Dear AccessWorld readers,

Last month, AccessWorld celebrated Disability Employment Awareness Month by providing information about employment resources, strategies, and insider perspectives. Good job search strategies and resources are important all year long, so I encourage you to look back at the October issue by visiting the AccessWorld Back Issues page. There, you'll find helpful information you can reference as you move through your own job search and that you can forward to anyone you know who may be looking for employment or advancement opportunities in the coming year.

As you know, there is now a chill in the air, and the days of fall are well upon us. It's time to start thinking about the holiday gift-giving season. Ready or not, the shopping season is just around the corner. I know many of you have already started shopping, and the AccessWorld team wants you to be ready with information about accessible shopping options and gift ideas for yourself or those in your life who experience vision loss.

In this November's issue, J.J. Meddaugh shares his perspective on this season's top gift ideas in the 2019 AccessWorld Gift Guide. Continuing the theme, Janet Ingber provides information, advice, and tips to get the most from holiday shopping using the Kohl’s and Petco websites and mobile apps. As Janet relays in her article, apps can, at times, provide a more streamlined, less cluttered, and therefore more accessible shopping experience than can be found on a retailer's full website.

While this is an exciting time of year, shopping can be especially challenging for people who are blind or visually impaired. As a reader of AccessWorld, you know that with every website or app update accessibility and usability can be greatly improved or hampered.

Despite the huge increase in the overall awareness of accessibility issues, despite the efforts of all blindness groups, despite legislation, and despite lawsuits that have been filed and won against retailers, many still fail to offer fully accessible electronic shopping options for people with vision loss—I am looking at you Domino’s Pizza.

Today there are many companies and organizations, including the American Foundation for the Blind, who offer consulting services to help companies of all types and sizes develop and maintain accessible websites and apps. These consulting services also lend themselves to the remediation of inaccessible sites and apps, which can help companies become more compliant with accessible design principles and best practices.

I'm not sure how multimillion dollar and multibillion-dollar retailers continue to justify the inaccessibility of their electronic presences. Is it just too difficult? Is it just too time consuming? Is it just too expensive? Brick and mortar stores are built to stringent, complex, plumbing, electrical, and structural codes, and architects design for access by people who use wheelchairs, scooters, and strollers. Ramps, elevators, and escalators are installed to accommodate people who are not easily able to climb stairs, yet the same stores often turn a blind eye, so to speak, on the designs needed by people who experience vision loss and want to shop online and by app.

An estimated 25 million Americans experience vision loss to the point where they find it difficult to read standard-size print, even with best correction from surgery, glasses, or contact lenses. These 25 million Americans purchase goods and services, and more would likely purchase them electronically if that choice were more readily available.

The obvious answer is for retailers to design with full inclusion in mind. There is no reason for retail websites or apps to be inaccessible to people who use access technology. Design guidelines and consultants with expertise are available and ready to make accessibility a reality, if retailers would choose to take the initiative.

If you have a favorite accessible online shopping website or mobile app you would like to share with fellow AccessWorld readers, please let us know. We may share your suggestions in the December Letters to the Editor section of AccessWorld.

The AccessWorld team hopes this issue and the December issue help you find just the right holiday gifts for you and your family and friends with vision loss.

We wish you and yours health, happiness, peace, and prosperity as we enter the holiday season.

As Helen Keller once said, "Peace and prosperity will come when we realize, and incorporate into our lives, the truth that we live by each other and for each other and not unto ourselves."

Sincerely,

Lee Huffman

AccessWorld Editor-in-Chief

American Foundation for the Blind

November 2019 Table of Contents

J.J. Meddaugh

It seems like we were just celebrating summer outside, taking in 90-degree days while enjoying a burger from the grill, but as the leaves turn to fall and the temperatures change for many of us, that can only mean one thing: the holidays are coming. Another tradition that has returned for this year is the annual AccessWorld Holiday Gift Guide. Below, we've collected a variety of items both new and old. All prices reflect cost at the time of writing and are subject to change.

Before I continue, I often see questions similar to "What type of gift should I buy for a person who is blind?" The short answer is usually, "The same thing you would buy for anyone else." Think of a hobby they might enjoy, a favorite type of food, or something important in their life. For most items, you don't need to buy a specially adapted version just for someone with a visual impairment. That said, there are some items that have been modified so that a blind person can use them by touch, with a talking guide, or by some other means. We've highlighted a few of the many available options below.

Kitchen Gadgets

No matter the level of cooking experience, there are a variety of tools to help someone in the kitchen. Let's start with a classic from Blind Mice Mart, the Pourfect Measuring Cups and Spoons for $27.11. This set gives you 9 measuring cups and 12 measuring spoons that cover just about any imaginable amount. Need a 1/64 of a teaspoon drop? Or a large 2-cup portion? This set has you covered. Oh, and by the way, these durable plastic containers also include braille on the handles, so you can easily identify the size of each.

For the baker, try out this set of Extra-long Silicone Oven Mitts from Homwe for $12.99. This set has a silicone grip on the outside that makes it easy to grab pans out of the oven, while the inside is made of a soft fabric. At nearly 14-inches long, they will cover much of your arms and help prevent burns. They are also waterproof and can withstand temperatures up to 480 degrees Fahrenheit.

Accessible cooking thermometers used to be one of those items that you needed to pay a pretty penny for, but there is now a very affordable item available on Amazon. The Kizen Instapen Pro Instant Read Meat Thermometer for $15.95 will speak the temperature of your meat or other dishes within about two seconds. It is also waterproof and comes with a spare battery and a hook to attach it to a refrigerator. I also like that the thermometer is retractable for safe storage.

Is that can of soup Cream of Chicken or Cream of Celery? Or is it actually a can of cat food? CanDo Reusable Braille Labels are a new product that can solve these and many more dilemmas. These labels attach to cans of various sizes and are dishwasher safe. They are available for dozens of common products from canned foods to beer, or you can request your own. A 2-pack of labels is available for $6.

Entertainment on a Budget

We've published a variety of articles on ways to accessibly enjoy television shows and other content, but I'd like to put in a plug for Amazon's Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote for $39.95. While none of the major streaming devices will speak every screen for every app, Amazon has included a number of features on their Fire TV devices to help make more channels accessible, and they have continued to improve the interface over time. Apps that include a good or reasonable accessibility experience include Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, and Prime Video. The voice remote will let you say the name of a TV show or movie to find available services that include that show. You can also ask many of the same voice commands that you would ask an Amazon Echo. Many services also now include audio-described content, making television and movies more enjoyable.

Google has released an updated small smart speaker they're calling the Nest Mini, available for $49. In addition to louder sound compared with the original 2017 model, this version can be mounted to a wall and includes touch-sensitive controls. You can even buy two Nest Minis and wirelessly pair them together for stereo sound. While it may not be a needed upgrade for someone who already owns the 2017 model, it’s a great way to introduce someone to smart speakers or add to their set.

Toys and Games

There have been plenty of new releases for accessible toys and games in 2019. In October, Mattel and the National Federation of the Blind made news by debuting Uno Braille at Target for $9.99. While it has been possible to purchase braille Uno cards from specialized stores in the past, this is one of the first times that a mass merchant is offering a braille game in their store aisles, which is pretty special. The game itself includes 108 braille Uno cards that use print as well. There is braille writing on the box, including a message to visit UnoBraille.com for instructions. The game is available both in stores and online.

Many kids and kids at heart love to build masterpieces using Lego sets but until recently, the instructions for these sets were not available in an alternative format. Now, Lego for the Blind, the brainchild of Lego fanatic Matthew Shifrin, includes directions for over 30 Lego sets, ranging from a Pet Shop to a Volkswagen T1 Camper Van. Some assistance may be required to sort the pieces by color, but once this is done, the instructions can guide them the rest of the way.

Get an accessible version of a classic puzzle with the Rubik's Tactile Cube by Winning Moves Games for $10.99. We've seen various accessible Rubik's cubes in the past, but this one is one of the sturdiest and most affordable we've found. Each of the six sides includes a different shape, such as circles or squares, which correspond to the six colors found on the cube. Twist each section of the 3X3 cube in various ways until it is solved.

If board or card games are more their style, peruse the growing selection of accessible games and kits from 64 Oz. Games This small business creates accessibility kits, which can be used to make dozens of the most popular games accessible. Most kits include braille attached to plastic sleeves that cover the cards. Some include additional elements such as tactile dice. A variety of game accessories are also available. We should mention that many of these game kits will require some assembly which can take some time, especially for a larger game such as Apples to Apples.

Reading for Learning or Pleasure

Whether the goal is to learn some new technology or just enjoy a new bestseller, there are plenty of options to consider. For someone who may have just received their first iPhone or is still wanting to learn more about one, Shelly Brisbin's iOS Access for All for $25 may be the ticket. Newly updated for iOS 13, this is the most comprehensive guide to accessibility features on the iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and covers both basic topics as well as many more advanced features. You can read an AccessWorld review of the iOS 12 edition from Jamie Pauls. The book is electronic only so the recipient will need a computer, phone, or other device to enjoy it.

This is also a good opportunity to include a quick plug for Dean Martineau's book, Windows Keyboard Power User Guide, available in both audio and Microsoft Word formats for $15 from Tech for the Blind. Bill Holton reviewed this book in the October issue, which offers a bevy of time-saving tips and tricks. Dean's second book, focusing on the Chrome web browser, is expected to be available this month.

If you don't know which book to buy, you can get a gift membership from Audible. The venerable audiobook store offers memberships in 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month increments for new or existing members. Memberships are $15 a month, but you will save the cost of two months with a $150 annual plan. It's also possible to buy individual books from the site. Audible supports a variety of platforms including iOS and Android phones and Amazon's Alexa devices, so your recipient will most likely have a way to listen.

For children and other braille readers, check out the catalog from Seedlings Braille books for Children. Their dynamic catalog of books includes board and picture books with print and braille for young readers as well as bestsellers for older elementary and middle school kids. Most books are produced in contracted braille, with a few offerings in the simpler uncontracted form. If you are buying books for a blind child, you may need to consult with their family to find out their braille skill level. Parents and caregivers who are blind may also appreciate books in braille to read to their children or those they love.

Other Cool Gifts

Elegant Insights has become one of the most popular sources for braille jewelry, thanks in part to their wide variety of options and styles. This fall, they launched Spot-on Sports Fan Key Tags for $25, a set of officially licensed NFL-themed jewelry. The four-piece set is highlighted by a braille football charm that will include a customized "go team" message for your chosen city. Also included are an NFL logo tag, a split ring for keys, and a carabiner clip to attach to a backpack or other items.

If you're stuck, there's always the clichéd, but rarely unappreciated gift card. If your recipient is a frequent traveler, how about a gift card from Lyft or Uber which can be used to summon a vehicle just about anywhere in the country. This works best for those who have an iPhone or Android device, which is generally needed to request a ride.

Conclusion

Hopefully something in this list sparked your interest, or caused you to go down a rabbit hole looking for that perfect gift. If you're like me, it's just as fun to give gifts as it is to receive them, and I hope you get to do a bit of both this holiday season. Happy Holidays.

Websites for Sources

• 64 Oz. Games
• Amazon
• Audible
• Blind Mice Mart
• Candoable
• Elegant Insights
• Google Store
• iOS Access for All
• Lego for the Blind
• Lyft
• Uber
• Seedlings Braille Books for Children
• Target
• Tech for the Blind

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

Comment on this article.

Related articles:

• AccessWorld 2018 Holiday Gift Guide by Deborah Kendrick
• Holiday Gift Guide for the Last-Minute Shopper

More by this author:

• Access to Multimedia Streaming Devices, Part 2: A Review of the NVIDIA Shield TV
• Blasting Barriers to Creating Affordable Braille: A Review of the Braille Blaster Software from APH

November 2019 Table of Contents

Janet Ingber

Now that fall is here, it’s time to start thinking about the upcoming holiday season. This year we will be reviewing the websites and apps for Kohl’s and Petco.

As usual when you go on line, only use reputable websites and always be suspicious. Be careful with your payment information. If an offer sounds too good, if the language used is unprofessional, or if the format just doesn’t seem right, find out more before proceeding, or shop elsewhere.

Whether shopping on a website or through an app, you will need to be familiar with navigating by the shortcuts available in your screen reader of choice, including forms, headings, and links. Using shortcuts on an accessible website or app will substantially increase your navigation speed.

I used an MacBook Pro and an iPhone X for this article. The websites and apps discussed here may have changed between the time of my evaluation and the time of your reading.

Kohl’s

Kohl’s is a department store chain featuring many product categories including clothing, housewares, toys, and jewelry.

Getting Help

The phone contact number is not on Kohl’s home page. To get help placing an order, call 855-564-5705. The help number is the same for both the website and the app

Shopping on the Kohl's Website

Kohl’s homepage has a lot of helpful information plus discount offers. To navigate the page, use form controls to locate the search form near the top. You can navigate using the many headings and links on the page as well, though headings navigation does not always work. There are numerous advertisements and you will need to use the Tab or Shift + Tab option to get out of an ad.

I decided to shop for a sweater and typed "petite sweater" in the search box. I did not have to press a Search button. A list of results appeared under the box. They were first presented as text, not links. By using the Down and Up Arrows, headings, or links, I was able to go through the results. There were only a few choices, the top products. Unfortunately, prices were not shown with the results, which is an inconvenience.

By clicking on the product link, I found the price and a promo code to save 20 percent. By using link and arrow navigation, I was able to find the buttons to select size and color and to add the item to my cart of my list. The product page also included a product description and reviews of each item. I could choose to have the item shipped to me or the closest Kohl’s. My purchase did not total the $75 required for free shipping, so I elected to send it to the store.

I kept shopping. Back on the search results page, I found links to women’s sweaters and recommendations for similar items at the top. I activated the sweaters link. After exploring the page with various methods including links and Arrow keys, I finally found the word "Petite." Once I selected it, a new screen loaded with sleeve lengths. The next screen showed me all kinds of women’s petite clothing including sweaters, tops, and blazers. There were many ways to sort including by color, neckline, occasion, and customer rating. I didn’t find what I wanted so I tried, without success, to go back two pages. After considerable wasted effort, I closed Safari and reloaded the Kohl’s home page.

This time on the Kohl’s home page, I decided to shop by department. I put the words “women’s sweaters” in the search box. Again I got the usual headings, not links. Headings included Women’s Petite Sweaters, Plus Size Women’s Sweaters, and different brands of sweaters. Again there was a list of links to top products.

I activated the Shop by Departments link and selected Women’s Clothing. The next screen gave sorting options such as Sweaters & Tops and Bottoms. I selected Sweaters & Tops and was able to sort further when the new screen loaded. Sorting parameters included by brand and by type of sweater. Below an ad was an option to list only petite sizes. More sorting options came up when I activated this item. I found the best way to navigate this whole process was by link or Arrow keys. Each result had the brand name, style (such as V-neck or cardigan), and price. The price was at the bottom of the listing, just below choice of sweater colors. Activating the sweater’s link brought up some information about the sweater and options to choose size and color. These details were located after the size and color options. Also on the page was a section showing other sweaters I might like. When I added the sweater to my cart, there was no feedback and the page did not reload. Using headings navigation, I was able to go to my cart quickly and found the item there.

The checkout process is straightforward. You have the option to remove an item from your shopping bag. If you have any difficulty, call the customer service number.

Shopping with the Kohl’s iOS App

The Kohl’s iOS app is available in the App Store app on your Apple mobile device. Search for "Kohl's"

When the app first loads, it will ask to use your location and whether you want to receive notifications. You then need to agree to Kohl’s terms of service. The app will ask for access to Bluetooth.

At the upper left corner of the app’s home screen is an Open Menu button. Activating it loads a screen with options including Create Account, Sign-In, and Offers. The Offers option gives information about Kohl’s Cash, gift cards, and other ways to save money. To close the menu, use the button in the upper right corner.

If you flick right past the menu button, there is a button to return to the home page and also a search box. The box has a Voice button for dictating your search. VoiceOver two-finger double tap also works there.

There are many links on the screen. Most of the first links relate to coupons, getting a Kohl’s charge card, and finding the nearest Kohl’s.

Further down the home screen are departments including Women’s, Men’s, and Home.

I tried the same search again, putting “petite sweater” in the search box. This time I was told there were 66 results. Each result had the price included, unlike the website. Above the results list there was a Filter & Sort button. Selecting it displayed a long list of sorting options including highest rated, price, and best sellers. I made my selection and activated the Apply button.

I selected a sweater. When the next screen loaded, a notification appeared with a code to enter at checkout for an additional 15 percent off. Below it were buttons to select size and color. Next was a Product Details button. This button does not bring up a new screen. Select the button and then flick right to read the item’s description.

The Add-to-Cart button is further down the page. When selected, the screen refreshes and VoiceOver indicates that the item had been added to the cart. Flick right to get to the shopping bag. There is a Back button in the upper left corner. The checkout button is further down the screen.

The checkout process is straightforward. There is also an option to pick up the order in-store.

Conclusion

The Kohl’s app is significantly easier to use than the website. There is less clutter and it is much easier to navigate search results. Live help is available, though it would be better if the Customer Service phone number were on the homepage.

Petco

Petco has products for many categories of pets including dogs, cats, reptiles, fish, and birds.

Getting Help

Petco’s customer service number is on their website homepage and is the same for both the site and the app: 877-738-6742.

Shopping on the Petco Website

Petco’s homepage has a search form consisting of an edit box and a Search button. The form is near the top of the page and can be accessed with forms navigation. Unfortunately, when I used form controls or Tab and Shift + Tab, it kept cycling through the form. Even when I entered a search term and executed the search, I had a similar problem on the email sign-up form. My advice is to stay away from both forms. Sometimes heading navigation did not always work. If I was on a heading and then went up to the previous heading, and then went back down to the initial heading, I did not always land in the same place. I had to go past the original heading and then come back up.

On the homepage are many links to special offers. Using the headings option, go to Shop by Pet. I selected Dog. When the new page loaded, there were many product categories including Toys, Dental Care, Food, Beds & Blankets. I selected Dental Care.

The new page was broken into several categories including Dental Dog Toys, Dog Toothbrushes & Toothpaste, and Dog Dental Chews and Treats. Next to each category was the number of items it contained. I selected Dental Chews & Treats. Then selected Greenies 3-Flavor Variety Pack Large Dog Dental Chews from the list.

Using link navigation, I found the manufacturer’s name and below it was basic information and an option to add the product to my cart. There was information about shipping and picking up in store. Next was information about similar products other people purchased. Next was product information about Greenies.

I added Greenies to my cart. When the new page loaded, VoiceOver said, “cart.” I found the checkout link.

The new page had an option to check out as a guest. The first edit box was for my email. If I tabbed to the next control, there were edit boxes for my user name and password. By going backwards, I discovered that the two edit boxes were for members and the only edit box I needed to fill in was one asking for my email. I tabbed forward to a Checkout button, but nothing happened. I then went back to the initial edit box and Shift + Tabbed to the Next button. When I went to add payment, I was told I could use Touch ID to use my credit card. I then continued with my order, except for actually purchasing the item.

Shopping with Petco’s iOS App

The Petco iOS app is available in the App Store app on your Apple mobile device. Search for "Petco."

When the app is opened for the first time, it will ask if it can use your location, if you want to receive alerts from Petco, and if you want to set up a pet profile. You do not have to make a profile decision at this point.

Petco’s app has five tabs at the bottom of the screen: Pets, Shop, Cart, Services, and Account. Use the Pet tab to add information about your pet, sign into your account, and shop for products. The Shop and Cart tabs are self-explanatory. The Services tab contains information about in-store services such as grooming. Use the Account tab to check your Petco Rewards, track shipments, and call customer service directly from your phone.

There is a search form at the top of the home screen. The form consists of an edit box. Type or dictate your search and press the Search button in the bottom right corner of the page. I entered "Greenies" in the search box. There is also an option to scan a bar code.

My results page had a heading that said "Greenies" and options for filtering results. Filter categories included Breed Size, Brand, and Flavor. There was a pop-up menu for sorting results. By default, items are sorted by relevance. Other choices included Price, Top Rated, and Most Popular.

Each listing had the product name, rating, price, manufacturer’s suggested price, and repeat delivery price. I selected the same Greenies product I chose on the website.

The product information page was easy to navigate. The product’s name was at the top of the page. The information was the same as on the website, but much easier to find and navigate. After reviewing the product, I activated the Add to Cart button. I went to the Cart tab at the bottom of the screen. Without opening it, I heard the number of items in my cart.

It is also easy to shop by pet instead of using the search form. Everything is clearly labeled. Flick right past the search form and other information, and you will find the Shop by Pet options.

I activated the Cart tab and selected Checkout as Guest. I then activated the Add New Shipping Address button to begin the checkout process. The rest of the checkout process was straightforward and accessible.

Conclusion

The Petco app is easier to use than the website. Unfortunately, the only way to navigate it is to either slide your finger on the screen or flick with one finger. It is a plus that the customer service number can be found on the website’s home page and can easily be found in the Account tab on the app.

The Bottom Line

In years of writing the AccessWorld online shopping articles, I have found that apps tend to be much more accessible and easier to navigate than websites. This is definitely true for both Kohl’s and Petco. Fortunately, both companies have live help if you need assistance. Kudos to Petco for having the customer service phone number on their website’s homepage and in the Account tab in their app.

Happy Shopping!

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

Comment on this article.

Related articles:

• Amazon and Target Offer One-Stop Shopping Apps for Holiday Gifts by Janet Ingber
• AccessWorld 2018 Holiday Gift Guide by Deborah Kendrick

More by this author:

• iOS 12: An Overview from an Accessibility Perspective
• New Operating Systems for the Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV

November 2019 Table of Contents

Bill Holton

Disclaimer: We offer this and other Vision Tech articles as brief snapshots into the considerable groundbreaking investigations and research currently underway to save, preserve, and restore vision. The content of these articles should not be considered as medical advice, or as either endorsements or solicitations for treatment. Whenever possible we offer links so the reader can further pursue the subject, but we are not in the position to offer further information or direction.

The eye, it turns out, is an excellent laboratory in which to explore the possibilities and potential of various genetic therapies. It’s an extremely contained area with relatively small patches of affected tissue. It can also be accessed and monitored more easily than, say, a section of brain or heart tissue. Consequently, certain eye conditions may be among the earliest to be routinely treated and even cured using various gene and RNA therapies. In this installment of Vision Tech, we’ll discuss two companies that are currently or about to initiate clinical trials to treat a trio of such diseases: Usher syndrome type 2 (USH2), autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP), and Leber’s congenital amaurosis 10 (LCA10.).

Overview of Diseases

All three of the eye diseases mentioned above are caused by genetic defects or mutations, most often inherited. All three also affect the eyes rods and cones, the photoreceptor cells that turn light into chemical signals, which are then transformed into neural signals and passed up the optic nerve to the brain. The specific mechanisms of each of these eye conditions are different, however.

Usher Syndrome Type 2

Usher syndrome is the leading cause of deafblindness. Patients with USH2, the most common type of Usher syndrome, have a moderate to severe hearing impairment from birth and commonly experience the first symptoms of night blindness in their second decade of life, which progresses to complete blindness by the third or fourth decade. USH2 is most commonly caused by mutations in the USH2A gene. This gene is responsible for the formation of the usherin protein. The mutation results in a lack of functional usherin protein, and disrupts the ability of rods and cones to convert light into the electrical signals necessary for the brain to see.

Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa

adRP is a rare genetic eye disease caused when an individual inherits one normal copy and one mutated copy of the rhodopsin gene. The defective gene spurs the production of a form of rhodopsin that is actually toxic to photoreceptor cells, leading to their progressive degeneration, and ultimately, blindness. Symptoms usually begin with night blindness during childhood and progress to a loss of peripheral vision, leading to tunnel vision. Loss of central vision appears during adulthood and blindness is frequent by mid-adulthood.

Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis 10

LCA is a group of eye diseases that result from various mutations in at least 14 genes, all of which are necessary for normal vision. At least 13 different types of Leber’s congenital amaurosis have been described. The types are distinguished by their genetic cause, patterns of vision loss, and related eye abnormalities. LCA is the most common cause of inherited childhood blindness, with an incidence of two to three per 100,000 live births worldwide. The most severe form of the disease, LCA10, is most often caused by the p.Cys998X mutation in the CEP290 gene.

ProQR Therapeutics

ProQR Therapeutics is a Netherlands-based company currently researching RNA therapies to inhibit or counteract the harmful effects of the defective genes associated with the above retinal diseases. How does that work? As you may recall from biology class, genes are the building blocks for the proteins that build and maintain our bodies. They are located on chromosomes of which humans have 23 pairs, half from the mother and the other half from the father. In its simplest form, RNA acts as the blueprint for protein synthesis. The RNA “translates” the genetic information, then turns that information into various proteins, including the defective and toxic proteins associated with various retinal diseases.

“We’ve found a way to use tiny strands of artificial RNA, designed molecule by molecule to either block or modify these disease processes,” says ProQR Therapeutics CEO, Daniel de Boer. The company is currently engaging in clinical trials for an investigational medication called QR-421a, which is designed to treat RP in patients that have USH2 due to mutations in a specific part of the USH2A gene, called exon 13. “QR-421a is designed to exclude exon 13 from the USH2A mRNA, thereby removing the mutation,” says de Boer. This approach is also known as ment. Exon skipping. Skipping of exon 13 in the "blueprint" is expected to lead to a shortened but functional usherin protein. “By restoring functional usherin protein expression, we hope to treat the underlying cause of RP associated with USH2,” says de Boer.

A second new medication showing great potential for the treatment of inherited retinal disease is the company’s QR-1123. The compound is aimed at people who suffer from adRP due to the P23H mutation in the rhodopsin gene. “Our goal is to block the formation of the mutated toxic version of the rhodopsin protein by specifically binding to the mutated RHO mRNA,” says de Boer. “Binding of QR-1123 causes the degeneration of the mRNA by a mechanism called RNase H mediated cleavage. This should prevent the loss of the light detecting cells and potentially stop or reverse the vision loss associated with P23H adRP."

A third ProQR drug currently being tested is sepofarsen. This medication shows early potential to restore sight, or slow down the process of vision loss, in patients with Leber‘s congenital amaurosis 10 by correcting the most common p.Cys998X gene mutation associated with the retinal disease. The company recently released some impressive Phase 1 results. de Boer relates the story of one North American patient, “This man had been totally blind for over 15 years, but six weeks after a single injection of sepofarsen in one eye he called his physician to tell him he was walking through an airport, and he could read every sign.”

de Boer foresees an ultimate treatment that requires a single, maybe two injections per year. Currently the company is enrolling patients for a Phase 1/2 study for Usher syndrome type 2 and an ongoing Phase 2/3 “Efficacy and Safety Study” for Leber’s congenital amaurosis 10. The company also anticipates gearing up for a Phase 1/2 clinical trial for adRP in the coming months.

Editas Medicine

Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Editas Medicine is taking a different approach to treating LCA10. Instead of replacing the defective gene that produces the CEP290 protein that is essential for photoreceptor function, company scientists plan to “edit” the defective portion out of the chromosome using CRISPR technology.

CRISPR stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, but basically, it’s cut and paste for chromosomes. Again, back to that biology class. You will recall that chromosomes are made of strands of DNA, which, in turn, are composed of various sequences of four bases: adenine guanine, cytosine, and thymine. The order of these bases define our genes which encode our proteins.

Building upon many years of research mapping out the human genome, researchers at Editas have created special enzymes that include strands of RNA that together with a bacterial protein, known as CAS9, seek out and specifically cut DNA. By using two of these cutting enzymes, EDIT-101 can remove a piece of DNA the contains the mutation which causes LCA10. Think of it as the “highlight and then cut” portion of cut and replace. New genetic information can now be inserted, or “pasted in,” if desired, though in the case of LCA10 removing the mutated piece of DNA is the end goal.

“Following cutting, the cell has a natural mechanism for repairing DNA breaks,” says Editas Medicine’s Chief Scientific Officer, Charles Albright. “In this case [the repair will occur] without the gene mutation that causes LCA10.”

Until now most gene editing therapies have accomplished this cut-and-paste outside the body, and then delivered the edited cell back into the body. Editas is actually editing cells inside the body. “Our goal is to inject the CRISPR machinery into the eye itself, using a tiny bit of an inactive virus as a delivery tool, and enable the cut and splice to occur within the defective retinal tissue, says Albright.

After successful animal studies the FDA has cleared Editas Medicine in partnership with Allergan to commence a Phase 1/2 interventional study of their experimental, CRISPR genome editing medicine called EDIT-101. Notes Albright, “EDIT-101 will be the very first CRISPR editing treatment to take place in vivo, which is to say inside the body.”

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

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November 2019 Table of Contents

Deborah Kendrick

Haben Girma tells us on the first page of her beautifully written memoir that she is deafblind, and she tells you what that means. There is no apology and no room for awe or pity. It is just a statement of fact, a quick dispensing of information to get the facts on the table. After all, in her Eritrean mother's native language, her name means "pride." And Haben Girma, the first deafblind person to graduate Harvard Law, and dubbed by President Barack Obama a "Champion of Change," has plenty of well-deserved pride.

Relayed always in the present tense and from Girma’s unique point of view, readers learn from this book something of what it is like to be young and vibrant in a world that was designed for people who can hear and see. Girma has only the tiniest remnants of each of these senses, but we learn quickly that her experience of the world is by no means small. It is, in fact, large – taking her to other countries and other cultures.

The sense of place is perhaps the most compelling takeaway from the book. Through Girma’s clearly communicated perception of the world around her, we are immersed completely in a circle of children playing with a toy piano in Eritrea, in a hilarious game of hide-and-seek played spontaneously by blind adults at a dinner party while Girma is at a blindness training center in Louisiana, and in the overwhelmingly cacophonous student cafeteria with Girma during her first year at college. We taste with her the food that she ordered with only her sense of smell and guesswork to lead her to the wrong choice, and feel with her the dismay when her guide dog causes her to trip and fall on the first day of training. Girma takes us to the White House, to Mali for building a school with other teenagers, and into her own private world of affirmation to build self-confidence when she is temporarily uncertain. We feel her elation when the courage to dare has delivered real joy.

Because Girma was born in 1988, we see her as a teenager and young 20-something throughout most of this book, and so we learn of her typical, yet quite atypical, struggle with her parents for independence and individuality. She is deeply enmeshed in the love of her family and its rich traditions and profoundly in awe of the courage her parents displayed in fleeing war-torn countries to come to the United States where they were initially alone. Yet, despite her youth, she sees early on the parallels between her mother’s flight as an Eritrean refugee and her own desperate need to be free of protective adult authority.

Her parents are Girma (her father, born in Ethiopia) and Saba (her mother, born in Eritrea.) Both traveled to the San Francisco Bay Area, where they met. When her parents ask her about her own national identity, she answers without hesitation: she is American. Born just before the passage of the Americans with Disabilities act and raised in the liberal climate of Northern California, Girma recognizes how fortunate she has been to get an outstanding education with necessary accommodations such as braille materials, assistive technology, and human beings to convey to her what others are saying. Mixed with that gratitude, however, is a keen awareness of the importance of civil rights.

In her first year at college, she doesn’t yet have a chosen career path. Day after day in the student dining facility, she struggles with not knowing which foods are being served. Other students can read a daily menu posted on the wall, so she asks the manager to email it to her. The solution is a simple one, but the manager resists.

After a failing tug-of-war, Girma does some research and writes him a letter. The attitude she expresses there serves as the foundation for the attitude she will ultimately carry through Harvard Law and as into her work as a disability rights lawyer.

“I'm not asking for a favor,” she writes to the manager of the Bon Appetit dining hall. “I'm asking Bon Appetit to comply with the law.”

Although the experience of being both deaf and blind can be an isolating one, this is not a book about loneliness or isolation. Rather, it's a book about the determination to live life to the fullest extent and find work-arounds where ones are not already in place. Through her adventures of learning to dance, sliding down an iceberg, or convincing her parents that they should give their teenager with a disability permission to travel with other adolescents to a country halfway across the world to help build a school, Haben Girma enables readers to understand that disabilities need not define or limit the individual who has them. If you want to know more about combined vision and hearing loss, read this book. If you want to know more about the rights of people with disabilities, read this book. And, if you want to find a reason to feel hope about the present and future nature of humanity, read this book.

Product Information

Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law is available from Audible.com, Bookshare, and NLS BARD as DB96188. The audio version is read by the author. The hardcover print version is available from Amazon and bookstores.

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

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November 2019 Table of Contents

Deborah Kendrick

She's blind. She's deaf. She's black. She's female. And both her parents came here from other countries. Some might say that such a list of facts comprises a pile of pretty daunting odds for professional advancement, and for sure, Haben Girma has experienced employment discrimination. But this young, vibrant, brilliant California woman, the first deafblind person to graduate from Harvard law and to be dubbed a Champion of Change by President Barack Obama, definitely knows how to turn perceived liabilities into strengths, and is fully, successfully employed.

I first met Haben Girma when we served together as speakers for the Braille Summit, a conference hosted by Perkins and the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled. We made an instant connection over our love of reading, braille, combined vision and hearing loss, and maybe a shared quirky sense of humor. For this article, I caught up with her when she had just returned from Beijing, where she conducted some speaking and disability awareness training and where, she says, she ate piles of delicious food and lots of dumplings. Near the end of that visit, the Four Seasons delighted her with a "gorgeous braille plate" on which little round candies spelled, in braille, "Beijing is sweet for you." In the lower left corner was the cover of her book released by Hachette earlier this year and reviewed elsewhere in this issue.

At this writing in early October of 2019, her schedule over the next six weeks is a dazzling lineup of presentations crisscrossing the United States as well as appearances in Toronto and London. Only two of those events are part of her book tour. The rest are keynote addresses and presentations at conferences, universities, and professional gatherings.

Girma has been both deaf and blind all her life. As a child, she had enough residual vision that she could see a parent on a couch as one blob atop another, and she had enough hearing that she learned to use her voice to speak. She speaks beautifully (even narrates her own book for Audible.com and NLS BARD).

Growing up in California with parents from Eritrea and Ethiopia, Girma recognizes that she was extremely fortunate to receive an excellent education with the advantages of access and accommodation at an early age. She was taught to read and write braille and to use access technology. Over time, as her small amount of hearing grew even smaller and navigating the social fabric of conversation with one or more people in noisy venues became more and more difficult, she employed technology in her own style of face-to-face communication. With a BrailleNote Apex paired with a typical Bluetooth keyboard, she can pretty much talk to anyone, anywhere. The person speaking to her types on the keyboard, and Haben receives the typed words instantly on her BrailleNote Apex. She responds with her own voice.

Upon graduation from Harvard Law, she landed a place as a fellow with Disability Rights Advocates in Berkeley. As invitations to speak kept coming her way, however, she began to think that she might make more of an impact on tearing down ableist attitudes by writing, speaking, and training. One pivotal experience, she says, was when she was invited to speak at Google in July of 2015. The response to her presentation was so overwhelming that it determined her professional future. "People were excited to learn more about accessibility," she says, "and that made me want to invest time in training." She finished her appointed term with Disability Rights Advocates in 2016. Although she is still licensed to practice law, her career today is entirely focused on speaking and training.

She is hired to present anything from15-minute speeches to 90-minute workshops. She has a team of about ten people who type questions and comments from audience members for her, and thus facilitate her lively interaction during presentations. Sometimes, she says, participants prefer to type to her themselves, a choice she welcomes. Carving out a niche for herself in the 30-percent portion of the people with disabilities who are employed has not been effortless. She has, in the past, experienced the sting of being trapped in that larger, 70-percent, unemployed portion.

Traveling to Alaska one college summer with her friend, Gordon, she had her first personal encounter with that ugly truth we all sometimes face. She writes:

Disability professionals warned me: work hard or you'll never find employment. Around 70 percent of blind people are unemployed. I studied hard in school, graduating high school as

valedictorian. I spent a summer sharpening my independence skills at the

Louisiana Center for the Blind. My college GPA is excellent. I

even have volunteer work experience on my résumé. The 70 percent

unemployment rate still managed to claim me, leaving me jobless in Jobville,

Alaska. When you do everything right and society

stomps on you, over and over, it creates a piercing, gut-twisting pain. It causes you to question the conventional wisdom that a person who works hard will always overcome obstacles. Gordon offered encouragement, but I didn't want to hear it. He drummed up

Alaska as the land of long summer days where the sun doesn't set until 10

pm. He promised that I'd find a summer job here. Instead, I found

employment discrimination. Blindness is just the lack of sight, but people

inflate the disability to an absurd degree. They assume incompetence, intellectual challenges, and an inability to contribute with alternative techniques. This is decades of cultural stories perpetuating the idea that people with disabilities are inferior to the nondisabled. Wherever I go, regardless of how hard I work, I keep encountering ableism.

Girma did eventually land a job that college summer in Alaska, and she has gained momentum steadily as a staunch advocate for her own rightful, equal place in the world along with all other people with disabilities. Having published her first book, the autobiographical Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law, earlier this year, she now adds book signings and talks to her constant flood of invitations to speak, train, and build disability awareness.

After Hours

Arguably, any successfully employed person is a person who is multidimensional, a person with a range of interests and activities. Haben Girma is no exception. She loves dancing, and goes dancing once a week. (She learned to dance as a kid from a blind dance instructor at enchanted Hill Camp.) She wears flat shoes, not heels, and feels the beat through the hands and shoulders of her partners. Other activities include hiking, surfing, paddle boarding, and kayaking. She is by no means afraid of adventure!

Essential Tools

As I have with every Employment Matters subject, I asked Girma what three tools come to mind as essential to her success. Without hesitation, she named her braille computer, keyboard, and iPhone.

I then asked her for advice for those who are still struggling to find an employer willing to hire a person with a visual impairment. "Identify your strengths and work on developing them," she replied. "[Then] find industries that value those strengths."

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

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November 2019 Table of Contents

Janet Ingber

iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 were first announced in June 2019 at Apple’s World Wide Developers Conference. Apple promised many improvements and new features. When the new systems launched in September, it was clear that they definitely delivered. The new operating system for iPhone and iPod touch represents a considerable improvement over its predecessors. iPadOS 13 is the first operating system specifically designed for the iPad. It has the same features as iOS 13 plus new features geared toward the iPad.

In this article, I will discuss the many included VoiceOver changes that allow for customization and ease of access. I will talk about changes to apps including Mail and Safari. Check out Dave Nason’s AppleVis podcast to learn about the new iPad features..

iOS 13 no longer supports the iPhone 6 or older. Only the iPod touch 7th Generation can use iOS 13. iPads older than the iPad Air 2 cannot use iPadOS 13.

Apple released two updates soon after launch. They have been working quickly to fix bugs and insure the operating system functions correctly.

For this article, I used an iPhone X. After downloading iOS 13, I quickly realized that my iPhone’s speed had increased. Touch ID responded faster as well.

Before you update, make sure your device has been backed up.

Accessibility Features

Apple has made significant improvements to VoiceOver. There is more customization and there are new categories such as Activities and Customizing VoiceOver Gestures. After reading this article, take time to go through the Accessibility options.

Accessibility options are now in the main settings menu. You no longer have to go to Settings > General > Accessibility. Accessibility is just below Display & Brightness and just above Wallpaper.

Customizing Haptic Feedback

With iOS 13, I quickly discovered that I got haptic feedback and sounds every time I performed a gesture. Sounds were louder than I usually have them. I was delighted to find that sounds and haptics are easily controlled.

To control Sounds & Haptics, go to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Audio. The first option is Sounds & Haptics. Select this button to bring up a list of options that can be navigated by headings. The first option under Haptics is a toggle to turn haptics on or off. By default, it is on. Double tap on the button to turn it off globally. Use the next option is to set haptic intensity.

The next heading is Interaction. Here is where you control whether sounds and haptics are on or off for many features including Item Activated, Scroll Page, and Previous Rotor. The list is quite extensive. There is a button next to each item. Selecting it tells you whether sounds and/or haptics are active for that particular item. If both sounds and haptics are available, select the feature you want to modify. Then activate the Preview button to discover the effect of your change. Select the item’s button to make the change.

3D Touch

When you land on an app, VoiceOver will now say, “Use 3D touch to show home screen actions.” Another way to accomplish this task is by flicking up or down until you hear, “Show Context Menu,” and select that option. A list of actions will appear. Select one or close the menu with the Dismiss button in the upper left corner.

Customizing VoiceOver Gestures

With the new operating systems, you now have the ability to change many VoiceOver gestures. Go to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Commands > Gestures. At the top of the screen is a list of types of gestures: Touch Gestures, Keyboard Short Cuts, Handwriting, and Braille Screen Input. The button on the left is All Commands. This will display a list of all available commands. The Reset VoiceOver Commands is on the far right.

Headings can be used to navigate different categories of gestures. Select the gesture you want to use. A list of options will appear. Select the new action you want the new gesture to perform. If you want to modify other commands such as handwriting or Braille Screen Input, select the appropriate button.

Scrolling

As you navigate in iOS 13, you might hear VoiceOver say “vertical scroll bar.” This can appear in apps such as Safari and Mail. The scroll bar control is found on the right side of the screen and at the bottom of the current page. Flick up or down with one finger to move the bar. VoiceOver will say the current page number and/or where you are percentage-wise within a document. Using this feature is the same as scrolling through your Contacts list.

Voice Control

You can perform actions on your device with just your voice. Some possible actions are: open an app, swipe right, and turn up volume. This feature is not in the VoiceOver menu. To activate it, go to Settings > Accessibility > Voice Control. Voice Control is off by default. To activate it, you need to use WiFi to download software. That way, Voice Command will work regardless of whether or not you are online.

Within the Voice Control menu, there are several options. The first is Customize Commands. Here is where you can add a command, dictate a command, search for a command, or choose a pre-determined command. Under Vocabulary, you can teach Voice Control to recognize words.

Further down the Voice Control menu is a check box for showing hints. This button is on by default. It is a useful feature for some people, especially when first using Voice Control. After a day or so, I turned Show Hints off. With it on, VoiceOver will automatically speak suggestions for using Voice Control. I found that my iPhone was talking too much. Another option is to toggle Voice Control off when you are not using it.

Camera

VoiceOver will now tell you if your photo is centered or not in the frame.

Activities

This new feature from Apple lets you customize how VoiceOver behaves in a particular situation. For example, I could create a different VoiceOver profile that is only used when I activate the Messages app.

Get started by going to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Activities. Swipe right to the Add Activity button and select it. When the next screen loads, there will be an edit box for the name of your activity. By default it says, “Activity 1.” The next control is Speech. Here is where you will set VoiceOver parameters including voice and speaking rate. Next is the Verbosity section where you can decide how much VoiceOver should speak in the activity. There are many options. Finally, go to the Automatic Switching heading. Below are options for which apps or operations will be affected by your change. I changed my messages app to use the Allison enhanced voice with a speaking rate of 60. Under Verbosity, I have it speak the names of emojis.

Punctuation

There are new customization options on how VoiceOver will speak punctuation. Go to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Verbosity > Punctuation. Select the “Add Punctuation Group” button. There are options to ignore, replace, or remove each symbol. If Ignore is selected, VoiceOver will speak the punctuation as it normally would. Replace lets you choose an alternate name for the punctuation symbol. If Remove is selected, VoiceOver will treat the symbol as if it is invisible.

Braille

I am not a braille display user and have gathered the following information from Scott Davert’s excellent and very comprehensive AppleVis post regarding iOS 13. The Liblouis series of tables have been added to braille. Braille users now can use over 70 languages. Go to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Braille > Braille Tables. Select the Add Braille Table button. Select the language you want. The Liblouis series of tables are under the System heading. Davert indicated that he found some translation difficulties with these tables. He prefers the System braille codes.

Davert also says that users can now know where they are in a list. In addition, there is a new feature called Key Debounce. This controls the length of time from when a letter is entered until the device recognizes it as a command.

Mainstream Features

There are many new mainstream features including a new on-screen keyboard and a redesigned app store. Mail has gotten a makeover and two apps have become one.

Mail

If you open an email, the buttons for Replying and Moving are no longer at the bottom of the screen. They have been replaced by a Delete button and a More Actions button. Selecting the More Actions button brings up a long list of actions including Reply, Reply All, Forward, Trash, Move To, and Mute. With email open, flick up or down to bring up options including Reply and Trash.

If you have not opened the message, flicking up or down will present many options including Delete, Activate, Show Context Menu, and More. The context menu has Preview, Reply, Reply All, Move Message, and several other options. The Dismiss Context Menu button is in the upper left corner. Selecting the More option displays most of the same items as the Context Menu. The Cancel button is the last item. The Mute option can be used to mute a thread. It is easy to block an email sender. Open the email and double tap on the sender’s name. A list of options will be displayed. Flick right until you get to Block and select it.

The Edit button is still in the upper right corner. If it is selected, double tap on the unopened emails you want to either mark, move, or trash. Those buttons will be at the bottom of the screen.

There are many composing and formatting options available. Go to the body of the message and double tap. Swipe right until you hear, “Expand Tool bar.” Flick right to the Text Format button. There are many options available including Text Size and Fonts.

QuickPath

QuickPath is a new “slide to type” keyboard introduced in iOS 13. It is on by default. To use QuickPath, slide your finger on the keyboard, stop when you get to the letter you want, and without raising your finger, move to the next key. You do not need to be 100% accurate; VoiceOver will start speaking possible words. Lift your finger when you hear the one you want and the word will be inserted. There is definitely a learning curve with this keyboard. If you don’t like QuickPath, turn it off by going to Settings > General > Keyboard. Go to Swipe to Type and turn it off.

Low Data Mode

If you have limited data usage available, this option could help you. It helps apps reduce data use. Go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options. The feature is off by default.

App Store

The App Store has a new look. On the bottom are five tabs: Today, Games, Apps, Arcade, and Search. The Updates tab is no longer there. With the Today tab selected, go to the top left of the screen and flick right until you hear, “My Account.” In the My Account section, there are many options including a list of purchased apps, an option to redeem a gift card, and personalized recommendations. Below the Updated Recently heading is a list of all the recently updated apps. Under the app’s name will be a button to open it. Flicking up or down on the app brings up a context menu, an activate option, and an option to delete the app.

Control Center

There is now a quick way to access WiFi and Bluetooth settings via the Control Center. When on either of these options, flick up or down with one finger. There are two available options: Activate and Open Controls. If you select Open Controls, a new screen will load showing various options including WiFi and Bluetooth. A 3D-Touch or Long Press on either Bluetooth or WiFi will open a screen with information about which networks or objects are available. For example, if I perform a 3D Touch on Bluetooth, I will find a list of all my Bluetooth devices that are in range. I can connect or disconnect devices. At the bottom of the screen are the actual Bluetooth settings. WiFi works the same way. It will show all available networks and WiFi settings at the bottom of the WiFi screen. This new Control Center addition makes it easier to change settings. You can still access WiFi and Bluetooth through the Settings menu.

Battery

A major improvement for increasing battery life is now available and on by default. It is called Optimize Battery Charging. This feature charges to 80 percent initially rather than to 100 percent. The app learns your daily routine and charges to 100 percent by the time that you usually use the phone. For example, I usually put my phone on the charger at about 11:30 PM and I take my phone off the charger at about 7:30 AM. At 5:30 A.M., my phone was exactly 80 percent charged. At 7:30 A.M., it was 100 percent charged.

You can disable Optimize Battery Charging if you wish. The control for this feature is at Settings > Battery > Battery Health.

If you go to Settings > Battery and then to the Battery Level heading, you will find a chart displaying your battery usage. If you flick up or down when in the chart, VoiceOver now has more options including Describe Chart and Summarize Numerical Data.

Files

The Files app now lets you Zip and Unzip files. Unzip a file by double tapping on it. Zip a file by flicking up or down to Context Menu. Once in the menu, select Compress.

Find My

Prior to iOS 13, there were apps called Find My Friends and Find My iPhone. These have merged into one app called Find My. When it is opened, there are three tabs on the bottom: People, Devices, and Me. People takes the place of the Find My Friends app. The Devices tab takes the place of the Find My iPhone app. It will show all of your devices. Since I am now on Family Sharing, it also displayed my husband’s and daughter’s devices. The Me tab displays your location and whether or not to share it. There is a button to allow friend requests. There is also a Help a Friend button where you can go into iCloud.com on your phone and help a friend search for a device.

Safari

Safari allows for more customization than in the past and now has the ability to indicate where to save downloads. Go to Settings > Safari and flick right to Downloads. VoiceOver will say where downloads are stored. By default, downloads are saved to iCloud Drive. The advantage is that downloads will be on all your devices. iCloud Drive now has a Downloads folder. If you want to change the save location, activate the button next to Downloads. Activating this button will also show information for how long you want to keep a download.

Under the Settings for Websites heading, there are global options for settings including Page Zoom, Request Desktop Site, and Reader. Select the button next to the item and then make your choice. By default, the desktop site is selected in iPadOS13. You can change this.

Websites in Safari have a Format Options button at the top left of the page. Activating this button brings up a list of options for customizing the website. Options include Show Reader View, Hide Toolbar, and Website Settings. Selecting this option gives even more ways to customize the website including Permission to Use Camera, Microphone, and Location.

Location

When you install a new app and you want it to use your location, you will initially have only two options: Once and When Using the App. If you want the app to use your location always, you will have to enable that feature manually. Go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services. Double tap on it and a list of your apps will appear. Select the app you want to change and choose a different option. Flick right to hear all options. I have found that many apps do not include the Always option. Some apps have automatically notified me asking if I want to change their access to Always.

Sharing

In apps that support sharing, such as Photos, you will find a list of frequently contacted people above the standard list of options such as AirDrop, Message, and Mail.

Dark Mode

This feature first appeared last year in macOS Mojave. Dark Mode both darkens the screen so that important items are visually clearer and it saves battery power. When I first installed iOS 13.1, VoiceOver prompted me to choose whether to enable Dark Mode. You can access Dark Mode settings by going to Settings > Display & Brightness. The first option is Appearance. There are two radio buttons, one labeled Light and one labeled Dark. Activating the Dark button will load Dark Mode. If the Dark Mode button is selected, an Automatic button will appear. If activated, it will automatically turn on Dark Mode. Next is an Options button where you can control the times when Dark Mode is enabled and disabled.

Silence Unknown Callers

If you have had it with robocalls or only want to receive calls from people in your Contacts list, this feature may be helpful. Anyone not in your Contacts list will be sent directly to voicemail and your phone will not ring. This feature is off by default. Activate it by going to Settings > Phone and swiping right to Silence Unknown Callers. Along with sending the call to voicemail, the caller’s information will appear in your Recents list.

Conclusion

Apple has added many useful accessibility features in iOS 13. You can change VoiceOver gestures, give verbal commands to your device, regulate sounds and haptics, and much more. There have been some changes in mainstream apps and they continue to be very accessible. This major improvement in accessibility is to be commended.

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

Comment on this article.

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November 2019 Table of Contents

Microsoft to Present Information Regarding SharePoint Access in Latest Accessibility Webinar Series

The Microsoft Accessibility Webinar Series is a series of presentations that aim to inform users about accessibility features in Microsoft products. In November, Microsoft will be presenting information regarding the accessibility of SharePoint and OneDrive.

Accessible Content in OneDrive and SharePoint

November 20, 2019, 12:00 - 1:00 pm Pacific Time (8:00 - 9:00 pm GMT/UTC)

Presented by: James Jackson and Eli Waalkes, Program Managers on the OneDrive & SharePoint team

Learn about the latest Accessibility improvements for the OneDrive mobile apps and Document Libraries, and Lists in SharePoint Online. Discover how to collaborate on files with our updated controls using Assistive Technologies like voice controls and screen readers. The webinar will cover:

• SharePoint List Control
• SharePoint Document Libraries
• Accessing and Collaborating on Files in OneDrive mobile

Register and learn about other upcoming webinars.

Perkins School for the Blind announces Career Launch at Perkins

Perkins School for the Blind developed Career Launch @ Perkins with one goal: to help young adults with visual impairments successfully navigate the path to full-time professional work. 

The job training, internship, and career services program is helping high school and college graduates, ages 18 to 29, land their first career-track job. The curriculum is designed specifically to provide the hands-on training and experience necessary to build a sustainable career in professional fields where exceptional customer engagement is key to business success. 

Career Launch is an eight-week training program focused on customer success skills, foundational working skills, and assistive technology, followed by a two-month internship in the Boston area, and then a year of support from a Perkins-based career services team once the graduate returns to their hometown. 

Equipped with the latest skills and experience gained through working with a network of employer partners that represent some of the leading companies in industries such as healthcare, hospitality, telecom, retail, financial services, higher education and e-commerce, each graduate will leave Career Launch as a well-rounded problem solver with transferable skills in many areas including sales and marketing, transaction management, recruiting, and client services. 

Perkins is currently accepting applications for the January 2020 session.

Annual NVDA virtual conference to be held November 15-17, 2019

The NonVisual Desktop Access virtual conference (NVDA Con) will be held November 15-17, 2019. NVDA Con is a virtual conference held online each year by the community of users of the NVDA screen reader. The conference presents sessions on various topics related to NVDA, offers spaces where NVDA users can network, and ends with a keynote address from the developers of NVDA. As mentioned, the conference is held virtually using audio conferencing software available on various platforms and is free to attend for all. To see a list of sessions and their times, check the 2019 schedule.. Note that times should display in your own time zone. To learn more about the conference and listen to recordings of past conferences, visit the NVDA Con homepage.

Envision Dallas Lighthouse for The Blind To House AFB Center On Vision Loss, Esther’s Place

Envision and AFB recently announced a collaboration to establish Envision Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind as the new home of the American Foundation for the Blind Center on Vision Loss (CVL) and Esther’s Place. A grand opening is expected in spring 2020. Envision Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind is located at 4306 Capitol Avenue in Dallas, Texas. In this video, AFB’s CEO Kirk Adams provides background on this transition, or access a transcript and further details..

November 2019 Table of Contents