing things.

Anyone wanting to draw their own conclusions and form their own opinions about QuickBooks can contact us at info@myblindspot.org to set up a tandem session to experience firsthand the functionality and usability that has been re-introduced into the program. Consumers can also write to the CEO of Intuit to ask him about his commitment to the community, as well as what is in store for accessibility and for people with disabilities internally at Intuit.

We now have options and people who need to use QuickBooks for Windows for their accounting choices or for gainful employment are actually able to do so.

Looking forward to calculating a whole new future for our community!

Respectfully,

Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.

Founder and CEO, My Blind Spot, Inc.

Dear AccessWorld Editor,

Recently, Fred Gissoni passed away with his wife Linda by his side. I got online and was reading A Tribute, Fred Gissoni: The Legacy of a Matchless Pioneer by Deborah Kendrick and this was my response:

Fred was married to my mother-in-law. He was special in most every way. I always thought that Fred, although blind, saw the world better than most people could ever see it. He was genuine, caring, and gave his heart to all of us. He will be missed. He was a good man and did many good things for people in need. Great article, it truly described the man I was fortunate to get to know.

Todd Collard

Holy Trinity Parish School

Dear AccessWorld Editor,

I want to thank Deborah Kendrick so much for this delightful profile of my mentor and friend, Bill Gerrey in her September article, Series: The Work of the Smith-Kettlewell Institute Part V: Bill Gerrey: Profile of a Pioneer, Scientist, and Role Model who is Blind.

I have known Mr. Gerrey since the late 1980s when I came to him for soldering lessons as an undergraduate, and I have continued to learn from him ever since.

When I was a graduate student fellow at Smith-Kettlewell in the late 90s, I sat just outside Bill's office and got to listen in on his meetings and phone calls—and that was educational, too!

A few years ago I wrote a little piece inspired by some of that eavesdropping, as well as my admiration for Bill Gerrey, and published it on medium.com.

Again, thank you for your excellent profile of Bill Gerrey. I hope you enjoy my article on some of his other contributions.

Joshua A. Miele

Director, Smith-Kettlewell Institute

$14.8M in grants announced by US Labor Department

The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced $14,837,785 in grants to six states to improve employment opportunities for adults and youth with disabilities. The grants to California, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota and South Dakota are being awarded as part of the Disability Employment Initiative, funded by the department's Employment and Training Administration and Office of Disability Employment Policy.

These grants will help expand the capacity of local American Job Centers to improve employment outcomes for youth and adults with disabilities by increasing their participation in existing career pathway systems and programs that build on partnerships among local educational institutions, businesses and disability advocates.

This is the fifth round of funding through the Disability Employment Initiative, which now supports 37 projects in 26 states.

Grantees will use the funds to do the following.

• Hire or designate a Disability Resource Coordinator, an expert in workforce and disability issues, to achieve program goals
• Foster partnerships and collaboration at the state and local levels
• Integrate resources and services
• Ensure that local American Job Centers comply with physical, programmatic, and communications accessibility requirements

This initiative also expands the public workforce system's participation in the Social Security Administration's Ticket to Work Program by requiring participating state workforce agencies or local workforce boards to become active Employment Networks. Many Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance beneficiaries use the mainstream workforce system to seek employment opportunities. By serving as Employment Networks, grantees will build upon the workforce system's capacity to serve these groups.

For more information about the department's Disability Employment Initiative, visit the DEI website. Information about the Social Security Administration's Ticket to Work Program can be found at the program website.

AFB Leadership Conference 2015

Registration is now open! Register today for the joint 2015 AFB Leadership and Arizona AER Conference (AFBLC), which will take place at the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel, April 9–11.

AFBLC attendees are eligible for a special hotel rate of just $179/night. Please visit the Marriott reservations page or call 1-800-309-8138 to book your room today.

The American Foundation for the Blind's annual Leadership Conference covers the most pressing and relevant topics in the field of blindness and offers many opportunities to learn from the best and brightest minds in our field, make new connections, and reunite with old friends while earning ACVREP and CRC CEUs.

The AFBLC attracts established and emerging leaders in the blindness field. Conference attendees include technology experts, corporate representatives, university professors, teachers of students with visual impairments, orientation and mobility instructors, rehabilitation professionals, and parents. They come from diverse organizations and institutions spanning the public and private sectors, including school districts, schools for the blind, Veterans Administrations, hospitals, private agencies, and universities.

The 2014 AFBLC attracted over 440 attendees from 39 states and 8 countries.

Take the Partnership on Employment and Accessible Technology Survey

AFB's friends at the Partnership on Employment and Accessible Technology (PEAT) are conducting a survey to gain a better understanding of accessibility needs related to online job seeking. Please take a few minutes to complete its survey.

AfterShokz Establishes Accessibility Division and Appoints Rob Nevin as Global Director

AfterShokz, the only open ear bone conduction headphones brand, recently announced the establishment of an Accessibility Division, in addition to the appointment of Rob Nevin as Accessibility Director, Global. Nevin has acted as a representative and evangelist for the brand within the Blind/Deaf/Deaf-Blind channel for more than two years to date; this expanded role commissions him to lead the accessibility channel strategy. Immediate goals include global awareness, strategic partnerships and the broadening of accessibility standards within the company.

AfterShokz manufactures sport, mobile, and Bluetooth headphones, through a blend of patent-pending bone conduction technology and an open ear design. The brand's unconventional solution puts situational awareness at the forefront, allowing users to tune in to music, calls and other audio transmission without traditional sacrifices. A set of bone conduction transducers rest in front of the ears, while sound travels through the cheekbones to the inner ears via mini vibrations, bypassing the eardrums completely. The result increases accessibility, most especially for people who are blind who connect to access and mobile devices, and Deaf/Deaf-Blind persons wishing to use headphones similarly in conjunction with or without in-ear hearing aids.

Novasentis and HumanWare Join Forces to Bring Radically New Sensory Experiences to the Visually Impaired

Partnership Aims to Disrupt Assistive Technology Industry by Using Novasentis' Electro-Mechanical Polymer Actuators for Advanced Touch and Audio Feedback

Novasentis, Inc., a developer of haptics and sensory feedback technology, and HumanWare, recently revealed a groundbreaking partnership to embed miniaturized sensory feedback actuators into devices serving the millions of people who are blind or visually impaired.

By leveraging Novasentis' paper-thin and flexible Electro-Mechanical Polymer (EMP) actuator and sensor technology, HumanWare will be developing and bringing to market new products with richer tactile feedback that will make it easier for the visually impaired to experience and interact with digital content on computers and mobile devices.

This co-development effort offers Novasentis the opportunity to put its patented EMP technology to work in a brand new vertical—for the good of sight-impaired people who depend on touch and audio feedback to connect with the world. It also signifies the rapid growth and demand for advanced haptic technology in a variety of industries, including consumer electronics, automotive, healthcare and more.

"At HumanWare, we have been exploring the use of haptic feedback to enhance access to information for visually impaired people since the beginning of the 1990s. Only recently have we found Novasentis technology, which has great potential in our field," said Gilles Pepin, President & CEO of HumanWare. "There are a number of applications of the EMP technology for our future products. We will work closely with Novasentis to bring this promising technology to our market."

Technology, Culture, and Community Fair in New York City, Oct 18, 2014 — 10 AM – 4 PM

The Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library, a branch of the New York Public Library, invites you to discover a city of accessible culture, technology, and community support. Chat with exhibitors, attend showcase sessions, try accessible technology, and meet our team of peer tech coaches. Exhibitors include: Lincoln Center, Museum of Modern Art, Guggenheim Museum, Ruben Museum, Adaptive Climbing Group, ICanConnect; Abisee, Vis-Ability, Eye-Assist, CTech, Orcam, Creative Adaptations for Learning, Independence Science, Gatewave, Healing Arts Initiative, Science, Industry and Business Library, the NYPL Oral History Project, Lighthouse Guild International, the New York State Commission for the Blind, the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities, the Computer Center for Visually Impaired People, 3D Photo Works, and more. The fair is free and accessible. For more information, visit www.talkingbooks.nypl.org or contact Chancey Fleet, Assistive Technology Coordinator, at (212) 621-0627.

If you have found your way to this issue of AccessWorld, chances are good that you own and know how to operate an accessible computer or mobile computing device, such as a smartphone or a tablet. Pause for a moment, if you would, and try to imagine how different your life would be if you didn't know how to use a computer, or if you did not have ready access to one. No e-mail. No web surfing. No Bookshare books…and probably no job or even the hope of finding one.

Every year, it seems, computers grow increasingly essential to people with visual impairments who wish to retain and enhance their abilities and indpendence. However, there are a large number of individuals who are blind who still cannot afford to buy one. Perhaps you know of someone who is in that situation. If so, read on and learn how to get a refurbished Windows 7 computer preconfigured with a screen reader, screen enlargement software, and a suite of other essential software applications for just $110 for a desktop with monitor, or $160 for a notebook PC.

These affordable, accessible computers are provided at cost by Texas-based Computers for the Blind, a volunteer organization celebrating its 25th year of helping the blind. To date they have provided well over 6,000 accessible computers to sight-impaired individuals across the United States, living up to their motto: "Opening Worlds—One Computer at a Time."

This was all made possible by a single individual, Bob Langford. Blinded in an accident at 16, Langford went on to be the first blind person to graduate from public high school in New Mexico, and the first to receive a bachelor's degree from the University of New Mexico, with a triple major in psychology, social work, and education. Langford went on to earn first a master's degree and then a PhD in rehabilitation counseling, and spent much of his working career in executive and leadership roles with rehabilitation centers, state agencies, and the Texas Commission for the Blind, from which he is currently retired.

Langford was approaching 60 when he got his first computer. "It truly amazed me how much more productive I became," he recalls. "For the first time, I could communicate privately. I was in control of what and when I wanted to read. I could independently manage my own finances."

Langford wanted to share his newfound independence with other members of the blind community, and when he heard about a local business that was upgrading its computers and tossing the old ones he set to work. "I put a wall of shelves in my garage and began collecting unwanted computers and computer components," says Langford, who today serves as President Emeritus and board member of the organization he founded, formerly called the Texas Center for the Physically Impaired, but more recently renamed Computers for the Blind (CFTB.)

Langford enlisted the help of technically savvy friends and other volunteers who could refurbish the donated computers, scavenging parts from some PCs to increase the speed and capabilities of others. The computers were preloaded with timed demo versions of a screen reader and magnification software because there were no freeor open source options at the time. Langford placed ads in various blindness publications, and soon a trickle of new computer owners turned into a steady stream.

The organization has grown considerably over the past quarter century. Today, Computers for the Blind occupies nearly 3,000 square feet in a Richardson, Texas office park for their workshop, administration office, and parts warehouse. The work is accomplished by four part-time staff members and a roster of 20 or more volunteers. Many of them are retirees, others hail from the Computer Users Group of North Texas. The local Leo Club, the youth branch of the Lions Club, has also expressed interest in volunteering.

Most of the donated computers come from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, although recently, David Jeppson, CFTB Executive Director, has expanded the organization's reach to Houston, where he recently obtained 60 computers from a bank that was upgrading its entire fleet of PCs. CFTB also received a large donation from another bank in Houston through a partnership with the National Cristina Foundation. "We've also received generous hardware donations from oil companies and mortgage companies, but the majority of our donated computers still come from small businesses we reach out to at Chamber of Commerce meetings andother business group events where we can make our presentation," he says.

Computers from CFTB may not be leading edge devices, but they are by no means antiques. Depending on donations, the minimum specs for their Windows 7 Professional desktops and laptops include:

• dual core-2 GHz or better processor
• 2GB of RAM
• 80 GB Hard Drive
• CD-R/RW and DVD-ROM drive
• Sound card
• Speakers
• Broadband network card
• Keyboard and mouse
• For individuals with low vision: 17–21-inch LCD monitor
• For those who will use a screen reader exclusively: 15–17-inch LCD monitor

All CFTB computers come with the free NVDA screen reader preinstalled, along with a time demo copy of JAWS from Freedom Scientific. Thanks to a recent agreement each computer also includes a licensed copy of FS's MAGic screen magnification without speech. CFTB consumers can obtain MAGic with Speech, MAGic keyboard and 2 SMA upgrades for $199 from FS, which is a discount of approximately 50 percent.

Additionally, a full, licensed copy of JAWS Home Version can be purchased from Freedom Scientific by the computer recipient for $716. Note: these discounts are only available to individuals, not agencies.

CFTB also preinstalls

• Open Office
• The Jartd word processor
• Just Write Checks
• Typeability typing tutorial — demo version
• A collection of electronic books from Gutenberg
• Various help files with PC setup instructions, tutorials, and FAQ articles

Purchasers may also request that an audio CD containing setup and help materials be sent in advance of their computer. CFTB representatives can help over the phone with initial PC and network setup. They can also refer users to other resources, such as local Lighthouses for the Blind, the Blind Cafe, and the Microsoft Accessibility Answer Desk.

According to Jeppson, "It generally takes about two weeks between the time we receive an order and when the computer ships." Proceeds are used to pay for a Windows license, and for needed components, such as faster memory and hard drives. "A large number of our donations arrive without hard drives," he observes. "Although CFTB wipes all donated hard drives clean, for security reasons, many companies have to remove and destroy them before a computer can be donated."

CFTB computers can be purchased by any US resident with a visual disability. Homeland Security regulations make it all but impossible to ship computers across international borders.

There are no financial restrictions, but only one purchase per person is allowed. "If you do already have a desktop, however, and you could benefit from a notebook computer's portability, you can make that your one purchase," notes Jeppson.

Earlier in 2014, a grant from the Delta Gamma Foundation enabled CFTB to supply computers for just $20 to SSI recipients, but funds have run out. "We're hoping to have the grant renewed for 2015," says Jeppson, adding, "We're also looking forward to broadening our mission in the near future to provide the blind with low-cost smartphones and tablets running iOS, Android, and Windows."

Contact Information

Computers for the Blind
214-340-6328
info@computersfortheblind.net
3101 High Plateau
Garland, TX 75044

Comment on this article.

The day I bought my iPhone 4, one of the very first apps I purchased and installed was the Navigon GPS app. It wasn't long before I retired my trusty Trekker, and as time passed I think I downloaded and tried every new GPS app, including BlindSquare, which I reviewed recently for the July issue of AccessWorld.

Recently, I was given the opportunity to check out another GPS app, this one for Android. Nearby Explorer is available from the American Printing House for the Blind for $99.

Installation

Nearby Explorer requires a device running Android version 2.3 (Gingerbread) or later, at least 3.7 gigabytes of storage, and either a built-in GPS chip or the ability to connect an external GPS receiver.

After installation, the first time you open Nearby Explorer you are presented with the license agreement. Next, you are prompted to turn on location services, if they are not already enabled. After that it's time to download the maps.

Nearby Explorer installs the full set of NAVTEQ maps on your device. This allows most of the app's features to work, even without a data connection. It also occupies a lot of storage space, over three gigabytes, so you will probably need a Micro SD card installed on your phone. In order for the maps to download, you need to be on a Wi-Fi connection.

I tested Nearby Explorer on an LG Optimus F3 running Android version 4.1.2. At first the maps refused to install on my SD card. I had to wait for an app update, after which the maps installed fine. I am told that prior to KitKat, Google's support for downloading maps onto SD cards was problematic. The developer plans to update this critical ability on Android versions KitKat and later. For now, before purchasing the app, you will probably want to subscribe to the Nearby Explorer Support List (see instructions under Product Information at the end of this article), and make sure your phone model and Android version are supported.

The Nearby Explorer Main Screen

Nearby Explorer's main screen offers a number of different checkbox options you can adjust for voice monitoring. Each of these options will self-voice whenever its value changes. For example, if you check the City option, Nearby Explorer will speak the name of the new city you just entered, then remain silent until the city changes again. The enabled items will continue to voice, even with your screen locked. I definitely enjoyed this way of doing things, as it allowed me to set Nearby Explorer to give me just the information I wanted, without voicing information I consider extraneous, such as the number of satellites in range, or repeating the same information, such as the street name. Running the app with the screen locked also stopped the voicing of other Android alerts, which otherwise had a tendency to interrupt app voicing.

Many of these monitoring options offer extra functionality if you perform a touch-and-hold gesture. These are described below.

Nearby Explorer offers 20 monitoring options, which are listed below with descriptions provided for those that are not self-evident.

• Provider
  Announces whether the app is currently obtaining location information from your device's GPS, Network, or Compass, or if you are currently in Virtual Mode (described below)
• Country
• State
• County
• City
• Zip Code
• Heading
  Announces any change of direction. It compares your last position to your current position to determine direction, so you need to be moving in order for this control to report a change of direction. You can also instruct Nearby Explorer to announce the direction you are facing. Simply hold your device vertically, as though you are taking a picture. Nearby Explorer will buzz, speak the appropriate direction, and, optionally, announce nearby streets and points of interest (POIs) to be found in that direction. Note: Nearby Explorer will need to be the active app for this feature to work.
• Street Number
• Street Name
• Approaching
  Announces upcoming intersections. It will speak the distance to that point, and update this information as you near the objective.
• Guidance
  Announces the next turn you need to take in order to reach your destination.
• Nearby
  Reports the name of the next POI. This information is obtained from the maps database and from POIs you have created using Nearby Explorer.
• Nearby Distance
  Announces distance to the next POI.
• Watch
  Nearby Explorer allows you to set a Watch point—your destination, perhaps, or the front of a campus building, or the entrance of a parking lot. The Watch feature is described below.
• Speed
  Announces how fast you are walking or driving.
• Latitude
• Longitude
• Altitude
• Accuracy
  Announces the accuracy of your GPS positioning.
• Number of Satellites

Check the monitoring features you wish to enable, and only that information will be auto-voiced. The rest of your location data is always available, but you may need to use Explore by Touch to access it; I found it nearly impossible to swipe my way through these fields. Invariably, one of the fields would change, and I would be returned to the top of the screen and the app would re-announce the Nearby Explorer title bar. Read to End also failed to get much further than the first few fields. I am told these issues have been mostly fixed in Android versions 4.3 and 4.4, so other users may not experience these problems.

Getting Oriented

When you launch Nearby Explorer it announces your current position, along with the nearest POI. Then, as you begin to move, the app announces direction, speed, nearest address, and other monitoring elements you have checked on the main screen.

If you'd like to browse the immediate area and learn which streets are nearby and in which direction, press the Menu button, then invoke the Explore option. Nearby Explorer displays a list of nearby streets, along with their distance and compass direction from your current location.

Geo Beam

If you'd like a more precise view of what's around you at any time, use Nearby Explorer's Geo Beam. Hold your phone with its screen facing flat and skyward, and its top edge facing forward and begin slowly to move in a circle. When you're nearest favorite or POI is directly ahead of your phone, the device will vibrate and announce its name and distance.

For an even more detailed look about, hold your phone with its screen facing left, as though you were about to shake hands. Now, as you slowly circle, all available POIs and favorites within your search radius will trigger audible and haptic feedback.

This is an excellent way to hone in on a location. Reach the parking lot entrance and use Geo Beam to get a more precise fix on the store you wish to visit. You can then make a beeline for your destination, assuming, of course, there are no parked cars or other obstacles you need to circle around.

By default, Nearby Explorer creates a search radius of 170 yards, but it's easy to shrink or expand this distance. While your phone is in "handshake" Geo Beam mode, your device will display two buttons, "Increase Radius" and "Decrease Radius." You can also change the radius using a touch-and-hold gesture on the main screen's "Nearby Distance" button. I found the first of these methods much easier to use.

Map View

An additional way to explore your surroundings is via Nearby Explorer's "Map View." Invoke this option from the main screen's Menu control and the app will display a map of your immediate vicinity. Use a two-finger swipe to scroll the map in any compass direction. Touch or slide a finger on the screen to have Nearby Explorer voice streets and POIs.

You can also use the Menu button to access several Map View features. You can search for an address, a favorite, or a POI, and have your map move to that location. I was pleased to discover that Geo Beam worked in this mode. So I could locate City Hall, then use Geo Beam to have a look around.

Navigation Mode

If you perform a touch-and-hold gesture on a road, after three seconds you will begin to receive haptic feedback. The phone will vibrate slightly as you trace the road's path, and stop whenever you veer off course. This takes considerable finesse and practice. I found it much easier to use the app's Navigation Mode. This option is available through many of the main screen's touch-and-hold menus. Invoke this setting, and a map of the area is displayed, along with buttons to move in all four compass directions: North, South, East, and West. Each press moves you one search unit, and there are Move More and Move Less buttons to adjust this distance.

Of course streets and highways do not always move straight along a compass direction. I usually found it preferable to enable the Follow Roads checkbox, which does just that.

You can shorten your movement distance down to five yards—when I did this I was able to follow streets in my neighborhood by address, and then-by-turn.

Unfortunately, in Navigation Mode the intersections did not announce. Usually the app reported "Near 120, Near 122," announcing address numbers continuing up or down depending on the distance you are moving. It only offered the street name when you were at an intersection, with no information on if the street is a two way, or if it only heads off in one direction.

Getting Going

As mentioned earlier, when you turn on Nearby Explorer and begin to move, the app will announce your position, direction of travel, nearby POIs and any other elements you have enabled on the main screen. Intersections will be announced in advance, with "Ahead" for cross streets and "To the left (or right)" if the intersection only goes one way. All streets I tested using Nearby Explorer reported accurate intersection names, though the distance varied in accuracy, depending on the accuracy of the GPS readings and the number of satellites in view.

Nearby Explorer will continue to announce the intersection name and distance until you have reached it. To turn off these alerts, perform a tap-and-hold gesture on the "Nearby" option on the main screen, then uncheck the "Continuous Distance Updates" option. This can be tricky, especially if there is a lot of satellite drift and the app is updating your position frequently. For me, the Nearby control could become quite elusive, requiring me to stop and focus my attention. This was also true for other controls on the app's main screen. Proficient Android users are doubtless much more adept at negotiating the main screen, but for the rest of us, perhaps the developer should consider a touch-and-hold gesture on the app's title bar that would temporarily stop all updates.

By default Nearby Explorer attempts to calculate street numbers by dividing the block into sections. Though you do not need a data connection to obtain addresses this way, it can be inaccurate. For example, when walking along a short street with no houses or businesses the app continued to report addresses that didn't exist. If you have a data connection, a far better approach is to enable the "Use Google for Street Addresses," option in the app's Menu/Settings control. I found this way considerably more accurate. So much so, often I could walk on the east side of the street and Nearby Explorer would announce the odd number addresses, then, when I crossed to the west side, it would announce only even numbered addresses. Very impressive.

Favorites and Watch Items

A favorite is a POI that you create for yourself. Your house or apartment might be one of your favorites, or the bus stop nearest your doctor's office, or the entrance to a park or hiking trail—once you turn these locations into favorites, they will be easy to quickly access for orientation and navigation.

You can create your own Favorites at any time. Like most people running a new GPS app, the very first Favorite I created was to my home. I did so by tap-and-holding the Nearby control on the main screen, then choosing "Save Location as Favorite." Nearby Explorer placed my address in the Name field, but I changed it to "Home Sweet Home," before tapping the "Save" button to add it to my Favorites list.

Now, before heading out for a walk, I could access the Menu/Favorites option, select Home Sweet Home, and add it to my Watch List. During my walk, Nearby Explorer kept me updated on how far I was from home, and in which compass direction my home was located. Creating a watch point can also be an excellent way to navigate to a campus building, or impress your spouse because you know which way to go to find the car in that vast parking lot.

You can create a watch point from either your current location or one of your Favorites. We've described both of these above. Now let's move on to a third way to set a watch point, by using a search result.

Searching Points of Interest

When you press the "Menu" button, the first item that appears is the "Pause" button, which can be used to shut down GPS tracking when you don't need it (this will help save battery power). Alternatively, you can press the "Back" button from the main Nearby Explorer screen to shut down the app.

The second Menu option is Search. There you are offered a number of options. You can have the app display all points of interest inside your search radius, and use the "Increase Search Radius" and "Decrease Search Radius" buttons to adjust the search results from 25 yards to nearly 30 miles.

If you're looking for someplace in particular, or a location further away than 30 miles, you can use the Search Nearby Places, Search Nearby Streets, or Search City/State Code controls. Searching City/State Code requires you to enter the city name followed by a comma, followed by the two-letter state code, for example: Miami, FL.

If you find the POI or street you're looking for, tap it and you are offered a number of choices:

• Add to Favorites
  Adds the POI to your Favorites list, so you can find it quickly, without needing to perform another search.
• Get Directions
  Calls up a list of turn-by-turn instructions to get you from your current location to the chosen POI.
• Set as Destination
  Prompts Nearby Explorer to begin offering spoken turn-by-turn directions, announcing the direction of each turn before you reach it. You must have the main screen Guidance control checked for this to work. You can lock your screen at this point and the turns will still be announced. You can also use a different voice to speak the directions.
• Go To
  Moves you to that place, creating a virtual position. From here you can access the Map View to touch navigate the area, or the Navigation mode to follow streets by cardinal directions, as described above. You can even do another search for nearby places, and Nearby Explorer will offer up a list of POIs surrounding your virtual position. I found this to be an excellent way to explore the area surrounding an unfamiliar destination before I traveled there. To end the virtual mode, press the Menu key, then "Resume."
• Open in Browser
  Opens the POI website, if available.
• Add to Watch List
  Adds the POI to your watch list.
• Call
  Calls the POI phone number, if available.

Traveling with Nearby Explorer

Once you access a Favorite or a search result, you are given the option to get directions as discussed above. I found this very useful when starting out a journey, reviewing in advance the streets I would travel and the turns I would have to make. You can also "Set as Watch," which keeps you updated distance to and direction of your destination relative to your moving position.

Pressing "Set as Destination" before beginning my trip instructs Nearby Explorer to begin offering me spoken turn-by-turn directions. As I travel, Nearby Explorer announces upcoming intersections with their distance, turn-by-turn instructions on how to proceed, and updates for distance and direction.

You can set Nearby Explorer to create routes for either walking or driving trips and optimize your route for fastest time, shortest distance or fewest turns. Additionally, you can check whether or not to include highways, toll roads, unpaved roads and ferries. You will only receive a single travel route at a time. The route Nearby Explorer proposed for one trip I make on a fairly regular basis is faster, shorter, and requires fewer turns, but it also requires walking along a busy street with no sidewalks. My preferred route is a bit longer. To travel this way I have to set my destination to a POI about midway along the alternate route, then set my ultimate location from that place to complete the journey. I would like to see this app offer route alternatives, or else the ability to set a single destination with way points so I can route my travel around road was that are difficult to travel.

Transit

Nearby Explorer offers public transportation schedules for many large metropolitan areas. Select this option from the main screen menu button and Nearby Explorer will download the latest information. The app will download any new updates before you can access the routes and schedules. Consequently, I would advise users to access this option before leaving the house so you won't get caught having to use a data connection ifthere isn't Wi-Fi available at your nearest bus stop.

Unfortunately, my town's transport system is not listed. I am told that this is because my municipality has not published a General Transit Feed Specification (GTF) file.

Here is a link to a list of cities that Nearby Explorer does cover, but I am not sure this list is updated on an ongoing basis. If your city is not on the list and transit directions are critical for you, contact your local transportation authority and inquire if they have published a GTF file.

I was able to set downtown Miami as a virtual position and obtain transit options for this location. The screen offered up the location of all stops within 300 yards of my virtual position. Tapping one of the stops called up a list of all buses that service that stop, along with route names and the time of the next arrival of that bus. This is useful information, particularly if you are on familiar ground. If you are traveling to an unfamiliar city, however, you will probably not know the name of the bus route that will help you reach your destination.

The transit information Nearby Explorer provides is comprehensive, but not as useful as the information provided by Google Maps using my iPhone. Using Google Maps, I can set my destination before I call up the transit menu. I am then shown the nearest stop, and the time and route name/number of the next three buses that will allow me to reach that destination. Perhaps a future update to Nearby Explorer will include this feature?

Final Thoughts

At $99, Nearby Explorer seems a bit expensive at first. A sizeable portion of these proceeds go to NAVTEQ map data licensing, and unlike the Seeing Eye GPS app for iOS which costs $129 for a three-year license, this is a one-time payment—app and map updates are free.

I have never felt so coddled and in touch with my environment while traveling alone as I do when using Nearby Explorer. I wish the app offered alternate routes, more transit information, and a way to more easily touch-locate information on the home screen. These are all minor quibbles that could likely be easily added or fixed in forthcoming updates, however. In the meantime, I have to say Nearby Explorer is without doubt the best GPS mobility app I have ever used, and I give it my highest praise and consider it an absolute must-have app for any and all Android users with visual impairments.

Product Information

Nearby Explorer for Android
Price: $99
Available from: Google Playstore
Publisher: American Printing House for the Blind
1839 Frankfort Avenue
P.O. Box 6085
Louisville, Kentucky 40206-0085
Phone: 502-895-2405
Toll-Free Customer Service and Technical Support: 800-223-1839
(US and Canada)

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This article describes the new Giraffe Reader, a stand for document scanners, and an existing scanning app, Prizmo. I will compare the Giraffe Reader with the StandScan Pro and I will compare Prizmo with the ABBYY TextGrabber and Translator, an app used to scan and read text. The StandScan Pro and ABBYY TextGrabber and Translator were discussed in the June 2014 issue of AccessWorld.

The Giraffe Reader

The Giraffe Reader is an iPhone and iPod stand for scanning documents. When folded flat, it measures approximately 8 1/8 inches by 9 3/4 inches by ½ inch, and weighs just over 3 ounces, making it extremely portable. The Giraffe reader feels like corrugated cardboard, but it is made from waterproof and strong polypropylene plastic. It was designed from the start to be used by people who are blind. There are tactile notches and stickers to assist with folding it into the correct shape, and the device is held together extremely well by tiny but strong magnets. The Giraffe reader works with the iPhone 4, 4s, 5, 5s, and 5c. It also works with the 4th generation iPod touch and later.

Assembling the Giraffe Reader

I was able to assemble the unit quickly and without sighted assistance. At this time, written instructions are not included with the Giraffe Reader. The user can either listen to the video on the Giraffe Reader website, or follow the instructions below.

1. Take the Giraffe Reader out of the envelope. It is folded approximately in thirds. Unfold one end and then the other so that the unit is completely flat. At no time is any force needed whatsoever.
2. Turn it over. Find the notches on the left and right sides. Move your fingers around until you feel a single round sticker on the left side near the notches and two stickers on your right side near the notches.
3. Put your thumbs on the stickers and your fingers behind the unit. Lift up so the stickers are brought towards each other. You might want to begin with the side with one sticker, but you can then immediately start with the other side. Again, almost no force is required to do this.
4. As the sides meet, you will hear the magnets click into place. Just move your hands around the unit to make sure all the magnets have connected. It should feel like one flat rectangle on the bottom and a long neck with a cradle to hold the iPhone on the top.

Scanning a Document

Once the Giraffe Reader is assembled, place it on a flat surface such as a desk or table, and make sure there is sufficient light. Normal room light should be fine. Place the document flat on the base plate with the bottom edge of the document against the neck of the Giraffe Reader. If you don't know which edge is the bottom, your OCR program should assist with this when processing the scan. Run your hands along the side of the base plate to ensure that the document is lined up and straight.

Place your iPhone or iPod touch into the cradle at the top of the Giraffe Reader. Make sure the camera lens is facing the document. Use your favorite scanning app to take a picture of the document on the base plate.

The Prizmo iOS App

Prizmo has improved significantly since it was last reviewed in AccessWorld in 2012. It is a bit expensive at $9.99.

As stated in the iTunes Store:

Prizmo is made for everyone, and is thus fully compatible with VoiceOver. It provides voice guidance to help position your iPhone when taking document pictures, and will find the text orientation automatically if it's turned left, right or upside down. Prizmo's quick capture mode provides a fast path from picture to speech synthesis for an improved workflow, and it provides a high-quality voice reader

• Highly accurate OCR technology in 40+ languages…
• No Internet connection required for image processing and performing OCR.

Prizmo Settings

The Settings menu is accessible and very basic. There's a switch button to save your documents to iCloud. The General section is about saving your scans to your photo album.

The next menu item is OCR. The first option in this menu is Detect Text Orientation. Turn this switch on if you want Prizmo to automatically detect text orientation. The next option in OCR is Languages. This is set to English by default, but there are many other options.

The Export option in the Settings menu has the user choose the image quality of the scanned document when it is exported. The final settings option is Accessibility. Here is where you can choose the rate of speech for the Prizmo Voice Reader.

All buttons on Prizmo are clearly labeled. In the upper left corner is the "Settings" button; in upper right corner is the "Edit" button. Just above the "Home" button is the "Quick Capture" button. This lets you quickly perform a scan. Using this option automatically takes the photo as a text document. There is no need to do anything else. Flicking left will bring you to the "Create New Document" button. Here you can choose the document type (e.g., text or image). Be sure to select Text. Flicking once more to the left is the "Rename Document" button. Once you have created a document, activate this button to type in a name for your document.

Prizmo now offers audio feedback when you are ready to take a scan of your document. It will say "No page visible" if it can't locate a page. Prizmo vibrates when the phone is parallel to the document. When the document is in focus, Prizmo will say "Ready to shoot." However, Prizmo frequently told me that it was ready and then a second later it would say that no page was visible, though there had been no change in the position of the iPhone. Begin by first activating the "Quick Capture" button. Then hold the phone over the document and wait to hear what Prizmo says. There will be a "Take Picture" button where the quick capture button was. You will hear the camera take a photo, and in a few seconds you'll hear a sound and Prizmo will say, "Processing." The result will be on the screen and you can read it with VoiceOver commands.

You can also read the document from the reader within the app. At the top right of the screen is a "Close" button. On the bottom of the screen are several buttons. The first button is "Read." Activating this button will bring up Prizmo's voice reader. In order not to have to flick through the document to get to controls, tap the "Language" button on the bottom left corner. This button will say whatever language you are using. Then flick left. You will eventually find the "Play" button. When the document begins to play, it will use settings from the Accessibility menu from within the app, not from VoiceOver. While Prizmo is reading, buttons to change the speaking rate are at the bottom of the screen. Next to the "Read" button is a button to copy and a button to export into another file format.

Once you have your document, through the Edit menu you can rename the document, move and delete pages, and delete the entire document.

Comparisons

For the first part of this evaluation, I scanned a letter, a page from a contract, and a three-column magazine article using Prizmo without a stand, then using the Giraffe Reader, and finally using the StandScan Pro.

Both the Giraffe Reader and StandScan Pro worked well with Prizmo when scanning the letter, although the Giraffe Reader scan was more accurate. Scanning the letter without a stand produced a document that was mostly gibberish.

When the contract page was scanned with the StandScan Pro, Prizmo read most of the page, but there were many words that it didn't read correctly. When the Giraffe Reader was used, Prizmo was much more accurate, missing only a few words. When scanned without a stand, Prizmo did not do as well as in the StandScan, but the page was still readable.

The final scanned item was a magazine page with three columns in different parts of the page. Both StandScan Pro and Giraffe Reader were able to provide good scans, but again, the Giraffe Reader scan yielded more correct words. Prizmo had no difficulty processing and reading the columns in the correct order. When the page was scanned without a stand, the results were poor and mostly unusable.

The same documents were then scanned using ABBYY TextGrabber and Translator with the Giraffe Reader, StandScan Pro, and without any stand.

Both the StandScan Pro and the Giraffe Reader yielded good scans of the letter. When scanned without a stand, a portion of the document was translated correctly, but it was not nearly as accurate when compared with the Giraffe Reader or the StandScan.

When the contract was scanned, the Giraffe Reader provided a better result, but the StandScan Pro scan was still good. The scan without a stand was mostly unreadable.

When the magazine page was scanned, results from both the Giraffe Reader and StandScan Pro were similar. Scanning the document without a scanner resulted in a scan that was somewhat readable for only a fraction of the article.

The Bottom Line

The Giraffe Reader is a superior option if you have a compatible model of iPhone or iPod touch. It is very small, easily assembled, and delivers very good scans. Unlike the StandScan Pro, it does not require an AC adapter or battery.

Prizmo is a good OCR app. However, audio feedback was inconsistent. I have both Prizmo and ABBYY TextGrabber and Translator on my phone. I use ABBYY but Prizmo is certainly a good alternative.

Product Information

The Giraffe Reader

Available from: Giraffe Reader
Price: $54.50

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Freedom Scientific recently released the JAWS Training Bundle, a collection of over 50 hours of audio training resources aimed at the brand-new JAWS user and those who may need a refresher course. The bundle also includes basic training on how to use Windows 7 and 8.1 with speech, browsing the web with Internet Explorer, reading PDFs with speech, and becoming productive on the job or at home with the Microsoft Office applications Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.

I have been using Windows productively since the days of Windows 3.11 for Work Groups. However, to the best of my memory, to date I have never used JAWS, even in demo mode. So when the folks at Freedom Scientific offered me the opportunity to take a look at the JAWS Training Bundle I figured this was the ideal time to learn JAWS from the beginning, or very close to it, as the bundle assumes you have a copy of JAWS 15 already installed on your Windows 7 or 8.1 PC.

The Bundle

There are three purchase options for the Jaws Training Bundle. You can order it preloaded onto an SD card for $750 and use your own DAISY player, assuming it has at least 2.05 gigabytes of free space available. You can also order the bundle on an SD card preinstalled on your choice of a PLEXTALK or Victor Reader Stream for $995.

The bundle was produced as an audio DAISY file, with two heading levels. There is no text, so you cannot search for information unless you have bookmarked it.

I already own a Victor Reader Stream, so I went with the simple SD card option.

The JAWS Training Bundle is designed to help the most novice of computer users. These individuals may also not have experience with either of the DAISY players, so, helpfully, the bundle begins with two sections describing how to use the PLEXTALK and Victor Reader Stream respectively. Consequently, the only two things the novice user may need sighted assistance with to get started are how to turn on the player and where the Play/Pause button is located. This information is also covered in these sections, along with a touch tour of each device and instructions on how to navigate by sections and how to create and navigate bookmarks.

Getting Started Using JAWS

The bundle offers a brief introduction of the training providers, complete with phone and e-mail contact information for each, and then continues with a quick overview of what JAWS is and how it works.

We now begin our JAWS experience with three bits of essential JAWS knowledge: how to pause speech using the control key, how to change the JAWS keyboard layout if you are using a laptop, and how to find the JAWS modifier keys—the Insert key or the Caps Lock key, depending on your keyboard layout settings—and how to use these and other modifier keys to perform multi-key commands.

The instructor offers a touch tour of various keyboard configurations, and demonstrates these actions as he describes them. You can hear JAWS respond, but here we encounter a potential pitfall. When I installed JAWS on my PC it used the Eloquence voice by default. Higher quality voices can be downloaded and installed, but this particular customization is not covered until well into the bundle. Meanwhile, from the very beginning, the instructor uses JAWS running a high-quality Vocalizer voice. No mention of this difference is offered, and I can well imagine the near-panic of the very-first time accessible computer user as he or she wonders, "My computer doesn't sound like that one. What am I doing wrong?"

This first main section winds up with a few more bits of essential knowledge for beginner JAWS users. The JAWS-1 Keyboard Help Mode command, which speaks the function of various key combinations as you press them without actually performing the action; how to start and stop JAWS; and how to access the JAWS menu and invoke its various options. I believe even someone who has never touched a computer before could easily follow along and learn these skills.

Introducing Windows

There are some significant differences between the feature sets of Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. When appropriate, the JAWS Training Bundle includes separate sections covering each of these operating systems. You can use the DAISY heading controls to access the section that covers your Microsoft operating system and skip the other. If you are using one and then begin using the other, you can always go back and learn the differences in their feature sets.

One of the difficulties in teaching a novice computer user to comprehend and operate an accessible PC is that you have to teach two things at once: how to use the OS, and how to use the screen access software. For example, it is difficult to use a screen reader to access the Windows desktop until after you understand what the desktop is and why you would want to get there. The JAWS Training Bundle does a commendable job intertwining these lessons, taking the listener through various Windows concepts and commands, then demonstrating how to use JAWS to access them. Topics covered include the Windows Desktop with separate sections for Windows 7 and 8.1, using the keyboard to read and edit text, an introduction to files and folders, and obtaining on-the-go keyboard and context sensitive help.

Browsing the Web

These days a sizeable portion of computer time is spent browsing the web. Here, screen access software and website programming can combine to make the experience both simple and pleasurable. Of course the novice user may not even understand the concept of a web browser, so in the JAWS Help menu there is an option for web resources, and this includes the ability to open your default browser automatically and head directly to a special Freedom Scientific website titled: "Surfing the Internet with JAWS and MAGic." This resource is available to all JAWS users, but the training bundle uses the suite as a touchstone from which they can describe and demonstrate all of the fundamental web elements and navigation shortcuts and commands.

After a brief section describing the settings that need to be changed to instruct Windows 8.1 to always use the full version of Internet Explorer and not the limited Start screen version, the bundle proceeds with an in-depth discussion of browser fundamentals: the difference between webpages and websites, scrolling through a webpage using cursor keys or the JAWS Say All command, opening links, and working with browser tabs.

The bundle features several sections dedicated to web browsing, and the material is covered thoroughly and with many examples. Users are also encouraged to practice these new skills along with the instructor using the special website, and by the end of the web browsing sections the new JAWS user should be able to perform a Google web search and then access and navigate the results.

Testing Your Progress

The JAWS Training Bundle includes access to a set of web-based progress exams, which anyone can view and take. At this writing there are 10 exams posted, but more may be added later. The current exam topics are:

• JAWS Basics
• Windows 7
• Windows 8
• Reading Commands and Editing
• JAWS and the Internet
• Help and Webinars
• Microsoft Word 2010 or 2013
• Microsoft Excel 2010 or 2013
• Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 or 2013
• Microsoft Outlook 2010 or 2013

Note that several of the topics have already been covered in the bundle, while others pertain to lessons not yet begun. This is because the user will need to know how to use a web browser in order to access and complete the progress exams.

The questions are all multiple choice or true/false. Below are two examples.

From the Reading Commands and Editing progress exam:

Which key, when held down in combination with other reading commands, allows you to select text?

1. ALT
2. CTRL
3. SHIFT

From the Outlook 2010 or 2013 progress exam:

Which keystroke combination is used to move the keyboard focus to the QAT (quick access toolbar)?

1. CTRL+TAB
2. ALT+TAB
3. CTRL followed by TAB
4. ALT followed by UP ARROW

Before you can take any of these progress exams you must enter your name, e-mail address and the e-mail address of your instructor or someone else you wish to receive your test results. This is an excellent way for an accessibility instructor to keep track of their student's progress, as both you and the second recipient will receive the results, listing the number of questions answered correctly, the number answered wrong, and the correct answers to all of the test questions.

I would have preferred to see a skills-based test system, with users needing to press JAWS hotkeys and locate web links, headings, and such. My guess is that this would require a great deal of script coding, but I do think such a testing platform is warranted.

The results of the progress exams can be viewed on the exam webpage, but they are also e-mailed to both the user and a person of his choice. However, many of the individuals this bundle is aimed for are basic users, if they need to learn how to open a browser, they likely either do not have an e-mail account or would need help accessing it. A later section of the training bundle teaches users how to use Windows Live Mail with JAWS, but in my opinion, this section, and the sections covering Windows Explorer and Windows 8 File Explorer, should have been here, or at least referenced.

MS Office with JAWS

Approximately 37 of the 51 total hours of the JAWS Training Bundle consist of replays of archived free and paid webinars. True, these resources are readily available online—they would cost $116 apiece for the Office 2010 and Office 2013 sets. But I believe there is a definite value in collecting and including them here. First, it is easier to work along, using the many downloadable practice files, pressing the PLEXTALK or Stream rewind or pause button when you need to, as opposed to having to toggle back and forth between Office and the browser to play/pause the audio track. It's also much easier to create and review bookmarked sections you may wish to review.

Each of MS Office's four main applications, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, receive a three-part webinar, for a total of 12 lessons for each version, 24 in total. Again, the instructors do an excellent job of interweaving Office features and commands with the JAWS functions and commands needed to access them.

These are by no means superficial introductions to the various Office apps. I will demonstrate by listing just a few of the advance topics covered:

• Word: Inserting images and running text around them; creating a sample American Psychological Association (APA) style manuscript.
• Excel: Creating charts; protecting workbooks and adding input fields.
• PowerPoint: Adding sound to presentations; editing slide masters.
• Outlook: Editing the Quick Access Toolbar; working with categories and flags.

All of these topics and more are covered in many excellent books covering Office, but these are the best demonstrations I have encountered that both describe Office features and demonstrate how to use them with speech. Even if the JAWS Training Bundle does not interest you, there may still be value in obtaining these archived webinars.

Winding Up

As mentioned, after the MS Office sections the JAWS Training Bundle goes on to instruct users about Windows Explorer and Windows 8 File Explorer, along with Windows Live Mail. Between these two there is a two-part webinar, "Working with PDF Files." The lessons take you through Acrobat Reader's various accessibility options, describing the best settings to use for reading PDFs with JAWS. Also described is the JAWS Convenient OCR function, which can help you quickly review an image-only PDF without a full-fledged OCR package. Currently, this feature will only recognize one screen at a time. JAWS Version 16 will improve these capabilities significantly. It will be interesting to see if and how quickly this and other chapters are updated to reflect the next JAWS release.

The JAWS Training Bundle concludes with a chapter describing JAWS Tandem, a feature that enables users to log in to another computer to either offer or seek help. Offering help is not a task users of this bundle will likely be ready to perform anytime soon, but seeking help is a different matter. I think this package would benefit greatly by at least a brief mention of this possibility in an early session, advising readers that the details can be easily accessed by skipping ahead with their device's heading movement key.

What Did I Learn?

As stated at the beginning of this article, I have never used JAWS before. I followed along with the various tutorials and webinars, and did not use any additional resources such as the JAWS manual or searching the web for information about certain features. I believe I took away a basic working knowledge of how to use JAWS successfully with Windows and the applications I use most. I was left wanting a bit more, however. There is no mention of how to navigate applications that require mouse movement and clicks instead of Tab presses and Enter/Spacebar. Granted, I have used a screen reader for many years, and I am more likely to want to know these things. However even a beginning accessible computer user will eventually run into software that operates without standard Windows controls.

I am not suggesting this training bundle should be longer and more complete. I do believe, however, that the producers missed an excellent opportunity to toot their own horns with one last section describing the wealth of additional JAWS functionality, when a user might need it, and how to find it via the JAWS manual and other Freedom Scientific resources. At the very least, they should have mentioned the FS Reader, a desktop DAISY reader program that is a gateway to a wealth of JAWS help and training.

Conclusions

With an aging population, the number of individuals who would benefit from accessible computing is increasing every year. Qualified trainers are already at a premium, and training budgets strain to keep up. Distance can also be a problem, as many of the newly visually impaired have yet to develop the mobility skills needed to reach a training center on a regular basis. Others live in rural settings, where one-on-one training is difficult to arrange.

I believe it would be possible for nearly anyone, including those who have rarely touched a computer before, to use this training bundle to learn enough JAWS skills to successfully surf the web, send and receive email, and compose a fairly advanced document, spread sheet or presentation. Some individuals may appreciate and prefer the opportunity to engage in this self-paced, self-directed learning option. For others the learning curve would be significantly enhanced when paired with at least some hands-on training, either in person or using the JAWS Tandem capabilities.

At $750 for the materials and another $245 for the optional DAISY player, the JAWS Training Bundle is by no means an impulse purchase. If you are an experienced computer user who wishes to learn a new screen reader, or an individual who is self-funding your computer learning, this training bundle is probably not for you.

The true markets for the JAWS Training Bundle are rehab agencies, high school and university school systems that support JAWS, and other organizations who engage in screen reader education. At approximately $15 per hour, the JAWS Training Bundle could help these agencies to stretch their training budgets by reducing the number of costly one-on-one sessions required and by reinforcing the learning. More importantly, the self-paced nature of these lessons can only serve to enhance the ?I can do this myself? spirit of accomplishment that is the hallmark of good rehab and accessibility training.

Product Information

The JAWS Training Bundle
Available from: Freedom Scientific, 800-444-4443

Price: DAISY format, SD card: $750; or pre-loaded onto a PLEXTALK or Victor Reader Stream
DAISY player: $995

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September 2014 was a busy month for Apple, at least on the mobile front. On September 9 the company announced two new iPhones, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. They also unveiled their long-anticipated AppleWatch. The watch—at the time of this writing its accessibility or lack thereof has not yet been definitively established—will not be available until sometime in early 2015. The two new iPhone models were released on September 19, two days after the public release on September 17 of the new iPhone operating system, iOS 8.

It's a lot to keep up with, so in this article I will introduce you to the new accessibility features and improvements you will experience when you upgrade to iOS 8, and help you decide if there should be a new iPhone 6 or 6 Plus in your immediate future.

iOS Without the Eye

Apple's iOS 8 was made available to developers in beta form several months back. Jonathan Mosen, author of the excellent eBook, iOS 7 Without the Eye, took advantage of this head start to write and release a complete new edition, iOS 8 Without the Eye. If you are brand new to the world of iOS accessibility, I would not recommend this book as your first iOS tutorial, as it assumes you already have a reasonable proficiency in using VoiceOver, Zoom, and other iOS accessibility features. Novice iOS users would likely be better served by purchasing Shelly Brisbin's iOS Access for All: Your Comprehensive Guide to Accessibility for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch, which I reviewed in the July 2014 issue of AccessWorld.

That being said, Mosen's iOS 8 Without the Eye is an exceptional guide for upgraders who want to preview and learn how to use the various changes you will encounter when moving from iOS 7 to iOS 8. The ebook is available from Mosen Consulting for $19.95. After reading this book from e-cover to e-cover I felt more than prepared to upgrade my iPhone 5 from iOS 7 to iOS 8, then, two days later, set up and use my new iPhone 6.

The iOS 8 changes and new functionality of interest to users with visual impairments fall basically into two categories: new mainstream features and functionality, and changes and improvements to VoiceOver and other iOS accessibility features. We'll describe a sampling of the major changes below, but first, let's take a look at the new hardware.

The New iPhones

The screens on the iPhone 5, 5s, and 5c were larger than the screens on the iPhone 4 and 4S. The iPhone 6 screens are even larger—4.7 inches measured diagonally for the iPhone 6 and 5.5 inches for the 6 Plus. The phones themselves are longer and wider than previous models. The phones are also thinner—so much so, the camera's sapphire lens cover protrudes a millimeter or so from the iPhone's rear edge. Because of this, it is possible to rock the iPhone just a bit from side to side, but I suspect even a thin case will re-level the phone and make things flush.

Along with the size, the two biggest changes to this latest generation are in the placement of the screen lock button—it is now on the right edge, almost exactly opposite from the volume buttons, the same as most Android and Windows phones—and the iPhone's rounded edges and corners. The rounded edges give the iPhone 6 a sleek feel and make it seem even thinner than it is. I found it more comfortable to hold my iPhone 6 for an extended period of time. The screen lock button was a different situation. Gripping the phone in one hand, when I would reach for the volume buttons I had a tendency to grip the phone tighter, and frequently I would wind up accidentally pressing the screen lock button.

You can read the complete specifications at the Apple iPhone 6 site but if you plan to upgrade there are only a few choices you will need to make.

• Color: The new iPhones are available in silver, gold, and space gray.
• Memory: The 32GB option is gone. These newest models are available in 16GB, 64GB and 128GB.
• Size: the iPhone 6 Plus is noticeably larger than the standard 6. If you are a low vision user, you will almost surely appreciate the extra screen real estate. The optical image stabilization available exclusively on the 6 Plus camera may also help you become a better photographer. In the future it may enhance your ability to use a scanning app like the new KNFB Reader, but to my knowledge neither this nor any other scanning apps have been optimized to take advantage of this feature yet.

Reachability

If you're like me, you often grip your iPhone and manipulate the screen with one hand, checking e-mail, composing texts, etc. This ability is especially handy when on the move, leaving one hand free to use your cane or grip your dog's harness. The larger screens of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus may give you pause in this regard. Happily, Apple has come up with a solution. It's called "reachability," and invoking this feature causes the screen to shrink and slide down toward the bottom, where all of the active app's controls are within easy reach.

To invoke reachability, double-touch the Home button (use only a light touch, not a tap). You'll hear a sort of whoosh sound as the screen shrinks and slides down. Unfortunately, at least for me, there are two problems using this feature with VoiceOver. First, I find it difficult to perform the double-touch gesture with the same hand I am using to hold the iPhone. More importantly, after about 10 seconds with no activity the screen reverts to full size, and iOS 8 does not consider the VoiceOver swiping gestures as activity. So by the time I have swiped down to the control I wish to activate or the e-mail I wish to open the screen has reverted to full size. Hopefully this issue will be addressed in an upcoming maintenance release.

Hello from Alex

Whether your plans include an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus, I would strongly recommend avoiding the 16GB model in favor of either a 64GB or 128GB model. Otherwise you may not be able to enjoy perhaps the most anticipated iOS 8 upgrade: the inclusion of the Alex text-to-speech engine. This extremely high-quality voice will take a full 869 megabytes of storage. The good news is that iOS Alex is the same Alex voice many of us have come to enjoy on the Mac. The bad news is that he is only available on iDevices with 64-bit A7 or A8 processors, including the iPhone 5s, the iPad Air or newer, the iPad Mini with Retina Display or newer, and the two new iPhone models.

I installed the Alex voice and found it quite understandable, even at high speeds. However, I found the lower pitch of this voice a bit difficult to understand in loud environments, such as a bus stop, and preferred, at such times, to revert to the Samantha voice, or my personal favorite, the compact version of Australian Karen.

Other Accessibility Improvements and New Features

Let's take a brief look at some of the other new and improved accessibility features, which are available for all iOS users.

Improvements to Maps

Apple has made some much-needed updates to Maps using accessibility. You will now find a "Tracking" toggle near the bottom of the screen. Enable the "Tracking with Headings" feature and Maps will begin announcing your compass heading, upcoming intersections and cross street names, and points of interest.

There is no fine-grain control for how far from an intersection Maps should speak up, and the points of interest list is nowhere near as comprehensive as the POI database used by BlindSquare, which I reviewed in the July 2014 issue of AccessWorld.

Inexplicably, the Maps app does not voice when the phone is locked. Nor does it announce when a road is a full cross street and when it only turns left or right off your current location.

While taking Maps for a walk, whenever I reached a "T" or "L" intersection where the road I was traveling on terminated, Maps announced that I was approaching the next road over, despite the fact that I could not reach it directly from my current location. The Maps Tracking feature is a good start, but it does need considerable refinement.

Zoom

The iOS built-in screen magnifier can now enlarge the screen up to 15 times. There is also a toggle to do this without changing the size of the onscreen keyboard. Additionally, you can choose to Zoom full screen or in Lens Mode, a smaller region you can set to move as focus changes.

There is also a new option in the iPhone's Display and Screen Brightness settings. "Zoom View" enables you to toggle the size of home screen icons from standard to larger, or "zoom," sized. This feature may be of particular use to high partials who need just a bit of magnification.

Grayscale

You can now set your iPhone screen to display in shades of gray instead of colors, and invert the shades, which may improve readability for many.

Speak Screen

Previous versions of iOS allowed you to have highlighted text read aloud. You can now instruct your phone to read the entire screen, even with VoiceOver turned off, using a two-finger slide-down gesture. This feature will be especially handy to Zoom users who are faced with a large text passage to read. You can enable this feature from the Accessibility/Speech menu.

QuickNav and Braille Displays

It is now possible to use the same QuickNav Safari commands such as next heading, previous link, etc., that Bluetooth keyboard users enjoy with your braille display's input keys, although some users have reported this feature is a bit buggy at the time of this writing.

Braille Keyboard

With iOS 8 you can add a brand new option to your rotor settings: a built-in onscreen braille keyboard. This keyboard allows you to type directly into app text edit fields, so you no longer need to jump through hoops to get your text from a braille keyboard app into your e-mail, text message, or other apps.

Enable the keyboard in the General/Accessibility/VoiceOver/Braille settings page, where you can choose between uncontracted six-dot braille, uncontracted eight-dot braille, and contracted braille. Because of screen size, eight-dot Braille is only supported on the iPad. iPhones and iPod touches are limited to six-dot Braille.

Place the braille keyboard in your rotor, and when you invoke it in an edit field the keyboard will auto-detect your device's position and work in either tabletop or Screen Away mode. You will receive the audio prompt: "To calibrate the dot positions, touch and lift the three right fingers, then touch and lift the three left fingers immediately afterwards." Uncertain of the dot positions? Touch and hold a finger to the screen at any time until you hear two beeps, then "Entering Explore mode." Slide your finger across the screen to locate the position of the various dots, then lift your finger to close Explore mode.

Direct Touch Typing

If you are a very fast and accurate touch screen typist, you may appreciate Direct Touch typing. Instead of waiting until you raise your finger off the keyboard character to announce and enter it, Direct Touch typing types the character as soon as you tap it. In his book, Mosen describes how he uses this feature with great success on his iPad equipped with a tactile screen protector. If you experiment with this feature, plan to rely on auto-correct even more than usual, at least until you get the hang of things.

Audio Ducking

You've probably noticed that if you are playing music or a video and VoiceOver has something to say, your media's volume will lower slightly until VoiceOver has finished speaking. This is called Audio Ducking. With previous iOS versions this feature has been on by default, but you can now choose whether or not you wish to have Audio Ducking enabled.

You can also add Audio Ducking to your rotor to toggle this setting on the fly.

Mainstream iOS 8 Upgrades and Improvements

The latest iOS includes a significant number of upgrades and new features. There are far too many to cover them all here, so I will concentrate on a quartet of new features that will be of particular interest to sight-impaired users.

Third-Party Keyboards

Apple is finally allowing users to install third-party keyboards, a feature Android has had from the beginning. If you are a Fleksi user, you will no longer have to rely on cut-and-paste to move your text into e-mails, messages, or other text entry fields. The only exceptions to this are for dial pad type entry fields, and for password fields, at which time for security reasons the standard iOS keyboard will reappear.

Fleksi already works as a third party keyboard, although at the time of this writing VoiceOver support is incomplete and developers suggest disabling VoiceOver while using the Fleksi keyboard.

The developers of Text Expander have already announced an upcoming third-party keyboard. Myself, I am looking forward to a keyboard that includes a number row at the top, and the many creative and useful alternative keyboards VoiceOver-focused developers will come up with.

HealthKit

iOS 8 includes a new app called Health. Currently, with my iPhone 6, I can instruct this app to count my steps and flights of stairs climbed for each day and compare that to my average. Great—now I have to carry my iPhone everywhere so I can get credit for every move I make.

What's more exciting about the iOS HealthKit is that it is a framework for iOS-connected health monitoring devices, such as the upcoming AppleWatch. Bluetooth scales, workout monitors, treadmills, and other fitness accessories can link to the Health app to give the user a one-stop view. We can also look forward to a whole new generation of connected devices, such as on-the-go glucose and blood pressure monitors. I don't imagine it will be long before these sensors are both collecting this data and forwarding it to your physician so he can fine tune your treatment on an ongoing basis.

One Health app feature that can be used right now is the Medical ID. Create a list of any allergies and other medical conditions and it can be made available on your lock screen's emergency control.

HomeKit

The iOS HomeKit is not an app, it's a framework that will enable home automation devices to work and play together better. Which means we may be one step closer to an accessible washing machine, dishwasher, and other home appliances.

Apple has announced plans to offer a certification program for HomeKit to ensure developers comply with the framework's standards. Please, Apple, include VoiceOver compatibility in this certification process.

Apple Pay

Apple just may be in the process of revolutionizing the way we spend our money—and I mean besides shelling it all out for new Apple devices. Both iPhone 6 models include near field communication technology (NFC) and with Apple Pay you will soon be able to keep your credit and debit cards in your pocket and use your iPhone 6 or 6 Plus to securely buy a hamburger, fill a prescription, or pay for a cab or other ride share.

Android has incorporated NFC capabilities from the very beginning, and they have tried and failed to make Google Wallet a payment standard. I think Apple has an excellent chance for success, however, and I offer these three reasons:

• Apple already has the largest database of credit and debit card information anywhere thanks to iTunes and the Mac and iOS App Stores.
• Apple's payment model is inherently more secure, since the merchant only receives a one-time-use number. No one but you has access to your card information.
• Apple has timed their payment introduction well. The US is about to move to "Chip and PIN" credit and debit card technology, which means millions of merchants are going to have to upgrade their payment processing systems anyway. The cost of adding Apple Pay compatibility is practically nil.

I am looking forward to paying for my purchases with a tap of my iPhone's fingerprint reader and a quick touch of the back of my iPhone to the point of sale payment system. Imagine, no more fumbling to sign a credit card slip, giving your PIN to strangers because the card reader's key pad is inaccessible, and not knowing for sure until you consult your bank whether you were actually charged the amount you were told. I wonder if bank apps will begin to include Apple Pay touch ATM withdrawals.

Apple Pay is supposed to launch sometime this fall. New third-party keyboards are already appearing in the App Store, and I expect the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) next January to be crowded with new devices that take advantage of HomeKit and HealthKit.

My Experience so Far

I already own an iPad Mini, and the larger 6 Plus seemed a bit much to carry around in my pocket, especially since I do not use Zoom and so would gain little from the expanded screen size. So I upgraded to the standard iPhone 6 with 64gig of memory.

I also installed iOS 8 on my trusty but now antiquated iPhone 5.

Overall, I find the iPhone 6 a much snappier device than my 5. I am also enjoying many of the new mainstream iOS features, including the ability to send a quick audio message, making and receiving phone calls from my Mac with the Yosemite beta, and other new iOS features I do not have space to describe here, but which are covered thoroughly in Mosen's excellent and well-timed eBook. As for VoiceOver, which I use exclusively, I think Apple has taken some giant steps forward, but a few tiny steps backward, at least in this initial .0 release. Here are a few of the problems I have experienced.

• Loss of focus: When swiping to a control or edit box, focus does not always move appropriately. If it's not on your current screen, VoiceOver cannot find it. When I tried purchasing a new iPhone case from Amazon, for example, I could not swipe to the "Complete Purchase" control. I had to three-finger swipe-up to move to the second screen, then explore by touch until I located the control, at which time a double-tap activated it.
• Shifting focus: Often I will tap on my e-mail icon, which is on my Dock, and after my single-tap to highlight the icon and just before my double-tap to start the app, VO will announce the name of a different app on my home screen, causing me to inadvertently open the wrong app.
• Loss of control: There are certain edit boxes that refuse to allow me to enter characters until I have stopped and restarted VoiceOver. The search books edit field on the BARD Mobile app is particularly bad. From time to time I am also unable to open a particular contact to compose and send a text message until I have restarted my iPhone.
• Unwanted screen refreshes: The iOS screen tends to refresh automatically and for no apparent reason. A Netflix video is often interrupted by a "Content refreshing" message, and midway through reading a long Seeking Alpha article the screen will auto-refresh and I will be tossed back to the very beginning.
• Notifications not voicing: Notifications are often cut off mid-syllable, or not spoken at all.

I do believe that most of these problems are due to time constraints. Apple was determined to meet their customary September iPhone refresh, and they spent their limited developer resources fixing major issues, and leaving minor ones to subsequent updates. Nonetheless, if you have or do plan to upgrade to iOS 8, I encourage you to report bugs to Apple by sending an e-mail describing your issue. Apple is debugging issues in order of severity and number of people affected. One of the ways the company determines how many users are affected by a specific bug is by logging the number of people who report experiencing them. The more people who report VoiceOver and other accessibility issues, the higher these issues will rise on their "must fix" list.

If you are a novice iOS user, you may wish to wait for an interim patch release which hopefully will address many if not all of these issues. For more advanced users, I have no hesitation in advising you to go ahead and take the plunge. I can say definitely that iOS 8 is a major upgrade with a host of new and exciting features, and the few accessibility issues you may encounter are more than worth the few minor glitches.

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National Disability Employment Awareness Month is bringing it strong with some positive information about employment for people with disabilities.

New Utilization Goals and Accessibility Assessment Tools

Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act has been revised to include some utilization goals to encourage federal contractors and subcontractors to employ people with disabilities. The definition of disability is now more inclusive of more disorders and conditions. As federal contractors and subcontractors make up approximately 200,000 employers nationwide, these changes may spell expanded opportunities for people with disabilities. Under the new regulations, employees with disabilities would make up 7% of the overall staff for organizations with 50 to 100 employees. Employers with more than 100 employees would be encouraged to have a 7% population of employees with disabilities within each job category. It is important to note the word "encouraged"—employers are not required to meet this target, though they are asked to develop plans for doing so.

A utilization goal of 8 percent can also be found in the Vietnam Era Veteran's Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), which pertains specifically to the employment of individuals who are veterans. The breakdown by employer size is the same as that mentioned above regarding Section 503.

The fact is, employers who are not federal contractors and subcontractors are starting to look at these utilization goals as best practices. Businesses are reaching out to people with disabilities and organizations associated with large populations of people with disabilities to assist with recruitment and the dissemination of job announcements.

In the past year, the Council for State Agencies for Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR) and other entities have developed a new portal for vocational rehabilitation to connect consumers with employers. The new tool, called the Talent Acquisition Portal (TAP), gives employers access to a large population of job seekers with disabilities. The verdict is still out on this initiative, and I look forward to hearing more about the results.

In the realm of employers, the United States Business Leadership Network (USBLN) has been a strong advocate for connecting employers with people with disabilities. USBLN also provides employers with guidance on policies and structures that help support disability in the workplace. The USBLN developed a tool called the Disability Equality Index (DEI), modeled after the successful Corporate Equality Index that promoted equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) populations. The DEI offers employers the ability to assess how their organization supports employees with disability through policies, hiring practices, and much more. The USBLN is a membership organization for employers, and it has local leadership networks around the United States. If you are an employer or connected with employers, encourage their participation with these types of groups. The USBLN supports the hiring of underrepresented populations such as people with disabilities and veterans, and promotes a wider diversity in general within the workforce.

The Partnership on Employment and Accessible Technology (PEAT) is an organization and initiative born out of a federal grant from the Department of Labor Office on Disability Employment Policy. Its work centers around employment accessibility, with a primary initiative focusing on improving the accessibility of online application systems, which have been and continue to be a substantial barrier to the employment process for those who use screen access technology. PEAT has created its own tool for assessing an organization's accessibility—in recruitment, employment, and policy and beyond—to individuals with disabilities. The initiative is being spearheaded by Loren Mikula, an executive with corporate and nonprofit experience in the accessibility of technology and in securing appropriate accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Other organizations, such as the National Organization on Disability, have also been working to create access to employment for people with disabilities.

Technology and the Employment Process: Benefits and Challenges

The employment process includes training, researching, applying, interviewing, getting hired, starting a job, and maintaining employment. With increased use of mobile apps in the mainstream employment process, people who are blind or visually impaired should also have access to these applications. The fact is a lot of mainstream apps related to job seeking are not accessible via either Apple VoiceOver or Android TalkBack. Last year I took the time to review a number of these apps, and at that point, only a few were totally accessible. Most provided anywhere from limited to substantial access right up until the point of having to submit information.

In the past year and a half, a number of the large technology companies have invested in hiring teams of accessibility specialists or in expanding existing teams. AT&T, Sprint, Comcast, Verizon, Google, Apple, and Microsoft have made significant investments in creating better access for people with disabilities. Smaller technology companies are investing as well. I look forward to seeing what all of this accessibility brings for us in the future.

LinkedIn has become a useful employment and networking tool for job seekers and people in the workforce. Originally designed to assist recruiters and businesses in locating and recruiting employees, LinkedIn has become much more than that. People use LinkedIn to connect with people in similar fields, to disseminate information, and to find resources. Individuals are also using LinkedIn to find out more about employers through connections and organization pages; to validate their skills through references and recommendations; and for finding job leads. To truly use it as a tool for job seekers, the level of networking is quite important. The company has invested in accessibility by bringing on new staff. There have been some changes, but a lot more is needed to improve the interface and accessibility of both its online platform and mobile app.

2014 Employment Resources Revisited

AFB CareerConnect

The CareerConnect website is a fully accessible AFB sub-site dedicated to promoting the employment of people with vision loss. CareerConnect boasts a number of helpful resources, such as articles about the employment process, stories from successfully employed people with vision loss called "Our Stories," and connections to mentors who are blind or visually impaired who are employed in many fields. These mentors are great resources for career specific questions, information about job accommodations, and more. CareerConnect also offers useful links for job seekers, career exploration, and resume development tools. In addition, CareerConnect provides useful tools and activities for professionals working with clients who are blind or visually impaired.

Career Clusters

AFB CareerConnect offers Career Clusters, an easier way to navigate government data on popular job fields. The Career Clusters message boards facilitate connecting with mentors in specific fields.

The Career Clusters cover law, education, counseling, healthcare, entertainment, communications, business, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), and other fields. Users can build a network through field-related message boards and profile pages within the CareerConnect program. Now, CareerConnect mentors and users can associate their profiles with specific clusters, which helps make relevant networking connections.

Social Networking—CareerConnect Profile

In February 2014, AFB launched the new version of the CareerConnect profile, which turned out to be a bigger change to the program than we even anticipated. The project involved a massive rebuild of the structure of the e-mentoring program and a variety of aspects of the CareerConnect user profile. This version brings a modern feel to the CareerConnect mentoring system, which now allows status updates, associations to mentors, mentor suggestions, a customizable profile, and new ways to interact.

The Job Seeker's Toolkit

The CareerConnect Job Seeker's Toolkit is a free, self-paced online course aimed at people who are new to the employment process. The Toolkit consists of a series of lessons and assignments that cover self-awareness, career exploration, job seeking tools, pre-interview and interview skills, and job maintenance. As you work your way through the Toolkit, you can save your assignments (ranging from your network contacts, to your resume and cover letter, to a list of job leads, to your My CareerConnect portfolio) where they can be accessed for future reference or use. In early 2015, look for a new course on maintaining and advancing in employment.

CareerConnect App

AFB launched the CareerConnect App on June 24 of this year. The fully accessible app, which offers mobile access to content from the CareerConnect Blog, Our Stories, and Lesson Plans for Teachers and Professionals, is free in the Apple App Store. AFB will be launching version 2, with added features and capabilities, in June 2015.

National Industries for the Blind (NIB) CareersWithVision

The NIB CareersWithVision website is the result of a collaborative effort between AFB CareerConnect and the NIB. The NIB has compiled a large list of jobs from around the US within organizations that do work in fields related to blindness, or that have hired people with visual impairments. A unique feature of the site is that you can submit your CareerConnect resume to participating organizations in order to apply for jobs. This service requires you to create a free CareerConnect user profile to search the job board, develop a resume, and apply for jobs.

Hadley School for the Blind

The Hadley School for the Blind offers online and correspondence courses for people with vision loss in subjects related to blindness skills, business writing, employment, and more. Hadley's exciting program, the Forsythe Center for Entrepreneurship, offers in-depth information and training for entrepreneurs who are blind or visually impaired who want to start their own business. This resource has seen growth and innovation through partnerships with groups like the Veteran's Administration.

Accessing Federal Jobs

Federal agencies have two job application methods available for people with disabilities: competitive and noncompetitive placements. Job applicants must meet specified qualifications and be able to perform essential job duties related to any position with reasonable accommodations.

Jobs filled competitively are advertised on USAJOBS, the official job-posting site used by the US government. There are approximately 16,000 jobs available on the site each day. Once you register on the site, you can set up notifications for job advertisements related to selected keywords. Jobs filled noncompetitively are available to those with mental, severe physical, or psychiatric disabilities who have appropriate documentation as specified by the US Office of Personnel Management.

The US Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) offers useful connections to resources for self-employment, youth employment, employer advisement, the latest disability policies, and more. This office advises the US Department of Labor and other government agencies on employment issues regarding people with disabilities.

GettingHired

GettingHired, LLC offers training courses, opportunities to connect with employers, career personality assessments, and other employment resources for people with disabilities. GettingHired has recently announced a partnership with HirePotential, Inc., which will provide specialized training courses for national employers on the accommodation process, disability etiquette training, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs compliance, tax credit utilization, and disability awareness training for recruiters and hiring managers.

Job Accommodation Network

The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is an online resource for accommodation advice for all disabilities. The website also allows users to submit questions regarding special accommodations and ADA issues in the workplace. JAN hosts webcasts on the provision of job accommodations, and the programs can be accessed through its website.

Career One Stop

Career One Stop is a free resource provided by the US Department of Labor that allows you to search state job bank databases.

Career Centers

Career centers help people perform research to support professional goals. Colleges, universities, and postsecondary and vocational schools often have career centers, and many are available to the public. You may have to visit, call, or do some online research to find out what is available to you locally. Keep in mind that many career centers maintain robust websites accessible to anyone with an Internet connection, and these sites may offer many free resources and materials. Career centers are often underutilized, and most are eager to have visitors. Some receive grant money to offer services to the community or state, and some actively recruit people with disabilities to their centers.

Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies

Vocational rehabilitation helps people with disabilities prepare for entry or re-entry into the workforce. Your local vocational rehabilitation agency will offer a range of programs, resources, and services to help you prepare for and find work. The range of programs offered by these agencies varies from state to state, so research your local vocational rehabilitation agency, determine what programs and services you are eligible for, and register.

In most cases, these organizations exist to help you become job-ready and find employment. Some may also train you in independent daily living, orientation and mobility, and access technology. These organizations will also know about other available resources in your community. To find a local or state agency near you, use the AFB Directory of Services.

Stephen-Bradford Search

Stephen-Bradford Search is an executive consultant search firm that aims to connect the right person with the right job. The motivation and passion from their personnel explodes through the phone. Their core values are accountability, growth, integrity, positive culture, and respect.

The firm is dedicated to improving people's lives by identifying talented individuals and is known as a forward-thinking, highly ethical search firm. Its expertise is in marketing, sales, business development, account management, and operations across many industries, including advertising, beauty/luxury, consumer goods, digital/social media, emerging technologies, and market research for nonprofit organizations. The management and recruiters come from the industries for which they recruit, and they are dedicated to helping clients build their business with people who drive growth and results.

Stephen-Bradford Search is not an organization that specifically recruits people with vision loss. It aims to find talented people who are qualified individuals and can get the job done. That said, the firm does have personnel who are visually impaired, and if you are working in any of the fields listed, this is a recommended organization to contact.

Bender Consulting Services

Bender Consulting Services is a highly successful recruitment firm that specializes in meeting employer needs through the hiring of qualified people with disabilities in technology, science, government, and other employment sectors. The organization has been making a difference for a long time. Joyce Bender also hosts a popular audio show specific to disability and the employment process.

disABLED Person, Inc.

disABLEDperson, Inc. is a nonprofit public foundation with the mission to reduce the extremely high unemployment rate among the disabled by providing online recruitment solutions as well as program initiatives. A primary goal associated with this mission is to connect individuals and veterans who have disabilities with employers who are proactive in hiring them. It accomplishes this goal through their disability job matching system.

Another goal is to assist community members in gaining marketable job skills that will translate into sustainable employment via their Microsoft IT Academy program. Recently, the organization has created a partnership with the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation and an alliance with the United States Business Leadership Network. You can visit the Web portals at the disABLEDperson, Inc. website or the Job Opportunities for Disabled American Veterans (JOFDAV) website.

Eyes on Success

The Eyes on Success audio show is an excellent resource to find interviews with successful people who are blind or visually impaired and get employment tips. There are over 200 shows accessible online that offer tips on job seeking and the use of resources. Find out about great blindness-related resources and inspirational stories.

NFB Where the Blind Work

The National Federation of the Blind has a resource that allows persons who are blind or visually impaired to post information about their work. Where the Blind Work is a portal for learning about the work done by people who are blind.

Project Aspiro

Project Aspiro, a website developed by the World Blind Union, focuses on addressing employment issues specific to needs in Canada and abroad. This is a career exploration resource that aims to illuminate employment options and programs outside of the US.

Final Thoughts

During National Disability Employment Awareness Month, take the time to reflect on your path and the paths of others. Reach out to the community and spread the doctrine of the employability of people who are blind or visually impaired and those with other disabilities. The year has brought more positive strides and steps toward making a difference.

In tougher markets, workers in the skilled trades can often find some stability. Individuals who have specific training and experience in a trade will often be able to find or create work. To pursue work in the skilled trades, your compensatory blindness-related skills need to be above par, which amplifies the importance of the work of vocational rehabilitation agencies and community rehabilitation providers around the United States. It is not enough to get a job—a person has to be able to maintain employment.

Job seekers need to dig in and be creative about their job search. Invest in your job search—join a professional organization or trade-related organization that allows contact to professionals in a similar field—and leverage your personal network. Create your own connections and use them appropriately. Make the coming year even more successful by creating opportunities for people who are blind or visually impaired.

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