Podcasts about braillenote

In this feedback-packed episode of Double Tap, Steven and Shaun open the inbox to highlight powerful listener stories and opinions that spark some of their most honest and passionate reactions yet. From questions about pursuing a cybersecurity career as a blind person to whether “blind” or “visually impaired” should be the default term — the discussion gets real, raw, and at times hilariously offbeat.Steven shares his own personal journey of proving doubters wrong in the media world, sparking an empowering message about determination in the face of discrimination. There's also strong commentary on digital accessibility, the blurred lines of language policing, and the impact of AI smart glasses from Meta and Google. Plus, listeners chime in on VoiceOver vs TalkBack, the future of Braille, disability benefits, and even a shocking tale about prosthetic eyes during a PIP assessment. It's an unfiltered, energizing episode that reminds us why your voices matter.

Jerry shares his experience through decades of participating in positive change and mending his San Francisco community through the Vietnam War, saving housing from the clear cutting of the landscape to remodeling an Edwardian house, and being on the front row of watching technology grow and shift through time. He now mentors people through art and woodworking, and his walking tour business called Jose Can You See. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/stories-of-vision-loss--5626029/support.

You don’t have to have been in the blindness community very long to have come across HumanWare and their two flagship brands: Victor Reader and BrailleNote. Indeed, on the second episode of this podcast, we talked extensively about the BrailleNote Touch, which has since been succeeded by the BrailleNote Touch Plus. BrailleNote is not the ... Read more

I was quite young at the time this video was done. I was also using a different BrailleNote than I do today. No hate comments please, just enjoy the episode. It's nicely chapter marked for those of you that like chapter marks. Enjoy!

I uploaded this earlier, but this version just contains some minor edits. I edited it with GoldWave. I believe the original recording of this, which is already posted, was done with my BrailleNote.

qualche mese fa Maria ha tirato fuori dal suo magico cilindro questo fantastico tablet. Si tratta di un prodotto innovativo, raro nel suo genere. Si ha a disposizione un tablet marchiato Android, affiancato ad una riga braille a 32 celle. Chi vorrà saperne di più potrà ascoltare con attenzione il podcast di Maria!

Narrator: Jonathan Mosen

Thank you Nolan for your listener feedback!

Learning Ally's College Success Program podcast - College Knowledge - has officially launched! Being a college student with a visual impairment can be challenging but connecting to the College Success Program can help you make the most of this experience and succeed in reaching your goals. Join our mentors and cohosts, Bryan Duarte, Rachel Grider and Rashad Jones as they explore the academic, the professional, and the personal aspects of College Knowledge. If you are a college student who is blind or who has low vision, or you are curious about the world of college and visual impairment, this show is for you! Episode 1: Welcome to the College Success Program! In this inaugural episode of College Knowledge, our hosts interview two members of Learning Ally's College Success Program staff. Learn more about the program's history and origins, as well as about the program's hopes for the future. Click here for Episode 1: Welcome to the College Success Program! Podcast Link Learn more about the College Success Program and sign up at learningally.org/CollegeSuccess.   Episode 1: Welcome to the College Success Program! Transcript Rachel Grider: Welcome to College Knowledge. Learning Ally's podcast for college students who are blind or visually impaired. We will being with episode 1 - A very brief history of college success at Learning Ally. In this episode we will introduce you to some of the program staff and explain briefly what the program is about. Here to help unearth this history is my co-host, Rashad Jones.  Rashad Jones: Thanks Rachel. But before we get to that, I think we should probably tell our listeners why we're here in the first place. So, what got you interested in the program? Rachel Grider: Well Rashad, I have been blind all my life. I have always had a passion for music and I earned Bachelor's degrees in vocal performance and composition and Master's degree in voice performance and music theory pedagogy. After I graduated in 2013, I moved back to California to teach. I am currently teaching voice at an Arts Academy and choir at a local high school, as well as performing freelance. I began working as a CSP mentor in 2017  and I have really enjoyed it. I have learned a great deal from my colleagues and students and I really value the many discussions I have had with them. This program is such a great resource and I wish that it had been available to me when I was in school. So, how about you Rashad? Rashad Jones: Well thanks Rachel. I'm Rashad Jones and I'm excited to be one of the hosts in College Knowledge, I really am. I have retinopathy of prematurity so that's what caused my visual impairment. So it's something I have dealt with all my life. I work at a local center, independent living, here in my hometown called Access to Independence. There, I help students of all ages focus on goals and developing their futures. I've worked for Learning Ally since 2016, and my students and I teach one another on a regular basis. You know, I was struggling in college, a music education major - so we've got some similarities there. But I was trying to figure it all out, often times on my own. So I really know what it's like to feel like you're the only blind college student around anywhere. I know what it's like to know that you have potential but not really know how to unlock that potential. I'm excited to share some tips and tricks that will hopefully make your journey a little bit better and more fulfilling.  Rachel Grider: Well, enough about us. Let's hear from our guests. Do you have our first guest Rashad? Rashad Jones: Yeah, I sure do. Our first guest is Kristen Witucki, our curriculum and content editor who has been part of Learning Ally since 1993, part of its staff since off and on since 2005 and part of the program since 2014. Blind since birth, Kristen wears many hats in her life. In the CSP, College Success Program, she's in charge of hunting down engaging content for you, the students. Outside of the program, she is an author, a teacher, and the mother of 3 children. So, welcome Kristen to College Knowledge. Kristen Witucki: Thanks Rashad and Rachel for having me. Rashad Jones: Alright so let's get started. I got us a few questions to ask you. So, how did you become interested in the program? Kristen Witucki: Well, I've been in college a long time, probably longer than most people recommend. So, my Bachelor's degree is in music and I have Master's degrees in Gifted Education, Creative Writing, and teaching students who are blind and visually impaired. Along the way, I've had a lot of great experiences in higher education and some that weren't so good. So I think of myself primarily as an introvert for instance, but I had to learn to be really outgoing and to advocate any second to make sure that I can participate fully in my college experience. And a lot of students who are blind and visually impaired, if they're lucky, have to transition from having a lot of support in the K-12 setting such as aids and TVI's, and O&M,  to having much, much, less support in a college setting. And I really wanted to develop materials that addressed them directly as they go through that transition.  Rashad Jones: Okay, yeah that makes a lot of sense. Really providing that support is something that I feel very strongly about so I'm glad that we have you to head that up. So could you please tell us how the program got started?  Kristen Witucki: Learning Ally contracted with a research firm called Conifer and the firm wanted to find out what students who are blind or visually impaired really needed and I think Learning Ally was expecting to get some recommendations about books because as many people know, we are at least, first and foremost. As many people know, we are an audio book library, so Learning Ally was hoping to gather some information on how to make the books better, but they were also open to basically anything that came out of the research and Conifer followed a group of fifteen students through their semesters at college, and spent time with them inside and outside of their classes and talked with them and people who worked closely with them. And based on all of that data, they came up with four key insights that really drove our program. The first insight was that students really needed to be at the center of their learning from day one, when they started school. So they had to be aware of all of the people in their networks, who were there for them, but also how to actually utilize those relationships right away, and if they didn't, they were already behind. People in their networks included professors, disabilities offices, people the offices contracted with to help with reading or note-taking, just to name a few of those relationships and there are several more. And that's way more than a typical student would have to deal with so the VDI student really comes in having to work with those relationships right away. And if they weren't, if they weren't proactive with them then they were falling behind. The second insight was that the classroom was really at the center of people's learning experiences. If you didn't show up to class, you missed a whole lot of information, even if you were trying to catch up with the notes. And if you were in class, and you had a professor who wasn't working very well, who was talking in visual language saying this and over there and as you can see from the picture I've drawn on the board, that student was again already very much behind. The third insight was that students really needed to use technology efficiently, which many of them could, because we are in a digital age but they were not applying it very well in a college setting. So you can't really write a paper on your iPhone for instance - just doesn't work. And then the final insight was that students were often isolated from campus activities, whether it was because things were posted on signs, or they didn't know how to get to the meeting or the dining hall or wherever or they just felt self-conscious about putting themselves out there. A lot of students ended up being isolated. Another thing that led to social isolation was that some of the students in the study were taking courses online. They were doing this for financial and logistical reasons, but one drawback to that was that they felt really disconnected from their peers. So basically, we took all of that information and we designed a program that we hope addresses some of those concerns and others that came up along the way.  Rashad Jones: Okay, alright, got you. Sounds like a lot went into developing the program and a lot of care was taken so it could be the best it could be. So, could you just describe the primary components of the program? What is the program really made up of? Kristen Witucki: The first component of the program is the one I think is the most popular, and it's certainly the one that students engage with the most deeply and that is mentorship. So, students meet with mentors who are blind or visually impaired and often the mentors share their interests, their broad field of study, or their visual impairment or their technology. There's something that they have in common. And the mentors are people who have successfully navigated their undergraduate experience, so they're in grad school or they're working or both, and can really relate to where the students are and can help them to make sure they don't have the terrible experiences that we saw in our research. The second component of the program is the one that I primarily work with, and that is a curriculum of resources. So we have several courses that students can access on their own time about a number of challenges that come up when you are blind or visually impaired and you're in college. The original five courses came directly from our research. So, they are communicating with professors, discovering technology, learning effectively, making social connections and partnering with your disabilities office. They're all pretty self-explanatory and we will delve into them in future episodes. And then the courses we came up with since the program started after those first five were launched, were basically based on mentor feedback, so, for instance, we are very lucky to have a travel and O&M course written primarily by an O&M instructor with help from mentors, and we have a course about living on your own for the first time, we have one about career exploration, one about low vision. So there's a lot of dynamic content in the curriculum that is always changing and growing so we're really happy about that.  Rashad Jones: Yeah, as one of the mentors, one of the things we have to do is go through every so often test the curriculum out so to speak and I have noticed that over the years that I've been working with Learning Ally and the College Success Program, it's gotten better and better every time so, I think it it's something hopefully that is useful to the students.     Kristen Witucki: And the final component is community and that takes many different forms, from our Facebook pages, that everybody can see, to our Facebook group for members to a weekly meetup event that basically allows students who are in the program to chat informally with mentors. One of the exciting developments from the meetups is that these are events that really encourage all students to join and some of the students who are already working with mentors are joining. But a lot of new students come on and they just wanna check out what the program's about and stay for a few minutes and then they end up signing up for a mentor and I think that's a really cool development.  Rashad Jones: Yeah, okay. That's really cool. So moving right along here, I've got another just a few questions for you. You've been so generous, might as well as keep you talking. So, what is your job like on a day to day basis?  Kristen Witucki: Well, I work primarily from my home office, which is in Highland Park in my house, about half an hour from Learning Ally's headquarters in Princeton. I'm close enough so that I can go into the office when I'm needed and when I don't go in, I meet with colleagues through Zoom, which is an accessible meeting software platform. And then to complete my work, which is a lot of writing and editing, I use either a computer running JAWS for Windows, or I use a BrailleNote. I work really closely with our marketing and social engagement manager who you'll meet in a few minutes, the mentor coordinator who you'll meet in the next episode, our program director and some program staff. So just to give you an idea of some of the random things I end up doing, for instance, I'll write a letter about an event and the engagement manager will edit it and then prepare it for distribution or she'll write something and I'll check it. I work really closely with the mentor coordinator to interview mentors and train them. I offer support to a group of them. I communicate with program stakeholders like funders and the advisory panel, which is a group of experts who helps to influence the shape of our curriculum. Often in the summer, if I can, I supervise an intern or two, and finally, most importantly, I sometimes write but I usually just facilitate course topics or blog content. Usually I feel like just my experience is not really enough to have a robust curriculum so I get a lot of input from our mentors or other experts in the field, or blind students I know and that's what gives the curriculum its dynamic voice I think. Rashad Jones: Yeah, for sure. Like I said earlier, you've done an incredible and continue to do an incredible amount with the program. You're awfully busy, do you ever have time to breathe? Do you ever?  Kristen Witucki: Yes, yes! But only because breathing is an involuntary activity. Rashad Jones: That's the only way you could fit it in I think, yes! So, just as we are wrapping up this interview, what projects or new changes are you looking forward to in the future for the program?  Kristen Witucki: Well, we're hoping to expand some elements of the program, to high school students, so that they can learn some of these skills before they get to college and don't have time to look at the curriculum. We want them to actually know how to communicate with their professors before they ever have to do it. But we're not quite sure what that's going to look like just yet. We're still gathering data through surveys and through focus groups to try and figure that out.  Rashad Jones: Yeah. I think that's going to be a really, really cool piece that we implement if we're able to do it because you know, with most things, the earlier you start on something, the more familiar and comfortable you are with it, and it just makes the whole process go that much more smoothly. So that's something that I personally am looking forward to. All right. So, moving along again, what is one piece of advice that you would give to a student on this journey? Kristen Witucki: Well, it can be scary and overwhelming at times, but try to delve into a few different interests. So if there's more than one hobby that you're interested in, maybe try to explore it. Um, if you can, while you have these four or so years to do it, because you never know where your job life will take you and having a few different areas of knowledge that you love will make it a lot more interesting and your adult career a lot more satisfying, I think.  Rashad Jones: Yeah. Okay. So it sounds like you're saying just, don't be afraid to get out there and see what all you can do between all your studies.  Kristen Witucki: Yeah, exactly. Rashad Jones: Okay. All right. Well, Kristen, really thank you so much for coming in and sharing all that you do and everything that you've contributed to our program. And we really appreciate you taking the time to stop by this evening.  Kristen Witucki: Thanks Rashad. Rashad Jones: No problem. Thank you. Well, unlike our last guest, our next guest is relatively new to the program, but she's already brought a social energy and we're really noticing that students are engaged more and we're happy about that. So Katie Ottaggio lives in Pennsylvania, has a passion for marketing and is a mother of two. So welcome Katie to College Knowledge. Thank you so much for joining us. Katie Ottaggio: Thanks for having me. Rashad Jones: Alright. Well, I've got a few questions for you. How did you become interested in college success and in blindness and visual impairment in general? Katie Ottaggio: Yeah, so I definitely have a different story than everybody else on the podcast. I'm new to this. This is new to me. I'm not new to school programs to education college programs, but I'm new to the blind and visually impaired community. So, that's one aspect of it that is very interesting to me. It's always an interesting for all of us to learn about something new. So I'm really enjoying that piece of it. But I come to Learning Ally, I'm really new. I started back in October. So I've only been here for a few months and I've worked though before that in a lot of education programs, everything from health and wellness programs, school feeding programs, STEM competitions, financial literacy and education, just a wide variety of things. And, when I learned about this position, which is a engagement marketing type position, it really was attractive to me. And I thought that it would be a great opportunity to continue working on education programs, but in a new capacity. So that's how I kind of landed here! Rashad Jones: Okay. Well that sounds wonderful. We are, again, certainly just thrilled to have your spirit and vitality in that side of what we do. So, you know, welcome aboard! Katie Ottaggio: Thanks! Rashad Jones: So what is your role in the program speaking of which? Katie Ottaggio: So technically my title is CSP engagement operations manager. So that's a long way of saying that I pretty much market and engage the program. So there's kind of two aspects to what I do. I bring about brand awareness to the program. I put out things like social media and emails and really just try to get the name out there. So people are aware that there's this great resource out there available to them. And then from there, once people are signed up, I do a lot of work to get them more engaged in the program, to be using it, to be aware of any new things that we may have coming out. All the things that you would expect to hear once you've already joined a program. So that's kind of the two sides of what I do. I work with Kristin, who you just heard from before. We worked together a lot and she mentioned, writing emails and stuff and in social things. And that's where I come in and I work with other members of the team and across Learning Ally and really, my focus is just on making sure that this program is put out there into the world and people are aware of it. And then once they know about it, that they're using it. Rashad Jones: Okay. So that kind of includes your day to day kinda hit on, on what I was going to ask you about next, but that's kind of your day to day just coming up with posts and things like that to market us, or is that part of what you do? Katie Ottaggio: Yeah! It's anything that falls under a marketing bucket. That can be social media, that can be emails that can be if Learning Ally decides to go to a conference and exhibit or to a workshop or put on a webinar or things like this podcast, it's creating, taking all that content, kind of creating it, putting some words around it and then getting it out there through, however (and) whatever means make the most sense for us to do that. So that's kinda what it all boils down to.  Rashad Jones: Okay. All right. Sounds really good. So we're wrapping up this interview, but I did have a few more questions for you. So what projects are you looking forward to in the future? I know you're just now getting here, just a couple of months ago, a few months ago, but what do you think is on the horizon for us?  Katie Ottaggio: I, you know, like you said, I haven't been here long, so I'm still learning a lot. But I'm really looking forward to unearthing some of the great success stories of our mentors, of our students, of people involved in the program and really getting those out there. I think it's a really cool thing to be able to see yourself in somebody else's experience. And I think there's a lot of students out there who could really benefit from hearing what other people, other students like them are going through or dealing with. So I'm really excited to get that stuff out there because I think there's a lot there.  Rashad Jones: All right. Sounds so exciting. And then, what piece of advice would you give to anyone who's either interested in the program or studying and need a little bit of help. What would you say?  Katie Ottaggio: Oh! I thought about this question a lot and what I would say, and because there's so many pieces of advice that you can give and you hear how many graduation speeches and they tell you all these cliche things, but I really distilled it down to one thing - kinda of like what I tell my kids when they're trying vegetables for the first time, try everything once and then try it one more time. Do the same thing with your classes or with getting out there and meeting people or having conversations. Try it and then try it again. Hopefully it'll work out. It will work out! Rashad Jones: Okay. Yeah. Yeah. So it's not just a one and done, you advocate going the extra mile and try it one more time just to make sure you don't like it. Katie Ottaggio: Exactly.  Rashad Jones: And then see how, how it all shapes out from there. Okay, gotcha. That sounds like a great piece of advice for all of us. Thank you so much, Katie, for coming on and sharing with us. It's been a pleasure having you on. Katie Ottaggio: Thank you, you're welcome.  Rachel Grider: Thank you, Rashad for those great interviews. What's next on the podcast? Rashad Jones: All right, well next we'll be talking to the boss. No, actually next time we'll be talking to our mentorship coordinator. She's kind of like the matchmaker of the program. She matches up the mentors and the mentees and makes sure everybody is happy with one another. That's kind of what she does. Then we'll talk with some students and some other mentors about the program and their outlook on things.  Rachel Grider: Excellent. So join us next time for episode two - Mentorship or How not to Reinvent the Wheel. And please leave us a review on iTunes and tell your friends we're beginning this exciting new venture.  Rashad Jones: Before we go, we just like to take the time to thank the Learning Ally staff for supporting the launch of College Knowledge. All of our funders and stakeholders, our programming director who is Mary Alexander. The script was written by Kristen Witucki who we heard from earlier. The show's audio engineer is Abigail Shaw and our social media distributor is Katie Ottaggio. So thank you goes out to all of you guys for helping us put this on.

If you've moved some days into the future, this is just a quick and easy way to move back to today.

The beginning of 2019 found Humanware launching the newest member of the Braille Note family in the form of the upgraded Braille Note Touch Plus. Joe caught up with Andrew Flatres, Braille Product Manager, on the NFB Exhibit Hall floor to talk about customer feedback and how that was impacting the upcoming firmware update for the new notetaker. The duo also discuss a few features rolling out for Braille Displays, deciding which product might fit someone best and how both are avoiding the Las Vegas Casinos. As noted in the interview, there was some additional news coming from the Victor Reader Trek talks held later that day. Here is Robert Panetta , Product Manager for the Victor Readers, who sent along this information via email to us. "Much of the focus this year has been on the navigation component of the VR Trek. Earlier in the year we introduced an update that reduces the time it takes the Trek to lock onto a satellite signal to a matter of seconds. The next piece we have upcoming on the Trek, and we're very excited about, is an updated navigation engine due out by the end of the year. Users can expect more accurate addresses, richer points of interest, and a better overall navigation performance. We'll also try to bring in a number of other feature requests people have made, but still too early to comment on those changes yet." To learn more about the Victor Reader Trek, the Braille Note Touch Plus and so much more, visit the Humanware website

Braillenote Touch ist ein Tablet mit integrierter Braillezeile. Humanware erklärt, was sich in der Plus-Version geändert hat. Ein aktuelles Android-Betriebssystem und ein schnellerer Prozessor sind nur zwei Punkte.

DieFirma HumanWare bringt ihren Braille-Tablet up to date und stellt das kompakte Lesegerät Reveal vor.

Meet Kristen Steele: Advocate, Massage Therapist, Aira Explorer and Braille Enthusiast #NFB18   Kristen Steele is a Massage Therapist, an Aira Explorer and an advocate who believes in fighting for what she wants and making sure others benefit as well in the long run. Her experiences are readily available as she shares her journey through gaining employment, advocating for accommodations and giving us a glimpse into the accessible tools she employs on a daily basis.   Kristen is an Aira Explorer and has utilized the Aira service in the job application process and as a daily tool to gain instant access to information when she needs it. She also fought the education system when she insisted on taking her test with Braille instead of the choice the school offered. She stuck it out and with the help of the NFB and encouragement from others, Kristen has opened the doors for others that will come behind her. She realizes that advocacy is not just for the self and that the time is well spent when the changes one is making will impact the future for others.   Join Kristen Steele as she talks about her journey, her job and the challenges she has overcome. From school to the workplace, from legal battles to success, Kristen hopes all of you can learn from her experiences and her successes.   If you have any questions for Kristen, you can contact her by email.   If you want to know more about Aira and the services they provide, check them out on the web and become an Aira Explorer today! www.Aira.io [caption id="attachment_2435" align="aligncenter" width="200"]Image of the Aira Logo[/caption] Your Life, Your Schedule, Right Now. Using augmented reality, Aira connects people who are blind or low vision to a trained professional agent who is dedicated to further enhancing their everyday experience – completely hands-free assistance at the touch of a button.   You can learn more about the National Federation of the Blind on the web at www.NFB.org   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. Get the Free blind Abilities App on the Google Play Store   Full Transcript: Meet Kristen Steele: Advocate, Massage Therapist, Aira Explorer and Braille Enthusiast #NFB18     Christen Steele: So, I had a resume that I had done a few months back, but it wasn't as up-to-date as I would like it and I wanted to find a way that I could have it formatted and centered with all the headings in bold. I decided to use Aira, which is a service that will be a visual interpreter. Jeff Thompson: Meet Christen Steele, massage therapist, Aira explorer, advocate for the blind.   Christen Steele: And I talked to Mark Riccobono, who is the current president of the National Federation of the Blind. We were on the phone for about an hour one morning and he really turned me and told me to wait. He said, "It's not just for you, it's for other people." There's so many things that are best to look at in braille. Your bank statements. I just wouldn't have the peace of mind, the confidence, going around this hotel this week. The room numbers, it's accessible if you know braille. Jeff Thompson: Christen talks about the accessible tools that she used to succeed on the job.   Christen Steele: There's pictures and I type it in to my Braille Note and then I disconnect with the agent and go grab the client. Jeff Thompson: And how she built relationships with her instructors to receive the best accommodations possible.   Christen Steele: So, he was already thinking of ways to type up picture descriptions of the muscles or have me feel a skeleton hands-on. Jeff Thompson: You can find more podcasts with the blindness perspective on the web at www.BlindAbilities.com, on Twitter at Blind Abilities, and download the free Blind Abilities app from the App Store and the Google Play Store. That's two words, Bling Abilities. You can also follow Job Insights, where we talk about the challenges and the successes of transitioning from high school to college to the work place and you can find Job Insights on the Blind Abilities network, www.BlindAbilities.com and on Twitter at Job Insights VIP.   Christen Steele: And he was asking me what format to convert his Power Points into and I left that day and I'm like, "He just got it." Jeff Thompson: And now let's meet Christen Steele. Jeff Thompson: Welcome to Blind Abilities. I'm Jeff Thompson. Today with National Federation of the Blind Convention in Orlando, Florida 2018, and we are talking to Christen Steele. Christen, how are you doing?   Christen Steele: Good. How are you? Jeff Thompson: I'm doing good. Christen, why don't you tell our listeners a little about yourself.   Christen Steele: Okay. Thanks, Jeff, for the invitation to be on this podcast. My name is Christen Steele and I'm a licensed massage therapist. I currently work at Synergy Advanced Massage Therapy in Ralston, Nebraska. I started there in May of 2018. So, it took me a little while to find what I would consider more of a perfect job. The kind you are looking for that you intend to stay for a couple of years or maybe 10 years down the road and it adds a few extra barriers when you live with a visual impairment when you go through the application process, the interview, the decision of acceptance. So, I just wanted to share my story to maybe give other bling listeners an idea of how the process works and to connect with others who have been in the same circumstances. Jeff Thompson: So, Christen, when your job research start?   Christen Steele: I was working at a couple of massage places, a physical therapy clinic was one in Council Bluffs, and it was okay, but I wasn't very happy with the hours they were giving me and the pay, so I kept looking on Indeed, which is a job sharing website. I was just glancing around for any openings in the area and one day when I wasn't looking, I was just scrolling through my Facebook feed in the morning, I saw a post on this group, Massage Professionals Omaha, it was someone from Synergy looking for another therapist to join their team. Jeff Thompson: And so you went on about that. How did you work your application?   Christen Steele: Well, the interview ad for the job application requested a resume. So, I had a resume that I had done a few months back, but it wasn't as up-to-date as I would like it and I wanted to find a way that I could have it formatted and centered with all the headings in bold so that they wouldn't know I'm blind until I come in to the interview and I can be judged equally. I had decided to use Aira, which is a service that will be a visual interpreter for the blind. They call themselves the description of life and as a monthly plan, when you're an Aira explorer, you pay a straight fee once a month for the number of minutes you receive with an agent and they will do anything for you from navigating to reading mail to formatting documents.   Christen Steele: So I sent an agent who picked up my resume by email and told them how I'd like to format it and it took her about 20 minutes and she was very thorough asking me everything from, "What would you like bolded?" or, "Would you like it on two pages?" "How do you want your references listed?" And by the time I was finished I was confident that I had a perfect resume. So I sent it off at about 11:00 a.m. in the morning and by 12:00, an hour later, I received a callback. Jeff Thompson: Congratulations.   Christen Steele: Thank you. I was shocked. I looked at the number and it looked like the one that was on the bottom of their job ad. Like, "They can't have received it already." But I went ahead and took the call and they wanted to schedule an interview with me. Jeff Thompson: Was that by phone, by in person?   Christen Steele: They scheduled the interview over the phone. They wanted to meet in person and they asked if I could come. The next available time slot was a couple of days later and they said they were in search of someone rather quickly because it was a busy clinic. Jeff Thompson: Disclosure, obviously, when you would go your guide dog spelled it out right to them when you arrived and all that. Were you apprehensive? Were you ... Any anxiety or anything? I suppose, it's a job interview too.   Christen Steele: Yeah, anxiety comes anyway. But I had met the owner several months back. I took a CEU on hot and cold stone therapy, so she had met me a couple of days for a short class, but I didn't know if she remembered me and by the sound of that phone call I didn't think she did, so I figured I would just go in. And the day of the interview happened to be the day after my guide dog had surgery, so I was even more nervous because I had to take my cane, which I hadn't used in a few months, and find this suite number inside a building and then find a place to sit down and not be awkward about it so she wouldn't know I hadn't used it in a while. But I entered the suite, found it after asking a couple of people and she automatically said, "Oh, where's Corvette today?" So, she remembered and I think that just lessened it a little bit, making me feel like she knew me and it was okay because she was willing to consider me anyway.   Christen Steele: But normally, disclosure's kind of a large issue for going into an interview blind because there's this whole debate. Do you disclose on the phone if it's a phone interview? Do you disclose in person when you meet them? I typically do it in person because I always think that if you have the chance to get an interview, why not let them judge you equally and consider your qualifications and then decide, once they meet you after you can, in a sense, prove yourself and demonstrate your skills and what technology we use to make it accessible. Jeff Thompson: Plus that gives you a great opportunity to put them at ease if they have any questions that come up at the time.   Christen Steele: Exactly. And then you can show them how I do things in braille. And one of the things I showed her during the interview, she was asking, how will you take a client back and do the intake, and we're all independent contractors, so she said no one's going to be here all day every day. And I pulled out Aira, which has a phone and then a set of glasses that connects via Bluetooth to a hotspot and called an agent just to demonstrate during the interview process what that would be like. And at first she was very concerned about HIPPA and privacy. How will these clients not have their information placed all over on the internet? And she didn't realize the quality of the company.   Christen Steele: I think in her mind she thought it was some volunteer driving down the road looking at this out the corner of their eye, but once I emailed Amy Bernal, the Vice President of Customer Experience at Aira, she's excellent and I've worked with her a lot in the past, she sent me a PDF of their confidentiality contract and the background checks that the agents go through and that really put the employer at ease. Jeff Thompson: Well, that's really great that Aira would do that to help support your initiative for working.   Christen Steele: They're awesome about supporting and they even offered to get on a conference call with my employer to describe their agents and describe some of their qualifications, but after I sent that PDF it wasn't really necessary and I still use them for reading forms to this day. Jeff Thompson: Can you describe what it's like to put on the glasses and all of a sudden have instant access to information?   Christen Steele: So, it's pretty quick and instant. What happens when I'm getting ready for a client, say I have a massage at 4:00 p.m., about five minutes til, I kind of wait til they walk in, grab the intake form and hand it to them and I go back in the room and just check to make sure everything's on and ready and then connect to an agent. So, you wear a pair of glasses and they're updating these right now, but the current version I have has a camera on the right side of your right lens and then that connects to a MiFi hotspot from Verizon and then you manage the app through your iPhone.   Christen Steele: So, I call an agent from the glass and they can basically see, I would say, from 45 degrees to your left and 45 degrees to your right and then a straight on view. If you have something like a printed paper with handwriting where people write on the lines, think when you go to the doctor, you're filling out this form with your personal information, your medications, and all of your health records, they take a picture of that and then I flip it over, they take a picture of the other side and it's immediately, I would say, within about 30 seconds, they're reading off both those pictures and I type it into my Braille Note and they I disconnect with the agent and go grab the client.   Christen Steele: And it's so freeing to think about in a profession where we have so many visual aspects such as knowing if the client is there, where are they sitting, and where were the intake forms placed by the last massage therapist and what they all say in handwriting. It's amazing to think that technology these days can make that all streamlined and accessible. Jeff Thompson: Well, that's great. Hey, are there any other accessibility tools or alternative techniques that you use on the job?   Christen Steele: I use, there's an app called Seeing AI and there's another one that I also like called Envision AI, it's a little better, but it's paid. But Seeing AI will tell me things like if the table warmer is on or they can read a bottle of oil and it's really not a live person, it's artificial intelligence, so you can hold your phone over a piece of paper and as long as it's not handwritten, they're not the best with that, but if it's print or if it's a digital display like a table warmer, it will read off instantly what is on that display and give me access to anything such as currency for checking a tip before someone walks out the door and then it will read things like the microwave sometimes or if I have gel or lotion. So, it's just some simple things that make it worth it to have apps on hand and your phone in your pocket. Jeff Thompson: That's great. So, let's go back a little bit. Coming out of high school and transitioning into getting your certification, what was that process like for you?   Christen Steele: I graduated high school mid-term, so I had enough credits and they decided with my AIP team that since my grade-point average was where I wanted it, 4.0, I graduated mid-term and then starting in the fall of 2015, I had plans to go to University of Nebraska at Omaha. I wanted to originally pursue education. I was thinking of becoming a middle school English teacher, and I did a semester of coursework there. One of my assignments for a public speaking class, which really turned my thought process and my career path, was a speech where you had to interview someone from the career field you're entering.   Christen Steele: So I did a lot of research and I was determined to find a blind teacher, there aren't many, and I found a blind English teach in Indiana. She actually won teacher of the year. Her name is Kathy Nemmer and I interviewed her. She just talked about how it was accessible to a point, but she's in her 40s, I can't remember, somewhere like 48, and said that she spends most of her days on a computer whether it's lesson planning, grading, getting back to parents. She's not married. She doesn't have any real hobbies outside of work. And she estimated about 16 hours spent on the computer and in the classroom.   Christen Steele: I just thought back a little bit. I wanted more of a lifestyle and a balance between my life and my work. There's a point where you can accommodate and you can spend extra time reading braille because it takes about double the time, but do you want to spend 16 hours a day fighting for something? So, after I shifted my career path from teaching, I was trying to decide what I would be interested in as well as I wanted to be right in the front lines with people, helping others to do some kind of service for anyone in need of any maybe attention, help, some kind of comforting. I didn't know at the time. I was thinking possibly nursing, something in the medical field. My dad and my uncle are both pharmacists, so any kind of medical jobs always interest me.   Christen Steele: When I was little I would go back, even before I could walk, I would sit on the pharmacy counter and crawl over the back and be in the pharmacy and count pills. He had this little board that looked like a cutting board and you had a spatula, basically, that would move the pills off the board into this container on the side and then you would dump them in the pill bottle and my dad would put me to work. Even sometimes in the summers I'll still go there. But I just wanted something to where I would have a niche and possibly something that would be medically oriented or along the same field as some of my family members.   Christen Steele: I had a blind friend who is a licensed massage therapist. I started calling her and talking to her a little more. I even came to her house for a massage once and then I was looking into school. She recommended a couple in Omaha, but one stood out to me. It was Midwest School of Massage. I did a lot of research and spent late nights on the computer and Midwest School of Massage looked to be the most accommodating in part because it was taught by two instructors. One was the anatomy, physiology, and pathology instructor and one did more of the outer modalities like reflexology and hot stone.   Christen Steele: So I toured that school and it was just exceptional to walk in to a place where someone gets it. You go to some interviews and they ask questions where you can tell they're not understanding completely what it's like to be a braille reader or what it's like to not be able to look at the board during class. So, he was already thinking of ways to type up picture descriptions of the muscles or have me feel a skeleton hands-on and he was asking me what format to convert his Power Points into. And I left that day and I'm like, "He just got it."   Christen Steele: So I applied to Midwest School of Massage. It's about a year program and it's 200 clinical hours in addition to that curriculum. And it was the best educational experience I've had to this day. The instructor was off on Fridays and he came in several times just to give me one-on-one instruction. He always gave me his cell phone number and said, "If you're not understanding a concept or if you want me to re-explain a technique, just give me a call and we'll meet here on Friday." I've never had an instructor in my life do that. You're always tracking them down and trying to find when can we meet.   Christen Steele: But after I graduated with 4.0 in massage therapy, I took the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination called the MBLEx and that took a lot of advocacy. It had never been in braille before, so when I applied, the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards wanted me to take it with a human reader. I started thinking and stressing and getting all this anxiety about readers. I've had so many in college who cannot speak English well, do not know the terminology in the field. It's just not worth basing my score on other people's perceptions of the content or other people's human errors.   Christen Steele: So we did litigation against the Federation of State Massage Therapy Board. I had Disability Rights Iowa and Brown, Goldstein, and Levy working for me funded by the NFB and after about seven or eight months, we passed a settlement agreement and I was the first person to advocate for the MBLEx in braille and still, several people are trying to achieve the same settlement and I think they will. It's now possible for the first time ever to pass the exam in braille. And I give them all the credit for my score. I don't think I would have passed it with a reader. It was so long, four hours, a hundred questions, all multiple choice, and the questions were so similar that it's one of those things you have to look at it. Jeff Thompson: And you were able to do that independently.   Christen Steele: Yes. I took it on a Focus 40 with JAWS. I had a human reader there just in case something crashed or if it wasn't loading correctly, but it all worked out and I did request from the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards that the human reader be from a medical profession. She was an occupational therapist and she was very patient about double checking what I had clicked or telling me how many questions I had remaining and it honestly couldn't have gone any better if I tried. Jeff Thompson: That's awesome for you to use advocacy and to get what you wanted that you knew you could do best if you had it in braille format and what you're doing for everyone else that come into the field behind you.   Christen Steele: Yeah. I really struggled with the decision on waiting because I'd finished my clinical hours in February 2017 and at that point the litigation was still underway and we were deciding whether we wanted a hearing so we were kind of in the middle, wavering out the options and I was working with Ty Tomasse from Iowa. I had several phone calls with her and I asked her if it was her exam for law school would she wait. And I talked to Mark Riccobono, who is the current president of the National Federation of the Blind. We were on the phone for about an hour one morning and he really turned me and told me to wait. He said, "It's not just for you, it's for other people," and it was courageous that I was taking the time to wait for braille literacy who, anyone could benefit, any massage therapist 20 years down the road. So, it was a huge change, but I'm glad we waited and made it possible. Jeff Thompson: What advice would you have for someone who is debating between using books on tape or learning braille, because some people aren't encouraged and it's not their fault they didn't decide to do it. Sometimes TBI, sometimes other people who are supposed to be influencing their success in some way may not say that braille is the best choice if you can kind of see or something. So, what would you suggest to them?   Christen Steele: I've seen this question a lot. I'm in this Facebook group called Parents of Blind Children and so many parents who have these kids in their elementary or middle school years debate on this topic. But I would say it's definitely worth the time to learn braille and the best thing you can do to learn braille is continue reading it whether it's children's books or a novel or your favorite short story, just get something in front of you and the more you read it and practice and say the words after you've read it and just immerse yourself, the more you will increase your speed, increase your accuracy.   Christen Steele: And the main thing, I remember I told my mom I was glad I learned braille when I did. I received an email a couple of months back. It was someone wanting an editor and I think it was spam, I don't know how they got my email, but I had edited for a creative writing publication in the past so I opened it on my phone and just listened with voiceover. I'm like, "Oh, this sounds interesting." And I got my Braille Note out to look at it further and they spelled writing R-I-G-H-T-I-N-G. I'm like, "This is a scam." Delete. Delete. T-O-O they had tried to write, it was T-O. I'm like, "Okay, a voiceover user wouldn't know that." And you could be scammed.   Christen Steele: There's so many things that are best to look at in braille. Your bank statements. I just wouldn't have the peace of mind, the confidence. Going around this hotel this week, the room numbers, it's accessible if you know braille. Anything from labeling items around the house just at your fingertips. If you want to jot down a note, it's accuracy and it brings you a lot more independence. Jeff Thompson: Christen, what advice would you give to someone who is in high school and looking for their future in employment?   Christen Steele: Be creative, but be realistic. I know a couple of people, one of them is blind and he wants to be a sportscaster. It's his dream job, but maybe he will do it someday, maybe he won't, but in my mind I'm just thinking, he can't see the game himself, how is he going to broadcast and there's so many places that are going to wonder that when you interview. So, think realistically. It doesn't have to be just a career for blind people, but something to the point where you can find your calling that you're interested in whether it's the medical field, English, any kind of degree that you would go on, associates, bachelors, even higher if you wish, but think of something that will bring you excitement and pride and be happy at the end of the day, but then be realistic that you can make this successful. Jeff Thompson: That's great advice. Now, being a fluent braille user, what kind of tools in braille do you use?   Christen Steele: I mainly use a Braille Note Touch and that has a braille display and a keyboard, but it also has a screen that you can flip up, which is nice for some of the apps. But I loved having the apps in braille from Google Play, so I have my bank account on there, I have all my Word documents, which is equivalent to a sighted person with a spiral bound notebook. I even have Amazon Kindle, BARD, Braille Terminal. I can connect it to my iPhone. I do all my massage scheduling, I have my app for that on here. And I just try to read braille every day whether it's a recipe or reading a book for leisure. It's something I look forward to when I sit down and relax for the night. Jeff Thompson: And that's a Humanware product.   Christen Steele: Yeah, that's by Humanware and sometimes I'll connect it to my iPhone just to have either Facebook or some website that's not very accessible at my fingertips. Jeff Thompson: Oh, that's really neat. Christen, you mentioned earlier that you're a JAWS user so obviously you're using a PC.   Christen Steele: I have for certain exams. I don't really like screen readers to be honest and a lot of blind people swear by them, but I just like the accuracy and fluency of braille and it kind of drives me insane to listen to audio all day, so I do it if I have to and I know the basics of it, but if it was my choice I wouldn't do JAWS. Jeff Thompson: So, what kind of hobbies do you have?   Christen Steele: So, in my free time I enjoy swimming, I do a lot of tandem biking. We have an organization in Omaha called Outlook Nebraska and they do various activities for people with any kind of vision loss from bowling to bike rides even golf tournaments. I haven't tried that yet but I still want to. I like to do baking, shopping, any kind of reading. I go for a daily walk in the morning, that always wakes me up. But, yeah, even hanging out with friends and family. Jeff Thompson: Christen, is there anything else you would to say to the listeners? Christen Steele: I'd like to say to anyone out there just a little piece of advice. If you're thinking of advocating for something and you have a career path that you want to do or some college exam that's not currently accessible and you would like it to be in braille or you would like it be screen reader accessible, whatever method you prefer, go for it. Don't hold back because you're not only helping your grades and your life in the future, but you're doing it for all these other blind people. And when something doesn't work for one person or the MBLEx, for example, that I was taking, there's other people who have tried to take it and there will be other people 10 years down the road. So, you're not just alone, you're never alone. Fight for it and keep advocating. Jeff Thompson: Christen, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy convention time you've scheduled at the convention here and thanks for all that you're doing for Aira and everybody else that ... You did volunteer time, you're down there doing popcorn, you're all over the place here and I think you're making a great impact. So, thank you very much.   Christen Steele: Thank you for invite. It was my pleasure. Jeff Thompson: Coverage of the 2018 National Federation of the Blind Convention is sponsored by Aira. And you can find Aira on the web at A-I-R-A dot I-O. Follow them on Twitter at A-I-R-A I-O. And thank you Chee Chau for the beautiful music. Follow Chee Chau on Twitter at El Cheechau. I want to thank you for listening. We hope you enjoyed. 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.  

The CBT Team kicks off its new Braille Mail Show, with James and Nelson as your hosts. Keep sending us your emails and messages from social media and we will read or play your feedback on our show. You can contact us via email to cbt@coolblindtech.com or call our new toll free number at 1-855-330-2665 anytime night or day. From: Kevin Barry James, A while back, in one of the regular CBT podcasts, you recommended Google's new $160 wireless ear buds. I recall being surprised at your recommendation as at that time not only had that item not shipped but no reviewers had used it. Now that many reviews are indeed out, and they seem quite negative, I was wondering if you still recommend this item? Also, do you think it is a good idea to recommend something before you or anyone else has had a chance to use it? From: Brennen Kinch Hi I would like to get a Roku for Christmas but I am not sure which one would be the right one to get for Accessibility I listen to a podcast that was done on your site about a year ago that talked about Roku and its accessibility but a year has passed since the podcast was released so I guess what I am wondering is how has accessibility improved over the last year and what in your opinion would be the best model to get. From: Cruz Ramos Hello, my name is Cruz Ramos I have an account with you all guys but I forgot my username and password. I was also wondering if you except podcast from the public? I like doing podcasting. From: Erin Jepsen Do you know of a games-based SCREENREADER accessible software that teaches concepts like logic and programming skills? We have a windows PC, a Chromebook, a BrailleNote or an iPad with VoiceOver available to use. It needs to be basic and usable by a fourth grader. Please hit us with options!!! From: Scott Spaulding I need to replace my microphone for my podcast that I do from my iPhone. I use Spreaker, if that matters. Do you have any recommendations of units that aren't too expensive. I had an iRig mic cast previously. From: Syed Hussain Hi, This is Syed Hussain from India. I used VR head set recently. Thought I may share the experience here. How should I post here? Should I send it to you and get posted by you? From: Cuauhtli Padilla Arias Hi Cool blind tech! My name is Cuau, co-founder of Sunu. We developed a smart watch that enables the blind and visually impaired to better sense and navigate their surroundings. here you can learn more about it! http://igg.me/at/sunu-band/x/12767022 Thanks in advance for any support in our mission to empower to provide more independence to people with visual impairments. our Facebook is https://www.facebook.com/sunu.io From: Dave Ransley I enjoyed your last podcast, informative and professional. I am now a subscriber, keep them coming.

The CBT Team kicks off its new Braille Mail Show, with James and Nelson as your hosts. Keep sending us your emails and messages from social media and we will read or play your feedback on our show. You can contact us via email to cbt@coolblindtech.com or call our new toll free number at 1-855-330-2665 anytime night or day. From: Kevin Barry James, A while back, in one of the regular CBT podcasts, you recommended Google's new $160 wireless ear buds. I recall being surprised at your recommendation as at that time not only had that item not shipped but no reviewers had used it. Now that many reviews are indeed out, and they seem quite negative, I was wondering if you still recommend this item? Also, do you think it is a good idea to recommend something before you or anyone else has had a chance to use it? From: Brennen Kinch Hi I would like to get a Roku for Christmas but I am not sure which one would be the right one to get for Accessibility I listen to a podcast that was done on your site about a year ago that talked about Roku and its accessibility but a year has passed since the podcast was released so I guess what I am wondering is how has accessibility improved over the last year and what in your opinion would be the best model to get. From: Cruz Ramos Hello, my name is Cruz Ramos I have an account with you all guys but I forgot my username and password. I was also wondering if you except podcast from the public? I like doing podcasting. From: Erin Jepsen Do you know of a games-based SCREENREADER accessible software that teaches concepts like logic and programming skills? We have a windows PC, a Chromebook, a BrailleNote or an iPad with VoiceOver available to use. It needs to be basic and usable by a fourth grader. Please hit us with options!!! From: Scott Spaulding I need to replace my microphone for my podcast that I do from my iPhone. I use Spreaker, if that matters. Do you have any recommendations of units that aren't too expensive. I had an iRig mic cast previously. From: Syed Hussain Hi, This is Syed Hussain from India. I used VR head set recently. Thought I may share the experience here. How should I post here? Should I send it to you and get posted by you? From: Cuauhtli Padilla Arias Hi Cool blind tech! My name is Cuau, co-founder of Sunu. We developed a smart watch that enables the blind and visually impaired to better sense and navigate their surroundings. here you can learn more about it! http://igg.me/at/sunu-band/x/12767022 Thanks in advance for any support in our mission to empower to provide more independence to people with visual impairments. our Facebook is https://www.facebook.com/sunu.io From: Dave Ransley I enjoyed your last podcast, informative and professional. I am now a subscriber, keep them coming.

The CBT Team is back again with another Fanmail show? Keep sending us your emails and messages from social media and we will read or play your feedback on our show. You can contact us via email to cbt@coolblindtech.com or call our new toll free number at 1-855-330-2665 anytime night or day. From: Harry Brown Hi there, Just wanted to let you all know that cool blind tech is now on Alexa!!! Just enable the Anypod skill, then, just say, "Alexa, ask Anypod to play cool blind tech", and she will first, tell the listener what the show is about, then, play the podcast! From: Naomi Scott Hi, I heard your podcast on braille display/notetaker options and am wondering if any of you have any hands on experience with Blitab? There was talk of Blitab being commercially available and I think there is an ability to preorder, (though am not certain about that), and anyways I have been searching for stats and updates on the device and haven’t found anything recent. Their website doesn’t really make it clear as to which OS it runs, how exactly the braille cells operate and all the other information you would typically find on other products such as Braille Note or Braille Sense. I am interested in Blitab as opposed to the other options because apparently the user would have the ability to view an entire 15-or-so line page of braille at once, and the device is affordably priced. Even BrailleNote does not give the possibility of viewing an entire page before having to press the scroll button. I think a device where you could view an entire page at once similarly to how sighted people read on Kindle, is quite revolutionary. There may be braille displays out there with full page support (I don’t know), but this is the only device I have heard of that merges the capabilities of a tablet with the braille cell capacity of a full-page display, all in one device. and I am equally interested in the price as it apparently costs no more than a mobile phone, making it a much more available choice for people who do not have state/student programs to purchase the product. It could make braille tech access much more attainable in countries around the world that don’t have such widespread state sponsored support programs. I want to buy a braille device and am primarily interested in Blitab for its unique features. Does anyone at CBT have experience with the product? Any recent news as to its availability for order? What is it like to actually use the product? Does it have quality braille cells in terms of clarity? does anyone know the details of the stats for the device? Thanks! From: Michael Hello. Would it be possible for you to do a podcast discussing in greater depth the ElBraille note taker by Freedom scientific? I have not seen very many reviews of it online and I would like to learn more about it. From: David Keats Voice message

The CBT Team is back again with another Fanmail show? Keep sending us your emails and messages from social media and we will read or play your feedback on our show. You can contact us via email to cbt@coolblindtech.com or call our new toll free number at 1-855-330-2665 anytime night or day. From: Harry Brown Hi there, Just wanted to let you all know that cool blind tech is now on Alexa!!! Just enable the Anypod skill, then, just say, "Alexa, ask Anypod to play cool blind tech", and she will first, tell the listener what the show is about, then, play the podcast! From: Naomi Scott Hi, I heard your podcast on braille display/notetaker options and am wondering if any of you have any hands on experience with Blitab? There was talk of Blitab being commercially available and I think there is an ability to preorder, (though am not certain about that), and anyways I have been searching for stats and updates on the device and haven’t found anything recent. Their website doesn’t really make it clear as to which OS it runs, how exactly the braille cells operate and all the other information you would typically find on other products such as Braille Note or Braille Sense. I am interested in Blitab as opposed to the other options because apparently the user would have the ability to view an entire 15-or-so line page of braille at once, and the device is affordably priced. Even BrailleNote does not give the possibility of viewing an entire page before having to press the scroll button. I think a device where you could view an entire page at once similarly to how sighted people read on Kindle, is quite revolutionary. There may be braille displays out there with full page support (I don’t know), but this is the only device I have heard of that merges the capabilities of a tablet with the braille cell capacity of a full-page display, all in one device. and I am equally interested in the price as it apparently costs no more than a mobile phone, making it a much more available choice for people who do not have state/student programs to purchase the product. It could make braille tech access much more attainable in countries around the world that don’t have such widespread state sponsored support programs. I want to buy a braille device and am primarily interested in Blitab for its unique features. Does anyone at CBT have experience with the product? Any recent news as to its availability for order? What is it like to actually use the product? Does it have quality braille cells in terms of clarity? does anyone know the details of the stats for the device? Thanks! From: Michael Hello. Would it be possible for you to do a podcast discussing in greater depth the ElBraille note taker by Freedom scientific? I have not seen very many reviews of it online and I would like to learn more about it. From: David Keats Voice message

Greg Stilson, senior Product Manager at HumanWare, talks about the new Brailliant BI14 Braille display and how it is a perfect fit for the mobile iPhone user.  Greg talks about his Aira explorer experiences and gives us an overview of his nearly 11 years at HumanWare. Join Greg and Jeff Thompson of the Blind Abilities team and learn about the latest from HumanWare, their parent company, Greg’s virtual navigational journeys with Aira and what’s this about a Hammock? You can find out more about HumanWare products on the web. And read all about the Brailliant below   Quick Overview of the Brailliant BI14 •Rugged design built for the user on the go •Very light: 285 G 0.63 lbs. •Ergonomic traditional 8-dot braille input keys •Comfortable typing experience with a note taker style spacebar •14 high quality braille cells with unique touch sensor routers •HumanWare signature thumb keys •Built-in intelligence allows for increased productivity anywhere •Pair up to 5 Bluetooth devices at once Plus one USB connection •Brailliant Sync ensures notes taken on the BI14 are available everywhere! •15 - 20 hours of battery life •Size: 166x100x23 [mm] •Weight: 285 grams, 0.63 lbs   Smart things come in small packages  In today’s fast-paced world, vision-impaired professionals and students need a device that lets them stay connected and stay productive on the go. Our latest innovation? The smart and compact Brailliant BI14. Our smallest braille display yet, it’s designed for ultimate efficiency without sacrificing ergonomics or comfort. So you can stay on track anytime, anywhere.    Stay on track when you’re on the go  Designed to boost productivity whether you’re at the office or out and about, the Brailliant BI14 boasts cutting-edge intelligence and innovative features made with the mobile professional in mind. •Rugged design made for mobility •Stable connectivity across multiple devices •Small and light to fit easily into your jacket or bag •Compact design with maximum comfort—type easily for hours on the ergonomic braille keyboard •Features 14 high quality braille cells with cursor routers (the same used on both our Brailliant and BrailleNote devices) •Reduced wrist fatigue thanks to our signature thumb keys—pan and navigate the display without taking your fingers off the braille display •Navigation joystick that makes it easier than ever to use your paired Apple device—simply flick the joystick to mimic touchscreen swiping •Micro USB for charging and connection to PC •Up to 20 hours of battery life   Connect to your favorite devices in seconds From daily commutes to business trips, staying connected when you’re on the move is more important than ever. That’s why we’ve designed the Brailliant BI14 to pair instantly with iOS devices, so you never have to miss an email, deadline or conference call again.  You can connect your BI14 with up to five iOS devices at once with Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) pairing. Simply unlock your iPhone or laptop and VoiceOver will instantly notify your BI14, translating all of your data into braille in real time.  Your BI14 even comes with a USB connection so you can stay charged on the go and keep braille at your fingertips anytime, anywhere.   Stay in sync •The Brailliant BI14 internal notes app makes it easier than ever to take notes in your meetings—in contracted or uncontracted braille. •To sync your notes with your other devices, simply download the Brailliant Sync app from the Apple App Store and set up your email account. •Next time you pair your BI14 with another device, your notes will be automatically synchronized. •Access them in your iPhone Notes app or your Outlook Notes folder, along with any other device you have connected to your email account. •If you want to take notes on another device, just make sure you’re connected to your email account and they will be automatically synched with your BI14.   Internal intelligence  The Brailliant BI14 was designed to be as user friendly as it is intelligent. A simple switch on the back of the device lets you know whether you’re using the Brailliant’s internal applications or if you have the device set to control other paired devices such as your iOS device.  With or without a pairing to an iOS device, the BI14 makes it easier than ever to: •Take notes in a meeting or class with the internal notes application •Keep track of time thanks to the internal clock •Time how long tasks take with the stopwatch application •And much more.   Mobility made easy With its innovative and comprehensive family of braille display devices, HumanWare is changing the way people who are blind communicate, study and work. Now with the launch of the compact and affordable Brailliant BI14, you can experience cutting-edge braille technology that keeps you connected like never  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.

Der welterste Braille-Tablet von Humanware ist nun mit deutscher Sprachausgabe und Kurzschriftübersetzung erhältlich. Holger Ulrichson (A L U) führt das Gerät vor, das neben Kurzschrift auch in Braille eingegebene mathematische Formeln übersetzt und Google-Classroom-fähig ist. Auch ist Texterkennung durch den inzwischen integrierten KNFB-Reader möglich.

This podcast episode is sponsored by Blind Alive. - In this episode Chris and Kim discuss some cases they have from Executive Products Inc.  The cases are for The Book Sense, Victor Reader Stream New Generation, BrailleNote touch,

This podcast episode is sponsored by Blind Alive. In this episode Chris and Kim discuss some cases they have from Executive Products Inc.  The cases are for The Book Sense, Victor Reader Stream New Generation, BrailleNote touch, Braille Sense Onhand and finally the Trekker Breeze. Chris and Kim share some quick tips for navigating Windows, such as Windows-Tab, Windows-T and Windows-B.   They also remind us on phone etiquette when calling businesses.  Sometimes it is helpful to leave your email address as well as your number and a message for example.    

This podcast episode is sponsored by Blind Alive. In this episode Chris and Kim discuss some cases they have from Executive Products Inc.  The cases are for The Book Sense, Victor Reader Stream New Generation, BrailleNote touch, Braille Sense Onhand and finally the Trekker Breeze. Chris and Kim share some quick tips for navigating Windows, such as Windows-Tab, Windows-T and Windows-B.   They also remind us on phone etiquette when calling businesses.  Sometimes it is helpful to leave your email address as well as your number and a message for example.    

This podcast episode is sponsored by Blind Alive. In this episode Chris and Kim discuss some cases they have from Executive Products Inc.  The cases are for The Book Sense, Victor Reader Stream New Generation, BrailleNote touch, Braille Sense Onhand and finally the Trekker Breeze. Chris and Kim share some quick tips for navigating Windows, such as Windows-Tab, Windows-T and Windows-B.   They also remind us on phone etiquette when calling businesses.  Sometimes it is helpful to leave your email address as well as your number and a message for example.    

Interview bei Humanware, zum Google-zertifizierten Braille-Tablett und der Bedienoberfläche Keysoft.

Interview re the Humanware flagship, which now embraces touchscreen Braille input

In this episode of the Mystic Access Podcast, we are joined by Greg Stilson, Blindness Products Manager at Humanware.  Greg is excited to tell us about the new BrailleNote Touch.  This is the next generation BrailleNote tablet.  It has the familiarity of both Keysoft and mainstream Android applications.  Yes, you can install and use third party Android apps on the BrailleNote Touch. Greg explains all.  What makes the Touch so innovative?  Why would you want one if you already own an Android device and a braille display?  Find out during this comprehensive interview. Mystic Access also has a big surprise somewhere in this episode that we're very excited to share with you!

In this episode of the Mystic Access Podcast, we are joined by Greg Stilson, Blindness Products Manager at Humanware.  Greg is excited to tell us about the new BrailleNote Touch.  This is the next generation BrailleNote tablet.  It has the familiarity of

In this episode of the Mystic Access Podcast, we are joined by Greg Stilson, Blindness Products Manager at Humanware.  Greg is excited to tell us about the new BrailleNote Touch.  This is the next generation BrailleNote tablet.  It has the familiarity of both Keysoft and mainstream Android applications.  Yes, you can install and use third party Android apps on the BrailleNote Touch. Greg explains all.  What makes the Touch so innovative?  Why would you want one if you already own an Android device and a braille display?  Find out during this comprehensive interview. Mystic Access also has a big surprise somewhere in this episode that we're very excited to share with you!

In this episode of the Mystic Access Podcast, we are joined by Greg Stilson, Blindness Products Manager at Humanware.  Greg is excited to tell us about the new BrailleNote Touch.  This is the next generation BrailleNote tablet.  It has the familiarity of both Keysoft and mainstream Android applications.  Yes, you can install and use third party Android apps on the BrailleNote Touch. Greg explains all.  What makes the Touch so innovative?  Why would you want one if you already own an Android device and a braille display?  Find out during this comprehensive interview. Mystic Access also has a big surprise somewhere in this episode that we're very excited to share with you!

We bring you the most up-to-date information on iOS and BrailleNote new software releases here on Main Menu this week to keep you current and completely informed. MainMenu staff member David Woodbridge introduces us to the new features in the new iOS 7.1 release for your iDevice. And, Greg Stilson, Blindness Product Manager for Humanware, brings us three presentations about the new KeyMaps application in the new 9.4.1 upgrade for the BrailleNote Apex. We thank the fine folks at Humanware for allowing us to air these presentations on MainMenu. They are also available for download at the Humanware website. Keeping you up-to-date with the very latest news and information on technologies that enrich the lives of blind and visually impaired persons is our business here at MainMenu.

This week, Shane Davidson demonstrates the process to upgrade a Braille Note or Voice Note Apex to Keysoft 9.3. Shane also demonstrates some of the new features in this free upgrade to keysoft, including full .docx support. Patrick Perdue from the SeroTalk Podcast network at www.serotalk.com brings us an interview about the Project ray smartphone for the visually impaired from the ACB convention this year. Tim Cumings discusses the Audiotechnica BPHS-1 broadcast headset microphone, and Jamie Pauls from the SeroTalk Podcast Network speaks with a representative from Duxbury about some upcoming and exciting upgrades to the Duxbury Braille translation software. This show is full of info on all types of technology, so be sure to catch this program first on ACB Radio Mainstream!

In episode 34 of the Mystic Place Podcast I discuss and demonstrate the new way you pick map folders in Sendero GPS for the BrailleNote and Sense Navigation. The Braille Sense Onhand with Sense Navigation is the device used.

In episode 34 of the Mystic Place Podcast I discuss and demonstrate the new way you pick map folders in Sendero GPS for the BrailleNote and Sense Navigation. The Braille Sense Onhand with Sense Navigation is the device used.

This is the sound of Matthew Shifrin using his BrailleNote—a computer for the blind that pushes plastic nodes through tiny holes to display text in braille.

On this week’s edition of Main Menu: Greg Stilson of HumanWare gives us an in-depth tour of the newest generation of the BrailleNote family dubbed the Apex. Greg also tackles the question of why a blind person needs a dedicated notetaker instead of a mainstream product. Next, Ricky Enger of Serotek talks to us again about Accessible Event and she shares a special Serotek is offering on the use of the program until December 31. Next week we will visit with Ricky about iBlink Radio, Serotek's free application for the iPhone. Jamie Pauls and Ricky will compare notes on using touch screen devices running with Apple's VoiceOver and will talk briefly about Apple's commitment to accessibility. Main Menu airs on Saturdays at 1:00 UTC; that’s Fridays at 8:00 Eastern time in the U.S. Call the Main Menu comment line at (206) 338-7823. Messages may be played on the program and may be edited due to time constraints. Subscribe to the Main Menu podcast feed at: http://mainmenu.acbradio.org/rss.php