Blind Abilities

Blind Abilities presents the BA Teen Cast newest member Alec Olson. The BA Teen Cast is a focus on students transitioning from high school to college and to the workplace. From tips and tricks, news and findings, to success stories from those with the life experience of college and being gainfully employed. Alec gives us a review/demo of the NVDA screen reader from NVAccess.org In this brief intro to NVDA, which stands for Non Visual Desktop Access, Alec gives you the information to download, install and some tips on navigation using NVDA, the free screen reader. We also included a message from NV Access talking about how they got started and what reason they created a free screen reader for the visually impaired. You can find out more about NVDA on the web at www.NVAccess.org and download the NVDA screen reader at www.NVDA-Project.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.

Blind Abilities presents the second installment in their series on Aira, the visual Interpreter for the blind. In Part 1 we met Chancey Fleet, an  Assistive Technology Professional and an Aira User. Today, our guests are: Aira Navigators Nicholas giudice, Michael Hingson and Cheryl spencer. We learn a lot more about Aira here as our guests share numerous experiences and add their unique perspective to the product. You can’t miss this fascinating look into this new and innovative product which is having a profound impact on the blindness community. Check out Part 1: An In-depth Look at Aira (Episode1) Meet Explorer Chancey Fleet You can find out more about Aira on the web. 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.

(See Transcript Below) State Services for the Blind, (SSB) presented an Opportunities Fair for Blind and Low Vision high school students and parents. The Opportunities Fair allowed students to talk to business leaders and organizations about who they were and what are their expectations. Students went from table to table one on one with directors and admins and learning about the opportunities they offer. Parents met up with other parents and shared experiences and strategies for successful outcomes. The students met others from the metropolitan area and shared their experiences and successes. Panels of parents of Blind children, successfully employed people with vision loss and another panel consisting of transition age students who are working jobs and doing internships spoke to the entire group of participants Blind Abilities was there talking to the students, counselors transition team from SSB and met with the business associates. Join Jeff Thompson of Blind Abilities and take a tour of the Opportunities Fair. If you are interested in more opportunities and want to find out more about transitioning from high school to college and to the workplace, you can contact Sheila Koenig at 651-539-2361. You can find out more about the Transition program on the web. 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. Transcript: Female Voice: If you’re looking for employment right now get out there, looking for a job is a full-time job. Male Voice: What I’m seeing is there’s a lot of camaraderie here and there’s just a lot of resources and it’s just nice to make connections with folks who know what they’re doing and and help them realize their dreams. Female Voice: So, it’s called Capti, and you can get like any PDF’s that you can’t see. Male Voice: Well I am a senior right now and I wanted to look into jobs, I never really had any work experience. It’s kind of nice to see that I can find the job. Female Voice: Experience experience experience, volunteer, it shows responsibility, it shows that you can commit to something and follow through. Know within yourself that your dreams are possible, that you can reach them. Don’t let others limited expectations hold you back. Jeff Thompson: Welcome to Blind Abilities, Iím Jeff Thompson. State Services for the Blind’s transition team held an opportunities fair at a local community center giving transition age students an opportunity to meet with the Job Corps employers and talk with others about the tips and tricks that they’ll need as they transition from high school to college to the work place. The students were also able to collaborate with each other and share ideas, apps, and other tools for success. There are panels of different demographics sharing ideas and success stories that they had. Parents talking about their successes along the journey, talking about what it takes, what they’ve overcome, what experience can you share about being gainfully employed, and what it’s like to be a teenager transitioning that has a part-time job. And mostly the students had an opportunity to talk to the employers, the workforce, and meet and talk and ask questions about what it is, what they need to do to prepare for the workforce. All this was at the opportunities fair. Sheila Koenig: When I describe my job to people I usually tell them that I help to either develop th...

Nimer Jaber is an Early Adopter of new technology, forging forward, working with developers and improving accessibility for all. I admire that and it was a pleasure Talking to Nimer about his devices and what his team at the Lighthouse Center for Vision Loss is doing for Transition age students, their parents and how they keep connected, informed and educate in rural Minnesota. Where distance and proximity makes for creative solutions. Join Nimer Jaber as he sits down with Blind Abilities and talks about Google devices, the LG Sport Watch and it’s accessibility, ChromeBooks and Amazon devices. you can follow Nimer on Twitter @nimerjaber 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.

Earle Harrison sits down with Blind Abilities to introduce the newest Braille Notebook from Handy Tech. The Actilino is a 16 cell notetaker with ATC technology. That is Active Tactile Control which senses your touch and knows just when to refresh your next line, thus, no buttons to push to advance!  The Triumph Technology Team is in San Diego all set up for CSUNATC17 so if you get the chance, stop by booth #515 and check out Handy Tech and Triumph Technology. You can also go on-line and find out more at www.ATTriumph.com Thank you for listening. You can follow us on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/blindabilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Store.

Blind Abilities presents their Canadian correspondent, Nick D’Ambrosio as he interviews Joshua Simmonds. Josh is a Psychologist, a Dragon boat racer and a “wise” man with plenty to share about his childhood with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), his education and his work as a psychologist in Montreal. February is RP   Awareness Month, so who better to feature on Blind Abilities than Josh who has managed and excelled with RP for his entire life. Check out the RP Family Facebook Group to which Nick refers. 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.

Blind Abilities presents Episode 2 in their new series: iPhone 101. In this segment, we address those who are still on the fence about whether or not to take the leap and buy that first iPhone. Pete introduces some feedback from other blind individuals who were also unsure if they should make the plunge, but later decided to do so, and they weren’t disappointed! Then we share three book titles that are specifically aimed at new iPhone users, or those who wish to do their homework to gather information to help them make that decision, because after all, information is knowledge, and knowledge is power! We’ll continue to provide all the information you’ll need to either make the decision, or to master the iPhone if you decide to buy one! Our next episode coming soon will have prices, plans and more information to help you make an informed choice. 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.

Sometimes you come across a person who is doing some remarkable work and facing challenges that would throw a person off coarse, Antyenette Walker, AKA Young Ant, is taking on all her challenges and enhancing her opportunities by doing the tough work of adjustment to blindness. Her words, lyrics and music is her way of coping and sharing her story while lifting up the spirits of her listeners and supporters she calls Team Ant. Young Ant talks about her journey, her story and how her music has come to be. How she uses her music to inspire others and all this when just over a dozen months ago, Antoinette lost all of her vision. Join us as Young Ant surrounds us with beats, lyrics and words of inspiration. You can find Young Ant’s music on Soundcloud . You can follow TeamAnt on Facebook. Check out Young Ant’s YouTube Channel Follow YoungAnt on Twitter @YoungAnt1121 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.

Blind Abilities presents this new “Mini Series” An In depth Look at Aira, The Product and the Company. In this the first installment, they chat with Chancey Fleet, an Assistive Technology Professional living in New York City. Chancey offers her candid and informative thoughts about the product: its many strengths and shares suggestions for how the product can be enhanced in the future. Chancey is an excellent guest, and you must tune in to hear her articulate on this dynamic product. You can follow Chancey on Twitter @ChanceyFleet. In future installments in this Mini Series, Pete and Jeff will speak with other Aira users, Aira Agents, and a representative from the Aira corporate team. Did you think you’ve learned all you can about this fascinating product? Well, think again! This podcast and others will show you the Aira Glasses and programs “inside-out” like you’ve never seen before! 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.

Sally Abrams has been volunteering as a transcriber/reader at State Services for the Blind for over 11 years.. In a recently published article, Sally writes about how she has found many rewards in her work as well as the “nuggets” of information that she has gained from reading hundreds of hours of textbooks, articles and material in audio making the books accessible to the visually impaired and to anyone having difficulty accessing the printed word. Join Jeff Thompson as Sally Abrams talks a bit about her volunteering and her passion of giving. You can find Sally Abrams on the web at SallyGAbrams.com Sally’s article, “Reading To People I Will Never Meet. A huge Thank You to CheeChau for his wonderful “Missing You” music. You can follow CheeChau on Twitter @LCheeChau 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.

Blind Abilities presents a brand new series: Introducing iPhone 101. In this new series, Jeff Thompson and Pete Lane will introduce listeners to the world of the iPhone. While we know there are several different iDevices, including iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch, they’re all similar and possess so many of the same attributes. So, we’re going to keep it simple, and refer to all of those devices as iPhone! For those who haven’t yet taken the plunge to purchase their first iPhone, we offer information, resources and knowledge to help you make that life-changing decision. For those who have already made the decision, we’ll provide all the information you’ll need to learn and even master your iPhone. This may be the only resource you’ll need for all things iPhone! That’s right, we’ll take you to “iSchool,” We’ll help you overcome your “iPhonaphobia”! So keep it right here as Blind Abilities helps you enhance your “iPhone-abilities”. 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.

The InstaCart App is a Grocery service app that may be available to you and you can order groceries and have them delivered right to your door. The accessible app lets you choose from stores in your zip code and lets you choose the items you want and then just place your order. A qualified shopper will seek out the grocery list and deliver them to your door! You can even be in contact with the shopper as they shop. Just in case the item you wanted is not available or if a sale item makes great sense. Jeff Thompson of Blind Abilities talks with Max Mullen, the Co-founder of InstaCart, and they go over the InstaCart program, offerings and the importance of accessibility and inclusiveness. Join Max and Jeff for this quick introduction to InstaCart. You can download the InstaCart App from the App Store and from the Google Play store. 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.

Blind Abilities presents Joyce Gugel, Founder and President of Beyond Blind, a unique organization for the blind located in Palm Beach County, in south Florida, in the U. S.  Joyce discusses her life as a visually impaired woman and her creation of Beyond Blind, with its numerous mainstream programs and activities for blind members. Programs include: Sightless Chefs culinary program, the blind Shot golfers program, Bodies Beyond Blindness fitness, Blind Anglers fishing program, Dancing Out of Darkness, Miracle of Music, and the Brushes of Blindness art program. Joyce is inviting blind and visually impaired individuals throughout the South Florida area to consider joining Beyond Blind with a monthly membership of $150 per month. The dues entitle members to any and all of the programs and activities offered by the organization. Check out the details at: www.BeyondBlind.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.

Nest makes a Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm that talks right out of the box! With an accessible app from Nest one can be informed of the location and type of detection by voice from the Nest Protect. Multiple devices will relay the alarm/notification as well as sending you a message on your smart phone. The Nest app connects with the iPhone, iPad, apple Watch and the Apple TV. Two choices of Nest protect are available. Battery or Hard wired. With an alert that clearly speaks, “Low-battery”and an app that will tell you your battery level, there is never an alarming chirp at 3 AM that will need immediate attention. Just a calm voice during your day that will let you know the status when you want and need to know. Another member of the Nest family line of products is the Nest Learning thermostat which works in tandem with the Nest Protect to ensure the highest level of safety when it comes to your home, apartment or dorm. Join Chip orange as he walks us through the Nest protect and how he uses the Nest products to sleep better at night and while he is away. You can find the Nest products on Amazon and in many electronic stores. 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.

Lois Strachan: A Different Way of Seeing: A Blind Woman’s Journey of Living an “Ordinary” Life in an Extraordinary Way. Lois Strachan is an inspirational speaker who guides people to see that they can use their strengths and their passions to influence them through challenges and arrive at success. When Lois became blind at the age of 21 she seized the opportunity of achieving a childhood dream… and has never looked back! Join Jeff Thompson as he sits down with Lois Strachan and talks about her “Ordinary Life”, her newly released book, “A Different Way of Seeing: A Blind Woman’s Journey of Living and “Ordinary Life in an Extraordinary Way. Lois has also authored a series with Missy Mouse going on adventures just as Lois does herself. Missy Mouse uses the White Cane and children can read her adventures and realize that Missy Mouse does the same things every one else does. Lois is also a musician, singer, poet, writer, inspirational speaker, and most of all, she is just living an ordinary life. When Lois first went blind she decided to join a rock band and she shares that music with us throughout the podcast. Lois lives in south Africa and although we are oceans apart we found out that we share a lot of common ground. I hope you enjoy listening to Lois and her music as much as I did. Thanks for listening. You can order Lois’s books on Amazon.com You can follow Lois on Twitter @LoisStrachanZA Check out her blog and subscribe at LoisStrachan.com Her Facebook page is at LoisStrachanSpeaker 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.