How I read books

As a blind person, I am unable to read books in the normal way.  That is, for the most part, I am unable to read a printed book.  So, how do I read books?  There are a few ways for me to deal with this and I'll give you some of the more used methods that I and others like me use.

 

1. I can listen to books on CDs and cassette.  Several books known as talking books have been put on to CDs and cassettes and we can use our CD or cassette players to do so. 

 

2. We can use the tedious method of scanning a book and then doing the following.
Download the scanned text to our computer and then use our screen reading software to read it.  This method is long and tedious and we may not always be able to scan it accurately.  We may often need sighted assistance to help us scan it accurately.

 

3. We can download books from the Internet to our computers and then use our screen reading software to read it or we may even download it to other devices that are equipped with speech software that can read the text to us.

 

Can we use the Kindle software to help us read books?  This device is not totally accessible to us.  That is, it does not yet have adequate speech software that would enable us to navigate and read e books.

 

We can also use the regular land line or even our cells to read such things as newspapers and magazines.  Several newspapers and magazines companies provide phone service just for this purpose.  Anyone can use their phone to access information. 

 

So, this is how a blind person does it and if you have any questions then please do not hesitate to visit www.acb.org.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day.

The Technology Divide

I think that the majority of mainstream persons would probably be shocked to hear me say that as technology rumbles along, the gap between what is available and what is accessible to blind and visually-impaired persons is growing wider as time marches on. True it is that there have been some very telling strides with regard to the development and availability of technology for us, but on the other hand there are more and more gadgets, hardware, and software that are not accessible to us.

We can use special software known as screen readers to do such things as browse the Internet; read, receive and send emails; and perform word-processing and spread-sheet functions. But when it comes to being able to enjoy those new and exciting handheld gadgets…well, that's another story. As the development of handheld gadgets continues to evolve at a breakneck speed, it is not the same when it comes to making them accessible to those with vision problems.

I have decided not to purchase an iPod because on the whole they require me to seek sighted assistance to use it. Instead, I would have had to purchase a specially-developed device that enables me to use it without having to depend on sighted assistance. This device is called the Victor Reader Stream and for an exorbitant price, I could hear which keys I press and menus I navigate because this device has been built to give voice responses to key commands.

Likewise, I am unable to use the mainstream PDA and as a result have had to purchase a specially-developed PDA for blind and visually impaired persons. One that emits voice responses. This device is called the Icon and its price is really high.

Like any specially-developed device for blind and visually-impaired persons, it is a common rule of thumb that the price is at least three times as much as the mainstream equivalent. Why is this? I can only say that maybe because of the small size of the blind and visually-impaired persons market, companies need to charge a price that would bring them a profit. When it comes to the development of equivalent devices for blind and visually-impaired persons, ones that talk or emit voice responses, the list includes cell phones, PDAs, iPods, language dictionaries, and more. They are very well-developed but the prices are sky high.

What really frustrates me is, why do we as blind and visually-impaired persons need to depend on companies to take the extra step to develop products for us? Why is it so difficult for mainstream companies like Amazon to do so? For example: We are still waiting on Amazon to make their Kindle reader accessible to us. Apple has made some determined efforts but we need more mainstream companies like Apple to do the same.

If you would like to learn more about the company that developed the Victor Reader Stream then please visit www.humanware.com.
To learn more about the Icon visit www.levelstar.com.
To learn more about portable products for blind and visually-impaired persons, visit www.blindbargains.com

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your accessibility and special-needs business consultant wishing you a terrific day and encouraging you to go out there and start motivating companies to produce products that would be accessible to and usable by all.