Dear AccessWorld readers,

I hope everyone had an enjoyable and safe holiday season. To kick off the new year, we at AccessWorld are celebrating the birthday of Louis Braille on January 4th with our annual braille-focused issue. If you would like to learn more about Braille or refresh yourself on his story, please visit our online Braille Museum.

When I was young, I learned braille using tennis balls and a muffin pan. Though I prefer to do my reading using text-to-speech these days, I was a voracious reader when I was young; I remember that my school system had a braille library of books from Seedlings, and looking at their catalog, they still have many of the books that I vividly remember reading.

With the rise of accessible and affordable assistive technologies that can allow a user to read using synthetic speech, the rates of braille literacy have been falling drastically in the past 50 years or so. The National Braille Press reports that the rate of braille literacy 40 years ago was 50 percent, while it has decreased to 12 percent in modern times. Everyone will have a different relationship with braille and depending on your circumstances you may use it constantly or rarely. That being said, I earnestly believe that even if someone eventually uses speech entirely for their reading needs, the learning of braille when young is a critical skill. From what I understand, the way that the brain processes the spoken word differently than writing, it would follow then that as visual literacy is crucial for the development of sighted children, braille would be the same for children who are blind or have low vision. Recently, our very own Deborah Kendrick and Bill Holton discussed the benefits and drawbacks to learning braille as someone new to vision loss. You can watch the presentation on the APH YouTube channel here.

Even though we specifically focus on braille in this issue of AccessWorld, we also publish braille content throughout the year. For example, this summer, Scott Davert reviewed the two braille displays, the QBraille and the Mantis, that aim to merge the technology with traditional QWERTY keyboards. Remember that you can always explore the entire last 20 years of AccessWorld on the Back Issues page. In addition, until we have an AccessWorld specific search, if you would like to search AccessWorld for specific content, you can use the search string "Site:afb.org/aw " to search only the AccessWorld site in any search engine that supports more advanced search options (I know both DuckDuckGo and Google support this). As an example, I discovered this interesting article regarding braille literacy in the developing world, which poses many questions that I believe are still relevant today, even though the article was published in 2008.

This month, Steve Kelley brings us a review of new braille courses from Hadley, this time aimed at sighted and low vision users. Scott Davert brings us an article comparing the various 40-cell braille displays currently on the market. Finally, Jamie Pauls wraps up our braille-focused content with a retrospective on his journey with braille and how braille has evolved over the decades. Closing out this month's issue, Janet Ingber brings us a review of the latest MacOS operating system and J.J. Meddaugh reviews the new Chromecast streaming media device.

If you would like to have access to AccessWorld from yur inbox, I am happy to announce that we have restored the automated AccessWorld Alert Signup page. You can also find a button on the AccessWorld homepage which will direct you to the signup form.

As always, I love to hear from readers. How has braille impacted your life? What do you think of the current trends in braille literacy? Do you prefer braille or speech? Send us your comments, questions, thoughts and more!

Sincerely,

Aaron Preece

AccessWorld Editor-in-Chief

American Foundation for the Blind

January 2021 Table of Contents

Jamie Pauls

For as long as I can remember, I have been an avid reader of braille. I was using it even before the discussion ever came up as to whether or not we should capitalize the word. Since Louis Braille was born on January 4, 1809, AccessWorld features articles each January that highlight braille in some way. This year, I thought I would take our readers on a bit of a personal journey and, at the same time, take a look at how far braille has come over the past 57 years of my life. I hope, like me, you will be encouraged by what we discuss, and come away from your reading with a renewed desire to use and promote braille even further.

My earliest memories of braille include large volumes of writing. I vividly recall loving the smell of a new braille volume being opened for the first time. The crackle of the cover followed almost immediately, and there was the first braille page. Odd as it may seem to some, I even read the title page of each book. Even paperback volumes of braille were fine by me. As long as I was reading something, I was happy. I quickly became comfortable with, what in the earliest days of my recollection was known as Grade 2 braille. Today, it is simply referred to as Contracted braille—that series of dots that provided a shorthand to writing that allowed more content to be placed on a single page of braille. Over the years, I became aware of and even saw examples of Grade 3 braille, but it never seemed to catch on for some reason.

The drawback to braille was the sheer number and size of volumes required to comprise a book. I remember borrowing individual books of the King James Bible from a fellow blind person in the church I attended, and eventually got my own braille Bible—all 17 volumes! My father was a carpenter and he custom-built bookshelves for our home so that I could house many of the braille books I was beginning to acquire. Of course, I borrowed many books from the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, and the mail carrier became quite accustomed to delivering boxes of vinyl talking books and braille books to our home.

When I was in high school, someone provided me with a braille dictionary—all 72 volumes of it. (More bookshelves!) I never did own the 145-volume World Book Encyclopedia. (Too many bookshelves needed!)

I often had braille textbooks available to me in high school, but I mostly recall the college textbooks I received that were transcribed by volunteers using a Perkins brailler. My dorm room was full of books most of the time, and I kept them around for many years after I graduated from college.

I don’t recall when I got my first braille notetaker—a Braille N Speak, but in doing a bit of research, I learned that the product was first introduced in 1987. I later used a Braille Lite—both products were developed by Blazie Engineering—and later a PAC Mate from Freedom Scientific. For the curious, you can read this review of the PAC Mate from the May 2003 issue of AccessWorld.

While I used all of these devices as notetakers, I don’t think I ever really considered the idea of reading books on them. I’m pretty sure that changed when I got my first BrailleNote product from Humanware. Again, I don’t recall the exact year I got my BrailleNote mPower, but thanks to this 2006 AccessWorld article, I know that the product was released in the spring of 2005.

The first books I remember reading using refreshable braille were from Bookshare. It took a long time for me to transition from reading hard copy braille to reading large amounts of text on a display. To be honest, I still prefer holding a physical book or magazine on my lap, but the sheer size and expense of owning a physical braille book make refreshable braille a game changer. The only physical braille magazine I currently receive from BARD usually runs two to three months late. Not great when you are reading a computer magazine.

The fact that braille can be downloaded from the Internet and loaded onto removable storage to be read on the device of one’s choosing makes it more accessible than at any other time in history. Organizations such as the aforementioned Bookshare and National Braille Press have done much to leverage this ability. Talking books and braille books have moved from standalone audio players and large braille volumes to downloadable content from BARD although it is still possible to order recorded and physical braille content from your regional library.

While I was still in school, I recall receiving braille books that were originally published in the UK. The code was a bit different from that used in the US and took some getting used to. The introduction of Unified English Braille, while not heralded by everyone, has standardized the braille code and improved the quality of automated braille translation. The fact that braille can be quickly produced using software on any computer and embossed using increasingly affordable equipment has also helped to promote the use of braille.

You no longer have to spend almost $6,000 for a notetaker in order to use refreshable braille. Standalone braille displays, as well as devices that have some very basic notetaking functionality built in, are becoming increasingly affordable and available. All of the above-mentioned factors should be considered a boon for braille users.

Sadly, many in the blind community use braille sparingly or not at all. It is simply too easy to rely on the constant, rapid speech coming from all of their devices, whether it's a smartphone, tablet, or laptop. I can’t imagine my life without braille. I label items, use a braille display on my computer in conjunction with speech, and still occasionally order a physical braille book to read at my leisure. I often opt to purchase the physical copy of reference works from National Braille Press, even though I could have the instant gratification of purchasing and downloading the electronic copy. The ability to skim a full page of braille in order to find what I am looking for is worth the wait as far as I am concerned.

I am generally pleased with the availability of downloadable braille today, although I wish I could locate more than just the King James Bible. I would be willing to pay for electronic copies of the Bible if they were provided at a reasonable fee. I have all the books and magazines from BARD and Bookshare I could possibly wish for. If I can’t find what I’m looking for on either of those services, I can always purchase a Kindle book and read it either on my BrailleNote Touch Plus or I can connect the Touch to my iPhone and read that way.

I believe the future is bright for braille. I just hope that more blind people will either discover braille for the first time, or rekindle the love they once had for that amazing system of raised dots developed so many years ago that continues to evolve today.

Am I a fan of braille? Unashamedly so. Am I satisfied with the number of books that are available to me? While the answer to that question for me personally is yes, I have a feeling a student in high school or college might give a different answer. What are your thoughts on braille? What did I leave out of this article, or what did I get wrong? We would love to hear from you. I can’t wait to hear from you, so fire away.

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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January 2021 Table of Contents

Scott Davert

There are several 40-cell braille devices on the market that provide different feature sets at varying price points. At the time of writing, these displays range in price from $2,495 to $3,195. We recognize the importance of finding the ideal device to fit a person’s specific circumstances, especially for a purchase that is seldom trivial.

To help you decide which is best for your specific needs, this article will round up the following information for each device: price, internal functions, battery life, types of memory, supported file types, type of keyboard, turnaround time on support requests, and my own evaluation. Prices were accurate as of December 2020. Support requests were submitted to the general email address under a random name and email. Evaluations of battery life were done using Bluetooth as the connection protocol. Your mileage will vary based on the amount of use of wireless devices. All displays are capable of one USB connection, and when connected to through USB, provide the option to recharge while using.

Brailliant BI 40

Cost: $2,995

Manufacturer: Humanware

Internal functions: menu

Battery life: 14-16 hours

Types of supported memory: n/a

Supported file types: n/a

Type of keyboard: Perkins

Number of Bluetooth connections: 1

Turnaround time on support request: 1 business day

Comments: This is the oldest of the displays reviewed, and consequently it also has the fewest features. Updating must be done using a PC, it’s not possible to update the Brailliant with a Mac or by using the display itself. However, Humanware is expected to release a new generation of Brailliant soon, which will include WiFi access for Bookshare, BARD, NFB Newsline standalone updating, and other online services. The new generation is also expected have a built-in editor with the ability to work with DOCX, BRF, and text files, in addition to other formats. It will support flash drives and full-sized SD cards and will have a file management application.

Focus 40 Blue

Manufacturer: Vispero

Cost: $2,995

Internal functions: clock, Scratchpad, menu, calendar (for telling the date only), and menu.

Battery life: 18-20 hours

Types of supported memory: Micro SD cards up to 32 GB

Supported file types: BRF, BRA, and TXT

Number of Bluetooth connections: 5

Type of keyboard: Perkins

Turnaround time on support request: 2 business days

Comments: I reviewed the Focus 40 Blue in detail in the April 2018 issue of AccessWorld. This display integrates seamlessly with JAWS for Windows and also works well with NVDA and iOS. The battery life is the best of the braille devices reviewed in this article. The ability to jump directly from one connected device to another by way of dedicated keyboard commands is a potential productivity boost. Updating requires a PC with JAWS for Windows, which some may find inconvenient. If you want to use Scratchpad notes on another device, the TXT file must be written in eight-dot braille. There is an option to move contracted braille notes taken on the Scratchpad to Windows by way of the Export feature, but it is unreliable on iOS. This function must be used since the files created in the Focus are not standard BRF files, but a format specific to the Scratchpad. Reading plain text files on the Focus must also be done in eight-dot braille. The Focus lacks the option for "Word Wrap," and BRF file support is read-only.

Mantis Q 40

Manufacturer: APH/Humanware

Cost: $2,495

Internal features: editor, clock, calculator, book reader, WiFi given direct access to Bookshare and NFB Newsline, file manager, and connection manager for Bluetooth connections

Battery life: 14-17 hours

Types of supported memory: SD cards, flash drives, and 16 GB of internal memory

Supported file types: BRF, TXT, DOCX, Daisy text, and Bookshare zip files

Type of keyboard: laptop-style QWERTY

Number of Bluetooth connections: 5

Turnaround time on support request: 1 business day

Comments: Reviewed in the August 2020 issue of AccessWorld, the Mantis has a QWERTY keyboard. Built-in access to Newsline and Bookshare are certainly a perk, and the learning curve when working with Windows or the Mac should not be as steep if you are already familiar with the standard keyboard commands for your operating system. Updating can be accomplished using the internal WiFi connection. Though the Mantis Q 40 supports the reading of many file types, whenever you edit a document, it will be converted to plain text when saved. Of the devices evaluated, this is the only one that does not come with a case that can be used for portable use, though, arguably, a 40-cell display is not the most portable device anyway. When jumping from one active channel to another, the Mantis requires that you back out of the connected channel and then select another from the menu. Both the QBraille and Focus 40 have keyboard commands to quickly switch among connected devices. At the time of writing, the Mantis still lacks Android support, unlike the other three braille displays listed. If the user does not need WiFi all the time, turning this off will get the user closer to 17 hours of battery life.

QBraille 40 XL

Manufacturer: HIMS Inc.

Cost: $3,195

Internal features: Notepad, DAISY Reader, Clock, Stop Watch, Alarm, Calendar, and Terminal Mode

Battery life: 16-18 hours

Types of supported memory: SD card

Supported file types: BRF, BRL, TXT, RTF, DOCX, PDF, and DAISY text

Type of keyboard: Hybrid

Number of Bluetooth connections: 6

Turnaround time on support request: never answered

Comments: Reviewed in the September 2020 issue of AccessWorld, the QBraille is the most expensive of the available 40-cell options, excluding notetakers. The hybrid keyboard combines a Perkins-style keyboard with what HIMS considers to be the essential keys on a QWERTY keyboard. This display also has the unique ability to read PDF files.

Though I reported in my article that I was experiencing trouble with the Bluetooth connection when using JAWS, this seems to have been resolved in the update HIMS released in November 2020. The user has the option of whether they wish to use the hybrid mode or simply use the display as though it only had a Perkins style keyboard. It also has the ability to edit both plain text and BRL formatted files, unlike the other three devices compared. The QBraille 40 XL also has keyboard commands to move among connected devices, commands to jump directly from one application to another, the option to have the display boot into a few applications other than the main menu, along with more direct keyboard support for navigation of DAISY text files. The QBraille 40 XL is also the only device that supports one-handed mode. Updating can be done internally, as long as the user can move the update file from their computer to the SD card. It does not have the ability to download content, since it does not have a WiFi module. I’m still not able to jump by more than one window using the Alt + Tab keyboard combination. With VoiceOver, though, I’m able to use the Caps Lock key as a VoiceOver modifier in both Mac OS and iOS. Most concerning is the lack of a reply on a support request.

Conclusion

There are many devices on the market that seek to become the go-to 40-cell braille solution. These displays, while not stand-alone notetakers, meet most use cases. Each has a few features that the others do not. If cost is part of the equation, the Mantis is the cheapest display, but may not be appropriate if you prefer a Perkins-style keyboard for writing. In a few months, the landscape will certainly change again, with the new Brailliant display and the pending release of the Orbit Reader 40, which will cost $1,499. Stay tuned to AccessWorld for further updates.

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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January 2021 Table of Contents

Steve Kelley

One hundred years ago, William Hadley revolutionized braille instruction by developing a correspondence course for learning braille. As a former high school teacher who lost his vision at the age of 55, Hadley taught himself braille as an older adult to continue his passion for reading. He recognized through his own experience that there was limited access to braille instruction, so he determined to change that by offering a mail correspondence course for learning braille. His first student, a woman from Kansas who also lost her vision later in life and wanted to return to reading, received regular lessons in the mail and encouraging notes from Mr. Hadley. Two years later, in 1922, Hadley and his neighbor, ophthalmologist Dr. E.V.L. Brown, founded the Hadley School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

A century later, with an approach to online braille instruction as novel as correspondence courses were in the 1920s, Hadley is again in the process of transforming braille instruction with the rollout of their redesigned website at Hadley.edu. Hadley introduced several series of interactive training workshops that can be taken right from the website to learn the fundamentals of braille. These workshops are available to anyone, at no cost, after completing a simple registration on the website. To make it simpler still, a new learner can always call Support Services at 800-323-4238 for assistance setting up a login to get started.

Tactile Braille Correspondence Workshops

Before exploring these new, online, "Braille by Sight" workshops, it’s worth noting that Hadley continues to offer more traditional correspondence courses through the mail using both audio and hard-copy braille. Audio is sent on a DAISY Talking Book (DTB) cartridge or flash drive. To locate these workshops from the website, select "Learn" from the Main Menu. And choose "Braille" from the category options. The print and audio workshops are listed within the "Braille" series. These workshops include the following six series:

1. Tactile Readiness
2. Braille Alphabet
3. Reading and Writing Uncontracted Braille
4. Contracted Braille
5. Transitioning to UEB
6. Everyday Reading

These workshops may be ordered online or by calling Hadley directly. There is no charge for courses and learners taking the course must verify that they have a visual impairment. Learners will also receive the name and contact information for one of Hadley’s braille instructors, called, "Learning Experts." Learners in these correspondence courses progress by completing and forwarding assignments to their instructors.

Braille by Sight Online Workshops

Earlier this year, Hadley expanded their braille offerings with several series of interactive workshops that can be taken directly from the website, including:

1. Basic Braille by Sight: Reading Series
2. Basic Braille by Sight: Writing Series
3. Contracted Braille by Sight: Reading Series
4. Contracted Braille by Sight: Writing Series
5. Special Braille Symbols: Reading Series
6. Special Braille Symbols: Writing Series
7. Producing Braille Series

Braille by Sight converts the letters, numbers and symbols used for everyday print, into a system of raised dots that can be read with the fingertips. In a recent interview with "AT Banter", Hadley’s Director of Brand Development/Community Learning, Marc Arneson, explained braille by sight this way:

What we recognized was a large majority of sighted students were coming to Hadley to learn braille. Most of them were teachers who were teaching their students braille and wanting to learn themselves or brush up their skills a little bit. Also, we had a significant number of visually impaired individuals who had some sight and were anticipating further vision loss. So, they wanted to learn braille for everyday use. We heard all these stories about wanting to tell which bathroom you’re going into, which floor button you're pressing on the elevator—kind of enough braille to manage day-to-day but not necessarily for reading a novel or writing a novel, that kind of thing. But they currently had enough sight to manage online.

The redesigned Hadley website rolled out over the summer of 2020 and is very accessible, with many features that can be customized by the low vision user. The Braille by Sight workshops include interactive features that involve dragging objects on the screen with the mouse, clicking specific areas, like the dots on an animated braille cell, etc. These slides can be navigated with a screen reader, but the workshop content and navigation is designed for the user with sight.

Each Braille by Sight series of workshops includes a set of narrated slides that progresses through the workshop. Any given slide may present a bit of information, such as the location of dots for a specific letter or symbol in the alphabet. A slide might also include an interactive exercise in which the learner matches or selects the correct braille cells or letters before proceeding to the next slide.

A Closer Look at Braille by Sight

For a closer look, let’s open the "Basic Braille by Sight: Reading Series," located in the "Braille" content category. The first of four workshops in this series is "Braille Reading by Sight: Letters a-j." The workshop loads in the browser window with the first slide on the right two-thirds of the screen, with a menu column on the left. Below the slide window is a Resources tab and below this an Ask the Experts section, both of which will be described below.

The easiest way to go through the slides is by selecting the Right or Left Arrow buttons, which appear on most slides, or the "Submit" button, which appears on interactive slides where you are prompted to take some action before selecting the "Submit" button. If the selected action is incorrect, you are prompted to try again. Slides are narrated, and each has a printed caption. Making a correct submission results in an enthusiastic response, "Right!" "Yes!" or "Good!" with a "Yes!" and check mark on the slide that follows, or a "Try Again," with an X for an incorrect response. The menu to the left of the slides lists sections and activities within each workshop, so you can skip ahead to sections of interest, or review sections already completed.

Because the workshops are interactive and offer the opportunity for mistakes and corrections, the time it takes for workshops in these series will vary depending on the learner. I know braille and am not a regular braille reader, and the Braille Reading by Sight: Letters a-j," took nearly 12 minutes to complete. Some of the workshops in the "Special Braille Symbols: Reading Series," and "Contracted Braille by Sight: Reading Series took more time since I was less familiar with the content, running 30-40 minutes..

Resources Tab

Along with the workshops, there are additional training materials and exercises in the "Resources" tab below the workshop. In the "Letters a-j" workshop, for example, there are two downloadable PDF handouts, "Hints" and "Braille Alphabet." The first offers visual hints for the braille alphabet, and the second is a handy reference of the braille code for the alphabet. In addition, there are two more Hadley web-based practice activities, "Flashcard Fun: a-j" and "More Reading Practice." Both are designed like the workshop, using interactive activities to reinforce the material covered in the workshop.

Ask the Experts

Continuing the tradition that William Hadley began with his personal notes of encouragement to students, the "Ask the Experts" section invites current learners to contact an instructor by phone at 847-784-2816 or by email at braille@hadley.edu, for the braille workshop series. Below the contact information is a list of the names of the six braille learning experts and their pictures. If you call the number or email during weekday business hours, you can connect directly with a Learning Expert who can answer your questions about a braille topic related to the workshop.

What’s Next?

According to Danette Johnson, Learning Expert/Practice Leader, braille workshops continue to be added to the website. Most recently, a workshop on the "Braille Labeler" was added to the "Producing Braille Series," which contained a workshop on the "Perkins Brailler." Johnson also reported that a workshop on "Slate and Stylus" would be added to that series shortly. In addition, Johnson reported that the tactile braille offerings may get revised further during 2021.

Embracing Braille Discussion Group

Learning Experts Vileen Shah and Elyse Heinrich host a live weekly discussion group called Embracing Braille each Thursday at 11:30 AM Central. Topics change each week and each discussion group is recorded, so the archives are available on the website for registered users.

Filling the Gap

As a Vision Rehabilitation Therapist working primarily with older adults with an acquired vision loss later in life, Hadley is often the resource I used for braille training materials. Clients are often interested in just enough braille for labeling, and usually did have some functional vision. The Braille by Sight Series offers an accessible introduction to the basics of braille for this group of learners. It also makes a great resource for professionals or family members who want to learn, upgrade, or maintain their braille skills. As someone who does not use braille on a regular basis personally or with clients, these workshops are an opportunity to refresh and practice my own braille training.

Hadley’s Braille by Sight online workshops are a novel approach to learning and reviewing both contracted and uncontracted braille. These workshops are informative, fun, and can be taken whenever it's convenient to you, at no cost. Although these are not intended specifically as a remote learning tool for professionals, with the current need for remote training options, these offer great possibilities for accessible "assignments" professionals can use with their clients. Of course for those looking for tactile instruction, Hadley continues to offer comprehensive set of tactile workshops available by mail, just as they have for 100 years!

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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January 2021 Table of Contents

J.J. Meddaugh

Over the past few years, a new category of miniature but powerful streaming devices has taken the world by storm. We've covered several of these in AccessWorld, from Bill Holton's review of the Amazon Fire TV with VoiceView to Shelly Brisbin's take on Roku streaming sticks. Smart televisions such as the Insignia Smart TV, Fire Edition, reviewed by Aaron Preece, feature a TV and built-in streaming in a single package. And don't forget about Shelly's review of the Apple TV, a veritable mainstay in this space with accessibility features that have been included for nearly a decade.

Recently, Google dove headlong into the streaming device wars, with the release of Chromecast with Google TV, a streaming media dongle with an included voice remote for under 50 bucks. If the term Chromecast sounds familiar to you, that's because Google has offered Chromecast streaming devices for several years. In the past, Chromecast worked somewhat like Apple's AirPlay, allowing users to load up music or movies on their phone and then send that content to a Chromecast puck connected to a TV. The new product retains this functionality, but now also includes a full-blown version of Android TV including apps, menus, and search.

Physical Description

The Chromecast with Google TV is a hockey puck-sized device that is designed to plug into an HDMI port on your TV. It has a built-in HDMI cable that is only a few inches long, but it is OK for the device to just hang from the back of your television. On the other side of the puck is a USB C-C port for power. Unlike some media devices, you will need to plug the Chromecast into the wall, as it does not draw power from your TV. The necessary adapter is included, as well as the remote and 2 AAA batteries. It is available in three colors, which Google calls snow, sunrise, and sky, or what most people would call white, pink, and blue. Since it will likely be plugged in behind your TV, the colors may not matter much anyway.

The remote features smooth, rounded edges and circular, tactile buttons. You will find a standard d-pad on the top, including an outer circle for Arrows and a center Select button. Then, there are three rows of two buttons: Back and Voice Search in row 1, Home and Mute in Row 2, and YouTube and Netflix shortcut buttons in Row 3. Below this are two smaller buttons, with Power on the left and Input on the right. There is also a set of rectangular volume buttons on the side of the remote. Several of these buttons, including Volume, Mute, and Input, are designed to control your connected TV and not the Chromecast itself. You will need to set up your Chromecast to work with your television. I'd like to recognize the set up page provided by Google, which included a detailed description of the remote and basic instructions for the TalkBack screen reader.

Setting Up the Device

Thanks to Google's helpful instructions, the set-up process was relatively painless. Once the Chromecast is plugged into your TV and the wall, and the batteries are placed in the remote, you will hear some chimes as the device boots up. Once the Chromecast has started, hold down the Down Arrow on the D-pad and the Back button for about three seconds to initiate TalkBack. You will actually need to do this twice, as the first time turns on the accessibility shortcut and the second time actually enables TalkBack. I'm guessing this was done to cut down on people complaining about a mysterious voice on their TV after turning on a screen reader by accident.

After this point, you can use the same shortcut to turn TalkBack on and off. Some other streaming devices will speak a welcome message that explains how to turn on speech. If I had not known about Google's help page, this message would have been useful, especially since the shortcut for turning on TalkBack has changed from prior Android TV products.

The first set up screen asks you to select a language. You can use the Up or Down Arrows to move through the list and Select to choose the spoken option. Only the variants of English were spoken when moving through this list, so if you wanted to use Spanish as your primary language, you would probably need to set up the unit in English and then download the Spanish voices.

The next screens will guide you through connecting the device to WiFi. I was a bit surprised that there wasn't an option to sync my password from my Android device, a feature I have seen in other TV products. Thankfully, the on-screen keyboard was quite pleasant to use and offered all of the necessary symbols and controls. Letters are arranged in QWERTY format, with a number row on the top. Delete is to the right of the M and Period, and Enter or Next along with Left and Right Arrow keys is on the bottom row. It may take a bit of extra time to get used to these special keys and where they are located.

After connecting to WiFi, the Chromecast will download the latest software updates and reboot. Next, the device will prompt for a Google account. This is what you will use to keep track of downloaded apps and settings. If you have a Gmail account, for instance, you can use that here. The keyboard included an At (@) sign to the right of the letter L, and shortcuts for common email addresses like Gmail or Outlook. One major bit of annoyance occurred when typing in my email address; an alert message spoke after every character telling me my email address was invalid. But I was still typing in the address, so of course it was not valid until I finished. This is the type of error that should only be spoken after selecting the Next button. Otherwise, it is painfully obtrusive and makes it hard to concentrate.

After entering in a password, you will trudge through several standard screens including accepting the Terms of Service and selecting privacy and location preferences. While you can opt out of some of these options, it may limit your ability to view certain channels or receive useful recommendations. You will also be introduced to the Google Assistant, the voice assistant included on this device. If you enable searching across apps, you will be able to ask for a specific piece of content and Google will search the apps on your Chromecast to find a match.

Then, you are presented with a list of popular streaming apps, such as Hulu and ESPN, and asked to select the ones you wish to install. This screen is presented as a grid, so you can use all four Arrow keys to move around it. Press Select to mark or deselect a service, and the Continue button in the top right corner when finished. Finally, if you want to link the volume and other remote buttons to your TV, you will have an opportunity to do that. The set-up process definitely took some time, but worked well with TalkBack with no major issues.

Accessibility Features

Since the Chromecast with Google TV is an Android device, it inherits some of its accessibility features. This includes a version of the TalkBack screen reader, an experimental high contrast mode, and Switch Access. Sadly, BrailleBack is not available, making it impossible to connect an external braille display. Audio amplification, mono audio, and other features for people who are hard of hearing are also absent, as well as other low vision features.

You can adjust the speech rate or change the voice under Accessibility Settings. To do this, hold down the Home button for one second, and then press Down Arrow until you hear "Settings," then press Enter. Select System, then Accessibility to view the available options. The TalkBack settings are stripped down when compared with an Android phone, and there is a bit of haphazardness to the options. For instance, the on-screen braille keyboard option is included despite there being no touch screen on the remote. The Speech Volume option includes options such as "Match Speech Volume," or "50 Percent of Speech Volume," which don't make much sense. Likely, the option should read "Same as Media Volume" as it does on other Android devices. An accessibility tutorial is not included on the device, so there may be more features that are just not documented.

There are options for captions in the Accessibility Menu, but no way to control audio description. This will need to be controlled from the individual apps.

Navigation

Like many other streaming devices, your home screen is where most of your navigation will take place. Along the top row are several tabs including Search, For You, Movies, Shows, Apps, Library, and Profile Settings. To select any of these tabs, just Arrow to the one you want and press Down Arrow to move into the details for that tab. You will then find several rows, depending on the tab you chose. For instance, the Shows tab includes Popular Shows, New Shows, Trending on Google, etc. Press the Right or Left Arrows to move through the items in a row. For most items, the name as well as the service provider will be spoken. This screen will include both apps you have installed, as well as others you could download. Even though the browsing of titles from any service is accessible on this screen, you will run into difficulties with several of the major services, which we will discuss below.

As mentioned above, you can also interact by voice, using commands such as "Watch Home Alone" or "Open Hulu." For Home Alone, several movies in the franchise were listed, and selecting one will give the ways you can watch the movie, in this case Disney Plus, or renting a digital copy. It's important to note that for movies with audio description, some movies may be described on one service, but not another. I often consult the huge Master List of Audio Described Videos from the Audio Description Project, which is the most comprehensive and updated resource for available titles with description.

What Works?

As expected, the built-in screens and menus speak with TalkBack. This makes sense, since Google has control over the interface and design. Other Google apps, including YouTube, naturally also speak as expected. Disney Plus was one bright spot of note, with an uncluttered interface that was easy to understand. For music, Pandora, which seems to be accessible on just about every platform possible, works as expected. The ESPN app has an interface that can be a bit confusing to manage at first, but it is possible to browse available selections and play live or on-demand content.

Hulu works, but in an inconvenient sort of way. For some reason, Hulu is using a separate spoken interface, so TalkBack must be turned off before opening Hulu. This is a bit cumbersome, but can be worked around by using a voice command to "open shows on Hulu."

As mentioned previously, the device still supports the regular features of Chromecast, meaning you can "cast" video or audio to your device from your phone or by asking your Google Assistant.

What Doesn't Work?

Unfortunately, the good news is rather short-lived, and leaves out many of the most popular apps. Netflix does not give any spoken feedback at all. NBC Universal's Peacock and Spotify do not let you advance past the sign-up screen. Amazon's Prime Video app will make a clicking sound when moving around menus, but does not give any spoken feedback. The Free Pluto TV service spoke some feedback while moving around the app, but many items were not activated when the Select button was pressed.

This lack of accessibility is somewhat surprising, given that both Netflix and Prime Video have excellent accessibility support on Android devices, and also work on Amazon's Fire TV products. The blame for this cannot be pinned entirely on Google, as third-party developers are often slow to bring accessibility support to new platforms. Either way, it's a frustrating experience and a major turn-off.

There are also a couple of major problems with TalkBack and navigation. The first, and largest, is related to responsiveness when pressing keys. When you press a key on a computer keyboard or swipe on a phone, you expect to hear feedback immediately. We measure responsiveness as the time it takes for feedback to start after pressing a key or performing a gesture. Most computers will respond in well under one tenth of a second, with phones taking slightly longer. For the Chromecast, it routinely takes more than a half second for a key press to give spoken feedback. This makes it tremendously slow and inconvenient to move around screens. By comparison, when turning off TalkBack, I can hear clicks within a tenth of a second or less when pressing the same keys.

A more minor concern pertains to where focus is placed after opening a new screen. Normally, one would expect focus to start at the top of the screen in most situations. But in an effort to limit the number of key presses, focus is often placed in the middle of the screen. An option to always start focus at the top would make it easier for screen reader users to read the entire screen in its natural order. On a similar note, Amazon includes a review mode in its Fire TV products, allowing for a way to read complex screens or spell words. This would be a rather useful addition to the Chromecast, especially when trying to read pairing codes.

Conclusion

Much like my review of the Android-based NVIDIA Shield in 2018, I found myself both loving and becoming extremely frustrated with the accessibility support on this device. Clearly, thought was put into several areas, including the well-written tutorial, the on-screen keyboard, and the menu and settings screens. Just about everything that Google has included seems to work well, with a possible exception being embedded web content.

But the lack of adoption for accessibility features from third-party providers is frustrating to say the least. With years of experience programming accessible interfaces for other platforms, companies like Netflix, Spotify, or Amazon should not have much difficulty making their TV apps accessible, especially more than three months after release. Conversely, the missing support for braille displays and additional low vision options are major oversights by Google.

The Chromecast with Google TV has a lot of potential, and much of what has been outlined here can be fixed with software updates. If you enjoy collecting streaming devices and want to follow the updates for the Chromecast as they are released, then it may be worth buying one. But I can't recommend a Chromecast as your primary streaming device in most situations, when both Amazon and Apple offer more consistent and refined accessibility support in their products.

Product Information

Product: Chromecast with Google TV

Price: $49.95

Available online from the Google Store and at many major retailers.

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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January 2021 Table of Contents

Janet Ingber

In November 2020, Apple released macOS Big Sur, its latest operating system for Mac computers. If your Mac is using macOS Mojave or Catalina, you can upgrade to macOS Big Sur. This new operating system has upgraded apps, a revamped Notification Center, an Actions menu, and more. In addition, Apple has brought back the startup chime.

Installing Big Sur

Before beginning installation, back up your Mac and close all open apps. The easiest way to access the update is through System Preferences since Big Sur is not in the App Store. Go to the Software Update tab. This download is 12.2 GB, so make sure you have enough space available. To the right of the button to start the Big Sur download is a check box for keeping your Mac up to date. If checked, your Mac will automatically update. Personally, I prefer to wait about a week after the update is released just in case the first release version has significant bugs.

Once the download has started, VoiceOver will stop speaking but, if you use VO + Right Arrow and VO + Left Arrow to check, you can have it say progress by percent and time left. You may hear the Mac making clicking sounds to indicate the Mac is downloading.

Eventually, VoiceOver will start speaking. There are several standard Agree buttons and you will need to enter your Mac’s password. Use VO + Left Arrow to check download progress. At this point, your Mac is installing the download. The Mac will have to restart at least once. Be aware that during the last part of installation, VoiceOver does not give any progress information. A couple of times, VoiceOver might speak a word or two, but it does not say how much time is left. Eventually, VoiceOver said, "Login."

Sounds

When you select a menu item, you will now hear the same sound as if an item were selected on an iOS device.

Apple has brought back the Startup Chime. Go to the Sound preference pane and select the Effects tab. Next, go to the “Play sound on startup” check box. Check the box if you want sound. While in the same tab, go to the Alert Sounds table. There are new sounds to hear.

Actions Menu

The Actions Menu is a new feature to the Mac. If you have an iPhone or iPad, you are probably already familiar with the Actions menu. In the menu, depending on your Verbosity settings, you may hear a sound or you may hear VoiceOver say, "Actions Available." Open the menu with VO + Command + Spacebar. When reviewing the Actions menu, you might find a Show Menu option. This will bring up the Contextual menu. You can also access this menu with Shift + VO + M.

Menu Extras

Apple has added new options to Menu Extras.

WiFi

Although WiFi is still in Menu Extras, only status is spoken. If you have more than one network in your home, you will need to select the WiFi menu and find the currently selected network.

Spotlight Search

A Spotlight search box is now in Menu Extras. The shortcut Command + Spacebar still works to open Spotlight search.

Control Center

The Control Center makes its debut in macOS Big Sur. By default, it is in Menu Extras. It can also be accessed with Shift + VO + O.

Choosing Contents of Menu Extras and Control Center

In order to make changes in Menu Extras and Control Center, go to System Preferences and select the Dock & Menu Bar tab. There is a table with an extensive list of options. Next to the table are check boxes for choosing whether the item should be in the Menu Bar and/or Control Center. Be aware that some items cannot be changed.

The Notification Center

The Notification Center is opened with VO + O. It has three sections: Notifications List, Widgets, and Edit Widgets. Review your notifications by first interacting with the Notifications List. When you find a notification that you wish to read, there should be an Actions Menu option. You can respond to Messages without leaving the Notification Center.

Messages

The Messages app has been revamped so it is more like the iOS version. The first time you open the app, you will be asked how long the app should keep messages. Conversations no longer are in a table but instead they are in a Collection. Interact with it and then select a conversation with VO + spacebar.

Next, VO + Left Arrow to Messages Collection and interact with the collection. With VO + Left Arrow and VO + Right Arrow, you can review all the saved messages from the selected person. VO + Left Arrow brings you to older messages and VO + Right Arrow brings you to new ones. Send a message with the Return key.

The app has a tool bar with two options: Compose and Conversation Details. There is also a Search form.

VoiceOver Recognition

There is a new category in the VoiceOver Utility called VoiceOver Recognition. This feature improves image description. There is only one control, a check box for Image Description.

According to Apple, pressing Shift + VO + L will have VoiceOver read the Description when the VoiceOver Cursor is on an image in an app or website.

Dictation

Apple has changed the default key to start Dictation. You now press the Control key twice. You can change the default key in the Keyboard pane in System Preferences. Go to the Dictation tab and make your selection.

Braille

Braille users have some new features available. According to Apple’s support documentation:

...in the Translation pane of the Braille category in VoiceOver Utility, you can choose different modes for showing braille output and input mode. For example, you could show output using six dot and type input using eight dot.

If you use more than one language on your Mac, you can now use the rotor to quickly switch between braille tables as needed. Use the Translation pane of the Braille category in VoiceOver Utility to add tables to show in the rotor. To quickly switch tables, press VO + Command + Shift + Right Arrow or Left Arrow until you hear Braille Table.

When using a braille display, VoiceOver can now automatically advance to the next line when panning. You can assign the Toggle Auto Advance On or Off command to a key on your braille display. In the Layout pane of the Braille category in VoiceOver Utility, you can set an option to control how long VoiceOver waits before automatically advancing to the next line.

System Dialogues

It is now possible to have VoiceOver announce system dialogs. You can find the option to activate this feature in the Announcements pane of the Verbosity category in VoiceOver Utility. Note that it is possible to navigate to an open system dialog using the window chooser

Conclusion

MacOS Big Sur is a stable release. It has useful new features and VoiceOver improvements. If you have missed the startup chime from earlier versions, it is finally back.

At the time of this writing (early January 2020), there is a significant bug in MacOS Big Sur. Neither the Contextual Menu nor the Show Menu option in the Action Menu work when using the Dock. David Woodbridge has an excellent podcast episode about a workaround for this bug

Hopefully, Apple will fix the bug by the time you read this article.

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.](mailto:apreece@afb.org?subject=What’s New in MacOS Big Sur =What’s%20New%20in%20MacOS%20Big%20Sur%20January%202021)

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January 2021 Table of Contents

Getty Images Partners with the National Federation of the Blind and Tactile Images to Deliver 25 Million Images to the World's Blind Population

Getty Images, a world leader in visual communications, and the National Federation of the Blind, one of America’s civil rights and membership organizations of the blind, have partnered with Tactile Images to deliver more than 25 million images to the world's blind population at museums, science centers, libraries, schools, and government agencies. This initiative will significantly enhance educational opportunities and cultural inclusion for blind and low-vision individuals worldwide.

“Blind people have all the same interests, concerns, and aspirations as all who participate in our society and culture, and that culture is reflected in the millions of images that this partnership will help us access,” said Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind. “We look forward to working with Tactile Images and Getty Images to curate a collection that will include, inform, and inspire the blind of America and the world.”

Getty Images, the National Federation of the Blind, and Tactile Images are committed to participating in initiatives that provide greater accessibility to visual resources, with an emphasis on photography and fine art, that represent the world's people and cultures, including the blind and others with disabilities. This commitment involves helping people fully understand and experience the society within which they live, providing unique educational perspectives and increasing access to content that may have previously been inaccessible. This partnership reinforces a collective commitment to improving accessibility for and inclusion of people from all backgrounds, including those who are blind.

“In a world where communication is largely visual, Getty Images is thrilled to partner with the National Federation of the Blind and Tactile Images to allow the blind community to more fully engage with and experience our pictures,” said Peter Orlowsky, Head of Strategic Development at Getty Images.

Tactile Images has several product offerings, all of which allow a blind individual to experience and engage with traditionally visual and graphic material through touch and sensory stimulation. Each is a unique, one-of-a-kind work of art. To further assist in creating a more interactive experience, braille is utilized for text, and sensors are embedded so that when touched, a customized audio description and narrative is activated. Components that emit unique smells can also be used. These three senses - touch, hearing, and smell - work together in the brain to replace the sense of sight. This can allow the blind or low-vision user to create a mental picture from this confluence of sensory stimulation. Touching a tactile print while listening to a coordinated audio presentation can create an enhanced kinesthetic learning experience.

"At Tactile Images, we are very excited that Getty Images and the National Federation of the Blind have decided to partner with us. This partnership will help to bring tactile imagery to the blind on a global scale," says John Olson, Co-Founder of 3DPhotoWorks, the parent company of Tactile Images. "I've always believed that truly 'seeing' an image involves much more than just the sense of sight. As the notable American neuroscientist, Dr. Paul Bach-y-Rita, once stated, 'We don't see with our eyes or hear with our ears; these are just the receptors, seeing and hearing in fact, goes on in the brain.' We look forward to partnering with museums, science centers, libraries, and government agencies to make their existing content more accessible while also creating new and innovative installations and exhibitions." For more information, visit the Tactile Images website.

January 2021 Table of Contents