Dear AccessWorld readers,

It has been one busy, action-packed time at AccessWorld and the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)! It seems we just wrapped up with the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the Assistive Technology Industry Association Conference (ATIA), and the AFB Leadership Conference (AFBLC), and we are now turning full-force into the California State University at Northridge Conference (CSUN).

The 2019 AFB Leadership Conference was held in Washington D.C., February 28 to March 1. AFBLC attracted over 400 established and emerging leaders in the blindness field. Conference attendees included technology experts, corporate representatives, university professors, and researchers. They came from diverse organizations and institutions spanning the public and private sectors.

AFBLC 2019 had five primary areas of focus, including leadership, aging and visual impairment, education, technology, and employment. I would like to thank all the presenters, panelists, and generous sponsors for their time and investment into helping to make AFBLC 2019 such a success. It is because of you that we are able to present our conference and help contribute to, and share information with, members of the blindness field.

We were very pleased that the National Rehabilitation and Training Center on blindness and Low Vision at Mississippi State University held its State-of-the-Science conference during AFBLC, presenting research findings on important aspects of employment and visual impairment.

Please read Janet Ingber's articles in this issue for more in-depth AFBLC coverage, including information about the 2019 Helen Keller Achievement and Migel Medal award recipients.

AccessWorld will also have conference coverage for CSUN in our April issue. AccessWorld is pleased to be sponsoring Blind Bargains' podcasts from CSUN 2019, so be sure to check out all the latest CSUN coverage from Blind Bargains either by visiting its website or downloading its app.

This year, CSUN will be held in Anaheim, California, Tuesday, March 12 through Friday, March 15, with the pre-conference beginning Monday, March 11. It will be interesting to see how the move from San Diego to Anaheim affects the conference. Check back next month to learn the answer to that question and about all the latest and greatest technology on display at CSUN 2019.

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

The American Foundation for the Blind held its annual Leadership Conference (AFBLC) on February 28 and March 1, 2019 in Arlington VA. It drew approximately 400 attendees and featured many educational sessions and tracks including one on Aging and Vision Loss and one on Employment, along with award presentations and an exhibit hall.

AccessWorld presented seven technology sessions, moderated by AccessWorld Editor-in-Chief Lee Huffman. These sessions included topics such as website accessibility, GPS navigation, and smart home technology.

There were two very useful apps for participants to use during this conference, CrowdCompass AttendeeHub and Foresight Augmented Reality. The AttendeeHub app provided an accessible way to receive schedule changes, find session times, get information about speakers, and locate exhibiters. Foresight Augmented Reality beacons were placed in strategic locations throughout the conference hotel including meeting rooms and elevators. The beacons emit a Bluetooth signal and, using FAR's app, your phone speaks the location as you walk past a beacon.

The Keynote Session: A No Barriers Life

The session began with AFB President Kirk Addams welcoming the group. Audience members learned about the many accessibility features Amazon has implemented, including text-to-speech with the Amazon VoiceView screen reader.

Next, Erik Weihenmayer gave a dramatic and well-received talk about his many amazing adventures as a blind person, including climbing the world's highest peaks. He is the only blind person to climb Mount Everest, and in 2008 he completed climbing the tallest peak on each continent. He wrote the book Touch the Top of the World, which was also made into a movie, and The Adversity Advantage, which explains how to turn everyday struggles into everyday greatness.

Weihenmayer's most recent book is No Barriers: A Blind Man's Journey to Kayak the Grand Canyon, which he accomplished in 2014 with Lonnie Bedwell, a Navy veteran who is blind.

Weihenmayer described his experience climbing Mount Everest with a lot of humor, and he detailed the six years of planning preparing for his white-water excursion. As Weihenmayer spoke about his journey down the Colorado River, he said, "It wasn't always 'smooth sailing.'"

Weihenmayer lost his sight when he was a freshman in high school. He said, "I was afraid to go blind but way more scary than going blind was the fear that I'd lose out. The fear that I'd be sheltered, sidelined, sent to this dark place where I'd be left there and forgotten." He signed up for a rock-climbing trip for blind kids, explaining, "I was tired of building walls around myself, protecting myself. I wanted to tear down those walls." This was a fascinating and inspiring presentation that set the stage for the rest of the conference.

Technology Sessions

There were seven Technology Track sessions at AFBLC. Below, four of these are discussed in detail.

Technology for the Smart Home

• Lyndsey Minaglia, Research Manager with the Amazon Smart Home research team
• Sarah Herrlinger, Senior Director of Global Accessibility Policy and Initiatives at Apple
• Kiran Kaja, Technical Program Manager with Search and assistant Accessibility at Google

All three presenters expressed their respective company's commitment to accessibility. Smart home technology is an easy way to control appliances, alarm systems, thermostats, lights, and more. This technology makes it possible for someone to control products either by voice or through an accessible corresponding app. Audio content can be played through these devices. All three presenters indicated that their smart speakers are easy to set up.

Ms. Minaglia gave a brief description of how smart appliances, alarms, and the like are set up using the Amazon Echo speaker and the digital assistant called Alexa. She said that Alexa is the brain in the home. Ms. Minaglia played a brief video showing how Alexa follows commands. Amazon has a popular microwave with built-in Alexa that takes voice commands.

The Alexa app is available for both iOS and Android. Updates for the Echo device are automatic.

Visit Amazon to read reviews of the Amazon Echo.

Ms. Herrlinger spoke about the independence and empowerment that Apple's technology offers not only for people who are blind or visually impaired, but also for people with other disabilities and seniors. She described Apple's HomePod and Home app. The Home app is available on all Apple devices. She discussed HomePod's audio quality since it contains six microphones.

When shopping for accessories in the market, customers should look for products labeled "Works with Apple HomeKit."

Updates are automatic for the HomePod, or you can choose to do them manually. For more information, you can visit Apple's HomePod or Accessibility site, or visit an Apple store near you.

Mr. Kaja pointed out that with smart home technology, a blind user can control devices that they could not previously control. Mr. Kaja, who is visually impaired, described using Google Home Speaker and Google Assistant to control his thermostat and lights.

The Made for Google badge on a product indicates the product will work with Google Assistant. Updates for the Google Assistant device are automatic, and Google Home is available for iOS and Android.

For more information, visit Google's Accessibility or Assistant pages.

Making Products, Services, and Culture Accessible at Amazon: Insights and Lessons Learned

• Peter Korn, Director, Device Accessibility
• Blake Burgess, Senior Product Manager, Retail Accessibility
• JoAnna Hunt, Senior Product Manager, Kindle Accessibility
• Megan Mauney, Principle Product Manager, Internal Accessibility

Amazon has taken many steps to make its products, videos, and website more accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired. It has also worked to address the needs of people with other disabilities. Every Amazon employee receives accessibility training. In addition, employees receive job-specific accessibility training.

Amazon has sought input from people with disabilities for its website and technology. Amazon has an accessibility advisory council made up of experts and industry leaders.

Blake Burgess explained that in 2017 at the CSUN conference, Amazon interviewed people who are blind or visually impaired about their retail experience on the Amazon website. Amazon did additional research after the interviews. The company was able to improve their Prime Now experience and their grocery delivery experience. In 2018, Amazon interviewed three additional groups: consumers over 75, people on the autism spectrum, and people who have mobility impairments. Mr. Burgess said, "Between the two studies, Amazon received over 200 pieces of feedback and has already addressed more than half of them."

During product development, people with disabilities come into the lab to check for accessibility. In addition, continuing education about accessibility is provided to employees. Amazon also created an Accessibility Customer Experience Lab. Employees are taught about assistive technology and bring their knowledge back to their team. Last year, this lab became more available since it now can be accessed online.

Global Accessibility Day at Amazon used to be a one-day informational celebration but now it is a month-long event. This year, there were over 40 events in 13 countries. Amazon partnered with other companies and community members to educate the global Amazon community about accessibility.

Jo Anna Hunt explained that at Amazon's Kindle team, "We work to extend Blake's training programs into our design studios, with our engineers, get them working on things and having great successes. We also get our leadership team to buy in with setting goals for the team."

Amazon has a tool called Pipeline that scans for accessibility whenever something goes onto its website. If it does not pass accessibility standards, it cannot be used.

Amazon is a portal for a great deal of content including Prime Videos and Kindle eBooks. A lot of that content is developed by third parties such as studios and authors. The Kindle team provides accessibility documentation to these content developers. It has tools to show them how their product will look and whether any accessibility changes need to be made. Any Kindle book has an attribute on its details page indicating whether the book is screen-reader supported. The user can also search for a book and check the box for screen reader support.

In 2018, Amazon required all images, including those from third-party vendors, to include descriptive alt text. Amazon staff evaluates the alt text to ensure accessibility and adequate description.

Megan Mauney showed a video featuring Amazon employees who have disabilities, including an engineer who is blind. Ms. Mauney spoke about Amazon's practice of hiring individuals who have disabilities: "One of the things we're all really passionate about is making sure employees get the resources they need, not just the accessible tech, not just the no-barriers life, but true resources from a community."

Peter Korn said, "I highly, highly, highly encourage everyone buying an Amazon product, to review it. State your accessibility use and review the product. We read those; they have an impact."

Mr. Korn gave some Amazon accessibility email addresses:

• Device accessibility
• Kindle Accessibility
• Accessibility

Out and About with Technology: Apps for Getting Around

• Ed Scott, American Printing House for the Blind
• Amos Miller, Microsoft
• Henri Fontana, Google
• Bill Boules, Director of Rehabilitation and Reintegration, Vision Center of Excellence

Additional participants were Judy Dixon and Doug Wakefield.

Amos Miller described Soundscape from Microsoft. When a user wears headphones, Soundscape provides 3D sound to inform the user where something is located. He said, "Soundscape is designed as a background experience. It aims to enrich your awareness of your surroundings and to help you build a mental map as easily and as effortlessly as possible. The trick that we try to use with Soundscape is 3D audio augmented reality, so you can hear where everything is around you." Mr. Miller said that Soundscape is meant to run in the background so you can ignore it when you wish. He added that Soundscape will provide information and enrich your awareness, but it's up to you to decide what to do with this information.

Soundscape is available in the app store. The product website is here.

Ed Scott explained that although APH's Nearby Explorer does support turn-by-turn directions, the real focus is on your surroundings. He said, "What we want people to do with Nearby Explorer is to understand what's around them and what situation they're in." Nearby Explorer allows the user to set navigation points, so they can easily find them in the future. Scott added: "Nearby Explorer has a really interesting feature, the Virtual Explorer capability. You can do a search for any place in the world. You can tell Nearby Explorer to assume you're at that location. You can then point your device and see what's around."

Mr. Scott explained how the developers of Nearby Explorer are working to get more venues and buildings mapped. He said, "The technology is not great. We can't do the navigation that we do outside." He added that the closest you can get with indoor navigation is three to five meters. Most of the APH mapped locations are in Louisville, Kentucky.

Nearby Explorer is in the iOS app store and the Google Play store for Android. There is a possible plan in the works to make Nearby Explorer free.

Henri Fontana presented information about the free Google Maps app and how it works for people who are blind. "It has two thirds of the market for map navigation," he said. "It's hugely successful and popular. Therefore, Google takes the responsibility to make it accessible very seriously."

Google Maps provides more than location and directions. It gives additional information about what is around you, such as stores and points of interest.

Bill Boules reminded session attendees, "When we talk about technology with O and M [orientation and mobility], we're not talking about replacing skills. We're talking about partnering technology with skills." He added that technology is never going to replace cane or guide dog skills.

The Accessible Toolbox: Multi-Modal Accessible Navigation App Accessibility and More

• Mike May, Director, Workforce Innovation Center, Envision Inc
• Greg Stilson, Director of Product, Aira

The presenters discussed early navigation programs and the bulky hardware needed to run them.

Mike May explained, "Sendero Maps came out in the 2000s and has gotten better and really became more available when Windows would accommodate smaller laptop footprints, and we had Windows 10 running. It allowed us to have Sendero Maps on those devices."

There are now many navigation programs from which to choose. There are mainstream apps such as Google Maps and apps designed for people who are blind including Blind Square, Soundscape, and Seeing Eye GPS. Apps designed for the blind provide more information.

May said, "My baby, the Seeing Eye GPS, we wanted to have a certain level of coaching. I felt as a blind person when I make a turn I want to make sure that I turned in the right place. So we tried to build these things into the app." For example, after making a turn the app says when the next turn is going to take place. May added that what differentiates GPS apps is their user interface.

Regarding indoor navigation, Greg Stilson said, "At this point, many companies are looking for that holy grail of indoor solutions. The mainstream interest in this is massive because of the marketing opportunities that are there. It's not just beacons, there are also a number of solutions being tested."

Stilson played a video of a man leaving a hotel and going through an airport using Aira. Aira has trained agents who can see your location and assist you using your phone's camera or a pair of Aira smart glasses.

After the video, Stilson explained, "When I make a call to Aira, they instantly have access to my profile, which I fill out at first. That has things like: am I a cane or a guide dog user, how long have I had vision loss, do I prefer things given to me in a clock-face direction or right and left. They can customize the experience to me.

Stilson spoke about going to your location with the GPS of your choice, but then using Aira to help you find the correct door to go inside. He added that Aira is partnering with businesses including Walgreens and 40 different airports.

You can learn more about Aira here.

General Sessions

The conference had two general sessions on March 1. The first session focused on non-profit agencies and how they can network with other agencies to achieve their goals.

The second session was a panel discussion moderated by George Abbott, AFB Chief Knowledge Advancement Officer. Companies represented included Walmart and JPMorgan Chase. Panelists discussed how their companies foster inclusion, accommodations, and career advancement.

Conclusion

The 2019 AFB Leadership Conference in Arlington, Virginia, offered many concurrent sessions on a wide array of topics relating to blindness and visual impairment. There were three informative general sessions. In the exhibit hall, companies showed their latest assistive technology, while other exhibitors had information about their organizations. Next year the AFBLC will once again be held at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington.

This article is made possible in part by generous funding from the James H. and Alice Teubert Charitable Trust, Huntington, West Virginia.

Tradition held true this year at the American Foundation for the Blind Leadership Conference (AFBLC), as leaders in the blindness field and organizations that work to positively impact the lives of people with disabilities received well-deserved accolades and recognition. Presentations of the Helen Keller Achievement Awards, Migel Medals, and the Stephen Garff Marriott Award were, once again, highlights of the conference.

This article identifies this year's recipients of these prestigious awards and provides a glimpse into the reasons they were selected.

Congratulations to each and every recipient!

The Helen Keller Achievement Award: Amazon, Northrop Grumman, and Cyrus Habib

AFB established the Helen Keller Achievement Awards in 1994 to acknowledge Keller's extraordinary efforts toward improving the quality of life for people with disabilities. The annual awards recognize individuals and organizations who have continued these efforts. Presented at a gala dinner on Wednesday, February 27, 2019, this year's recipients were Amazon, Northrop Grumman, and Lt. Gov. Cyrus Habib. Past recipients include Apple, Google, Netflix, Stevie Wonder, and Ray Charles.

Amazon was recognized for its culture of inclusion, which has resulted in the innovation of its products, services, and website to the benefit of people of all abilities. The company has integrated its VoiceView screen reader into Kindle and Fire TV devices; integrated VoiceView with braille input and output support into the last several generations of Fire tablets; added alt text and accessible math support to Kindle for PC and Fire OS; brought audio description to hundreds of Prime Video titles, including new Amazon Studios movies and TV shows; and pioneered voice interfaces with Alexa and the growing family of Echo devices. Additionally, Amazon has made ongoing improvements to the accessibility of the retail shopping experience, including requiring third-party sellers to provide alt text for their product images; adding a voice interface to Amazon Lockers; and creating a dedicated customer service line for customers with disabilities. With these efforts, Amazon is allowing individuals with visual impairments to enjoy the same entertainment and consumer options and functionality as their sighted peers.

Northrop Grumman was recognized for its efforts to foster an open and trusting environment that values diversity, is truly inclusive, and creates strong engagement for all members of its team. For three years in a row, Northrop Grumman has been recognized as a leading disability employer by the National Organization on Disability, for its exemplary disability hiring and employment practices. For the last four years, Northrop Grumman has received the highest ranking on the Disability Equality Index, a ranking produced by the American Association of People with Disabilities and Disability:IN. The company also received the 2018 Employer of the Year award for significant policies, strategies and initiatives that have resulted in measurable results in disability inclusiveness in the workplace. This is the result of a concerted effort to work with external stakeholder groups to recruit and develop diverse talent by creating a space for employees with different backgrounds and perspectives. For example, Northrop Grumman's Operation IMPACT (Injured Military Pursuing Assisted Career Transition) program, created in 2005, provides personalized placement assistance, community outreach, and workplace accommodations for severely injured service members transitioning to civilian employment.

Additionally, through programs such as Employee Resource Groups and Heritage Events, Northrop Grumman has built a foundation that benefits from diverse inputs and ideas. And by encouraging those same employees to pursue leadership positions within the organization, Northrop Grumman has ensured this thinking and commitment hold true from the top down.

Cyrus Habib was honored for a career built on advocacy and a fierce commitment to pursuing one's passion. Habib lost his sight at age eight to cancer, but has since gone on to build a particularly impressive résumé, one that includes graduating from Columbia University, Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, and Yale Law School, where he served as editor of the Yale Law Journal. Habib has combined this academic drive with an equal desire to serve his constituents in the state of Washington. From serving in the Washington State House of Representatives and the State Senate, to his current role as the youngest presiding officer in the country as Washington's 16th Lieutenant Governor and Chief Opportunity Officer, Habib has proven that blindness will not stand in the way of living a life of no limits.

The Migel Medal: Glinda Foster Hill and Dr. Elton Moore

The Migel Medal, the highest honor in the blindness field, was established in 1937 by M.C. Migel, the first chairperson of AFB. The medal honors those whose dedication and achievements have significantly improved the lives of people with vision loss. Past honorees include legendary disability-rights advocate Helen Keller, Senator Tom Harkin, social entrepreneur and engineer Jim Fruchterman, and renowned educators Kathleen Mary Huebner and Philip H. Hatlen.

The 2019 Migel Medals were presented to Glinda Foster Hill and Dr. Elton Moore, at a celebratory luncheon March 1, during the AFB Leadership Conference.

Glinda Foster Hill is an Education Program Specialist at the US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), Division of Research to Practice. At the OSEP, Glinda is responsible for the development and management of programs designed to improve developmental, educational, and employment outcomes of children with disabilities. She has worked on policies that strengthen educational programs and opportunities and ushered in new and groundbreaking programs.

Dr. Elton Moore has been a preeminent leader in the blindness field over the last quarter century. His leadership of the Mississippi State University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center oversaw considerable research, especially relating to the employment of people with vision loss, research that was applied by private and governmental organizations serving blind and visually impaired people throughout the United States.

The Corinne Kirchner Research Award: Dr. Michele C. McDonnell

The Corinne Kirchner Research Award honors individuals whose leadership and dedication illuminate the most pressing needs of people with vision loss through timely, innovative, and authoritative research. The 2019 recipient is?Dr. Michele C. McDonnall, director of the National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision, and principal investigator of several large grants. In addition to demonstrated excellence in academic writing, grant writing, and research, Dr. McDonnall also translates her findings into plain-language summaries. She has published extensively over the last several years on employer attitudes, transportation issues, and improving delivery systems as they relate to individuals who are blind or have low vision, with the ultimate goal of improving competitive employment outcomes and other indicators of employment success.

The Stephen Garff Marriott Award: Anita Shafer Aaron

The Stephen Garff Marriott Award honors a blind or visually impaired individual who has served as an extraordinary mentor or who has attained remarkable professional success.

Anita Shafer Aaron, Executive Director of the World Institute on Disability (WID),?was the 2019 recipient. Under Aaron's leadership, WID has worked to strengthen its role in defining and promoting accessible health care, addressing barriers to economic inclusion of people with disabilities, and working internationally to increase access to services, training, and education, and involvement in peace-building and conflict resolution initiatives. Anita Shafer Aaron received her award during the Friday afternoon general session.

This article is made possible in part by generous funding from the James H. and Alice Teubert Charitable Trust, Huntington, West Virginia.

In the January 2018 issue of AccessWorld, we reviewed the BrailleSense Polaris from HIMS Inc., a 32-cell braille notetaker running Android Lollipop 5.1. Just a few months later, the company announced the release of the BrailleSense Polaris Mini, a 20-cell version of its BrailleSense Polaris lineup.

Comparing the BrailleSense Polaris and Polaris Mini

The Polaris Mini, like its bigger and slightly older sibling, runs on the Android 5.1.1 (Lollipop) operating system. It has a Samsung Exynos 7420 2.1GHz Octa-core CPU with 64GB of internal storage. Whereas the original Polaris provides a Standard SD / SDHC / SDXC card slot on the side of the unit for removeable storage, the Mini provides a micro SD card slot located in the same compartment as the battery. You won't be moving this card from your notetaker to a PC and back again, so you will want to use another method of transferring files, such as connecting the note taker to a PC.

The Polaris Mini is lighter and smaller than the original Polaris, and sports a 20-cell braille display instead of 32 cells. Rather than having a dedicated AC adapter like the Polaris, the Mini charges using USB C. It charges slightly faster than the Polaris, coming in at around 3.5 hours.

Instead of the 18 hours of battery life that you get on the Polaris, you only get 11 hours with the Mini.

I was pleased to see that HIMS has chosen to provide the same style of case for the BrailleSense Polaris Mini as it does for the larger unit. The case is textured so as not to easily slip out of your hand, has a nice long carrying strap, and closes using a magnetic flap rather than Velcro, snaps, or a zipper.

Another pleasant holdover from the first generation product is the included braille command quick reference document that I found to be quite useful when reviewing both products.

As stated earlier, the Mini's braille display contains 20 cells with cursor routing buttons above each cell.

Typing on the keyboard of the original Polaris felt springy to my hand, something I rather enjoyed. The action of the keyboard was rather quiet as well. The Mini's keyboard feels and sounds a bit more clicky to me. That said, I still find the Mini's keyboard to be a pleasure to use, and not noisy enough to be a problem in daily use.

I found myself more likely to hit the wrong scroll key on the Mini than on the original Polaris. It was easy to hit the Scroll Up key rather than the Scroll Down key, for example. Continued practice made this less of a problem as time went along.

Getting Oriented to the BrailleSense Polaris Mini

A physical examination of the top panel on the BrailleSense Polaris Mini reveals the familiar nine-key Perkins-style keyboard, the Control and Alt keys, and the four function keys.

When the Mini is oriented properly, the USB C port is located on the panel on the right. You use this port to charge the unit, transfer files to and from a computer, and connect the Mini to your computer to be used as a braille display. The Mini also has Bluetooth connectivity as well, of course.

Nearer the back of the unit is a Micro HDMI port for connecting the unit to a visual display, such as a TV.

On the left panel near the front of the unit are the volume controls. When placed in its case, a bit of pressure is needed to adjust these controls, but I found much less pressure was required than when I tested the first generation Polaris.

Finally, the Mini contains a stereo headphone and stereo microphone jack.

The front panel of the BrailleSense Polaris Mini contains the same controls as the original Polaris. Readers of my first article will recall that I raved about the ability to lock the buttons on the Polaris with the flip of a switch, and this is still possible with the smaller Polaris. All of the media controls I came to appreciate in the BrailleSense Polaris are still present on the Mini as well, and that means that all the media player functions including an FM radio are provided on the BrailleSense Polaris Mini.

The one drawback I found when playing audio on the Mini is that the speaker is now located on the underside of the unit. I found that I needed to turn the volume all the way up and fold the flap of the case under to cause the speaker to generate enough volume to provide the audio I needed when using the unit as it rested on my lap in my music therapy practice. At home, placing the unit on my desk resulted in an acceptable volume. Of course, you can always use headphones or a Bluetooth speaker with the unit if desired.

Although I did not make use of the Mini's camera, which is also on the underside of the unit, the smaller profile of the device would certainly make it easier to position when snapping a picture of a document for later scanning with an app such as KNFB Reader.

Getting Work Done with the BrailleSense Polaris Mini

I was pleased to see that all the applications I had come to enjoy on the BrailleSense Polaris were still available on the Mini and worked as expected. In addition to the familiar Word Processor application, which now includes a graphing calculator as well as the ability to read Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, there is now a Notepad application for quickly jotting down thoughts that can easily be saved as a simple text file if desired. More powerful aspects of this new application include the reading of PDF and ePub files.

Apps such as the Calendar and Scheduler also felt quite familiar. I still found email and Internet surfing to be slower and less efficient for me than when I use a computer or smartphone, but they certainly work when needed.

Students and professionals alike should benefit from the provided Excel viewer found in the Extras menu.

I took a look at some of the Android apps provided on the unit, including Google Docs. I was pleased that I seemed to be able to make more use of Google Docs than in times past. I have been playing with Google Docs on my PC, so perhaps familiarity with the product helped me a bit. I also believe I could have learned to live with the Android versions of My Fitness Pal and Facebook on the BrailleSense Polaris Mini, but once again I found myself reverting back to more tried and true methods of accessing this content, including my PC and smartphone.

I have always found YouTube to be enjoyable to use with a notetaker such as the Mini, and voice searches are possible because the unit has a built-in microphone.

The help documentation located on the main menu of the BrailleSense Polaris Mini is a pleasure to use. A table of contents pops up when you first launch help, but once a topic is chosen you find yourself in one large user guide. This makes it easy to search for any topic or word you desire using the Word Processor's find commands.

HIMS has a YouTube channel that provides some tutorials on using various aspects of the BrailleSense Polaris Mini.

The Bottom Line

I found the BrailleSense Polaris Mini from HIMS Inc. to be as pleasant to use as its older and larger sibling. I was very impressed by the speed with which I was able to load a rather large ePub book into the new Notepad application. It was nice to be able to read a book using speech, braille, or a combination of the two at will.

Students should find tools such as the included graphing calculator as well as access to PowerPoint presentations, an Excel viewer, and many of Google's products to be of great value.

I found the dots on the 20-cell braille display to be of the same high quality as the original Polaris, although I personally miss not having the extra cells.

The use of Android apps will always be hit-and-miss from an accessibility standpoint. Fortunately, HIMS provides a nice suite of accessible products including a Calculator, Calendar, and Contact Manager just to name a few.

I will probably never be a fan of email and Internet on a notetaker for the blind because I have become so accustomed to using my smartphone, but my hat goes off to HIMS for the work they have done in this area as well.

The size of the BrailleSense Polaris Mini makes it a pleasure to carry around. It fits nicely into a briefcase or large purse.

The Mini is a very capable product, and HIMS should be commended for their work.

Product Information

Product: BrailleSense Polaris Mini
Price: $4,195
Manufacturer: HIMS, Inc.
Phone: 888-520-4467

This article is made possible in part by generous funding from the James H. and Alice Teubert Charitable Trust, Huntington, West Virginia.

With the ubiquity of smartphones, if you visit a restaurant you are almost always able to find the menu just a tap away. If you are a fan of craft beer or other alcoholic beverages, you know that in many cases, the menu for these can be longer than the food menu. Since most restaurants almost never list the available drinks on their online menus, you must seek another source if you want to read your drink menu without the aid of a sighted companion or OCR technology.

In this article, I review two apps that I have found to be excellent sources for accessing craft beer menus, DigitalPour and Untappd. I tested these apps using an iPhone SE running iOS 12. To get the most from these apps, basic knowledge of VoiceOver navigation is suggested, with Untappd requiring more advanced knowledge for smooth navigation.

DigitalPour

DigitalPour is the more straightforward app for locating beer menus. Each location that lists their offerings subscribes to the DigitalPour service. This allows them to automatically send notifications of beer changes across multiple social media services. The system ties into the point-of-sale at the location, which allows the service to track and display the amount remaining in any keg currently on tap. Because this is a paid service, fewer locations use it. For example, there are 5 locations in less than a mile in Huntington, West Virginia, while I found zero within 60 miles in Orlando, Florida.

Getting Started

When you first download and launch DigitalPour, it will request to use your location. With this information, DigitalPour will organize the list of locations from nearest to furthest. In some cases, DigitalPour can determine that you are at a specific location and automatically take you to the tap list for that location.

Once you have allowed the app to use your location, you will be taken to a screen that contains tips for using the app. Once you close the tips page, you will be on the main screen. Use the Map button in the top left corner to change the list of venues into a map view. Across from the Map button is a More button, which will launch a screen containing information on the features of the app. Back on the main screen, you will find a search field. You can search for beverages, locations, or producers. Note that when searching for beverages, the search is being performed on drinks that are either currently on tap at a venue or listed as "On Deck" (kegs that are in storage) at a venue, so it doesn't serve as a database of all of the craft beer being produced.

Below the search field you will find a list of venues. Here is where you may find the main accessibility issue with this app. If you start swiping right through the list of venues, you may suddenly find yourself either swiping through venues earlier in the list again, or at the very bottom of the list. This seems to happen when you swipe from the last item visible on screen to the next. Touching an item on the screen seems to fix this issue, allowing you to keep swiping through options.

Beer Menus in DigitalPour

A screen for a given venue will be split into two distinct parts. At the top of the screen you will find details of the venue including address and an option to call the venue, an About button, and a list of icons for sorting the beverages by specific categories. A search field will also allow you to search among the drinks available at the venue. By default, the app will show the beverages on tap arranged by number. You can also choose to see beers on deck. For either of these options, you can arrange the drinks by style, Alcohol by Volume (ABV), or by International Bitterness Units (IBU).

Each beer is listed as a single VoiceOver element that contains a good deal of information. The order varies, but the following information is provided for each beer:

• Name of the beer
• Description of the beer style and any additions
• Brewery name and location
• Tap number
• AVB
• IBU
• Percent remaining in the keg

In practice it looks something like this: "American Porter w/ Jamaican Coffee, SweetWater?Exodus, American Porter w/ Jamaican Coffee, 11, Atlanta, GA, ABV, 6.6%, Keg, 75%". Most items here are self-explanatory; the lone number without a descriptor is the tap number. If you double-tap on any given beer, you will be shown the amounts for sale and their cost. In addition, below a beer that you have activated, you will find buttons to Favorite and review the beer. Beers you have favorited will appear at the top of the beer list under Favorites. Reviewing the beer lets you rate it on a 5-star scale and allows you to make notes about it. As far as I can tell, the notes are for your own benefit and can't be seen by others. If you review a beer, your notes will appear as part of the beer's description. This feature requires a DigitalPour account and you will be prompted to create one the first time you try to review a beer.

Conclusion

Overall, the DigitalPour app is the most accessible and straightforward of the two apps reviewed here. The only issues you may encounter are a few non-essential unlabeled items and some focus issues when navigating a list of beers or venues.

Untappd

Untappd is primarily a social media app for beer, but it also includes beer menus and, unlike DigitalPour, bottle and can lists. The primary use of Untappd is to check-in the beers that you try. You can rate them, take photos of them, and comment on the beer. When you add friends, you can see what beers they are trying and toast (similar to a Like in other social media apps) and comment on their check-ins. Another benefit of checking in beers is that you earn badges for doing so. For example, if you check-in five beers that have an ABV above 5% but below 10%, you will earn the "Middle of the Road" badge. There are nearly 12,000 badges available and the developers are constantly adding more.

Untappd also collects and offers information about venues. Verified venues generally provide their beer menus through the app. You can follow a venue to learn about any new beers added to their menu or events that they will be hosting. In these cases, Untappd will send you a notification alerting you to any menu or event additions.

Getting Started with Untappd

To use the Untappd app, you will need to set up an account. At the time of writing, it is not possible to do this accessibly through the app, as it's impossible to select your birth date using VoiceOver. Fortunately, you can set up an account through the website, where the entire process is accessible. You'll need to complete a captcha, but an audio version is available. You can also choose to use your Facebook account instead of creating a specific Untappd account. Note that if you aren't going to be checking in beers and do not want to create an account, you can look up venues online and see their menus without the need to use the app at all. The only downside to this approach is that you'll encounter many more blank spaces, such as between the name of the brewery and the size/type of container in which the beer is served.

Once you have your account, you can sign in to the app. Before completing the sign-in process, you will need to cycle through a couple of introduction screens that discuss the features of Untappd while also choosing if Untappd can use your location and send you notifications. These screens are where you will find the most serious access issue with this app. Frequently, pop-up windows will not keep VoiceOver from seeing the content below, meaning that you will need to explore the screen by touch to find the needed information and buttons to close the pop-up. This can be frustrating, but after a short amount of time I found that exploring the screen to read and interact with these windows was second nature.

Tabs in Untappd

As mentioned previously, there are many features in Untappd. This article aims to provide information on accessing beer menus, so this is where our focus will be primarily, but I will also briefly discuss the other features of the app.

When you first sign in to the app, you will be on the Discover tab, the third of the five tabs in the app. Like most iOS apps, the tabs in Untappd are situated at the bottom of the screen. I'll be describing each tab, from left to right.

The Activity tab shows beers that have been recently checked in. At the top of the screen, you can choose to see check-ins by your friends, friends who are checked in nearby, and check-ins from specific groups you belong to. For each check-in, you are given the name of the beer and brewery, rating, and location if selected by the user. Toast and Comment buttons are available for each check-in.

The Maps tab will allow you to find nearby venues. The Map view is the default, but I find that I can only see one venue in this view. At the top of the screen is a search field where you can search by a specific city, state, or zip code. If you swipe left from this field, you will find a button to change to list view. Once in the list view, you can then navigate past the first venue in the list. Verified venues are shown first, followed by those that are not verified. Headings precede each type, so you can navigate directly to the list of regular venues without difficulty if you wish. We will be revisiting this tab later when discussing menus.

The discover tab is where your focus will be when first signing into the app. This tab allows you to search for specific beers and provides a variety of other details that can be helpful. You can see a list of verified venues near to you here as well as nearby events. You can also find local badges here that are associated with a specific venue. Below this information, you will find items that will show you the top and trending beers and venues as well as the global check-in feed from everyone using Untappd. This tab also has a button that will allow you to quickly open the Uber app if you need a ride to, or from, a venue.

Finally, you can see a few beers that are currently recommended at the bottom of this page. One is shown by default, but you can double-tap-and-hold, then slide your finger to see others.

The next tab is the Profile tab. This tab provides the details of your account, including your friends, your beer statistics, the badges you have earned and other details. The Friends button at the top of the screen will list your current friends and allow you to add others while the Settings button will launch the Settings menu. In the Settings menu you can change your profile as well as the notifications that you receive. You can adjust device settings here such as date and time and location. Something else of interest in the General submenu is the Advanced Settings menu. This allows you to choose which tab you will see when launching the app as well as other options including where your focus is placed after checking in a beer.

The final tab is the Inbox tab. Here, you'll find all of your notifications by type. Options include Activity (toasts and comments from friends on your check-ins), Venues (new beers and events from your subscribed venues), and News (nationwide beer news).

Finding A Beer Menu and Checking In a Beer

To find a beer menu, select a verified venue. I generally find the venue from the Maps tab but you can launch a venue's page anywhere you see its name. A venue page has a few sections: venue information at the top, pictures of the venue, and recent check-ins at the venue at the bottom. You can swipe past the venue image and name to find the Menus button or find it directly about half way down the first page on the far left when exploring by touch. At the top of any beer list is a search field where you can search for any part of a beer's name to display only that beer. Below the search field you will find a series of filters including Brewery and Style.

After moving past the list of filters you will find the menus. A heading precedes each section so you can navigate more quickly. Most commonly, bottles and cans will be sorted by style, but some venues design their own categories. Beers on tap will not be sorted by style but will be sorted by tap number instead. The following information is listed in the same order for each beer:

• Beer name
• Brewery
• Style
• ABV/IBU
• Rating
• Serving style/price

Each of these pieces of information is on a separate line, so I find it most helpful to adjust my VoiceOver Rotor to Images and then navigate since only the beer name and rating have images. This is much faster than swiping through all of that information for each beer. You can activate the More button just after the ABV/IBU to see flavor notes, find the beer at a venue near to you, and check the beer in. You can activate the beer name to see the same menu.

When you move to a beer's page as described previously, one of the options will be check-in. When you activate this button, you will be placed in an overlay containing check-in options. I find that I need to navigate by exploring with one finger until I find the horizontal radio buttons for rating the beer, whereupon I then swipe to the other aspects of the check-in overlay. As you swipe through the overlay, you can choose various aspects of your check-in. At the top you will find a comment field and a button to add a photo of your beer followed by the horizontal rating radio buttons that range from No Rating to 5 in quarter-star increments. After this, you can select the serving style followed by a button that allows you to tag your friends in your check-in. Next, you select the venue where you drank the beer; generally this will be a restaurant or bar, but you can select anything from coffee shops to law offices; the list doesn't seem to be filtered. Below this, you can select specific flavors that you noticed in the beer followed by the purchase location. Finally, you can share your check-in on Twitter, Facebook, or 4Square. After the share buttons you will find the button to check-in the beer.

After a beer is checked in, you will almost always earn a badge for doing so. This will appear as a separate pop-up window. Find the Close All Cards button in the bottom right of the screen to close this.

Conclusion

Untappd is much more complex than DigitalPour and requires more skill with VoiceOver. That being said, after you pass the hurdle of signing up for an account, the app has almost everything labeled and it is fairly easy to quickly find a beer menu if you are comfortable using the different Rotor options available to you when using the app.

A Note on Wine Menu Apps

I had hoped to be able to profile a similar app to the two discussed for those who prefer wine, but the only two I could find, Vivino and My Wine Society, had significant accessibility issues after I signed up for my account. The Vivino app aims to allow you to scan a bottle of wine or a wine list and provide more information about the wine or wines. Unfortunately, I was not able to accurately scan a wine list even after working my way through the app's inaccessibility. At this time you would most likely need sighted confirmation for any wines you scan from a wine list, defeating the purpose for someone who has vision loss. If you are a wine connoisseur it still may be of interest as it is possible to search for and purchase wines from the app. From my brief look at this aspect of the app, it seemed to be mostly usable.

My Wine Society is somewhat similar to Untappd as it is more of a wine social network, though it does seem to have a method for finding local wine lists. After signing up for the app, I was able to find the Places tab in the far right corner of the main page. I was able to search for locations. It seems that the app primarily provides information on specific wineries. I examined several different wineries, though none had wine lists available in the app that I could determine. Tabs in this app are arranged across the bottom of the screen but appear as plain text. In addition, there are many unlabeled elements in this app. If you are looking for wine menus, it may be worth a quick look to determine if any lists are available in your area.

The Bottom Line

Both DigitalPour and Untappd are usable, but both have some access quirks. I always check DigitalPour first due to its ease of use, but it seems that there are far more Untappd locations available with menus. Even if an Untappd location does not have a menu, you can generally discover a few of their offerings based on what others have checked in at the location (all check-ins are dated). I've also found that checking in beers and earning badges using Untappd is quite addictive. Unfortunately, it seems that access to wine menus through an app is less common and the apps that are available are far less accessible than their beer menu counterparts.

This article is made possible in part by generous funding from the James H. and Alice Teubert Charitable Trust, Huntington, West Virginia.

For many years, I have been playing games from LWorks, a company owned by game developer Liam Erven. I never cease to be amused by the clever touches he puts into his games, as well as the quality of his products. A couple of his most popular titles include Judgment Day and Super Egg Hunt Plus. In Judgment Day, you must destroy evil forces before they destroy you. Note that because of its age, this game is no longer supported, but is still available for download. Super Egg Hunt is a game in which you run around a grid collecting eggs. If Mr. McChicken catches you, you get pecked on the head. I hate to admit how addictive I found both games to be, and I might not admit it at all except that, judging by responses on social media, I'm not alone.

As a totally blind and very committed programmer, Erven understands how to make a game that is both playable by a blind person and has a lot of replay value. One of the ways he accomplishes the latter is to include achievements in his games that must be unlocked. Achievements range from simply playing the game on Liam's birthday to beating the high score of one of the game's beta testers. Some of Erven's games are free, while others are paid.

In 2004, Erven released a free game called The Great Toy Robbery. In this game, you take on the role of Naughty McNaughterson who manages to make his way into Santa's workshop and steal toys. In The Great Toy Robbery you are placed on a grid that contains various toys for you to collect. All you need to do is used your four Arrow keys to position yourself on a toy, which is then automatically collected. After you have managed to collect enough toys, security elves begin appearing on the grid, bouncing on pogo sticks and trying to whack you on the head. If you manage to escape the elves for a couple minutes or so, Evil Santa appears. Did you know that Santa was evil? Well, apparently he doesn't take kindly to being robbed which brings out a side of the old gentleman not often talked about in literature. If you manage to escape from the workshop without being stepped on by Santa, you win the game.

Toy sounds include rattles, whirrs, squeaks, and other similarly fun and childlike noises. Every time I play the game, I am struck by the high quality of these and all other sounds in the game. Even the sound of Naughty walking up the path to Santa's workshop in the snow is very authentic-sounding to my ear.

Every message in the game is well thought out, from the explanation of just how naughty Mr. McNaughterson really is to how you won't have a very merry Christmas this year because Santa squashed you.

Just last year, Erven released an update to this free game, which makes it even more enjoyable to play than before. Unlike the original version, version 2.0 has over 100 achievements that can be unlocked. Some of them are obvious--winning an achievement for beating someone's high score, for example?while others just happen based on events that you have no way of planning for. You can also post your score to regional leader boards, and view the scores of other game players. Finally, The Great Toy Robbery is the first game from LWorks to be released on both Windows and Mac.

System and Equipment Requirements

Both the Windows and Mac versions of the game must be downloaded from LWorks. You can't get the Mac version from the App store. If you are playing the Windows version of the game, it is recommended that you use the NVDA screen reader. Erven has provided alternate keys for moving around the grid if you are using JAWS, since that screen reader's keyboard hooks conflict with many games as well as other programs. JAWS users will use letters I and K instead of Up and Down Arrows, and J and L for the Left and Right Arrow keys. I found that the game locked up on me when I used the latest version of JAWS, something that I never experienced when using NVDA. It is possible to play the game without using a screen reader, since most of the game is voiced by Erven and the parts that aren't use one of the text-to-speech engines available in Windows.

In any game like The Great Toy Robbery, a decent pair of earbuds or headphones is a must. You need to move right and left on the grid to center toys in your stereo field. As you approach a toy the sound it makes gets louder. If you bypass a toy, the pitch of the toy's sound becomes lower. It is possible to use two Arrow keys at the same time to move diagonally on the grid.

Setting Up The Great Toy Robbery

In Windows, setup of the game is very straightforward, and includes self-voicing as well as written text. You are alerted to the fact that new updates to the game are available, and you are given the opportunity to visit the LWorks site to download the latest version.

Mac users will be familiar with the process of downloading the game, opening the .dmg file, and moving the game to the applications folder. VoiceOver must be disabled before you can play the game, but you will still hear the text-to-speech on the Mac when your screen reader is unloaded in the same way that you do in Windows. Apart from needing to disable VoiceOver, game play on the Mac is the same as it is in the Windows operating system.

An online user manual is available for The Great Toy Robbery. You can access it from the LWorks site, or the game will open a browser for you and take you to the site. The manual is well written, describing game play and scoring.

Once you have played the game, feel free to post your high score to your regional leader board. You will type in your name and choose your region the first time you play the game. You can also obtain game statistics including your number of wins and losses, which can be exported to a text file.

The Bottom Line

The Great Toy Robbery is a whimsical game that is easy to play, presents some challenges that make the game interesting, and contains a lot of humor. The quality of the game sounds is superb, game play is very intuitive, and a well-written user manual answers any questions you might have. The game is free, and I couldn't even find a donate button anywhere on the LWorks site. Unless I missed it and one does in fact exist, I would encourage the developer to give players an opportunity to toss a few bucks into the virtual bucket to show appreciation for the time and effort that went into this title.

There are other games available on the LWorks site, with more promised in the future. One game that I am especially interested in is Brain Station, a suite of games that promise "Fun and challenging word, logic, and math games." When this game is ready, you can be sure AccessWorld will provide a review.

There is more I could say about The Great Toy Robbery, but if you'll excuse me, I need to go help Naughty McNaughterson plunder Santa's workshop. Happy gaming!

Product Information

The Great Toy Robbery is a free game from LWorks that is playable on Windows and Mac OS High Sierra or later.

This article is made possible in part by generous funding from the James H. and Alice Teubert Charitable Trust, Huntington, West Virginia.

For many years Microsoft Office has reigned supreme as a productivity suite. Apple Works is still a minor player, but over the past several years the new kid on the block, G Suite from Google, has been giving Office a run for its money, with estimates that by January of 2017 G Suite had four million paying business customers and 70 million G Suite for Education users. In my opinion there are several reasons for this.

The popularity of Gmail and Google search: When you go to Google to search or check your mail you're going to see links encouraging you to try Chrome, Google Docs, and other company products.

Collaboration: Google Docs was one of the first products to get workplace and student collaboration right, which gave them a strong first-mover advantage.

Pricing: G Suite is free for individuals. Apple has since followed suit and made Works free. Microsoft still charges either an annual subscription for Office 365 or a hefty chunk of change for the standalone version of Office.

Chromebooks: Chromebooks have proven to be quite successful in the education market, bringing with them an ever-replenishing pool of new G Suite users.

In the March 2017 issue of AccessWorld I took a listen to "The Audio Tutorial for the Google Suite of Products by Mystic Access", narrated by Mystic Access founder Chris Grabowski. Now this same information is available in a new book, Getting Started with Google Suite: A Brief Overview of Google's Most Popular Productivity Apps, published by the National Braille Press.

The book's authorship lists Lisa Salinger, Kim Loftis, and Chris Grabowski, all members of the Mystic Access team, but since the latter two are thanked in the acknowledgements I think it's safe to assume that Lisa Salinger is the primary author.

Contents

The book is indeed a brief overview, clocking in at just under 15,000 words, but it covers a lot of ground, including: Gmail, Google Chrome, Google Drive, Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Hangouts, and Calendar. Google Keep and Forms are not covered.

The book focuses most of its attention on using the various G Suite apps with a Windows PC and screen reader. This was definitely the right choice, in my opinion, since most blind individuals are using this platform. JAWS, NVDA and Window-Eyes are mentioned. Microsoft Narrator is not. There are brief discussions of accessing the various G Suite apps using a Mac or mobile device, but the book only touches on using a Chromebook—mostly when the author describes the slightly different hotkey combinations used by the ChromeVox screen reader. This is a definite oversight considering that for many young people his or her first introduction to G Suite is on the Chromebook issued by their schools.

Structure

Following the Introduction and other preliminary material Getting Started with Google Suite commences with a "Getting Started" chapter that describes the basics of G Suite and how to interact with the various apps using a screen reader. The remaining eight chapters detail the suite's various apps, beginning with Google Chrome and winding up with Google Calendar. You can either move through the book start to finish, or skip ahead to the chapter describing the G Suite product or products you wish to learn and use. This structure is simultaneously one of the book's greatest strengths and weaknesses.

Each chapter features a different G Suite app and offers a tutorial describing how to install, open, and use the app with a screen reader. For those wishing to obtain a quick start on one of these, the book is excellent at guiding you step-by-step through what you need to do to create a file or a document or a spreadsheet, edit it and save it, and do it all with keyboard commands and screen reader feedback. The author does an excellent job of highlighting situations where screen access is less than adequate, and offers tips to help you bypass these access glitches.

If I had no experience with Google Docs or Sheets and my employer told me tomorrow we were going to start using these apps so we could more effectively collaborate I would want a book like this that would get me going. That is this books greatest strength. However once you've worked through the chapter on one application, you will find a lot of duplication in the chapters to come. Indeed, some of the sections are identical from chapter to chapter. This makes some sense for a book that is about beginning to use G Suite apps.

Where Salinger may fall a tad short is in her inconsistent embrace of the reader. At some points she holds your hand quite firmly, leading you through a process step-by-step. Other times she leaps over large chasms without an explanation. For example, in the Chrome browser section she walks the user click-by-click through the process of creating a bookmark and later accessing it. Soon after, she includes a section describing how to manage Chrome extensions. Nowhere does she explain what an extension is, how to find and install browser extensions, or why you might wish to do so. I think here it would have been a good idea to perhaps offer a few extensions that can make browsing easier for those with visual impairments. She does mention the ChromeVox screen reader, but the mention is all too brief.

Salinger introduces G Suite braille support, but mostly to discuss switching it on in order to improve the voice accessibility of the various G Suite apps. She does not offer any insight into using G Suite with a braille display or share any tips or tricks she has learned that might make for a smoother experience.

I would not expect any introductory book to answer all of my questions. For example, when sharing a Google Doc, how do I know if that long revision to my monthly report was put in by my boss or by my colleague three cubicles down who always seems to find a way to sabotage my best work? Is it possible to create and print an exploding pie chart in Google Sheets? But there are places in this book where it seems basic information is missing. For example, if you need to be guided through creating a new Gmail account, you will probably wish to know a little something about how a web app like Google Sheets differs from a desktop app such as Excel. Calendar users will certainly wish to know how to subscribe to additional calendars from your school or workplace, how to invite someone to an event, and what to do when you receive a calendar invite.

Final Thoughts

I believe Getting Started with Google Suite, even with the shortcomings mentioned above, can be a valuable addition to your accessibility library. I know I would certainly want a copy if I were a student with a new Chromebook or my boss told me that tomorrow I needed to start collaborating with Google Docs. For those with more time, the choice between this book and the Mystic Access tutorial depends on your style of learning. If you prefer to learn by listening and following along as someone demonstrates various features and concepts, the audio tutorial may be the way to go. If you prefer to have words on a page to review with your screen reader or braille, and seek a readily accessible reference guide, then this book is definitely for you.

In either case, I encourage you to delve into G Suite. One of the ways accessible computing helps the blind, both students and employees, is by leveling the playing field and offering us an increased ability to participate and contribute with fellow students and work colleagues. We couldn't add to a whiteboard, but we can add our thoughts to a group discussion. We couldn't see a slideshow, but we can get the presentation app slides and review them independently. I believe accessible collaboration will prove to be the next boon for both blind students and employees.

After all, becoming a more involved part of any team can only enhance your own chances to contribute and be recognized and appreciated for your unique skills and abilities.

Product Information

Getting Started with Google Suite: A Brief Overview of Google's Most Popular Productivity Apps by Lisa Salinger, Kim Loftis and Chris Grabowski is available from the National Braille Press in various formats including: braille, DAISY download, and e-Braille for $12; and either DAISY or e-braille on a USB Drive for $14.50

The Google Suite of Products Audio Tutorial is available from Mystic Access for $39 for download with an additional $15 for delivery on an SD card.

This article is made possible in part by generous funding from the James H. and Alice Teubert Charitable Trust, Huntington, West Virginia.

AccessWorld contributing author Shelly Brisbin recently released the 6th edition of her popular book iOS Access for All. I have been aware of her reference since the first edition, and in fact purchased the work. I recall looking briefly at the book, thinking it would be a great read, and then allowing myself to get side tracked by other projects. I must confess that I never really sat down and read through the text from start to finish. Over the years, I have read other works dealing with the subject of Apple's iOS devices and operating system. When I became aware that Brisbin was about to release the iOS 12 edition of her iOS Access for All, I decided it was time to get serious about reading through the work.

I will confess that I love to read; I always have. I can think of nothing more exciting for me than to sit down with a good book, and begin absorbing information. Seldom do I hold a hard-copy braille volume in my lap anymore. These days, I either read with my refreshable braille display, or using audio whether it be text-to-speech, or human narration. I don't mind paying for a book, but unfortunately I can't afford to purchase every volume I would like. For this reason, I take seriously the decision of whether to spend my money on a book. Also, the format or formats available are important to me as well. I want to be able to read my books anywhere I am, so multiple formats are important to me.

iOS Access for All sells for $25 and is available in ePub or PDF versions. You can also purchase the ePub version from Apple's bookstore.

One thing that sets this book apart from many other offerings is the comprehensive nature of the work. Brisbin sets out to cover all areas of accessibility using Apple's iOS devices including iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. Even if you are primarily interested in one topic such as VoiceOver, or Apple's low-vision implementation in its iOS operating system, I believe you will find enough material in this book to make the price worth it. Also, I feel that it pays to look at the broader view of accessibility options that have been implemented in Apple's line of products. Finally, there is a surprising amount of overlap when considering the needs of people who are blind, low vision, or have physical and cognitive challenges.

Brisbin has been writing books and magazine articles for mainstream and visually impaired audiences for over 25 years, and it shows when you read her work. Her style is both engaging and informative. A knowledge of her subject matter and a passion for the topics at hand infuses her work from start to finish.

Brisbin provides a table of contents and a sample chapter of the book on her website so you can better determine whether to spend your hard-earned cash for this reference. You will only get one format when you purchase the book, so decide if you'd rather have ePub or PDF, or whether you'd rather buy from Brisbin's website or the Apple bookstore.

I read the ePub version of the book using the Voice Dream Reader app on my iPhone. Although there are hyperlinks in the book that allow you to jump directly to various sections as you read, I did not see hyperlinks with Voice Dream Reader.

What's in iOS Access for All?

iOS Access for All is divided into three parts, with a total of 10 chapters plus appendices. Part 1 introduces the reader to the Apple ecosystem and its implementation of accessibility. I was struck by how relevant this book, and Part 1 in particular, might be for those who wish to help someone they know get set up with an iOS device. Brisbin has some vision, and she has explored all areas of interest to the blind user as well. She is comfortable discussing flicks and taps related to VoiceOver, using switches if you have a physical impairment, and low-vision tips and tricks in a way that should engage any reader.

Whether you need some information about which iPhone model to purchase, or you want some guidance when it comes to setting up accessibility options on a new device, the first part of iOS Access for All has you covered.

The Wide World of Access

Part 2 of Brisbin's book delves into the details of Apple accessibility. Chapter 3 deals with VoiceOver, and it feels like the longest chapter of the book. If this is in fact the case, it is probably because VoiceOver accessibility is interconnected to everything in a way that few other areas of iOS accessibility are. That said, it is worth reading the rest of the book in order to see how VoiceOver works with, for example, the Maps app. If there is a downside to a work as comprehensive as iOS Access for All, it is the fact that you can't simply read one chapter or section of the book and learn everything you may need to know. The reference deserves at least one complete read through upon purchase just so you can get a feel for how much overlap there really is when it comes to Apple accessibility.

In case you think that just because you've used VoiceOver for a long time that means you don't need to read Chapter 3 of this book, I would submit that there may be a thing or two you may not know. For example, I am an avid fan of braille screen input when it comes to typing on my iPhone. However, I didn't know that I could locate apps by invoking braille screen input from the home screen and typing the name of an app. Pretty slick, Apple!

The only area of the chapter on VoiceOver that left me wanting more was the discussion of braille displays. As these devices become less expensive, it is likely that iOS users may have more than one display available. I would like more information regarding juggling multiple displays on my iPhone.

Until I read Chapter 4, I didn't realize that low-vision access to iOS devices is more a set of tools rather than the one giant VoiceOver solution. It seems from my reading of this chapter as well as discussions I've had with low-vision users, that the iOS experience for people with low vision isn't always as satisfactory as for those using VoiceOver, but Brisbin brings it all together as best she can.

If there is one aspect of Apple's iOS operating system that brings disabled and mainstream users together in a common experience, it's Apple's voice assistant, Siri. Chapter 5 gives many examples of how Siri can be used, from receiving turn-by-turn directions to making reservations at your favorite restaurant. No matter how many books I read regarding how to use iOS, I always learn something about Siri I didn't know. Part of the reason is because the voice assistant, as well as other forms of available voice input such as dictation, are constantly updated.

Chapters 6 and 7 are devoted to individuals with hearing impairment as well as various physical challenges. It is worth reading these chapters if for no other reason than to appreciate all the work that Apple puts into making its products truly accessible. It is easy to only be aware of one's own little corner of the universe without taking the time to learn about the needs of others.

All About Apps

Part 3 of iOS Access for All is devoted to various apps that make the iOS experience truly unique. Brisbin briefly mentions scores of apps that either just work out of the box or have been designed with visually impaired users in mind.

She also takes the reader through built-in apps like Maps, as well as iOS features including Control Center and Screen Time.

Commands At-A-Glance

The remainder of the book is made up of appendices that provide easy access to iOS commands including VoiceOver gestures and keyboard commands.

The final appendix is devoted to setting up a new device with VoiceOver.

The Bottom Line

If you want a comprehensive, well-written book that covers all aspects of Apple's iOS accessibility implementation, I highly recommend purchasing Shelly Brisbin's iOS Access for All.

If Brisbin ever partners with an agency that provides the book in hard-copy braille, I will most certainly purchase the reference. It might be more practical to produce just the appendices in braille as a quick reference guide.

Product Information

The latest edition of iOS Access for All can be purchased in ePub or PDF formats for $25. You can also purchase the book from the Apple bookstore.

This article is made possible in part by generous funding from the James H. and Alice Teubert Charitable Trust, Huntington, West Virginia.

IAAP Announces Certification Testing Exam Sites at Upcoming Accessibility Conferences

The International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP) announced the addition of several hosted exam sites in conjunction with accessibility conferences and events. IAAP offers the Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) or Web Accessibility Specialist (WAS) credentials.

Upcoming exam locations at accessibility events and conferences are as follows:

IAAP Exams in Anaheim, CA on Tuesday, March 12, 2019:
* Two sessions 8 a.m. - Noon and 1 - 5 p.m. Sponsored by eSSENTIAL Accessibility. Applications and payments due by March 5.

IAAP Exams at AccessU 2019 on Tuesday, May 14, 2019:
* Session from 2-5 p.m. (applications and payments accepted now through May 6)

IAAP Exams at M-Enabling 2019 on Wednesday, June 19, 2019:
* Session from 2 - 5 p.m. (applications and payments accepted now through June 12)

Applications for the general March 11-April 19 exam window are also being accepted. Applications for the exams can be found on the IAAP Apply to take an Exam page.

IAAP has provided several options to help test takers prepare for either the CPACC or WAS exam. A certification content outline lists the topics participants will be tested on and the percentages at which those topics will be covered on the exam. A complete Body of Knowledge provides an outline of the knowledge and skills that are expected. Additional training resources are available on the IAAP website.

For further questions about certification, E-Mail the IAAP.

Leader Dogs still Accepting Applications for Summer Experience Camp

Leader Dogs for the Blind is still accepting applications for its Summer Experience Camp. The program combines activities like rock wall climbing and tandem biking with leadership building exercises and things specific to Leader Dog—GPS training and spending time with Leader Dogs in training. The combination aims to help increase independent travel skills, interpersonal skills and leadership skills.

The free program is for boys and girls ages 16 and 17 who are legally blind. Leader Dog covers all costs including airfare to Michigan—and all participants receive a free HumanWare Victor Reader Trek GPS device. The 2019 camp dates are June 22 through June 29. Applications are due by March 31, 2019.

You can view a Fox Sports clip about camp, read camper stories and download an application here.

Bosma Enterprises Names New CEO

Bosma Enterprises, an Indiana nonprofit dedicated to providing opportunities for people who are blind or visually impaired, has tapped COO Jeffrey Mittman to serve as its next CEO, effective August 1. Having lost his vision while on active military duty in Iraq, Mittman becomes the first chief executive who is blind in the organization's 100-year history.

Master Sgt. Mittman served for 21 years in the United States Army, including four combat tours--one in Afghanistan and three in Iraq. His military career was cut short in July 2005 when the vehicle he was driving while deployed in Baghdad, Iraq, was hit by an improvised explosive device, sending shrapnel through his window and destroying most of his face and arm. He woke up a month later at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and received the news that he would never regain his vision.

"There I was, 35 years old with a wife and two children," Mittman recalls. "The only thing I had ever done was jump out of airplanes, rappel from helicopters and chase bad guys. What was I going to do now? My first concern was how I was going to recover and take care of my family."

After roughly 40 surgeries and years of rehabilitation, Mittman eventually returned to civilian life. Having earned a bachelor's degree in resource management from Troy University while serving in the Army, Mittman went on to earn master's degrees in both executive development for public service and business administration from Ball State University. Before coming to Bosma Enterprises, Mittman held positions at the Defense Finance and Accounting Services and National Industries for the Blind, leveraging his experience in strategic planning, leadership, team building, and management.

Mittman joined Bosma Enterprises' board of directors in 2012 and was hired as COO in July 2018. In that role, he oversaw a 25-percent increase in productivity in the organization's packaging and logistics operations.

Mittman will replace outgoing CEO Lou Moneymaker, who announced his retirement last year. In his new role, Mittman hopes to build on his past successes while also diversifying Bosma Enterprises' business and employment opportunities. And as the organization's first CEO who is blind, Mittman brings a unique perspective to the nonprofit's mission of helping people come to terms with the effects of vision loss and lead independent, productive lives.

"Jeff has demonstrated unwavering dedication to our mission and is fired up about the opportunities that lie ahead for the company to expand employment and training for people who are blind," Moneymaker said. "Jeff's passion will be a valuable asset not only to Bosma Enterprises but to the community at large."

"This is a game changer," added Lise Pace, Vice President of External Affairs, who served on the executive search committee. "Jeff's appointment is indicative of a paradigm shift in the way disability organizations look today and into the future, where qualified individuals with disabilities are represented in greater numbers at the very highest level."

American Foundation for the Blind Accepting Scholarship Applications Until April 1

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) administers 4 post-secondary education scholarships for up to 8 deserving students who are legally blind. Applications are now being accepted but will close on April 1st, 2019. The available scholarships for 2019 are detailed below.

The Rudolph Dillman Memorial Scholarship: Four scholarships of $2,500: Requirements:
* Full-time Undergraduate or Graduate student * Studying rehabilitation or education of persons who are blind and/or visually impaired

The Paul and Ellen Ruckes Scholarship: Two scholarships of $2,000:
Requirements:
* Full time undergraduate or graduate student * Studying engineering or computer, physical, or life sciences

The R.L. Gillette, Gladys C. Anderson, and Karen D. Carsel Memorial Scholarship: One scholarship of $3,500:
Requirements:
* Female undergraduate student * Studying music

The Delta Gamma Foundation Florence Margaret Harvey Memorial Scholarship: One scholarship of $1,000:
Requirements:
* Undergraduate or graduate student * Studying rehabilitation or education of persons who are blind or visually impaired

Visit the AFB scholarships website for further information and to complete an application.

Please direct all scholarship questions to Aaron Preece, Scholarship Coordinator, 304-710-3034, apreece@afb.net.

New Company Selling Products for People with Vision Loss

Blind in Mind, LLC is a new Washington State business producing and selling gadgets for blind consumers. Founded by Craig Faris, who is totally blind, the company's mission is to offer rugged and practical products that either talk or feature braille.

Blind in Mind's flagship product is a talking wristwatch that is waterproof up to a depth of 100 feet, which sells for $19.95.

To learn more, you can visit the Blind in Mind website or call: 800-213-4567.

American Printing House for the Blind releases Jupiter Magnifier

The Jupiter Portable Magnifier is now available from American Printing House. The Jupiter is a sleek, compact device that helps users of all ages who are visually impaired see the world in high definition. Weighing only 8 lbs, it's easy to take on the go.

"The camera allowed for high quality images to be captured on the screen in photo view mode, or viewed in real time with little to no motion blur when documents were moved under the camera," explains educator, Martin Monson who reviewed the Jupiter. "The color representation was also near perfect."

With the following three camera modes, the Jupiter is versatile:

• Reading: for reading a book, prescription bottle labels, or completing a homework assignment.
• Distance-view: magnifies up to 150x and is great for viewing a presentation, speaker, instructor, or anything at the front of a classroom or venue.
• Self-view: works just like an HD mirror, and can be helpful when applying makeup and other grooming activities.

The Jupiter is currently available and can be purchased from APH for $3,200.

National Council on Disability Chairman Neil Romano to Deliver Keynote at the 8th M-Enabling Summit

The organizers of the M-Enabling Summit are pleased to announce that Neil Romano, Chairman of the National Council on Disability (NCD), will be delivering the opening keynote of the 2019 M-Enabling Summit on June 17, 2019.

The National Council on Disability is an independent federal agency charged with advising the President, Congress, and other federal agencies regarding policies, programs, practices, and procedures that affect people with disabilities. In 1986, NCD recommended the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and then drafted the first version of the bill introduced in the House and Senate in 1988. Since the enactment of the ADA in 1990, the NCD has continued to play a leading role in analyzing the needs of people with disabilities, crafting and recommending policy solutions.

Prior to being designated by President Donald J. Trump as NCD's Chairman, Romano was appointed as a council member in February of 2015 and then reappointed for a second term of three years by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on February 15, 2018.

Romano has dedicated his career to the marketing of ideas and messages to help save lives and promote public policy. In 2007, he was nominated by President George W. Bush to be the assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy and was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate. His extensive professional background includes tenure as director of communications for the White House Office of Drug Abuse Policy. In that role, he worked on notable public awareness campaigns including "Just Say No" and "America Responds to AIDS."

As a producer/director, Romano's film, "Youth Homicide: A Public Health Crisis," earned a Best Director Emmy Nomination. He graduated from New York University, Phi Beta Kappa.

"As Chair of the Council Advising the President and Congress on Disability matters, Neil Romano's leadership and focus on promoting innovation will be of great interest to all M-Enabling Summit participants." said Axel Leblois, President of G3ict, co-organizer of the conference. "His unique background and experience in many of the core topics discussed at the Summit will serve as a great kick-off to this year's Summit, possibly generating opportunities for new initiatives."

For more information on registering visit the M-Enabling Summit website.