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5 episodes with assistive technology specialist
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2 episodes with assistive technology specialist
2 episodes with assistive technology specialist
2 episodes with assistive technology specialist
2 episodes with assistive technology specialist
2 episodes with assistive technology specialist
2 episodes with assistive technology specialist
6 episodes with assistive technology specialist
Host(s): Dr. Mary Goldberg, Co-Director of the IMPACT Center at the University of Pittsburgh, Josh Anderson, Program Director, Assistive Technology Specialist for Easter Seals Crossroads, and Host of Assistive Technology UpdateGuest(s): Brandon Biggs, CEO of XR Navigation; John McInerney, IMPACT Mentor and Board MemberIMPACT Center | Website, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter Easter Seals Crossroads | WebsiteAssistive Technology Update | Website, Podcast Apple PageXR Navigation | LinkedIn, WebsiteTranscript | Word Doc, PDF
Host(s): Dr. Mary Goldberg, Co-Director of the IMPACT Center at the University of Pittsburgh, Josh Anderson, Program Director, Assistive Technology Specialist for Easter Seals Crossroads, and Host of Assistive Technology UpdateGuest(s): Brandon Biggs, CEO of XR Navigation; John McInerney, IMPACT Mentor and Board MemberIMPACT Center | Website, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter Easter Seals Crossroads | Website Assistive Technology Update | Website, Podcast Apple PageXR Navigation | LinkedIn, WebsiteTranscript | Word Doc, PDF
Leisure & Entertainment session took place on day two of RNIB Scotland's Inclusive Design for Sustainability Conference. Work - life balance is a topic which is widely debated in today's society. Changes in the world of work, couple with the impact of the global pandemic have created a much more fluid distinction between work life and home life. Leisure is integral to this societal shift, and many people are undertaking leisure and entertainment activities in new settings on new platforms, and within new forms of community. Our panel will explore this shift from the perspective of the provider, the consumer, and the community, with a strong emphasis on inclusive design. A panel discussion was facilitated by Sonali Rai - Senior Manager Media, Culture and Immersive Technologies at RNIB. Joining her on stage, Jonathan Penny, Access Services Manager at Channel 4, Dr Lynsay Shepherd, Reader in Cybersecurity and Human-Computer Interaction at Abertay University, Eli Beaton from TV Access Project, John Speirs, Disability Access Officer with Rangers Football Club, and Natalie Curran, Accessibility and Assistive Technology Specialist with the BBC. Hear all audio from the conference here: Audioboom / Inclusive Design for Sustainability Conference 2025 Image description: The panellists sit on stage. From left to right: Natalie, John, Eli, Sonali, Jonathan, and Lynsay. Sonali speaks to the audience.
Jesse Anderson, Assistive Technology Specialist at State Services for the Blind of Minnesota, discusses the latest advancements in assistive technology for high school and college students. He highlights tools like Aira's AccessAI, BeMyAI, JAWS, and smart glasses, emphasizing the importance of learning both mobile and computer-based solutions to improve independence and efficiency. Jesse also explores emerging technologies, such as multi-line Braille displays and AI-powered apps, while stressing the value of early adoption and flexibility in using various tools. His advice encourages students to embrace technology as a way to overcome challenges and succeed in academics, work, and everyday life. Full Transcript: To find out more about the services provided at State Services for the Blind, and what they can do for you, contact Shane DeSantis at shane.desantis@state.mn.us or call Shane at 651-385-5205. Read More
On this episode of Change Makers, learn about the wide world of careers in STEM. The opportunities are truly endless. After that, hear an update for the next Connect the Dots event. On This Episode (In Order of Appearance)Katrina Best, APH Accessible Coding Product ManagerAllison Mello, Assistive Technology Specialist at California School of the BlindSaqib Shaikh, Microsoft Seeing AI Engineering ManagerErin Sigmund, APH Community Relations & Policy AdvisorAdditional LinksSuggest a Product FormCode and Go Robot MouseCodeQuest (iPad and iPhone App)Code JumperSnap Circuits Jr. 130 Access KitRC Snap Rover Access KitBRIC: Structures® Access KitSnapino: Access Kit™APH's Road to CodeMeet MonarchUAH Engineering Summer CampsU.S. Advanced Cyber AcademyFBI National Academy AssociatesSeeing AI - Talking Camera for the BlindConnect the Dots
Welcome to Episode 213 of Autism Parenting Secrets. Today, I'm joined by Dawnmarie Gaivin, Founder & Executive Director of Spellers Center San Diego in Oceanside, CA.Dawnmarie was a trauma & transplant RN for over 11 years. In 2005, her first son was diagnosed with autism, followed by her second son a year later. Her eldest, Evan (20), is a fluent letterboard communicator, and her younger son, Trey (19), uses multiple communication methods.Dawnmarie, a former DIR/Floortime® provider and cofounder of the Spellers MethodTM, is now an Assistive Technology Specialist. In 2021, Jamison Handley and his dad, JB, wrote “Underestimated” about their journey learning to spell with her. JB shared their story in Episode 38.In 2023, the documentary SPELLERS, now on YouTube, showcased how spelling and typing have liberated many nonspeakers.Dawnmarie's passion is to support nonspeakers in developing motor skills and reliable communication. Learn more at www.spellers.com.The secret this week is ...Presume COMPETENCE, Here's HowYou'll Discover:A Powerful Approach That Defies Skeptics: S2C Spelling To Communicate (3:37)The Pivotal Role of Motor Skills (11:51)Language DOESN'T Require Speech (14:52)The Magic of Top-Down Regulation (16:50)The Brain-Body Disconnect (20:03)Who's A Fit For S2C (23:01)We See What We Believe (28:10)Why You Want To Be A Motor Coach (29:41)What S2C Looks Like And The Best Way To Start (39:52)The Three Phases of S2C (45:28)Why You Want To Rethink Expectations (51:41)An Important Thing To Keep in Mind (55:36)About Our Guest:Dawnmarie Gaivin is the Founder & Executive Director at Spellers Center San Diego, located in Oceanside, CA. Before her career moved into the world of nonspeaking autism, Dawnmarie worked for over 11 years as a trauma & transplant RN. In 2005, her first son regressed and was diagnosed with autism. A year later, her second son followed the same path. Today, her eldest, Evan (20), is a nonspeaker and fluent letterboard communicator. Her younger son, Trey (19), is a minimal speaker who uses multiple modalities for effective communication. Dawnmarie is a former DIR/Floortime® provider, cofounder of the Spellers MethodTM, and is currently an Assistive Technology Specialist (AT-ACP) as well. In March 2021, Jamison Handley, a speller, and his dad JB wrote a book entitled "Underestimated" about their journey learning how to spell to communicate with her. In 2023, the documentary SPELLERS was released - now available on YouTube - showcasing how spelling and typing as a method of communication have liberated many nonspeakers from a life of silence. Dawnmarie's" children inspired her specific passion to support all nonspeakers in the development of purposeful motor skills and a reliable form of communication. www.spellers.comReferences in The Episode:The documentary Spellers on YouTubeThe Spellers Guidebook by Dawnmarie Gaivan and Dana JohnsonAutism Parenting Secrets Episode 38 - Your Child Understands EVERYTHING with JB HandleyAutism Parenting Secrets Episode 140 - 26 Letters = INFINITE Possibilities with Elizabeth VossellerPrompt Speech TherapyAdditional Resources:Take The Quiz: What's YOUR Top Autism Parenting Blindspot?To learn more about Cass & Len, visit us at www.autismparentingsecrets.comBe sure to follow Cass & Len on InstagramIf you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends.
20240629 1700 Sister Power Happy Hour Originally Broadcasted June 29, 2024, on ACB Media 3 Attendees joined ACB Women for another inspiring conversation featuring two wise women from our committee, Linda, and Linda! Facilitator: Rachel Schroeder, Assistive Technology Specialist and ACB Board Member, Springfield, IL. Presenters: Linda Yacks, Retired Secretary, Rogers, AR and Linda Porelle, Retired Social Worker and Life Coach, Westbrook, ME. Edited By: Michael Babcock
Continuing the theme of "employment", Chris and Moe sit down with Penny Forward's Vice President Liz Bottner to discuss her employment journey ultimately leading to her position as Assistive Technology Specialist for the Library of Congress. Liz tell us all about her employment history and what she believes is key to being successfully employed as a blind person. Show notes Penny-Forward-S2024-E10Download Transcript .TXT File Penny Forward pennyforward.compennyforward@pennyforward.com Clubhouse HouseFacebookYoutube Get our app, guest membership is free! IOS/AppleGooglePlay Post Production help provided by Brynn Lee: Superblink.org Transcription services provided by Anne Verduin
In this exciting episode, we're joined by Katie Larew for a conversation about using assistive technology to empower students with dyslexia! Katie began her journey in the field of education in 2007 as a classroom Special Education Teacher in New Jersey. In 2014, she moved to San Diego, California, and worked as an Assistive Technology Specialist for a K-12 School District for eight years. As a RESNA Certified Assistive Technology Professional, Katie has worked with students from elementary school to college. She holds a Master's Degree in Special Education as well as additional certifications as an IMSLEC-certified Orton-Gillingham Teacher and CERI Certified Structured Literacy Dyslexia Interventionist. Katie also serves on the Board of The International Dyslexia Association, San Diego Branch. Katie's approach focuses on the student's unique strengths while finding tools to support specific areas of need. She provides customized step-by-step virtual training, professional development, and workshops for students, parents, and teachers throughout the world. Connect with our guest, Katie Larew! Visit Assistive Technology for Dyslexia and find her on Instagram and Facebook. Resources mentioned in this episode: 1.15 All About Accommodations for Dyslexia SETT Framework 3.10 Effective Vocabulary Strategies in Literacy Intervention Google Voice Reader, Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World by Maryanne Wolf 32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny: Life Lessons from Teaching by Phillip Done We officially have merch! Show your love for the Together in Literacy podcast! If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to rate, review, and subscribe. Your support and encouragement are so appreciated! Have a question you'd like us to cover in a future episode of Together in Literacy? Email us at support@togetherinliteracy.com! If you'd like more from Together in Literacy, you can check out our website, Together in Literacy, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram. For more from Emily, check out The Literacy Nest. For more from Casey, check out The Dyslexia Classroom. We're currently looking for guests and sponsors for season 3 of the Together in Literacy Podcast! Thank you for listening and joining us in this exciting and educational journey into dyslexia as we come together in literacy!
Not only do I love where our friend, Katie Larew, lives (#SoCal)... I love EVERYthing Katie Larew shares over at Assistive Technology for Dyslexia! AT is such a wide-ranging topic, and AT supports can positively impact outcomes for SO many students. However, there remain so many myths about and impediments to getting good technological supports at school. Thank heavens for Katie! In today's episode we talk all things AT, and we also fangirl about the sun and surf!!!! Join us in this fun, light-hearted episode! And also I promise to have Katie back when I'm not essentially mid-root-canal! Transcript: https://share.descript.com/view/8rlqyiqG2zZKatie Larew is the founder of Assistive Technology for Dyslexia, LLC. She began working in the field of Special Education in 2007 as a classroom Special Education Teacher. As an Assistive Technology Specialist, Katie has worked with students from elementary, middle, and high school. She holds a Master's Degree in Special Education as well as additional certifications as an IMSLEC certified Orton-Gillingham Teacher, CERI Certified Structured Literacy Dyslexia Interventionist and RESNA certified Assistive Technology Professional. Katie serves on the Board of Directors for The International Dyslexia Association, San Diego Branch and is an active member of the International Dyslexia Association, Center for Effective Reading Instruction, and Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America. Katie works with students, parents, and educators by providing consultations, customized step-by-step virtual training, and professional development. Training topics focus on Assistive Technology tools to support the areas of Reading, Writing, Note-Taking, Organization, and Executive Functions. Katie's mission is to help spread greater awareness of Assistive Technology to help students build their confidence and independence. Katie is a wife & mom to two under five. In her free time, she loves spending time with her family and exploring Southern California.Website: https://assistivetechnologyfordyslexia.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/assistivetechnologyfordyslexia/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/assistivetechnologyfordyslexia
“Celebrate those who think and learn differently.” I am so fortunate to have gotten to know Alisha over the past five months. What she and her business partner are doing in the field of education is so needed and so powerful! This episode needs to be heard by every parent, every school district and every educator! Alisha Noterman is an Assistive Technology Specialist, Co-Founder of Dynamic Therapy Solutions, Educate4, and the International CAMA Conference. Her passion for the past 25 years has been helping others find their voice, and learn to read & write. She is on a mission to help others celebrate those who think and learn differently to create a kinder more inclusive world. Until Everyone can read, write and communicate….. Find Alisha here: http://www.dynamictherapysolutions.org/ http://www.educate4.com/ https://www.instagram.com/alishanoterman/ https://joinclubhouse.com/@alishanoterman Find Us Online! Website: www.iamjuliethahn.com Instagram: @iamjuliethahn Twitter: @iamjuliethahn LinkedIn: Juliet Hahn FB: Juliet Hahn Clubhouse: Juliet Hahn @fulfilling YouTube: Juliet Hahn
Mary Goldberg gives us an assistive technology specialist's perspective on healthcare on this episode of the Perspectives on Healthcare Podcast with Rob Oliver. Mary is a member of the Millennial Generation, although she is close to the line of belonging to Generation X. She lives in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania where she serves as the Associate Dean for Interprofessional Studies at the School of Health and Rehabilitation Science at the University of Pittsburgh. Here are 3 things that stood out as Mary Goldberg shared an assistive technology specialist's perspective on healthcare: It is important to look at the people that are served by the healthcare community has more than their primary diagnosis or presenting issue. Take a look at what else is going on in their life and how it may impact their plan of care moving forward. Assistive technology improves the independence and functionality of people with disabilities. Her definition of assistive technology is a product or service that enhances the independence in health of individuals with disabilities. Technology will play a major role in the future of healthcare. Artificial intelligence can assist with diagnoses, technology can help offer personalized medicine, and telehealth offers patients access to care from anywhere. Bonus: smart home technology can help people with disabilities to be more independent but also may be able to help improve their health. You can connect with Mary Goldberg through the links below: Website: https://www.shrs.pitt.edu/people/mary-goldberg LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-goldberg-1607043/ To book Rob Oliver as a speaker at your next event visit: http://www.yourkeynotespeaker.com Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platform: http://www.perspectivesonhealthcare.com/subscribe Follow Rob Oliver and Perspectives on Healthcare on social media: Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/yourkeynoterLinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/company/yourkeynoterLinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/imroboliver Disclaimer: All opinions expressed by guests on the Perspectives on Healthcare Podcast are solely the opinion of the guest. They are not to be misconstrued as medical diagnoses or medical advice. Please consult with a licensed medical professional before attempting any of the treatments suggested.
Mary Goldberg gives us an assistive technology specialist's perspective on healthcare on this episode of the Perspectives on Healthcare Podcast with Rob Oliver. Mary is a member of the Millennial Generation, although she is close to the line of belonging to Generation X. She lives in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania where she serves as the Associate Dean for Interprofessional Studies at the School of Health and Rehabilitation Science at the University of Pittsburgh. Here are 3 things that stood out as Mary Goldberg shared an assistive technology specialist's perspective on healthcare: It is important to look at the people that are served by the healthcare community has more than their primary diagnosis or presenting issue. Take a look at what else is going on in their life and how it may impact their plan of care moving forward. Assistive technology improves the independence and functionality of people with disabilities. Her definition of assistive technology is a product or service that enhances the independence in health of individuals with disabilities. Technology will play a major role in the future of healthcare. Artificial intelligence can assist with diagnoses, technology can help offer personalized medicine, and telehealth offers patients access to care from anywhere. Bonus: smart home technology can help people with disabilities to be more independent but also may be able to help improve their health. You can connect with Mary Goldberg through the links below: Website: https://www.shrs.pitt.edu/people/mary-goldberg LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-goldberg-1607043/ To book Rob Oliver as a speaker at your next event visit: http://www.yourkeynotespeaker.com Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platform: http://www.perspectivesonhealthcare.com/subscribe Follow Rob Oliver and Perspectives on Healthcare on social media: Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/yourkeynoterLinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/company/yourkeynoterLinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/imroboliver Disclaimer: All opinions expressed by guests on the Perspectives on Healthcare Podcast are solely the opinion of the guest. They are not to be misconstrued as medical diagnoses or medical advice. Please consult with a licensed medical professional before attempting any of the treatments suggested.
Could you imagine being a mom and an Assistive Technology Specialist, honeycombing through multiple strategies to craft tools that best support your special needs child? Well, meet Cheryl Farley. A passionate mother and a specialist who's spent years perfecting this very craft. She's graced us with her story, detailing the educational journey of her son, Liam, and the unique challenges they faced in his smaller classroom setting. Listen in as she shares the creative routes they took to find job opportunities for Liam, and the delicate balance they needed to maintain - allowing him to tackle challenges head-on, yet knowing when to pause and reassess.Now, ever wondered how to navigate through disability resources and support confidently? Cheryl explains her journey working directly with Annette Hines through the SNAP (Special Needs Advocacy and Planning) masterclass and coaching program. She walks us through her experience in applying for SSI for Liam, and setting up a Circle of Care - a support system beyond the immediate family. Hear from Cheryl herself how the online application process can be tackled, and the importance of having a strong Circle of Care. This isn't just about learning the ropes, it's about gaining confidence, building relationships, and ultimately finding balance in a sometimes turbulent sea. Don't miss a moment of this enlightening conversation with Cheryl. It's a testament to the strength of love, persistence, and creativity in the face of adversity. Learn more about the SNAP course on a previous episode, "Designing a Disability Support Plan for Independent Living." Check out the Special Needs Academy SNAP masterclass online, which is applicable for anyone with special needs transitioning their services or caregivers: https://enroll.specialneedsfamilyservices.com/p/advocacy-planning-masterclassIf you have questions about the course or coaching programs, we invite you to schedule a call with our team here: calendly.com/imartinez-31/specialneedsacademy Have you been searching for a law firm that understands the unique challenges of your family? We can help you at Special Needs Law Group put legal planning in place to protect you and your loved ones now and in the future. Book a free call today with our team or contact us via our website: specialneeds-law.com/contact.
Denise and Tamika discuss executive functioning which is the ability to plan ahead, prioritize tasks, start and stop activities, transition from one activity to another, and monitor one's own behavior.This episode, we explore human behavior, self-awareness, emotional self-regulation, impulse control, problem solving for nonprofit founders and CEOs.Support the show
Your weekly dose of information that keeps you up to date on the latest developments in the field of technology designed to assist people with disabilities and special needs. Special Guest: Mike Garra – Assistive Technology Specialist – Central Reach Avail Website: availsupport.com Central Reach Website: centralreach.com Call Mike: 732-253-4870 Email Mike: mike.garra@centralreach.com Story: Apple […] The post ATU628 – Avail by Central Reach with Mike Garra first appeared on Assistive Technology at Easter Seals Crossroads.
Can we create learning environments where students are treated how they would like to be treated? Trace Mansfield, an Assistive Technology Specialist with Lane County Education Service District, calls that “the platinum rule.” In this episode, Venus talks with Trace about assistive technology (AT) and how AT can connect many students to what they want to explore and learn. Trace focuses his support on how to use AT to improve the learning experience for students. Venus and Trace speak about what AT can do to help our students, as well as the challenges around how to provide those supports to students without costs to families. His AT examples range from providing eyeglasses to setting up and managing complex language support systems. Their conversation will be relevant to all educators because Trace shares a broad scope of information. Listen in to grow. Resources: SETT Framework - Joy Zabala Assistive Technology - Lane Education Service District Types of Assistive Technology - State of Minnesota Guide to Assistive Technology Free or Low Cost AT for Classroom Teachers - edutopia OEA Grow is a member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network.
20230305-1 ACB Presidents' Meeting, Day Two Originally Broadcasted in English on ACB Media 6, and in Spanish on ACB Media 7 Connection Show #4 o Cindy Hollis, ACB Membership Services Director, Flat Rock, MI o Lucy Edmonds, Community Support Committee Chair, Lansing, MI Welcome Back for Day Two o Dan Spoone, ACB President, Orlando, FL o Eric Bridges, ACB Executive Director, Alexandria, VA Introducing the New ACB Board Members Elected In 2021 And 2022 o Dan Spoone, ACB President, Orlando, FL o Meet Terry Pacheco - ACB Board of Director Elected In 2022, Alternate and Accessibility Format Specialist, Silver Spring, MD MAPSP Pilot Mentoring Program in Full Swing! Who Moved My Cheese? Dealing With Change o MAPSP Panelists: Kenneth Semien Sr., DKM Committee Chair, Beaumont, TX Cheryl Cumings, MCAC Chair, Seattle, WA Donna Brown, Berl Colley Leadership Institute Chair, Romney, WV; And Donna Browning, Membership Services Committee, Alexandria, VA o Guides & Explorers: Ray Campbell, Springfield, IL, Kelsey Nicolay, Medina, OH Jeff Thom, Sacramento, CA And Lisa Sled, Detroit, MI Introducing the New ACB Board Members Elected In 2021 And 2022 o Dan Spoone, ACB President, Orlando, FL o Meet Rachel Schroeder - ACB Board of Director Elected In 2022, Assistive Technology Specialist, Springfield, IL Connection Show #5 o Cindy Hollis, ACB Membership Services Director, Flat Rock, MI o Lucy Edmonds, Community Support Committee Chair, Lansing, MI Find out more at https://acb-events.pinecast.co
20230225-3 American Council of the Blind of Maryland-2023 Annual Convention Originally Broadcasted February 25, 2023, on ACB Media 8-Braille, Games No Confusion, Just Inclusion Panel: Braille: Touching the World o Dorlyn Catron, Facilitator, ACB community's Weekend Braille Together and Braille Room, Laurel MD o Vileen Shah, Facilitator, I Love Braille, East ?Bay Center for the Blind, Berkeley, CA o Frank Welte, San Francisco Lighthouse, San Francisco, CA Panel: It's game time! o Lucy Edmonds, facilitator, ACB community's Games to Play with Lady A, Lansing MI o Herbie Allen, Houston, TX, to tell us about Dice World o Andy Borka-Entrepreneur o gamer" and Jason Fayre, Assistive Technology Specialist, to show us an accessible flight simulator. Find out more at https://acb-events.pinecast.co
We check in with Mike Feir about a new Audible drama, Act Three of The Sandman. Do plants feel emotion? Gardener Susan Kerney shares her findings on the question. We speak with March of Dimes Canada's official spokesperson for National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Gift Tshuma—disability advocate, wheelchair user, and Assistive Technology Specialist—about what the organization is doing to help attain career success. It's the Thursday Buzz with Bill Shackleton. We learn about The Ontario Science Centre's brand new exhibit called Indigenous Ingenuity which lets guests discover how indigenous science is timeless and Experience the innovative processes that give rise to Indigenous knowledge. Our guest for this week's Roundtable is former AMI Editor, and great friend of the network, Mark Phoenix.
We speak with March of Dimes Canada's official spokesperson for National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Gift Tshuma—disability advocate, wheelchair user, and Assistive Technology Specialist—about what the organization is doing to help attain career success.
This week, Jeremy talks to Alisa Brownlee, an Assistive Technology Specialist who helps people with ALS adapt their homes to make them safe and livable. Learn more about home modifications at https://www.als.org/navigating-als/living-with-als/adapting-your-environmentThis episode is brought to you by The ALS Association in partnership with CitizenRacecar.
The ONYX by Oxsight is a hybrid wearable device great for low vision users on a budget. In this video, Luke Scriven, an Assistive Technology Specialist from the Vision Forward Association, shows you everything you need to know about this lightweight wearable including special settings like the convenient TV / Screen mode for both relaxation and digital work. But stay tuned because Luke will also explain more advanced features for visual enhancement such as High Contrast mode and Edge mode. This little device is built to travel, and as such it includes a sturdy carrying case, lanyard, and an adjustable headband strap. OxSight has even included a set of power converters so you can take the Onyx with you should your travels carry you abroad. So how does the Onyx stack up against the competition? There's only one way to find out! Check out the video, and see what we think! Previous Comparisons: Onyx by OxSight Tec Talk Live! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdUOrKbRXIo IrisVision Live Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzm0BJ9bC7w eSight 4 vs. IrisVision vs Acesight Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF2YombMNfQ eSight 4 vs. IrisVision vs Acesight Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4jCf3mmpcU Contact Vision Forward Association: Call us: 414-615-0103 Email us: infocus@vision-forward.org Visit us online: https://www.vision-forward.org Online Store: https://www.vision-forward.org/store
In this installment of TEC Talk, Cory from Vision Forward leads you through the major functions of the Lookout A.I. app which uses your Android's camera to provide real-time information about your environment. Our very own Assistive Technology Specialist will demonstrate this app's major uses including OCR/TTS, object identification, product recognition, currency mode and more! If that sound like it could help you or someone you know stay tuned and learn all about this exciting technology! Lookout is perfect for any Android user seeking to improve their cell phone's visual assistance toolkit. It is an accessible app which is also compatible with alternative physical phones such as the Blindshell Classic 2. But how does it compare to the iPhone's Seeing A.I. or other options? Stick around because we are going to size up the competition and offer our thoughts on possible alternatives. Find out how Seeing AI, Supersense and Envision A.I. compare to Lookout so that you can make the choice that's right for you. Join us for our live show: TEC Talk Live! every other Thursday. BlindShell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctOUF... Humanware Stellar Trek Accessible GPS with Peter Tucic: https://tinyurl.com/3uc2abrk Next Episode: September 1st “Downloading books from NLS BARD” You can find out about the upcoming schedule by visiting: https://vision-forward.org/tectalklive/ TEC Talk Live! Full Playlist: https://tinyurl.com/3u9cydc5 Contact Vision Forward Association: Call us: (414-615-0103) Email us: infocus@vision-forward.org Visit us online: https://www.vision-forward.org Online Store: https://www.vision-forward.org/store
Safe Harbor: A Podcast for Parents of Children with Special Needs
In this episode your host Theresa Bartolotta speaks with Christine Reilly, who works to help parents advocate for their children with disabilities in the special education space. Christine Reilly is a mom of 4 girls, a teacher of students with Visual Impairments and Assistive Technology Specialist, and an IEP Coach. She has been in the Special Education field for over 20 years and is a lifelong learner. Christine spent time training and volunteering. at the Federation for Children with Special Needs to increase her knowledge in advocating for students with special needs. When she walks into her own children's IEP meetings - she brings a treat and a thank you. While she's ready to work with the educators to determine the goals and benchmarks she knows she is the expert of her children. In her work, Christine is making a change to the IEP and 504 process for parents so they do not have to feel lost or like they need a special education degree. It is a collaborative approach, where parents understand the resources that are available for their child, they are seen as the expert of their child, and are an equal member at the IEP table. You can find Christine here: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christine.reilly.397Instagram: @christine4tech Podcast: SPED Talk: Leveling the Playing FieldEmail: Christine@christine-reilly.com Christine has two free benefits for you - a free IEP Parent Checklist at https://bit.ly/IEP-Checklist and a Free 20-minute Steps to School Success Call https://calendly.com/christine-reilly-ed/20min Please join our FB group - search Safe Harbor Podcast. We've got a good discussion going on. Find me on instagram at theresabartolotta. And email me at safeharborpodcast@gmail.comI'll be reaching out with some exciting offers in the near future, so you'll want to hear what's happening!!! Please rate and review the podcast- it helps others find us.Stay well and thanks for listening - I know your time is precious so I send my gratitude to you!
Know Stroke Podcast S4E1 Jordyn Sims Pierce MS, CCC-SLP, ATP Vice President, Clinical Operations & Development Constant TherapyIn this kickoff episode to Season 4 (not 3 like I mentioned at the start of the show!*) we were fortunate to bring on Jordyn Sims Pierce, who is a Speech-Language Pathologist & Assistive Technology Specialist. She serves as the Vice President, Clinical Operations and Development at Constant Therapy Health. In addition to her role on the Constant Therapy team, Jordyn also is the Founder and Director of Pierce Speech, Language, and Learning Center in Lenox MA which is where we caught up to her for the recording of this podcast. To watch this episode and get a glimpse of the Berkshires too go to our YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/mKjw3B3Df7sMore about Jordyn:Jordyn is an accomplished SLP professional and (like Mike and I) we found out she is also a rehab tech geek as well! We encourage you to learn more about Jordyn by joining us for this episode and be sure to check out her impressive bio for more professional accomplishments and contributions she has made in her field. https://piercespeech.comMore about Constant Therapy:The mission of Boston based Constant Therapy is to help reimagine and improve access to therapy and recovery through their award-winning cognitive, language, and speech therapy mobile app and next-generation digital therapeutics platform. https://constanttherapyhealth.comIn the News Resources:International Stroke Recovery and Rehabilitation AllianceThe Brain Bar (Share Your Stroke of Genius)*[Personal Sidebar]- Even with the flub at the intro it was great firing up the pod mics and getting back to recording live podcast sessions again with my co-host Mike Garrow and learning more what's the “craic” with Mike. We'll have more great announcements coming later this season as well with a focus on rehab technologies, more survivors and health professionals that are making ripples in the stroke community and recovery industry to encourage change and improve stroke outcomes. Mike dropped one teaser on this episode on how we are planning on growing the pod via the Health Podcast Network and expanding our reach this season. More to come in the next episode!Music Credit and Podcast Production by Jake Dansereau, connect at JAKEEZo on Soundcloud @user-257386777Be sure to give the show a like and share, +follow and connect with us on social or contact us to be a guest on the Know Stroke PodcastFor more information about joining our show or advertising with us visit: https://enable4us.comSupport the show
Tony Gebhard returns to the Blind Abilities Studio and third time is a charm! Tony has just dropped his 2nd album of 2022 and is making change a constant as he keeps growing in his pursuit of improving towards his highest potential. Tony has always worn his heart on his record sleeve and Guided, his latest album, is a refreshing look at Tony's outlook at life and his happiness in the choices he has made. From teaching assistive technology and coordinating the Transition Program for the Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Tony is reaching for more as he will also be part timing with Tech Vision and striving to become a Life Coach as well. Tony has graduated from World Services for the Blind and has settled in Anchorage Alaska and is now engaged as he shares his life with the one who stole his heart. Learn about Tony's teaching, his music and how he is taking control of his destiny and absolutely loves what he is doing. You can find out more about Tony Gebhard on the web at www.TonyGebhard.com and all his social networks, his music and resource page. Be sure to give Tony a shout and follow his blog, his bandcamp and try to keep up with Tony where the only constant is… change!
Have you wondered how teachers are adapting and making technology work for "unique learners" and what that means for all of us? Well wonder no more! On this episode Brad McKenna, Wilmington's Technology Librarian and Lisa Kapala of WCTV, talk to Lexington Public School's Assistive Technology Specialist, Rachel Kuberry about how technology is adapting to meet our ever changing needs and the needs of students. Rachel hosts a podcast called: "Exceptional Special Ed" and shares some of the changes and modifications that are being utilized to help us all navigate the world we live in more comfortably.
Eli lost his sight at a very early age. He maintains a positive attitude and open mind to trying new things. He has been an automobile mechanic, and is currently working as aCertified Assistive Technology Specialist at Adaptive Technology Services. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/careersfortheblind/message
Episode 64: Assisting Teachers with Assistive TechnologyHow is it possible to go through 27 years of teaching and not be more knowledgeable about assistive technology??I thought I was doing what I needed to for my students by determining if they needed special pencils or scissors. Or maybe they needed a large button keyboard or a slant board for writing. But I was today years old when I found out that there is sooooooo much more to assistive technology than I thought.When I heard this quote, “At least one person on the IEP team must have some knowledge about assistive technology because you cannot consider something about which you know nothing," it really hit home.And I think there might just be a lot of truth to that statement for many special educators.As a part of IDEA, the IEP team is required to “consider” the Assistive Technology needs of every student receiving special education services regardless of the type or severity of their disability.On today's episode, Rachel Kuberry, an Assistive Technology Specialist for a public school system in Massachusetts, shares with us so much good information. She digs into what that "consideration" should look like, who it's for and why it's important.She answers questions about:What Assistive Technology actually is The different types of assistive technologyWhat an AT assessment/evaluation looks likeAnd the barriers to providing assistive technology like we shouldThroughout the show, Rachel drops little value bombs on us and shares so many great resources.Check them out below!AT Consideration ChecklistAssessing Students' Needs for Assistive Technology manual by WATISETT Framework as developed by Joy Zabala - an example worksheetYou can connect with Rachel on InstagramExceptional Special Ed Email her at exceptionalspecialed@gmail.comAnd listen to her podcast Exceptional Special Ed on your favorite podcast streaming toolFollow me on InstagramSped Prep Academy
Today we're doing something new… our first mini-episode! We're calling this series “How'd you get here”?! This series will profile different careers in special education. We'll talk with people in those careers about the paths that got them there. Today we're talking with our own Rachel Kuberry to hear more about her career as an Assistive Technology Specialist and how she got there.
This week, we share Part 2 of Chris's interview with Jayme Grant. Jayme is an Educational Technology and Assistive Technology Specialist in Beaufort, South Carolina who wanted to interview Chris about AAC and Assistive Technology. In Part 2, Chris and Jayme discuss obtaining funding for AAC and AT, shifting away from a direct therapy model for AAC users, monitoring progress, and more! Before the interview, Chris and Rachel finish up answering some questions from one of our Patreon users about changing the mindset of AAC communication partners. In this listener's school district, classroom staff appear more interested in AAC assessment than AAC implementation. Rachel and Chris share why it can be helpful to break coaching sessions up into smaller “bites” and how to reduce the negative impact of staff turnover on AAC users by coaching family members as well as school staff. Key ideas this week:
This week, we share Part 1 of Chris's interview with Jayme Grant. Jayme is an Educational Technology and Assistive Technology Specialist in Beaufort, South Carolina who wanted to interview Chris. The resulting interview is packed with useful tips and ideas for improving AAC assessment and implementation! Before the interview, Chris and Rachel discuss more questions from a Patreon user about how to change the mindset and culture surrounding AAC in her district. Rachel and Chris talk about coaching teachers to use core words to describe fringe words, why we shouldn't create temporary pages for specific activities or academic topics, and more! Key ideas this week:
• What is “identify formation''? • Discover what marginalization is. • Learn how identity and marginalization intersect. • Understand identity formation to remove marginalization. Jordan Colbert is from Mays Landing, a small city with a big wealth disparity outside of Atlantic City, New Jersey. He is a first-generation philosopher with a strong preference for using science to solve modern psychological questions. Jordan currently works as an Assistive Technology Specialist within the Disability Services and Programs at USC. In this position, he provides assistive technology solutions to disability-related learning challenges while also maintaining a caseload of 200+ students he counsels as a Disability Specialist. He previously served as a member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists and interned at the Mindsight Institute, a research lab for Interpersonal Neurobiology therapeutic/mindfulness practices. His goal is to increase individuality, efficacy, and connection within minority communities and throughout the people of the world. Support the show: http://www.cooleyfoundation.org/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jordan Colbert is from Mays Landing, a small city with a big wealth disparity outside of Atlantic City, New Jersey. Receiving a BA in Classical Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and a Masters of Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Southern California, he is a first-generation philosopher with a strong preference for using science to solve modern psychological questions. Jordan currently works as an Assistive Technology Specialist within the Disability Services and Programs at USC. In this position, he provides assistive technology solutions to disability-related learning challenges while also maintaining a caseload of 200+ students he counsels as a Disability Specialist. Jordan is credentialed as an Assistive Technology Professional with the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America and a member of the Association on Higher Education and Disability. He previously served as a member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists and interned at the Mindsight Institute, a research lab for Interpersonal Neurobiology therapeutic/mindfulness practices. It is his goal is to increase individuality, efficacy, and connection within minority communities and throughout the people of the world. Support the show: https://theanswersandiego.com/radioshow/8349 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
“Celebrate those who think and learn differently.” I am so fortunate to have gotten to know Alisha over the past five months. What she and her business partner are doing in the field of education is so needed and so powerful! This episode needs to be heard by every parent, every school district and every educator! Alisha Noterman is an Assistive Technology Specialist, Co-Founder of Dynamic Therapy Solutions, Educate4, and the International CAMA Conference. Her passion for the past 25 years has been helping others find their voice, and learn to read & write. She is on a mission to help others celebrate those who think and learn differently to create a kinder more inclusive world. Until Everyone can read, write and communicate….. Find Alisha here: http://www.dynamictherapysolutions.org/ http://www.educate4.com/ https://www.instagram.com/alishanoterman/ https://joinclubhouse.com/@alishanoterman Today’s episode is sponsored by Aura Merchandising, a proud women-owned full-service brand marketing and global sourcing agency. Visit them at www.auralimited.com Find Us Online! Website: www.iamjuliethahn.com Instagram: @iamjuliethahn Twitter: @iamjuliethahn LinkedIn: Juliet Hahn FB: Juliet Hahn Clubhouse: Juliet Hahn @fulfilling YouTube: Juliet Hahn
Jordan Colbert is from Mays Landing, a small city with a big wealth disparity outside of Atlantic City, New Jersey. Receiving a BA in Classical Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and a Masters of Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Southern California, he is a first-generation philosopher with a strong preference for using science to solve modern psychological questions. Jordan currently works as an Assistive Technology Specialist within the Disability Services and Programs at USC. In this position, he provides assistive technology solutions to disability-related learning challenges while also maintaining a caseload of 200+ students he counsels as a Disability Specialist. Jordan is credentialed as an Assistive Technology Professional with the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America and a member of the Association on Higher Education and Disability. He previously served as a member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists and interned at the Mindsight Institute, a research lab for Interpersonal Neurobiology therapeutic/mindfulness practices. It is his goal is to increase individuality, efficacy, and connection within minority communities and throughout the people of the world. Support the show: https://theanswersandiego.com/radioshow/8349 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jordan Colbert is from Mays Landing, a small city with a big wealth disparity outside of Atlantic City, New Jersey. Receiving a BA in Classical Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and a Masters of Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Southern California, he is a first-generation philosopher with a strong preference for using science to solve modern psychological questions. Jordan currently works as an Assistive Technology Specialist within the Disability Services and Programs at USC. In this position, he provides assistive technology solutions to disability-related learning challenges while also maintaining a caseload of 200+ students he counsels as a Disability Specialist. Jordan is credentialed as an Assistive Technology Professional with the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America and a member of the Association on Higher Education and Disability. He previously served as a member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists and interned at the Mindsight Institute, a research lab for Interpersonal Neurobiology therapeutic/mindfulness practices. It is his goal is to increase individuality, efficacy, and connection within minority communities and throughout the people of the world. Support the show: https://theanswersandiego.com/radioshow/8349 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Discussing "Suicide Awareness & Prevention" with a special emphasis on the increase in suicide rates over the last year, recognizing the warning signs of suicide and what we can do to help prevent it. We welcome back our previous guests Lizette Lopez , Licensed Marriage & Family specialist and Jordan Colbert, Technology & Educational Consultant. Michelle has been part of the JC Cooley Foundation since its inception in 2014. Her continued focus is on giving back to the community and finding ways to inspire and help those in need. Lizette Lopez is a dedicated Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, who likes to blend knowledge from training with real-world experience of culture and diversity. Her practice history includes Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Structural Family Therapy, and Positive Psychology approaches, among others. Jordan Colbert is a first-generation philosopher with a strong preference for using science to solve modern psychological questions. Jordan currently works as an Assistive Technology Specialist within the Disability Services and Programs at USC. In this position, he provides assistive technology solutions to disability-related learning challenges while also maintaining a caseload of 200+ students he counsels as a Disability Specialist. Support the show: https://theanswersandiego.com/radioshow/8349 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Serina, Angie and Jeff were joined by Jesse Anderson to host this episode of Tech Abilities. Jesse is an Assistive Technology Specialist and will be coming on to Tech Abilities more and more in the near future. Jesse is also the creator of the Legally Sighted YouTube Channel were he demonstrates gaming for the VI Community. From Headsets, to Guide Dogs during the Pandemic, to Apple Watch and Fitness Plus and a quick little Apple Watch demo from Kristy Viers on Changing your Activity goals on the Apple Watch. You can find Kristy on her YouTube Channel KristyViers. Our Guest today is Jenine Stanley from Aira. Aira is a service that connects Explorrs to highly trained agents using video technology for real time, real people interactions on your time, when you need assistance. You can find out all about Aira on the web and you can download the Free Aira app on the App Store and Google Play Store. We here from listeners, Kamal and Robert about headsets. Thanks for your feedback and suggestions. If you want to give us feedback and/or suggestions, give us a call and leave a message on our phone line at 612-367-9063, we would love to hear from you! Here are some Headset resources mentioned in the episode: XIBERIA Wireless Gaming Headset for PS4,PC with Microphone,Lossless 2.4GHz Ultra-Low Latency,Double Chamber Drivers,Noise Cancelling MIC,Long Battery Life（Xbox One $59.99 Mpow Air 2.4G Wireless Gaming Headset for PS5/PS4/PC Computer Headset with Dual Chamber Driver,Upto 17 hours of Use, Noise Cancelling Mic, 3D Bass, Ultra Light Over-Ear Gaming Headphones for Switch $74.89 AfterShokz OpenComm Wireless Stereo Bone Conduction Bluetooth Headset with Noise-Canceling Boom Microphone for Office Home Business Trucker Drivers Commercial Use $159.95 Contact Your State Services If you reside in Minnesota, and you would like to know more about Transition Services from State Services contact Transition Coordinator Sheila Koenig by email or contact her via phone at 651-539-2361. Contact: You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Storeand Google Play Store. Check out the Blind Abilities Communityon Facebook, the Blind Abilities Page, and the Career Resources for the Blind and Visually Impaired group
Minnesota State Services for the Blind (SSB) like every other state rehab agency, is certainly not exempt from the impact of COVID-19. Like much of the Nation’s business and governmental sector, the staff began working from home back in mid-March. Jesse Anderson, Assistive Technology Specialist, Joins Jeff Thompson in the Blind Abilities Studio to talk about how his department has adjusted to the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 and how they are keeping the virtual doors open for services. Jesse describes the many areas that SSB had to adapt to the ever-changing needs of their clientele, such as the growth of remote online schooling and meetings, and associated technical issues such as the lack of internet connections or bandwidth limitations in some areas of the state. Add to this the skill deficiency relating to these new methods of attending classes or joining meetings which SSB had to fill, and we can see how busy they have been. Jesse says, it is always been a matter of adapting to changes, even outside the COVID-19 pandemic, with the rapid development of technology: mainstream with the prevalence of multiple platforms like iOS, Android, Mac and PC, and so many assistive features associated with each of them. . We have always focused on making clients more productive and competitive, in whatever endeavor they targeted. The Assistive Technology Unit continues to provide up to date and state of the art services and guidance, both for youth transitioning to college and the workplace and for individuals who are new to the SSB services being offered. Join Jeff and Jesse and learn how you can inquire and find out more about the services provided by SSB. Yes, the doors are open virtually and to find out more about Transition Services, contact Sheila Koenig: Sheila.Koenig@state.mn.us or call 651-539-2361. Contact Your State Services If you reside in Minnesota, and you would like to know more about Transition Services from State Services contact Transition Coordinator Sheila Koenig by email or contact her via phone at 651-539-2361. Contact: You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Storeand Google Play Store. Check out the Blind Abilities Communityon Facebook, the Blind Abilities Page, and the Career Resources for the Blind and Visually Impaired group
Joy has over 17 years of experience in consulting with the military, corporate sector, and nonprofits. Dr. Wright Co-founded Launch Team Consulting and provides consulting to the military and many corporate organizations designing and providing leadership and management training programs, diversity and inclusion training, facing adversity training, and high-risk behavior prevention. Jordan currently works as an Assistive Technology Specialist within the Disability Services and Programs at USC. In this position, he provides assistive technology solutions to disability-related learning challenges while also maintaining a caseload of 200+ students he counsels as a Disability Specialist. It's his goal is to increase individuality, efficacy, and connection within minority communities and throughout the people of the world. Lizette is a dedicated Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She is an active member of the California Association for Marriage and Family Therapist and is listed in Psychology Today with specialization in trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression she sees clients of all ages and various diagnoses. Lizette is co-founder of the USC Spanish Workshop Series which is helping to train current MFT students in Spanish clinical skills. Support the show: https://theanswersandiego.com/radioshow/8349 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Maintaining independence and quality of life are key components to satisfaction as we age. Meaghan Fitzgerald Walls is the President/CEO of Assistology, LLC, in Omaha, Nebraska. She founded Assistology to address an unmet need in the Midwest to provide Assistive Technology (AT), Rehab Engineering and Universal Design solutions that enable an individual to have increased participation in activities that improve functional abilities for daily living, as well as overall quality of life, as well as help businesses increase their ability to create inclusive spaces, services, products and practices. Previously, Walls served as Director of Rehabilitation Services at Children's Respite Care Center in Omaha. Her career also includes positions as a Biomedical Sales Engineer at ADInstruments in Boston, and as an Assistive Technology Specialist, Assistive Technology Regional Center Coordinator, project leader and researcher for Easter Seals Massachusetts. Most recently, Walls was an award recipient of the Midland's Business Journal 2019 40 Under 40. In 2019 Walls was appointed to the Mayor's Advisory Commission for Citizens with Disabilities and in 2020 was elected as the Vice Chair of the Commission. She is the elected Board President of Angel Guardians, Inc. and holds the Vice President position on the Madonna School Young Professionals Board. Meaghan is a certified Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) who holds a Master of Science in Bioengineering with an emphasis on Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology from the University of Illinois-Chicago under a 2 year Rehab Technology Fellowship. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with a minor in Chemistry from Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Guests Leslie DiChiara, Assistive Technology Specialist, Instructional Technology Specialist, North Bellmore School District (NY) (@lrdichiara) Sharon Plante, Chief Technology Integrator, The Southport School (CT) (@iplante) Ace Parsi, Director of Innovation, National Center for Learning Disabilities (@ncldorg) Avril Smart Goggans, PhD, Research and Engagement Manager for Future Ready Schools®, Alliance for Excellent Education (@DrAvrilSmart) Future Ready […]
On todays episode, Jose from Florida Vision Technology speaks with Rachel about her life and what has been keeping her busy during quarantine. Rachel is an Assistive Technology Specialist who loves to play the guitar. Recently she was in a documentary that shows what it is like for someone with a visual impairment to find love, called Blind Love. Come listen to her story and hear her perform live for us. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7xGVugoDao&list=PLgmdcFUtPtXXJwzpAYut84ZHV7zppbSA0 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/floridavisiontechnology/message
Learn More About New England Assistive Technology and theUpcoming (FREE) Virtual AAC Summer Bash Event!Nicole Feeney, Director of Assistive Technology Services NEAT Center& Elena Fader, Assistive Technology Specialist
Jose, an Assistive Technology Specialist from Florida Vision Technology demonstrates a new device that has been designed to help individuals with visual impairments or dyslexia perform various tasks that involve reading. Come check out the OrCam Read! The OrCam Read is a portable, wireless, AI-driven reading device designed to read full pages of text in real time, essentially making studying, reading books, newspapers, computer screens, and other tasks effortless. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/floridavisiontechnology/message
Recorded Monday, March 23, 2020 (Watch the video: https://youtu.be/dMiZtywEK_s) During these uncertain times, many schools are moving to remote instruction. What does that mean for students with disabilities? How do we ensure that remote instruction is accessible to all students? How can we continue to meet the needs of students who require assistive technology? What do we do about providing related services (OT, PT, SLP) to these students? This is an ever evolving situation and we certainly don’t have all the answers but let’s come together and brainstorm effective solutions. Check out (and add to!) the crowd sourced Google Document with ideas / strategies and questions regarding supporting students with disabilities in these challenging times. Go to: http://bit.ly/remoteaccess4all Facilitator: Mike Marotta, Director, The Richard West Assistive Technology Advocacy Center, NJ Panel Members: Chris Bugaj, Assistive Technology Specialist, Loudoun County (VA) Public Schools Jennifer Edge-Savage, AT Consultant, Saltillo, Professor Kelli Suding, AT Specialist, PATINS Elisa Wern, OT/AT Specialist
This special episode of IT4All is a recording of an AT Town Hall that took place on 3/16/20 AT Town Hall: COVID-19, School Closures and AT: What Do We Do? During these uncertain times, many schools are moving to remote instruction. What does that mean for students with disabilities? How do we ensure that remote instruction is accessible to all students? How can we continue to meet the needs of students who require assistive technology? What do we do about providing related services (OT, PT, SLP) to these students? This is an ever evolving situation and we certainly don’t have all the answers but let’s come together and brainstorm effective solutions. Check out (and add to!) the crowd sourced Google Document with ideas / strategies and questions regarding supporting students with disabilities in these challenging times. Go to: http://bit.ly/remoteaccess4all Facilitator: Mike Marotta, Director, The Richard West Assistive Technology Advocacy Center, NJ Panel Members: Chris Bugaj, Assistive Technology Specialist, Loudoun County (VA) Public Schools Jennifer Edge-Savage, AT Consultant, Saltillo, Professor Karen Janowski, AT Consultant, EdTech Solutions Luis Perez, Technical Assistance Specialist, CAST Kelli Suding, AT Specialist, PATINS
About Access Ingenuity. (summarized from our website):
Hillary Goldthwait-Fowles, Ph.D. ATP, is the Assistive Technology Specialist for RSU 21 in Kennebunk Maine. She is also an adjunct faculty member at the University of New England's Graduate Programs in Online Learning, as well as the University of Maine at Farmington. Hillary is a nationally certified Assistive Technology Professional, providing consultation, training, and evaluation services to educational and other institutions in the areas of Assistive Technology, Accessible Educational Materials, and Universal Design for Learning. She has presented to educators across the country on a variety of topics, including accessibility, UDL, iPads and apps, and Chromebooks and apps. Prior to this position, she has served as an Intervention Specialist and Special Educator with over 20 years of teaching experience. Hillary is most passionate about educating others about the importance of ensuring that the curriculum is accessible to all students first, rather than after it's been developed. Hillary was awarded her Ph.D. in Education with distinction in March 2015, with a focus on Curriculum and Instruction that is centered around UDL. Her book, One Size Does Not Fit All: Equity, Access, PD, and UDL is available on Amazon, which illustrates how a one-hour training in Universal Design for Learning can lead to the transfer of learning and improved lesson plans. Home is where her heart truly is-with her husband, son, and stepson in Saco, Maine. You can find her on twitter @hillargfphdatp and at http://hillaryhelpsulearn.com
Show Summary: Apple just quietly released some new updated products and now held an Apple Event focused on services. Yes, from an Apple Card, Apple News Plus, Apple TV plus, Apple TV App with Channels and Apple Arcade for the gamers. It is all here and you can find out more about all the new products and services on the Apple web site, www.Apple.com I would go into detail in the show notes but why not just listen to the show and become the smartest new Apple News knower in your neck of the woods? Yes, we can give you that! Not much more, so take it. Oh, surely I jest, Yup, Jeff the Jester. Hmmm. Join Serina Gilbert our Voc Rehab Counselor from the Mountains, Allison mervis, a Voc Rehab Super from the Grape fields of California, Brian Fischler, an Assistive Technology Specialist, stuck somewhere in the Big Apple and myself, Jeff Thompson, Teacher, Woodworker and media Specialist from the Frozen Tundra of Minnesota. And a special little cameo from our man in trouble, Marlon Parieaho from Trinidad. That Blind Tech Show is definitely a humorous take on the latest news and happenings around the World of Blindness. We try to have fun with each other and bring a smile to your day. Humor is good for the soul and if we can’t laugh at ourselves, then hey, we would miss out on having a lot of fun. Don’t take us seriously all the time and yet, we do our best to bring you good news and information to help you through the obstacles and brick walls that seem to be holding us back or blocking our path. If you have any suggestions and/or feedback for us here on the show, be sure to let us have it. Smack between the eyes if need be. But, start with Brian, he started it anyways. If he can’t take it for the team, then I am in trouble. Ok, thanks for listening and see you next time on That Blind Tech Show! Contact Thank you for listening. Send us Feedback via email Follow us on Twitter @BlindTechShow That Blind Tech Show is produced in part with Blind Abilities Network You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Store. Get the Free blind Abilities App on the Google Play Store
Show Summary: Apple just quietly released some new updated products and now held an Apple Event focused on services. Yes, from an Apple Card, Apple News Plus, Apple TV plus, Apple TV App with Channels and Apple Arcade for the gamers. It is all here and you can find out more about all the new products and services on the Apple web site, www.Apple.com I would go into detail in the show notes but why not just listen to the show and become the smartest new Apple News knower in your neck of the woods? Yes, we can give you that! Not much more, so take it. Oh, surely I jest, Yup, Jeff the Jester. Hmmm. Join Serina Gilbert our Voc Rehab Counselor from the Mountains, Allison mervis, a Voc Rehab Super from the Grape fields of California, Brian Fischler, an Assistive Technology Specialist, stuck somewhere in the Big Apple and myself, Jeff Thompson, Teacher, Woodworker and media Specialist from the Frozen Tundra of Minnesota. And a special little cameo from our man in trouble, Marlon Parieaho from Trinidad. That Blind Tech Show is definitely a humorous take on the latest news and happenings around the World of Blindness. We try to have fun with each other and bring a smile to your day. Humor is good for the soul and if we can’t laugh at ourselves, then hey, we would miss out on having a lot of fun. Don’t take us seriously all the time and yet, we do our best to bring you good news and information to help you through the obstacles and brick walls that seem to be holding us back or blocking our path. If you have any suggestions and/or feedback for us here on the show, be sure to let us have it. Smack between the eyes if need be. But, start with Brian, he started it anyways. If he can’t take it for the team, then I am in trouble. Ok, thanks for listening and see you next time on That Blind Tech Show! Contact Thank you for listening. Send us Feedback via email Follow us on Twitter @BlindTechShow That Blind Tech Show is produced in part with Blind Abilities Network You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Store. Get the Free blind Abilities App on the Google Play Store
Show Summary: (Full Transcript Below) Screen readers, Refreshable Braille, Magnification, Audio Books, Computers and Smart Devices are just a few of the Tools for Success that are available to the Blind/Visually Impaired community. From education to the workplace, Assistive Technology enables people with a visual impairment to do just about anything they want to and apply for the jobs and the careers that they want. State Services for the Blind has a technology Unit that makes assessments and help clients determine what assistive technology would best suit their needs as they set their educational and career goals. Jesse Anderson is an Assistive Technology Specialist at State Services for the Blind (SSB) in Saint Paul, Minnesota. In this podcast, Jesse will take you through the assessment process and how assistive technology choices are made and individualized for each person and their educational and career goals. Jesse admits he is a nerd and loves technology. Jesse loves Accessible Gaming and Advocates for accessibility in the gaming industry. You can find out more about Jesse and accessible gaming on his YouTube Channel, Illegally Sighted. If you want to find out more about State Services for the Blind. You can call (651) 539-2300 Find them on the web. Outside of Minnesota, search for your state agency/Vocational Rehabilitation Services in your state and find out what they can do for you. Contact: Thank you for listening! You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Store. Full Transcript Full Transcription: Jeff Thompson: Be sure to check out the blind ability scill on your Amazon device. Just say, "Enable Blind Abilities." {Music} Jesse Anderson: We're not just looking at, okay, how can we get you through your classes that you're currently in. We're actually looking at more of a long-term goal. Jeff Thompson: Meet Jesse Anderson. Jesse Anderson: They use Windows PC's typically in many office environments. Jeff Thompson: Assistive Technology Specialist from State Services for the Blind in Minnesota. Jesse Anderson: Mac is in a lot of the more artistic areas, so maybe audio, video production, maybe some web design. It's good for people to learn that experience as well, to kind of know how to find ways to fix problems. If you are low vision, how would you do that? If you are blind, how would you do that? Well, I might take my phone and use it as a magnifier. Or if I am blind, I might take my phone or my laptop, and snap a picture of it and have it read aloud with my Bluetooth headphones. Jeff Thompson: Welcome to Blind Abilities. I am Jeff Thompson. Today we're going to be talking about assistive technology. About the tools for success. The tools that will help you level the playing field in the job market, in employment, and in education. We'll be talking about the services that your state agency can provide to you, and how your participation is vitally important towards your success. So be sure to check out your state agency, your voc rehab, your state's services for the blind and see what they can do for you. Jesse Anderson: Have the technology skills and knowing those skills well I think is just a really good thing to do, no matter what you are going to be doing in your employment or education. If you are low vision, you may be a Zoom text user, but you know what? It might be a great idea to learn Windows Magnifier, because a. It's free, b. It's built into Windows. Jeff Thompson: If you wanna find more podcasts with a blindness perspective, check us out on the web at www.blindabilities.com, and check out our extensive library. From job insights, TVI Toolbox, iPhone 101, and our tech show, Tech Abilities, where we cover the latest developments, the latest innovations and the technologies that will enhance your opportunities for success. Jesse Anderson: I am into a little bit of everything but I am definitely still a nerd. Jeff Thompson: Please welcome assistive technology specialist, Jessie Anderson. We hope you enjoy. Jeff Thompson: Welcome to Blind Abilities. I am Jeff Thompson and today I am at State Services for the Blind in St. Paul, Minnesota, and I'm talking to assistive technology specialist, Jessie Anderson. Jessie, how are you doing? Jesse Anderson: I'm doing pretty good. Thanks for having me on today. Jeff Thompson: Great. Jessie, I wanna thank you for taking the time out of your day to come on the Blind Abilities and share with our listeners the services that you provide here at State Services for the Blind as an assistive technology specialist. Jesse Anderson: Yeah, there are actually five assistive technology specialists at SSB and we all work out of the St. Paul office. How it works is we are assigned to specific counselors who cover specific areas of the state. For instance, I do cover the [inaudible] Cato area, and then you have all the other tech specialists covering the different other parts of the state. And the last couple years, my role has changed a little bit because I am starting to work a lot more with transition age students, and that's a little bit more statewide. So I do a lot of metro, but I am traveling around the state a fair bit as well. So I will do assistive technology assessments. Meet with students in the schools or at SSB or wherever we need to. And there's a lot of stuff going on with the transition program. Jeff Thompson: Well that's a good age, 14 to 21. Students that are transitioning from high school to college where they really wanna hone in on some accessible technology to gain employment. Jesse Anderson: Yeah. During one of the ... when I meet with a students, it could be anyone between eighth grade on up in school, and like I said, if they are in the area, sometimes they'll meet here at SSB and if they are local, that is really helpful because we do have quite a few more types of devices in our technology lab or our resource center here. But I do go on the road a lot especially to greater Minnesota. So a lot of times, we'll set up a meeting to meet in the student school during some time that they can meet either during study hall or something, like that. And when I meet with people, some of the things we look at ... we're not just looking at, okay, how can we get you through your classes that you are currently in? We're actually looking at more of a long-term goal. So even if you're eighth, ninth grade, we're still going to kind of be looking at, well maybe you want a summer job. Maybe you want to work a little bit after school, or maybe you are participating in some transition related activities through SSB or other organization. Jesse Anderson: And then moving onto maybe what are you thinking after graduating high school? Are you going to go to college? You kind of maybe have an idea what type of degree. Maybe you wanna work with computers or people or animals. Maybe you don't wanna go to college and maybe you just wanna look for work right away. So those are the kind of things that we look at and then what types of technology would kind of best work to meet those types of education or employment goals based on their vision. Jeff Thompson: Covers a wide spectrum of low vision to totally blind from whether it's their braille, or if they are going to be using a lot of brail, to if they are using more audio. You do a full assessment of what would probably work best for those type of goals that they are seeking. Jesse Anderson: Absolutely. We work with people who are blind, who are low vision, who are deaf-blind, and I have met with people of all those groups. Blind, deaf-blind, and low-vision. And it could also be an accommodation thing. You may have a low-vision user who has some usability vision but honestly, it's much more affective for them to primarily listen to audio and maybe they even know braille. So, instead of maybe you have a very, very limited field of view or very, very low-vision and so visual is just not practical. So we may still look at brail displays. We still may look at a lot of audio. Yeah, it could be anywhere from computer software to smartphones, tablets, braille displays, note takers, portable devices, CCTVs. Any kind of number of things. Jesse Anderson: And so when we get a referrals from the counselor and just kind of get an idea of the person's vision and kind of what they are thinking of doing, then we can kind of help them identify what would work best for them. Jeff Thompson: And that's great because people are coming in. They're probably trying to set up an employment program. And so they are working with counselor and then you have a transition team, and your part of this is when it comes to technology. So what is an assessment? When someone does in come for that assessment, how long do you spend with them? And where do you start? Jesse Anderson: Well, when we do an assessment, usually I tell people that I kind of schedule things for, I would say, between an hour and a half to two hours. I usually block off a two hour block of time, and then even have a little bit of extra time after, if needed. Because I always let people know that if we go through things quickly and end early, or if we go a little bit longer, that's totally fine. My main thing is, I don't want to rush people through everything. We're going to cover a lot of different topics. A lot of different types of technology during that assessment as it is, and so I wanna give people enough time to ask questions, try out some of the technology and not rush through everything. We'll have the information from the counselor's referral and I'll just kind of ask some general questions. What is your vision? Is it stable? Because we also wanna look at, maybe your vision is like this, but oh, maybe it was a little bit better six months ago. And is it stable or is it expected to deteriorate over time? Jesse Anderson: And so we want to look at if that is the case, you may be able to use some large print now, but you may also kind of want to look at using more speech or gradually, especially if someone is not used to it, getting used to using more audio and maybe braille or something like that. Because as their vision changes, they'll need to do that. We look at what their needs are. How they like to best process information. Are they a visual learner? Do they have to physically read it either visually or tactilely through braille? Or do they prefer audio? What's most efficient? If we're looking at employment, we're looking at even things like, yes, okay, I might be able to read visually, but it's not really that fast and if I was in a fast-paced work setting where I had to get my job done quickly, maybe I am talking with customers on the phone. I need to access client information at a customer service job, maybe print isn't the fastest and you do have to look at audio because you also have to look at level of productivity that makes sense. Jeff Thompson: My experience out in the work force and businesses and corporations and all that, it seems like a lot of companies are PC based or they are Microsoft based through their databases. I see a higher percentage of people using JAWS or NVDA on their computers that are in the workforce. I mean, Apple is good with voiceover and your phone. A lot of people use that, and the Androids. But predominately in the workforce, I see Microsoft based computers. Jesse Anderson: Yeah. That's actually what we see a lot too. It's actually really interesting in education because in high schools and stuff right now, we have a pretty good mixture. I'll meet with some students and some schools will use iPads a lot, especially for special education. You'll see some schools that try to use Chromebooks which, they do have accessibility built into them. I don't have a lot of experience with it. I really need to get my hands on a modern Chromebook to play with that a little bit more. But, a lot of people do find even though they do have accessibility built in, they find it a little bit more restrictive. So they would like to either use more of a PC or a Mac, but you have some schools, it'll have PC. Some will use Mac. Some will use iPads. And it's just a wide variety of things. Jesse Anderson: And then when you get To college, it's kind of a free for all, because everybody has their own way to take notes or write reports. You can use your Mac. You can use your PC. But like you said, in the work world, and this is even if somebody is in high school and if they are like, "Oh, I wanna be a psychologist", or, "I wanna work in an office", or, "I wanna work in some type of setting like that", I do let them know that, like you said, they use Windows PC's typically in many office environments. The main place where I would see Mac is in a lot of the artistic areas. So maybe audio, video production. Maybe some web design. But that could go either way. Jesse Anderson: So I mean, we do recommend some Mac packages. Or if somebody is maybe you do have a technical position but maybe somebody is wanting to ... they are a programmer and they need to develop for Mac or iOS. You have to pretty much have a Mac to do that. So there are cases where we do recommend, but yes. In a lot of business settings, I would say, I can probably count the number of actual office settings on one hand that would use a Mac, as it's all been pretty much Windows. Jeff Thompson: Yeah. Well that's the unique thing about what you do here at State Services for the Blind, is you develop programs for individual for their needs. What works best for them to succeed. Jesse Anderson: Correct. Jeff Thompson: So Jessie, say someone does acquire a piece of equipment and it's working for them, but they wanna learn a little bit more about it. What do you suggest to them to do at that point? Jesse Anderson: Well, when we meet with people during the original assessment, we'll kind of also look at what their computer skills are. Not just computer skills, but how well they use the computer. If they are using an iPhone or an iPad, Android device, or whatever technology that is that they need or are currently using, and we'll let them know that we do have a couple of on-staff trainers that can work with them for some tasks and then we also have some certified contracted trainers that we work with throughout the state who can meet individually, one-on-one, with people for technology training. And that can happen at SSB. That can happen at the client's home. That can happen at the job site. Like I said, in addition to assessments, we will also go ... let's say somebody gets a job offer, and the company says we're using this software. Is this going to work with JAWS, Zoom Text or NVDA? Something like that. Jesse Anderson: And so we can work with the user and we can work with the business and we can set up a time to go to that business and get the demo of JAWS, or Zoom Text, let's say, installed on those machines, and have somebody at the job who knows what that position requires, and then they'll walk us through kind of what that person would be required to do, and then we can test how that assistive technology works with their software. Are there any problems? And if there are, what kind of things can we do to get around them or fix them? Yeah, there's a lot involved. With training, or with assessing job sites. All kinds of different things. Jeff Thompson: So they are not alone. Jesse Anderson: No, no. And if somebody has ... we got some equipment for them, or they have equipment already. Like I said, there is a training part of it, and then let's say somebody gets ... receives some technology with the assistance of SSB. We give them an assistive technology resource guide, and that's kind of a long document that has all kinds of helpful information. It'll have all of their device information. Their serial numbers of their devices. It'll have some common tips for different things. A lot of times we have a few cheat sheets for some programs like using some of the built in accessibility features of Mac and Windows. And then there's also in this resource guide, we also provide contact information for a lot of the common types of devices that we recommend. So be it a computer, a brail display, Zoom Text or JAWS. Something like that. Jesse Anderson: And we do encourage them. Yes, we are definitely there to help but we also do encourage them to contact ... let's say they have a computer program. Their computer just died, or they have a weird JAWS behavior problem or they have whatever issue. To also encourage them to learn how to contact some of the manufacturers and get some of their technical support too, because some of the really strange bugs, maybe some things that even we can't quite figure out. Or maybe there's a hardware issue, where they will have to kind of send it in. And so it's good for people to learn that experience as well to kind of know how to find ways to fix problems. Jeff Thompson: Oh yeah. And that's a life-long skill because all the way down to your job, career, whatever you are doing, you're going to come across problems and develop advocating for assistance, help, maintenance, whatever it is, pays off in the long run. So, Jessie, you've talked about going to college but employment seems to be the big thing. For people who are looking for employment, what suggestions would you have for them in regards to technology and maybe an employer not understanding what AT, assistive technology, is? Jesse Anderson: There are a few things that I will kind of tell people are as we are discussing things during the assessment or as we we're meeting in general. When we're talking about transition, the common sort of issues is that, well, this assistive technology is cool, but I don't really wanna look different. Like okay, I've got this CCTV or I've got this brail display and people are like what the heck is that? And we all know. I mean, I went through it. You went through it. Kids can be mean. When you're in high school, junior high, high school, kids can do some really mean things. And so they are kind of worried about looking different or standing out. And we just try to encourage them to ... if this makes your life a lot easier, like if you are really struggling to read that assignment, if you are really struggling to see the white board at the front of the room or to write that report or whatever it is for school, yeah, you might look a little bit different. But everybody uses technology in the room now. I mean, you've got people using their smartphones and tablets and laptops and things. Jesse Anderson: So you might have a few little bit different things, but if it's going to make your life a lot easier and more efficient, speed up what you're doing, and spend half an hour instead of three hours on an assignment, don't worry about it. And when you get to college, not only will people not care, but that's actually a really interesting conversation starter, because then people go, "Oh, dude, what's that?" And then you can show them stuff. Then they also get more of a positive impression of, "Oh, okay. You are going to college. You are going to look for work." Kind of gives them more of a positive impression on blindness or low-vision as well. Jesse Anderson: One of the other things that I would talk about is that when you are at that employment stage, I think it's just really important to treat the job search as a full-time job in itself. You know, I mean, a lot of people might kind of expect, "Oh, well SSB is here and they are going to help, or they are going to find me a job. Oh, they are going to get a job for me." No, we're definitely here to help you, but you definitely have to do your part as well. I'm speaking from experience, I got my undergrad degree and after that, I was unemployed for three and a half years. But that wasn't for lack of trying. I basically set aside anywhere between six, eight hours a day on weekdays, and sometimes weekends if I found a good job lead. And I would apply for jobs. I would look for jobs. Jesse Anderson: I had a whole jobs folder where I would have several types of templates for resumes and cover letters, where maybe I am applying for help desk jobs. Maybe I am applying for a web design job or a customer ... Any type of job, so I could just quickly get those out there. And then I would even have Excel workbooks, because I was applying for so many jobs, it's so hard to keep track. And so I would put, okay, I applied for this business, this position. I applied for it on that date. Did I get a response? Did I get an interview? What are the things [inaudible], because otherwise, I was not going to remember it. In that three and a half period, I got so many rejection letters, I jokingly would tell people that I could wallpaper my apartment with them. So it's just you really do have to put in the work and treat the job search as pretty much a full-time job to really get good results. You really gotta put in, especially since we have to prove ourselves. Hey, we're blind or vision impaired, or deaf-blind, but we can do things too. Jesse Anderson: The other thing that I would ... I kind of recommend as far as technology goes that can be really helpful is, okay, so you get an interview, and I didn't do this right away but what I found to be helpful as I started doing later on, was I would bring some ... not everything, but I would bring a couple of commonly used items with me to that interview. It could be my laptop in a laptop bag. It could be my ... now it would be my iPhone and you'll be doing the interview, and by that time, they will probably know that you have a vision impairment and they may ... employers will have concerns. "Oh can you do this part of the job?" Or, "How would you do this part of the job? Can you do it quickly enough?" And not only bringing the technology to the interview, but even having some documents on your laptop ready or some tasks in mind that you could do, so someone says, "Okay, we're in a meeting and we need to hand out these memos that we want people to read and we're going to discuss. Okay if you're low-vision, how would you do that? If you're blind, how would you do that?" Jesse Anderson: Well, I might take my phone and use it as a magnifier. Or if I am blind, I might take my phone or my laptop and snap a picture of it and have it read aloud with my Bluetooth headphones. How do I access the Internet? Well, let me bring up my phone or let me bring up my laptop and go to a website that you know, go to something fairly complex so that they can see that you are using the sites that everybody does. Go to Amazon. That's a pretty complex. There's a lot of information there. Pretty complex site. And just kind of showing them some of those things, offer to kind of show them so that way they think, "Oh, okay. Not only can you do it, but you can do it well." And know your assistive technology. That's the other thing. Know your assistive technology. Jeff Thompson: That's a good point. Because sometimes you may get the equipment, but you don't know how to use it and that takes a lot of time to get familiar with it so you can use it efficiently. And that's a great point when you're at a job interview because that person there, their internal monologue is wondering, can they do this? They're not saying it, but their thought bubbles are, I don't know if they can access a computer. So you're actually breaking that ice and it's showing them and just opening the door for the possibilities like, wow I didn't know that. Because a lot of people don't know what we can do with assistive technology. Jesse Anderson: Absolutely. And I would say that a lot of people really underestimate. That's one thing that I see in education. That's one thing that I see in employment. Just kind of everywhere. A lot of it isn't the ... as long as we're doing everything that we can, we're capable. But there's a lot of low expectations or just people just don't know that, oh ... I've had people ask me, actually it was very recently. I was getting my, I think I was getting mail and somebody at my apartment complex was like, "Oh so do you work?" And I'm like, "Yeah." "Oh, okay. That's interesting." I said, "Yeah. Not only do I work, I work full-time and I do this and I do that." It's just kind of even people that kind of see me around, they're like, I didn't know really what you could do. So yeah, we encounter that a lot. It's just a lot of low expectations. But something like that can help a lot. It's just being prepared. Jeff Thompson: That's the great thing about state services for the blind, because when you're in the predicament, maybe you just lost some eyesight or maybe you've been blind and you are looking towards transitioning to college to the work place, you can come here, get a counselor and you'll meet up with someone like Jessie, an assistive technology specialist, to find the tools for success that'll help you level the playing field basically. Put you on an even keel with everyone else. And like Jessie mentioned, employment. They have employment specialists as well that can help you look for jobs, teach you how to look for jobs, teach you some skills of resume building. Jesse Anderson: Mock interviews as well. Jeff Thompson: Mm-hmm (affirmative). There are so many services here that you can get at state services for the blind. Your state agency, your vocational rehab, wherever you are, check them out and Jessie what advice would you give to someone who is transitioning from college to high school to the workplace? Jesse Anderson: Really, it's just kind of a matter of look at what you wanna do. I've had people come in and say, "Well, what are some blind jobs I could get?" And yeah, there are certain things. I'm not going to become an airline pilot or a driver or something like that, but if you wanna work on mechanics, if you want to work in an office, if you wanna do ... work in education, there's probably ... especially with all of the services and all of the technology and different things, there's probably a way to make it happen. So don't pigeon hole yourself into necessarily like, oh, these are ... I can do customer service, or I can do tuning pianos or I don't know if that's even a thing anymore, but you know? And like I said, knowing your technology. Learning those technology skills as early as possible I think is really helpful because not only just for employment but I mean, for independence, I mean, just being able to look things up on the Internet. I mean, Amazon Prime is wonderful and evil at the same time, because it's so easy to buy things but I can research products and shop. Jesse Anderson: I can pay my bills. I can do all kinds of things with my phone or my computer. Whatever. So just having the technology skills and knowing those skills well, I think is just a really good thing to do no matter what you are going to be doing in employment or education. Jeff Thompson: Great. Jessie, on a daily basis, what tools do you utilize? Jesse Anderson: In my job, I use a lot of different tools myself, because I am indeed legally blind. I have some vision, but I am legally blind. So, I actually use a combination of magnification and speech. I find myself using Windows Magnifier actually, quite a bit. Especially in Windows 10. Windows 10 has Windows Magnifier built in. It also has some high contrast features that I've been ... especially in the latest October update. They've really fixed some things and added some things so it's worked better. But I'll use Zoom Text from time to time. But honestly, I use a screen reader. I use speech a lot. I use NVDA a lot. I do still use JAWS sometimes. But NVDA and even System Access, I really like the way System Access works on the Internet. So NVDA, System Access, JAWS, those are things I use all the time. I also use my phone. Jesse Anderson: I have an iPhone and I use the built in magnifier to read short little documents or serial numbers. Things like that. I use other magnification apps. I will use things like Seeing AI, or Prismo, or KNFB Reader to OCR a document really quick. I use Voice Dream Reader and BookShare books, and BARD, and I mean just reading books for recreation or even part as my job, I wanna keep up on technology and things like that. So I read a lot of technology related books and information. So there's all kinds of apps I use on my phone, but that's probably one of my most used tools is my phone. Jeff Thompson: And in the world out there, especially in the job market and having more tools in your tool box, [inaudible] that's a catchall phrase, but having different angles of attacking at certain solution problem is a screen doesn't read to have a couple things that you could draw from is probably a good skill to have. Jesse Anderson: I'm really glad you brought that up because I totally forgot about that. That is absolutely what we recommend as well. So if you are low-vision, you may be a Zoom Text user but you know what? It might be a great idea to learn Windows Magnifier because a. It's free, b. It's built into Windows. It doesn't cost anything, but you're not always using your computer. Maybe you go to a library, a computer lab, a friend or family's place and they don't have Zoom Text installed. You can still have magnification if you are a speech user, you may be a JAWS user, but guess what? NVDA is free. It runs on a thumb drive. You can use that. You might be able to get by with using Windows Narrator and of course Apple has its voice over for a screen reader. You have Zoom built into the Mac and iOS both. Yes, knowing more than one screen ... I regularly, professionally, I regularly switch between multiple tools. Like if one OCR app doesn't work, I'll use a different one. I might visit a website with JAWS and it doesn't work, and so I use NVDA or NVDA doesn't read something and JAWS does. So absolutely knowing more than one tool, especially nowadays with the way things move so quickly. Absolutely important. Jesse Anderson: It's really interesting being an assistive technology specialist right now, because things move just so much faster. Back in the day we had, maybe you had Magic and Zoom Text or you had JAWS and WindowEyes and now you've got the Windows stuff. You've got Mac. You've got iOS. Android. And then that's not even getting into people ask about smart appliances like Google Home and Alexa or the Amazon Echo. There's so many different platforms and they all can have good uses for them, but there's a lot to keep track of. Even we can't keep up with it all. I mean, I try to. I am a nerd, and I'm into that kind of stuff, but I can't even learn everything. Jeff Thompson: Especially, I'll go on my wife's PC and I'll hit the VO keys. Well there are no VO keys on that, the PC laptop, so it's kind of fun that ... going back and forth, for me, I can do it but I have to think about it for a little bit and staying up to date with stuff. So I'll use a Mac. I can use the PC. I can use a couple of other things and that's an asset that I do. But, it does take a little bit of work to get my brain wrapped around it again. Jesse Anderson: Yeah. Definitely. I want to say, especially if you are totally blind or if you are a speech user, magnification, you can kinda figure things out because the interface might be a little bit different, but you can kind of, oh I can click around and stuff. But me being a long time PC user and just learning Mac a few years ago, I'm still not a great Mac user, I'll admit it. But I know enough to kind of get around and do some damage. Yeah. The way that you would think of navigating a Windows screen reader is kind of a bit different with voice over and that took me a lot of time to kind of get used to. So people go, "Well I wanna use a Mac because I've heard it's good for blind people." Or, "I'm using a Mac and maybe I gotta learn [inaudible] a PC", and some people might have the mistake and impression, oh, well they are both speech. You just learn a few commands and you go. Yeah. Some can take a little more time to transition because some of the way you navigate and stuff can be a bit different. Jeff Thompson: Now in your position, a lot of us out here, we have friends in the community and stuff. We get to sample things once in a while. Try and kick it around the block a little bit here and there. Now, in your position, you probably go to conferences or events where they are displaying stuff or people want to show you stuff. Vendors and all sorts of stuff, so you probably get a whole onslaught of different tools and accessible devices to sample. Jesse Anderson: We do work with quite a few of our vendors. We do have vendors who come into SSB and show the tech specialists news devices or updates to new devises, but we also do periodically have events that are opened to the public where you'll have a vendor come by and they'll show their devices and device demonstrations and we've had people come in to do that. People come in to watch that as well. We also do, if we can, we will sometimes try to get down to the CSUN conference in California. Usually it's in March and that is kind of the premier assistive technology conference. You do have things like closing the gap in ATI, but those don't really focus on blindness as much, I think as they used to. I've gone to CSUN now twice and absolutely love it. They are actually going to be in a new hotel or a new venue this year. So that'll be interesting. I'm not going to be going to that unfortunately this year, but it's a fantastic conference if you're into assistive technology. If you're a tech specialist. If you're a user. Whatever. It is pretty fun. It's pretty informative. Jeff Thompson: So Jessie, this is your day time job. What are some of your hobbies that you do? And what's your interest in? Jesse Anderson: Well, I'm into a little bit of everything, but I'm definitely still a nerd. Like I said, I still do some technology stuff at home. Technology, gaming, I like music. I'm trying to teach myself the drums. Mess around with the guitar a little bit, that kind of a thing. But I do, like I said, I still do some technology and even game accessibility stuff in my spare time. For the past several years, I do run a YouTube channel called Illegally Sighted, and that's going pretty well. And I'm really trying to advocate, like I said, everything ... my day job is all about work, but there's more to life than just work and especially video games and VR. Virtual reality, augmented reality. Those things are all becoming quite popular in the mainstream world, and blind and low-vision users would like to be included in some of that, too, and so as I've been doing the YouTube channel, it's kind of turned into this ... I've really started working more with advocating for game accessibility and I have a VR headset at home. Jesse Anderson: So I've been trying to use that as a way to like hey, approach developers. We don't have standards yet for virtual reality officially, because everyone is still trying to figure it out. So if we can get someone in there to say, "Hey, you're trying to figure things out. Let's get accessibility as just one of those standards from the beginning because it's much easier to do it from the beginning than it is to bolt it on later." So I've been trying to advocate for that and as part of that, I did a presentation in fall of 2017 that's archived on my channel. I did a presentation for #id24, Inclusive Design 24, on VR accessibility for low-vision users, and in March of this year, I was actually invited to be a presenter, part of a panel, at the third annual game accessibility conference. GACon, as it's kind of referred to online and on Twitter. And you can go to gaconf.com and it's a one day conference that's held in San Francisco and I was able to get things lined up and working so I am going to be going down to that conference for the first time this year and be a panel speaker, and hopefully I'll be able to meet some developers, and a lot of the people that I have been kind of socializing with on social media, on Twitter and things like that. Jesse Anderson: So I'm really looking forward to it, and hopefully it can result in just getting another voice out there and making more developers and stuff realize, hey, it may not be as difficult as you think it is, but blind people, low-vision people are a market too, and we do have money to spend and we wanna do, we wanna participate in games and such as well. So, that should be really fun to see how that goes. Jeff Thompson: Jessie, thank you for being an advocate for everyone, because I know a lot of people out there that want to hang onto that or have the possibilities of playing games. It's a big market out there, and thank you for doing what you are doing. Jesse Anderson: Sure. No problem. Jeff Thompson: Great, well Jessie Anderson, I wanna thank you very much for coming on to Blind Abilities. Taking the time out here at SSB. That's State Services for the Blind of Minnesota. Thank you very much. Jesse Anderson: All right. Thank you. Jeff Thompson: Be sure to check out your state services, your state agency, your vocational rehab, and see what they can do for you. And be sure to check out the Blind Abilities scale on your Amazon device. Just say, enable Blind Abilities. And you can listen to the Blind Abilities on the Victor Stream. Just go to their favorites list and find Blind Abilities. There you go. You can search for Blind Abilities in any of your favorite PodCatchers. Just type in, Blind Abilities. That's too words. Blind abilities. And you can always download the free blind abilities app from the Apple store, or the Google Play store. And like I said, it's two words. Blind abilities. Jeff Thompson: I want to thank you for listening. We hope you enjoyed and until next time. Bye-bye. [Music] [Transition noise] -When we share -What we see -Through each other's eyes... [Multiple voices overlapping, in unison, to form a single sentence] ...We can then begin to bridge the gap between the limited expectations, and the realities of Blind Abilities. Jeff Thompson: For more podcasts with the blindness perspective: Check us out on the web at www.BlindAbilities.com On Twitter @BlindAbilities Download our app from the App store: 'Blind Abilities'; that's two words. Or send us an e-mail at: info@blindabilities.com Thanks for listening. Contact: Thank you for listening! You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Store.
Go to http://lootcrate.com/games and enter my code GAMES to save 30% off your subscription The Blind Gamer Steve Saylor (http://www.youtube.com/snowball) joins Greg to talk about Kingdom Hearts III leaks, PSVR, and more. 00:10:44 - Housekeeping No shows next week until the anniversary stream on the 4th, which you won’t want to miss. The Roper Report - 00:11:45 - About those Kingdom Hearts Spoilers… 00:15:35 - Dreams News incoming? 00:18:25 - Capcom responds to in-game ads, James Batchelor GIB 00:24:41 - Pre-Order Mountain Dew, Get Division 2 Beta Access 00:26:56 - Alexios or Kassandra, Eddie at GameSpot 00:30:04 - HQ Trivia and Vine Co-Founder Found Dead, James Batchelor GIB 00:32:10 - Out today Reader mail - 00:36:30 - I'm a junior Assistive Technology Specialist for a blindness charity in Sydney, Australia, and I love games. (Shout out to Rainbow Six: Siege) However, a lot of my clients can't enjoy games like I can. I know there are a few games out there that is accessible, like VoiceOver games on iOS, but some of the ones that I've tried, like Blindfold Racer, are pretty crap. Can you recommend any good ones out there? - Jason Meer-Ah Sydney, Australia 00:43:13 - We did it Greg! This family is getting a PSVR unit on the 16th - Whodahs 00:47:25 - Not so much a question, but more of a PSA to all the KFBFs that want to lose weight, but are having the issue of finding motivation. I whole heartedly recommend getting the PSVR Bundle with Borderlands 2 and Beat Saber (move and camera included") which is currently $250 at Gamestop. - Greg E 00:49:34 - What are your thoughts on Xbox’s strategy having two seemingly critically acclaimed console exclusives (Ashen and Below) come out as basically surprise releases to little fanfare? Do they have a really limited exclusivity window? Or is it that they’re also on PC? - Russ 00:53:35 - Squad Up:Jordan Semrow (PS4) - L337_Atreyu 00:54:28 - One of them rotatin’ segments - Michael murrah 00:55:10 - You‘re Wrong Tomorrow’s host: Greg and Andrea
Martin Voigt, the only beer blogger in Austria, is our first guest today, and Dr. Hoby Wedler is also here, together with Bob Sonnenberg and Jeff Harrington from the Earle Baum Center in Santa Rosa. Martin will talk about his trip to California to get better acquainted with the craft beer industry here. Then Dr. Hoby Wedler, an organic chemist who has been blind since birth and who is a flavor expert, will lead a blind taste test. Martin Voigt greets Steve Jaxon with “Servus!” which is a typical Austrian and central European greeting. Martin says that Marzen beer is the most popular style in Austria. It’s a lager beer. They have some Pilsners too, but mostly those are made in Germany. In the last decades, major companies have bought all the small breweries in Germany, but not in Austria, where they still have small or mid-size breweries that have existed for many years. Austrians like having beer that comes from a local brewery. So this makes it easier for Austrians to get into craft brewing. Herlinda has noticed that they like American beer there. Martin Voigt mentions that Lagunitas just got a distributor in Europe and they were at the craft beer festival in Vienna. US beer is known now as some of the best in the world. Many American breweries don’t ship to Europe so Martin had to come to California to meet the brewers and taste the beers. Martin Voigt's trip has included visits to Sierra Nevada in Chico and Moonlight Brewing (recent Brew Ha Ha guests). He will visit breweries for the next two weeks. Next they taste a cider flavored with hops called Black Stock. Martin says that cider has become popular in Austria too. Herlinda introduces some guests from the Earle Baum Center, a nonprofit regional community center in Santa Rosa California, serving people with sight loss in Napa, Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino Counties. Bob Sonnenberg is Director of Development and Jeff Harrington is a Director and Assistive Technology Specialist. Dr. Hoby Wedler is also in today, he is a PhD organic chemist and a sensory scientist. As they taste the hop flavored cider, they notice the hop called Lemondrop among the other flavors. Everyone agrees it has a unique flavor. Herlinda tells about another cider called OMG Ugly cider. They brought some spice aroma ciders, one that tastes of cedar chips and star anise pods. Steve introduces Dr. Hoby Wedler and asks him to tell about his activity. He has a PhD in computational organic chemistry and is a sensory science specialist. He and his business partner have founded Senspoint Design. Steve then asks Bob and Jeff to talk about the musical event that usually happens at this time of year, but this year the Earle Fest wasn’t on target for what the organization does. So they are having another event, a community open house, where they can show what they do. Earle Baum was a blind farmer born in 1896 who lived to the age of 90. He wanted to be a journalist, but they did not have the technology he needed to do that as a blind person. So he stayed on his farm and designed a lot of assistive tools to help him do the job. “Your Vision Our Focus” is the name of the event. Bob and Jeff describe what the Earle Baum center does, including core services to help persons with visual impairment, to help people learn to live with significant vision loss. One of the services they have is some simulators to help family members understand the effects of different types of visual impairment. Herlinda mentions that pharmacies in Europe provide Braille information with prescriptions. Next, Hoby has brought some blindfolds for everyone to wear, in order to conduct a blind taste test. Steve puts on the blindfold and his first taste is Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA and they discuss its flavor profile. Next they taste some anise mixed with cedar chips. Every item has a particular scent which they describe carefully. There is a blend of cacao and coconut too.
Join Chris, Rachel and Lucas this week for a discussion of universal principles in AAC intervention - in other words, what do we all agree on, and why? Then Chris sits down with Shaun Pearson and Chris Chichoskikelly to talk about the "AAC Agreements," which continues along the same theme in more detail and highlights the opinions of clinicians and researchers from the Assistive Technology Industry Association conferences in 2016 and 2018. Shaun is a Speech-Language Pathologist, trained at McGill University in Montreal and now practicing in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He currently works as an Assistive Technology Specialist supporting students with complex communication needs ages 5-21. Shaun believes his primary focus is to foster relationships and build capacity with others therapists, teachers, classroom staffs, and families. We'd love to hear your feedback and opinions! Come join us on Facebook, email us at tech@speechscience.org, or @talkingwithtech on Instagram or Twitter. Like what we do at Talking With Tech? Take a moment to leave us a review on iTunes as that helps others find us!
Fred Tchang, ATP Director www.assistivetechnologycenter.org In addition to being the director, Fred is also a hands-on Assistive Technology Specialist. He and his staff help consumers with all types of disabilities understand, experience, and implement assistive technology in their everyday lives. Fred and his staff work with employers and school districts to help make classrooms, curricula and work sites accessible. His formal training is in product design and rehabilitation engineering technology. With a great interest in coalitions, he has kept active with such groups as RESNA (the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America), NJ CART (New Jersey Coalition for the Advancement of Rehabilitation Technology), and NJ CIE (New Jersey Coalition for Inclusive Education). Currently, Fred serves on New Jersey's State Special Education Advisory Council (NJSSEAC), and RESNA's Professional Standards Board, which provides oversight of the Assistive Technology Professional, or ATP credential.
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