Blind Abilities

Jeff Thompson interviews Leal Sylvester a Piano Tuner Specialist at the ACB Convention in Minneapolis, MN and follows up with an interview with the Director of the School of Piano tuning and Technology for the Blind, Don Mitchel. Listen and find out more about how one can become a business owner of their own Piano Tuning Service. You can contact the School of Piano tuning and Technology for the Blind on the web at http://www.PianoTuningSchool.org or email julial@PianoTuningSchool.org an you can call them at 360-693-1511. The interview at the ACB convention was recorded using the Shure MV-88 microphone designed exclusively for Apple devices. utilizing the “Lightning Port.” The Free Motiv App in the App Store is VoiceOver accessible. Check out Shure microphones on the web at www.Shure.com

Blind Abilities Presents an interview with Leonard Olijar, Director, Bureau Of Engraving & Printing, an agency of the U.S. Treasury Department responsible for the printing and safeguarding of the United States currency. Mr. Olijar talks about the Currency Reader Program featuring the iBill Money Reader, the EyeNote and IDEAL Money Reader smart phones apps available free in the App Store and Google Play Store respectively. He also offers an update for the much publicized Currency Redesign program which will see durable tactile markings on US paper currency. The tactile feature is in development and planned to appear on the next currency note to be released in the next redesigned series. * To receive a currency reader, individuals must submit an application form, which requires verification of a visual impairment signed by a certifying authority, such as a doctor or other medical professional. The * completed application should be mailed to: U.S. Currency Reader Program, 14th & C Streets, S.W., Washington, DC 20228. * The form-fillable application is available to download from http://www.bep.gov/uscurrencyreaderform.html * If you prefer, you can call the U.S. Currency Reader Program Information Line toll free at 844-815-9388 and ask for an application to be mailed to you. Join Pete Lane and his guest, Leonard Olijar for a brief and informative discussion of the services provided by the Bureau Of Engraving & Printing. 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.

Jeff Thompson talks with Lucy Macintosh and Raquel Gomez about Accessible Formats, Textbooks and resources that are available to high school and college students. From places to get books such as BookShare, Learning Ally, BARD or accessing them through an app such as the KNFB Reader. Using the Disabilities Office and how to stay ahead of the game and how to keep as many tools for success in your toolbox so you can become independent from Disability Offices as you surely can’t take that office to your workplace. Here are a few links mentioned in the podcast: Learning Ally https://www.learningally.org BARD https://nlsbard.loc.gov/login//NLS BookShare https://www.bookshare.org/cms KNFB Reader http://www.knfbreader.com

Blind Abilities Presents: A new series entitled Creating A Podcast. Pete Lane introduces, the first part in a multi-part series on the process of creating a podcast, from the initial Skype recording, editing and applying effects, working with split tracks, creating an Intro, Outro and inserting transitions. This is a detailed and tightly edited podcast intended for both beginners and others who might want to pick up a tip or two. This initial part includes the first two Chapters of the podcast: * Chapter 1 covers an overview of Audio Hijack, the Mac app on which the Skype recording was made. The recording features a conversation between Erica turner and myself, the completed podcast for which was posted at: www.BlindAbilities.com on May 27, 2016. * Chapter 2 includes the initial editing of unwanted portions of the call using Amadeus Pro. * Below is a list of Amadeus Pro Keyboard Commands used in this series: Navigation Commands – Move to next/Previous Marker – Option + Right/Left Arrow – Extend Selection to Next/Previous Marker – Command + Right/Left Arrow – Move to beginning/end of audio file – Option + Home/End – Go To Location (determine and/or go to exact time location of audio file) – Command + G – Move to Right Channel in single stereo track – Press Down Arrow key twice – Move to Left channel in single stereo track – Press Up Arrow key twice – Move between single tracks in a multi-track file – Press N, or VO + Up/Down Arrow Action Commands – Place Insertion Point – Command + P – Play/Pause selected audio – Press spacebar – Play from beginning of audio file – Press Tab key – Advance/Reverse Play Back – Press Right/Left Arrow during play back – Sample resulting audio after deletion is made – Press E – Set Marker – Press P, or Command + Shift + M – Delete Selected Audio – Press Backspace button at top right of keyboard – Delete all tracks together in multi-track file – Option + Back space – Listen to focused track in multi-track file – Shift + spacebar – Save File – Press S – Save As new file – Command + Shift + S – Repeat last action – Command + T – Undo Previous Action – Command Z – Redo Undone Action – Command + Shift + Z – Bounce Multi-track file to a new, single-track file – Command + Shift + F – Fade-in – Command + Shift + Comma – Fade-out – Command + Shift + Period Stay tuned for Part 2 of this series next week. Please provide feedback on this initial episode by writing to Info@BlindAbilities.com

Jeff Thompson interviews the BeSpecular App developers celebrating the new launch in the app Store and the Google Play store. Jeff and Pete also test the app and the additional functions on the new release. Follow @BeSpecular and download the App today!

Jeff Thompson interviews two passionate Directors, Wilma and Peggy, representing Camp Abilities St. Louis. Check out this great Summer Sports Camp for blind children, in St. Louis www.CampAbilities-StLouis.org or in 25 other locations, on their web site: www.CampAbilities.org

Pete Lane introduces a new BlindAbilities Team member, Cheryl spencer. Cheryl brings her NFB Convention Blog entitled: spencer’s spotlight. Check out Cheryl’s recurring article in the monthly digital newsletter, The Blind Perspective, at TheblindPerspective.org Stay tuned for more from Cheryl and her Convention Blog, and good luck to Rus Davis as he competes in the NFB Convention Talent Show! Happy July 4th Holiday to all in the US! Here are links to the sites and products mentioned by Cheryl: 1. Orcam.org – glasses for the visually impaired. 2. Irea – personal assistant (glasses) for the visually impaired. 3. APH.org – Orbit Reader 20, braille display. 4. American Magnifier.com – Optelec TTS Reader. John Palmer: 1- 800-364-1610. 5. ATGuys.com – various merchandise. 6. InvisionAmerica.org – ScripTalk Accessible medication label reader, Rus Davis, gutar and vocals. ID Mate Galaxy Bar code scanner. and Dave Racetrick.

The Bespecular App just hit the App Store and we are excited for you to give it a try. We have been Beta testing the Bespecular App and now you can find out for yourself how well the team has put together this app for the Blind to use their camera and find out the info through a team of sighted volunteers describing the images you captured. Go to the App Store and download Bespecular today! 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.

Sign up for the Blind Abilities Newsletter on BlindAbilities.com or fill out your name and email at our Blind Abilities booth #41 at the ACB convention in Minneapolis July 1 through July 6 and you will have a chance to win the Shure MV88 Microphone. This podcast that follows the announcement of this opportunity was previously released and we decided to include it with this wonderful chance to win. #ACB16 #NFB16

Pete Lane and Jeff Thompson asked members of the community what they liked about the award winning and life changing technology of the KNFB App. With such a positive response we thought we had to share. Join members of the Jacksonville iAccess group and members of the blind abilities community as Pete and Jeff talk KNFB Reader. You can get the KNFB Reader from the App Store for IOS and in the Google Play for Android. Follow Blind Abilities on Twiter @BlindAbilities and get the Blind Abilities App from the App Store. soon to be released on Android.

Blind Abilities Presents: Christopher Venter, A.K.A. Blind Scooter Guy. Christopher journeyed from Cape Town South Africa to Dublin Ireland on a scooter motorcycle, one of the smaller styles of cycles and traveled over 20,000 miles just to get a Guinness beer, well, kind of. Christopher contracted a virus that eventually took his eyesight. And Over the next two years Christopher did not stop pursuing the life he always dreamed of… being a writer. Join Pete and Jeff along with their gassed Christopher Venter, the Blind Scooter Guy as he talks about his outlook, philosophy, and determination to eat that elephant one bite at a time. You can follow and subscribe to Christopher’s Blog at BlindScooterGuy. On Twitter @BlindScooterGuy and on Facebook at Blind Scooter Guy You can find more podcast with a blindness perspective on the web at www.blindabilities.com, follow us on Twitter at blind abilities and download the app from the app store, blind abilities, that’s two words. And you can email us at info@blindabilities.com

@MoeLucie brings us a new series called Career Quickies where she gives us tips on a wide range of job and employment topics. The first in the series is, “The Cover Letter.” Join Lucie and give her feedback on the Career Quickies, suggestions are welcomed and we hope you gain from the series and thanks for listening. Be sure to check out the College category on the BlindAbilities.com web site and download the Blind Abilities app from the App Store. We will soon be adding an Android version of the Blind Abilities App. Follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities and on the Facebook Group page BlindAbilities.

Jeff and Pete are joined by Ross Minor, a recent High School graduate who has a story to tell! From the tragic events of his childhood which caused total blindness and a loss of smell, to his Youtube Channel, his desire to become a motivational speaker, to his recent decision to train for the 2020 Paralympic Games as a swimmer: Ross shares a myriad of thoughts, feelings and aspirations. Be sure to set aside a brief half-hour to hear this interview, brought to you the way no one other than Blind Abilities can do it!

iAccessDemo is typically a demonstration of a native Apple iPhone Application and today we break from the mold to bring you a demonstration of the BossJockJr App from the BossJoc Team. BossJockJr is a Free App from the App Store where you can also find the BossJockStudio App which is the big brother version and sells for $9.99 in the App Store. Jeff Thompson takes you through a recording process and demonstrates a few of the tips and tricks that he uses on BossJockJr. If you want to record tracks, talk over and blend into another track seamlessly then give BossJockJr a try and when you are ready, make the jump up to BossJockStudio for the powerful recording experience. Where mobility and creativity come together cart by cart. Be sure to follow @BossJockApp on Twitter and keep up with the latest BossJock news.

Robert Binns Package Handler, Fed Ex Smart Post Robert was walking to a college class when he lost his sight in 2012. He fell into a depressed stage, believing that the only thing left for him was channel surfing and listening to television shows. One day he realized that he didn’t want to just sit at home for the next 40 years. He wanted to live. Because he was a new United States citizen, however, Robert had to wait for an extended time before receiving services. He ended up in a homeless shelter. All he has accomplished since then shows how high expectations and adjustment to blindness training can open many doors for him. You can contact Minnesota State Services for the Blind on the Web at WW W.MNSSB.ORG Be sure to contact your State Services and keep up with all the latest opportunities.