Freedom Scientific FSCast

On FSCast this month, we catch up with Ryan Jones, our VP of Software and Product Management , to find out some of what's new with Vispero products. At the Optelec stand, our colleague Rene Ludwig shows us a self-service kiosk running JAWS. And we visit with Nolan Crabb, Director of Assistive Technology at Ohio State University, to hear about his life and work experience. On FSCast this month, we catch up with Ryan Jones, our VP of Software and Product Management , to find out some of what's new with Vispero products. At the Optelec stand, our colleague Rene Ludwig shows us a self-service kiosk running JAWS. And we visit with Nolan Crabb, Director of Assistive Technology at Ohio State University, to hear about his life and work experience.

This month, we explore the use of Web verbosity settings to tame excessive speech on some Web site with JAWS. Then, Bryan Vuong introduces us to Innosearch, an innovative approach to shopping. And finally, we enjoy more fun stories and memories in Part 2 of our interview with Ted Henter.

JAWS 30th anniversary celebration is in full swing. So this month on FSCast, we visit with Ted Henter to hear some JAWS stories, as well as to get some helpful tips on starting your own business. We also get the scoop on Vispero's announcements and special events at this year's CSUN Assistive Technology Conference from Ryan Jones, Roxana Fischer and Elizabeth Whitaker. And we hear from Marinela Ortiz about her personal experience with JAWS and Braille.

This month on FSCast: ·        Find out about Vispero's CSUN and upcoming webinar schedule; ·        Learn about various facets of Web accessibility and usability from Brett Lewis and TJ Squires; ·        Meet Zülal Tannur, a blind entrepreneur and AI enthusiast from Turkey.

On this episode, Elizabeth Whitaker and Oleg Shevkun introduce some of the new features in our December product updates. Then, we hear from Dan Clark about his path from a pizza store manager to access technology trainer. And finally, Everette Bacon is here to talk about what's new at Aira, including the latest partnership with TPGI. 

On this special episode, we relive the Next Big Thing 2024 final. We get to know the finalists and their feature ideas. We hear from the judges and show hosts. And, of course, we find out who the winner is!

If you missed our most recent FSOpenLine, then it's time to review the highlights of this lively discussion. Topics include Smart Screen Review, accessing shared presentations in Zoom, support for both classic and new Outlook, braille-related issues, product tips and tricks, and a lot more.

Find out about some of the new features in JAWS, ZoomText and Fusion 2024 updates. Get introduced to Roxana Fischer. Hear about our 2025 Public Beta from Mohammed Laachir. And finally, after two years, re-visit with Eric Damery.  

On this “back-to-school” issue: Rachel Buchanan, our director of user education and technical support, introduces Sharkvember and The Next Big Thing contest. Dr. Denise Robinson, the founder of Your Tech Vision, discusses technology, education and math. And finally, Olga Espinola, our test engineer and a highly experienced technology user,  explains the new math-related features in JAWS.

On this episode, Glen Gordon interviews Oleg Shevkun, our new FSCast host, and passes on the baton. Then, we hear from Mohammed Laachir, a product owner at Vispero, on some exciting AI-related developments in JAWS and Fusion.

On FSCast 246, we'll meet psychiatrist Dr. Tim Cordes.  He's been working in addiction medicine for nearly 20 years, and back in 2005 was the second totally blind person to graduate from medical school.  Then all about Microsoft's Disability Answer Desk that can help solve problems related to Microsoft software.  Crystal Jones will be here with all the details.

On FSCast 245, a demo of how PictureSmart just got smarter thanks to the new chat feature.  Then Alice O'Reilly, Chief of the Collections Division, and Tamara Rorie, head of Patron Engagement at NLS, talk about the array of free services and devices available to people living in the United States.  Plus, we'll get to know Gordon Legge, Distinguished Professor and Director of the Minnesota Laboratory for Low-Vision Research.

On FSCast 244, we'll meet Ana Gonzalez Arean.  She'll talk about growing up in Venezuela and becoming a language professor at two universities, but then needing to move to Spain to start a new life for herself.  Then, Cathy Miller and Nicky Gillies from the Louisiana DeafBlind project discuss some of the challenges of identifying deafblind kids young and helping them to achieve their potential.

On the archive of the March FSOpenLine, people share their favorite things to do with PictureSmart AI, including how to use it with FaceInView to describe what's in the background. And of course questions on a variety of other topics including why JAWS place markers sometimes lose their place, why Thunderbird speaks incoming email notifications multiple times, and  how to quickly find out who has hands raised in Zoom.

On FSCast 242, we'll put the newly released Picture Smart AI through its paces, and you'll hear the detailed descriptions it can generate for everything from a bar chart to a frame from a YouTube video. Then, a visit with longtime blindness advocate Anil Lewis, Executive Director of Blindness Initiatives of the National Federation of the Blind. Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com

On FSCast 241, guest host Mohammed Laachir introduces us to the world of accessible gaming.  He'll visit with Jesse Anderson, who runs the IllegallySighted YouTube channel, to talk about some of the games that you can play if you're blind or low vision.  Then Mohammed talks with NightBlade, who runs an annual Game Jam to get sighted developers excited about accessibility.   Links and transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On FSCast 240, we're joined by screen reading pioneer Doug Geoffray.  We'll hear about the development of Vocal-Eyes, Window-Eyes, and Doug's eventual transition to Microsoft, where he helps ensure that their new products are accessible.   Then, a deep dive into password managers, two-factor authentication, and a demo of using the Bitwarden password manager with JAWS. Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast

On the archive of FSOpenLine from November 2023, some Freedom Scientific developers and testers offer an inside look at  our process for developing and refining new features. We also take your calls on a variety of topics including: the accessibility of the new Outlook interface and how to enable or disable it, how to use the Quick Access bar to get to frequently used commands in Microsoft Office apps, regressions with JAWS access to the Game Bar in Windows 11, and a request  to be able to automatically switch between voices from different synthesizers.

On FSCast 238,  the finals of our November 14 Next Big Thing contest. You'll hear  a presentation of the top three ideas, questions from our panel of four judges, some great entertainment, and of course, the   person selected as the winner. Transcript at blog.FreedomScientific.com

On FSCast 237, a visit with Pete Torpey.  You probably know him as the co-host of the Eyes on Success podcast, but prior to that, he had a distinguished career as a research fellow at Xerox.  Then, Space Camp for interested visually impaired students.  We'll get all the details from Group Coordinator Dan Oates and Space Camp Vice President Robin Soprano. Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On FSCast 236, we're joined by Catherine Getchell, Director of Disability Resources at Carnegie Mellon University.  We'll hear about her path to the job at CMU and what motivates her to do this kind of work. Then, to celebrate October as Disability Employment Awareness Month, Lori Scharff and Richard Rueda from the American Printing House for the Blind's CareerConnect program.

On the archive of the August FSOpenLine, news about Sharkvember and our Next Big Thing contest, features you can now try in our 2024 product betas, and of course your calls on a variety of topics. Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On FSCast 234, guest host Brett Lewis offers up a preview of what's coming in the public betas of JAWS, Fusion, and ZoomText. He'll also do a demonstration of the new JAWS Face in View feature, and visit with Billy Henry, the President and CEO of the Northwest Association for Blind Athletes. Transcript available at blog.freedomscientific.com.

On FSCast 233 we'll meet Andrew Leland.  His brand new book, “The Country of the Blind,” is a thoughtful exploration of the world of blindness as he discovers his place in it.  Then Ian Stenseng from The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. and longtime JAWS scripter Steve Clark will be here to talk about their creative ways of making The Lighthouse factory equipment accessible. Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On FSCast 232, we'll give a tour of the just-released Message Center.  It's a great way to keep up with product news and announcements, but to read them when it's convenient.  Then we'll meet longtime JAWS developer Brett Lewis.  In his other life, he's a former Paralympian in judo, and loves the sport so much that he still teaches it three nights a week.

On the Archive of the May FSOpenLine, an overview of features new to the June product updates, resources for learning Slack, and your calls on a variety of topics including: JAWS getting stuck thinking menus are active, and Adobe Reader not always bringing focus  to the dialog for setting document tagging options.

On FSCast 230, we'll get to know retired Army Major Scotty Smiley.  He was blinded by a suicide bomber when fighting in Iraq; but came back, taught at West Point, and became the military's first totally blind active-duty officer.  Then, Dr. Michele McDonnall will be here to discuss the second year of the AT in the Workplace study conducted by Mississippi State University.

On FSCast 229, when Mandy Van Cleave started her job as an assistive technology trainer, little did she know that she would soon need that technology for herself.  We hear from Mandy about her personal and professional experience, as well as about a new ZoomText feature that might change the way you use screen magnification.  We also give a few tips on how to stay on the same page with your sighted colleagues and friends, and how to write bug reports that stand out.

On FSCast 228 I'm joined by retired Paralympic swimmer Donovan Tildesley.  We'll hear about his odyssey of being removed from a Virgin cruise because the crew panicked when they saw a solo blind passenger, and how his social media presence allowed him to negotiate a solution.  Then, a look at Visual Studio Code and why it's an accessible way to learn to program. Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On the archive of the February FSOpenLine, we take your calls on a variety of topics including: Slack conversations unexpectedly scrolling to previous  content, Notepad starting up slowly on Windows 11, Fusion sometimes scrolling the screen away from the mouse location, the newly added WhatsApp scripts for JAWS, and how to prevent Zoom from automatically announcing incoming chat messages.

On FSCast 226, we'll get to know longtime JAWS beta tester, self-proclaimed language nerd, and software developer Andre Polykanine. Then Andre will serve as translator for a visit with Sasha Hordiiko and Igor Kushnir of the Ukrainian Association of the Blind. We'll hear about their work and find out what life has been like since the beginning of the war.

On FSCast 225, we celebrate Braille Literacy Month with two guests for whom braille plays a pivotal role.  Bill McCann, founder of Dancing Dots, has been helping blind musicians with all aspects of music creation for the past 32 years.  And Campbell Rutherford, a former Freedom Scientific Student of the Month, is now studying applied mathematics at Harvard.   Transcript at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On FSCast 224, it's the archive of the November 2022 FSOpenLine. We discuss improved support for the Outlook Scheduling assistant in JAWS 2023, and take your questions on a variety of topics including: searching for commands in JAWS and Office apps, preventing mail from going to the Outlook Junk folder, and providing resources to people who create inaccessible PDF files.   Transcript at Blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On FSCast 223, it's the Second Annual Audio Description Awards put on by the American Council of the Blind.  We'll hear about some of the winners and talk about all things audio description with Kim Charlson, co-chair of the ACB Audio Description Project, and Thomas Reid, audio description narrator and host of the Gala two years running.   Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On FSCast 222, we'll demonstrate how creating rules to manage notifications just got more powerful, thanks to the use of regular expressions.  It may sound a bit intimidating, but we'll take it step by step, and you'll see just how easy it really is. Then we'll meet M. Leona Godin and hear about her book “There Plant Eyes: A Personal and Cultural History of Blindness.”   Transcript and links available at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On FSCast 221, we'll get to know chef and entrepreneur Christine Ha.  Since winning “Master Chef” Season 3 back in 2012, she's published a cookbook, opened multiple restaurants, hosted a cooking show on AMI Canada, and more.    Then Judy Dixon will be here to talk about her latest book.  It's about Microsoft Word and called “Formatting Documents for Appearance.”   Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On the Archive of the August 2022 FSOpenLine, Ryan Jones, Glen Gordon, and Rachel Buchanan take your calls on a variety of topics including: Math in Braille with JAWS, switching Braille tables on the fly, Quick Keys in Word, efficiently reading Windows event logs, and    why new JAWS  versions are installed along side old ones.   Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On FSCast 219, we'll spend some time with Ryan Jones, Freedom Scientific's new Vice President of Software Product Management.  He'll share a bit of his background, talk about what's coming in the JAWS, ZoomText, and Fusion 2023 product betas, and demonstrate the new JAWS Smart Glance feature.    Then a visit with Svetlana, the Freedom Scientific July Student of the Month.   Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On FSCast 218, Eric Damery joins Glen Gordon for what will probably be the last time. After over 28 years tirelessly advocating for JAWS and other software, and always being around to help users who are having problems, he's decided to retire.  This time, rather than talking about a new product feature, Eric is here to reflect upon some of the highlights of his career.   You can read the transcript, and listen to some of the obsolete 1996 JAWS 2.0 training tapes, at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On the archive of the June 2022 FSOpenLine, we take your calls on a variety of topics including: using JAWS with the Dvorak keyboard layout,  a request for better support of WhatsApp on Windows, using JAWS with the touch screen on a Surface Pro, switching  from JAWS Professional to a Home license, and   lack of spoken feedback when selecting messages in Thunderbird.   Read the transcript at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast

On FSCast 216, we have an answer to the age-old question, “What do you do about applications that tell us too much?” It's the new JAWS Notification History Manager to the rescue. With it, you can gain precise control over which messages are spoken and which are shown in Braille. We'll get you started by demonstrating how to make Microsoft Edge less chatty.   Then we'll get to know Richard Oehm, electronics engineer, entrepreneur, doctor of Optacons, and all-around interesting guy.   Read the transcript at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast.

On FSCast 215 we'll get to know long-time developer Joe Stephen.  In addition to his work on JAWS, he does manual labor on his family farm in rural Tasmania and manages  to find the time to add accessibility support to some handheld ham radios.    Then Toby Willis will be here to talk about Expedia and their current initiatives to make booking travel more inclusive.   Text transcript at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast

On FSCast 214, Adrian Amandi will be here to talk about the Second Annual National Coding Symposium.  It's aimed at blind students of all ages to get them interested in careers in software development.  The conference is free, online, and available to people worldwide.    Then we'll get to know Gary O'Donoghue, Chief North America Political Correspondent for the BBC, and longtime JAWS user.

On FSCast 213, Dr. Robert Englebretson, Associate Professor of Linguistics at Rice University, discusses the Braille code for the International Phonetic Alphabet, why reading Braille is different than reading print, and his ongoing research about how Braille is taught.   Transcript available at https://blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast

On the archive of the February 2022 FSOpenLine, we take your calls on a variety of topics including: new VocalizerExpressive voices in  the latest software updates, keystrokes for identifying the site to which a link points, finding out where a file will be saved, Eloquence spontaneously  getting louder mid  sentence, and certain video cards hijacking keystrokes to rotate the screen.   Transcript available at blog.freedomscientific.com/FSOpenLine.

On FSCast 211, Chancey Fleet discusses training workshops offered by the New York Public Library, many of which are online and available to everyone.  She's also quite the expert on 3D printing and will share some resources for doing that accessibly.    Then Glen demonstrates using the new Windows Terminal, and gives an introduction to working at the Windows Command Prompt.   Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast

On FSCast 210,  a focus on accessible science.  Maureen Hayden will share her experiences being low vision and doing her Ph.D. in marine biology.  Then Dr. Greg Williams and Ashley Neybert from Independence Science demonstrate the Talking LabQuest and Logger Pro® software, tools for making science experiments accessible.  Of course, JAWS plays an active part in the accessibility story.   Transcript available at blog.freedomscientific.com/fscast.

On FSCast 209, Ryan Jones is here to talk about the process of running is annual Christmas light show involving thousands of lights choreographed to music. He does everything from putting lights on the roof to sequencing the light display using special software that JAWS makes accessible.   Then we'll meet Pedro Zurita who has spent his life advocating for blind people around the world and served as secretary general of the World Blind Union from 1986 to 2000.   Transcript available at blog.FreedomScientific.com/FSCast, as is the letter Pedro Zurita wrote to Louis Braille.

On the archive of the December FSOpenLine, we take your calls on a variety of topics including: ideas to improve Text Analyzer, JAWS failing to announce word count when reading the Word Status Bar, shortcut keys for JAWS speech history, simplified Braille tables for Braille learners, and the status of JAWS running on computers that use an ARM processor.