AFB Blog Archives

July 2008

To Chat, or Not To Chat?

Dear Blog Readers,

If you do not use a chat, or instant messaging (IM), program of some sort, I am assuming you at least know about their existence. You may not be aware, however, of their immense importance to the social lives of the "kids" growing up here in the information age. Instant messaging can often determine the fate of our Saturday night plans, or help us get through that particularly difficult math assignment. After all, isn't the Information Age all about finding different ways of not having to get up?

So, in order to further promote couch-potatoism, I have decided to review the usability of a few, different chat programs with a JAWS screen reader. I chose to focus on three big ones right now — AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), Facebook Chat (found on the Facebook home page), and GChat (Google and Gmail's official chat software). Please take note that these are by no means the only chat programs available, or the only widely used ones, either.

Let's start by talking about the classic AOL Instant Messenger (AIM). AIM's main window seems accessible enough, when given patience. It is easy to scroll (with the arrow keys) through my buddys' screen names, their profiles, and initiate conversations with them. Many of the options listed on the page are hard to find, but using the tab key, they are all eventually locatable. I am still more satisfied with AIM's chat window, over its main page. The chat, between my buddy and me, is presented in a clear, list-like conversation. All I have to do is repeatedly tab between the edit field and the conversation list. I would be more satisfied if my screen reader would actually read my buddy's IMs aloud, but alas…nothing is perfect.

So with one reasonably accessible option on the market, let's also look at alternatives that your friends may be using instead. Facebook Chat is an interesting option, because many users are likely to find more of their friends on Facebook than on AOL. Facebook's chat window, however, is by no means as cleanly laid out as AOL's. Names are listed as "on mouse over links" and it is difficult selecting a specific name. Once a chat is initiated, the chat window will pop up at the top of the Facebook page. There is more than one form field, which can be confusing. There are also a few poorly labeled buttons, which have the potential to throw off users completely, as well. However, the most irritating drawback of this chat window is that it makes the screen reader jump around the page constantly. (Facebook and I are working out some of these kinks as we speak).

So this brings us to our last attempt. Google and its affiliates are known to be particularly thoughtful with regard to the visually impaired. They always offer an audio CAPTCHA throughout their various web sites, and offer basic HTML format on Gmail specifically designed for users of screen readers. So naturally, all this made me want to try GChat. Let me tell you: GChat is a disaster. When using it on my Gmail account, all the links are visible, but only as plain text. Initiating a conversation, or doing anything else on the chat program for that matter, is simply impossible. So I gave Google Talk, the downloadable version of the same program, a try. This time, when opening the software, my screen reader refused to read a single word. No luck!

So what's my conclusion? Seeing as instant messaging is a pivotal part of so many people's lives, glitches in accessibility should not hold any of them back. AOL Instant Messenger is your best bet, but if you have more friends on Facebook Chat, this can work for you, as well. The most important thing, surely, is keeping up to date. And, of course, not having to walk all the way over to the telephone!

Michelle

We Can't Keep Quiet About Silent Cars

Guest Blogger Mark Richert, Esq., Director, Public Policy

With the price of gas continuing to soar, many Americans are turning to fuel-efficient hybrid cars to save some money at the pump. While these cars are better for the environment, and our pocketbooks, they pose a real threat to the safety of pedestrians. Because hybrid car engines are basically silent, it's difficult for pedestrians—particularly pedestrians that are blind or visually impaired—to know when these cars are driving by.

A recent article in The San Diego Union Tribune talked about a meeting held in Washington where members of the blindness field, including yours truly, gathered to talk about how hybrids and other quiet vehicles threaten far more than the 1.1 million legally blind Americans because many people depend on auditory cues to know when a car is approaching. This includes people talking or checking their cell phones while walking, or children who forget to "look both ways" before crossing the street. Without these noises, all pedestrians could be at risk for being hit by a car. As we move toward making more environmentally friendly vehicles, we need to ensure that we are also protecting the safety of pedestrians. There is no reason we can't do both.

The Newest Addition

Hi, blog readers,

My name is Michelle Hackman, and I am AFB's Communications intern for the summer. I am a sophomore in high school, and am having an amazing time here already. Some would say that blogging can't be considered a job—but I'll tell you differently. As an aspiring journalist, I highly value the news and interactive journalism (layman's language for the blogosphere, I suppose).

Maybe you've seen my name dropped once or twice on this blog before. Last year, I had the rare opportunity to travel with AFB and L'Occitane to Provence, France, with four other girls my age—Emma, Kate, Nicole, and Stephanie. Prior to that trip, I had never worked with (or even heard of the doings) at AFB. The idea of this trip initially held meaning and promise for me in that I would be able to travel to France (honestly, who wouldn't?), practice my not-so-developed French skills, and see the "magical" factory of a skincare brand with which I had, I'll admit, a slight infatuation. (I held the group up for an hour at the discounted L'Occitane factory store…40% off, you know.) The trip held no meaning for me, at first, in terms of meeting blind peers and being connected to the larger world of opportunity so powerfully supported and expanded here. Before joining up with the Foundation, I used to shy away from my future; now, I embrace it. What a strong sense of community…boy was I missing out!

While there, in the most potentially fragrant region in the world, I used my time not only to explore the world of lavender, gardening, and fabulous French pastries, but also to start asking questions. I spent more time, perhaps than the others did, with the representative from AFB, Adrianna Montague-Gray. She introduced me to the organization that is AFB, and though I was hesitant to even admit this to myself, I became fascinated in the works of the organization. Naturally, a couple months later, I found my first chance to get involved, on Facebook.com.

One day last September, Adrianna invited me to the newly created American Foundation for the Blind page on Facebook's "Causes" application. I joined, perhaps the fourth or so member, and began to recruit all my friends. I invited people I knew, who invited people they knew—and in the blink of an eye, we had over 100 online supporters. Then, Facebook's "Causes" application changed the interface of the "Invite Your Friends" page, making it utterly inaccessible. Ironic, no?

So when I pointed out this little flaw, AFB aided me in contacting Facebook about the issue, and from there I expanded to target accessibility all throughout the social networking web site. I did so by building a relationship there with Jeff, who is in charge of accessibility, and who began work with us last January. He still takes my every little concern into account. We've addressed a variety of issues, from the interface of that pesky page, to faulty buttons throughout the site, and even to the rewriting of certain directions given in the "Help" section offered. It has been, and I am confident that it will continue to be, an extremely successful endeavor.

And now, not so surprisingly, I find myself here. I will be an official blogger for the summer to keep all of you informed on the latest happenings in the world of the visually impaired. I'll try to cover a range of stories, from the inspiring to the interesting. So leave feedback about what you would like to see in the future, in the comments below. I'm open to any suggestions you may have! This is going to be amazing fun—even possibly more so than frolicking through sunny Provence.

Michelle

Protecting Your Eyes…And Not Just of the Fourth of July

One of the things I love most about the Fourth of July are the fireworks displays—I can't imagine celebrating Independence Day without them. But as fun as they are, it's always important to take proper precautions around them (you know me…safety first!). This week, I happened upon an article from Occupational Health & Safety Magazine about eye injuries. Interestingly, most Americans think that eye injuries occur as a result of accidents related to events like the Fourth of July fireworks displays. But as the article points out, most eye injuries occur during everyday activities like frying up the morning's eggs and bacon or mowing the lawn. It's important for all Americans, especially the millions of older Americans losing their vision, to practice eye safety when doing these everyday activities in the home. If you're interested in some inexpensive, easily implemented tips that will help keep you and your eyes safe, check out AFB Senior Site.

June 2008

Accessibility's In For Summer!

It's another great day on the accessibility front! Today, Representative Edward Markey (D-MA) and Representative Heather Wilson (R-NM) introduced "The 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2008" in the House of Representatives. While this bill includes measures that affect a variety of people with disabilities, we are pleased that it includes clear requirements for access to TV programs and receivers, extends access to Internet-based telecommunications technologies, and adds a new provision to clarify that text messaging must also be accessible under an existing law known as Section 255—all things that will greatly affect the lives of people with vision loss.

Today's events are the next steps in the long journey to bring about improved access to Internet-based communications devices and services, and television programs and receivers. A little over a month ago, my colleague and fellow blogger, Paul Schroeder, wrote about an important hearing that focused on the draft of this bill. I'm thrilled that we've taken another huge step toward making accessible communication devices for people living with disabilities a reality and hope we continue moving in the right direction!

For more details about the legislation, check out the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology's press release or an article that ran in today's Washington Post.

Our Friend Zoraida

Guest Blogger, Ellen Couch, AFB Information Center

I was so pleased to find out that one of AFB's Information Center volunteers, Zoraida Morrison, was featured in a recent New York Times article.

Zoraida has been a volunteer answering AFB's toll-free number a few times a week for several years now. She has helped countless callers not only with her broad knowledge of blindness and visual impairment, but also with her warmth and understanding. Just having Zoraida walk in the door—her energy, her big smile, and her fabulous hats—really brightens up the place. We in the Information Center love her and are glad that others now have a chance to meet this wonderful lady.

Check out the article in the City section of the NY Times.

ALERT! Justice Department to Propose Sweeping Revisions to ADA Regulations

Tomorrow is a big day for the disabilities community. We are expecting the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to issue draft revisions to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations. If made final, the draft regulations would represent the most sweeping changes to federal ADA implementation and enforcement since DOJ's issuance of the original ADA regulations in 1991.

Once the proposed amendments are officially published, we hear the public will be granted an unusually short 60-day time period to offer comment on the draft regulations. The DOJ has made an unofficial advanced text available. While a thorough analysis of the proposed rules is not possible at this time, there are several areas of obvious interest to the vision loss community, including:

• Failure of the proposal to make clear the ADA's applicability to Internet-only places of public accommodation.
• Possible narrowing of the concept of service animals to those from particular species and that perform clearly identifiable tasks.
• Possible broader and better defined mandate for description of movies shown in cinemas.

As soon as we know more, we will provide readers with information regarding how to offer comment, as well as any supporting material and/or analysis that may be useful in preparing such comments. For now, visit the Public Policy section of our web site for more information.

Finally, on Wednesday, June 18, beginning at 10:00 am Eastern, the DOJ will be conducting an informational conference call to acquaint all interested parties with the scope and general features of the proposed rules, and DOJ has asked us to spread the word about this opportunity.

To join the call:
Dial: (202) 353-0879 or 1-800-521-6079 Pass Code: 3658#

June 17, 2008, Update: We have just been informed that the Department of Justice has cancelled the information conference call scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 18. We will let you know when the call has been rescheduled.

Legally Blind

I always like to blog about blind or visually impaired individuals who are finding success in the workplace. Only July 14, Isaac Lidsky will start his position as a clerk for retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, reportedly becoming the Supreme Court's first visually impaired clerk. On top of starting his job with Justice O'Connor, Isaac is also heavily involved in his foundation, Hope for Vision, an organization dedicated to raising awareness of retinal degenerative diseases.

A great article ran in the Legal Times about Isaac, in which he's quoted saying, "It's critically important for people with vision loss to see that they can accomplish what they want to achieve. It's not a limitation." I applaud Isaac for pursuing his dreams and encouraging others to do the same. He's certainly ready to face the challenge that comes with being a clerk in the Supreme Court. I'm also really proud of the Supreme Court for hiring Isaac, a qualified and respected lawyer, who happens to be visually impaired. It's an encouragement to me to know the Supreme Court is making assistive technology available to Isaac so he's able to do his job the best he can.

If you're interested in learning more about the range and diversity of jobs performed by those who are blind or visually impaired, like Isaac, I recommend you visit AFB CareerConnect®. It's full of success stories and valuable information for job seekers of all ages.

Next Stop…Beijing

Guest Blogger, Marc Grossman, Accessibility Specialist, AFB Consulting

Physical fitness and exercise are an important part of my life. Just because I can't see myself in the mirror doesn't mean that I don't want to look good in my bathing trunks! One way I stay in shape is by training for and racing in triathlons. I entered my first triathlon two years ago. Though the course—consisting of a half-mile swim, sixteen-mile cycle, and three-mile run—may sound terrifying, as far as triathlons go, that one was not too bad. Unfortunately, the tandem bicycle I was riding broke down about halfway and my racing partner and I were unable to finish the race. It left me feeling really deflated, but I knew I would attempt to complete another race again.

So you can imagine the anticipation I felt yesterday as we pulled into the parking lot to get ready to race for the second time. Two years ago, it was about 50 degrees at race time and standing on the beach waiting to jump into the 68-degree water without a wetsuit was a teeth chattering experience. This year, however, race time temperatures were already nearing 80 degrees! As the race starter counted down from ten, my heart began pounding in my chest and when the horn blasted, signaling the start of the race, we made a mad dash to get out front. Matt (my racing partner) kept pushing me left and right to keep me on track to reach the buoy before we turned around to head back for the beach. My legs were still wobbly as we ran for the transition area to get ready for the bike and by the time it came for the run, the temperatures were in the 90s with no shade in sight. If it was not for the amazing fans lining the course cheering for the athletes, I might have packed it in and called it a day. Despite the conditions, Matt and I crossed the finish line in two hours and five minutes (and made a beeline for the water table!).

I would like to say thank you to the Achilles Track Club for all of their support. Thanks to my racing partner Matt, because if it were not for him, I wouldn't have made it very far at all. Finally, thank you to the staff and volunteers at New York Triathlon for putting on an amazing event and working to include athletes with disabilities in their races.

Embracing Our Own Differences

I'm not sure if you saw this, but the NY Daily News ran a great article last week about Governor Paterson . Paterson said he often tried to hide his blindness when he was younger, and it's only been within the last couple of years that he has become fully comfortable with his disability.

I was excited to read this article, because I can identify with Paterson; I know how it feels to want to hide your disability. When I started losing my vision as a teenager, I still wanted to do the same things my friends were doing. I didn't want to be viewed as different—to me, being different equated to being rejected—so I often tried to hide my visual impairment and pretend I was sighted. As time went on, the more vision I lost, the harder it was to pretend I could still see.

It thrilled me to read Paterson's comment about a photo of him having to stoop down to the table to sign a bill. Several felt it was jarring—I say it's not a big deal, as long as he felt comfortable with it, and he did. It makes me happy to see people embrace their uniqueness and be comfortable in their own skin. I applaud Paterson for publicly embracing his disability and empowering others to do the same.

Remembering Helen Keller

Forty years ago today we grieved the loss of Helen Keller—an amazing women whose contributions to humanity will forever be remembered. Keller, who was deaf and blind, became a world-renowned activist, peacemaker and disabilities rights advocate during her lifetime. She worked with many world leaders and traveled to 39 countries bringing hope and inspiration to millions. Helen Keller spent the last 40 years of her life working at AFB, and she remains our guiding light today. You can read her obituary from June 2, 1968 in today's New York Times. Helen Keller was a gift to all of us; we will remember her always.

May 2008

Another Ruling on Issuing Accessible Money

It's another big week on the accessibility front—yesterday, a federal appeals court ruled that the U.S. Treasury Department is violating the law by not designing and issuing paper money that is accessible to people with vision loss. The decision upheld the 2006 federal district court ruling in a case filed by the American Council of the Blind (ACB) against the U.S. Treasury (we first blogged about this ruling back in November of 2006). As anticipated, it's been a lengthy legal battle thus far, and there's still a long road ahead until changes are made. Nonetheless, the ruling is an important step toward making our world more accessible for people who are blind or visually impaired. And with the rates of age-related eye conditions expected to double as the nation's 78 million baby boomers reach retirement age and beyond, a significant number of people will need money to be vision loss-friendly.

Here's a link to the statement we released yesterday applauding ACB for championing this issue. Also, check out CNN Money and a USA Today blog to read some press featuring AFB's position on this issue.

We look forward to seeing ACB, the U.S. Treasury, and other blindness organizations working together to make accessible U.S. money become a reality.

The Mystery of the Suddenly Inacccessible Encyclopaedia Britannica

Here's one thing I bet you never knew about me…I'm what one might call an "encyclopedia fanatic." It all started back when I had my vision—I was fascinated by the encyclopedia and the vast amount of information it offered. I would often refer to the print version to read about various people, places, and things. After losing my vision about 25 years ago, I could no longer refer to the print version, but was fortunately able to buy an embossed version. Starting in 1993, I read every title from A-Z and, for any title that interested me, I read the entire entry. Some of my favorite entries revolved around countries of the world or famous personalities I knew little about. I finally got through all of the entries last year (took a while, right?!), but wasn't quite ready to part with my beloved hobby. When I found out an accessible version of the Encyclopædia Britannica was available online, I thought this would be a great way for me to continue to expand my knowledge and access information in a quick, easy fashion. This past January, I subscribed, was trained on how to use the tool, and started enjoying the entries. All was going well until one day I tried to log on and couldn't access the site. I contacted my accessibility technology trainer, and sure enough, she couldn't access the site with a screen reader either. I'm not sure what happened, but I plan on sending a letter to the company to find out why the site is suddenly inaccessible. Whatever the reason, I really hope they will change things around ASAP! I'll keep you posted on what they say.

FamilyConnect™ Videos Are Now Available on YouTube!

As many of you already know, FamilyConnect™, AFB and NAPVI's new online community, launched last week and we couldn't be more excited! The site is full of information for parents and caretakers of visually impaired children of all ages, giving them a place to connect with other families and find the support and resources they're looking for. One great resource on the site is the video profiles section, where you can find personal stories from parents, siblings, and children with visual impairments. We're happy to announce that these videos are now available on YouTube. Feel free to post or link to the videos on your own personal web site or blog. You can also add a FamilyConnect icon (like the one above) to your site—you can find out more information about linking to FamilyConnect here. And as always, let us know what you think of the site!

The Insider Scoop

Guest Blogger, Lee Huffman, AFB TECH

Just last month, I attended my first AFB National Conference (JLTLI) and all I can say is, "Wow!" As a member of the AFB TECH team, this year's focus on technology was especially interesting for me. It was great to see new and emerging leaders interact with veterans of the blindness field, such as Jim Fruchterman, Mike May, Anita Aaron, Dr. David Klonoff, and Mike Calvo (to name a few!). I think the session topics sparked some interesting conversations and ideas.

One of my favorite sessions was the Managing Financial Transactions Online session, led by Crista Earl and Vita Zavoli, both AFB staff members. In it, they discussed the benefits and frequent challenges of performing financial transactions on the Internet. They gave actual examples of ways to shop online at Amazon.com, buy groceries at Safeway.com, pay your bills or manage bank statements at Bank of America.com, and indicated how many other such sites could be accessed. They also talked about specific techniques AT users can implement to better cope with less accessible sites, including screen reader features to be aware of which can improve your ability to use a site.

I also really enjoyed the technology exhibits, where conference attendees were given the opportunity to speak with technology leaders and learn about new products and services. The lineup of exhibitors was outstanding: Verizon, AT&T, Microsoft, IBM, Flying Blind LLC—Empowerment through Technology, ICRC/Adaptive Technology Services, En-Vision America, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic, and yours truly at the AFB TECH table.

For anyone that attended AFB's 2008 National Conference (JLTLI), what was your favorite part of the weekend? Let me know in the comments section below.

Also, if anyone is interested, a few blogs covered various parts of the conference. Visit Seo, Inc.'s blog, Mike Calvo's blog for Serotek, and the Carroll Center for the Blind's blog to read more.

I am looking forward to another fantastic conference next year in Washington, DC!

Action on Technology Access

As a person with vision loss do you ever get frustrated with your new fancy cable TV because you can't see the on-screen menus to select programs and functions? Do you feel like you're falling further and further behind your sighted coworkers who are using new technologies like the Blackberry and iPhone to read e-mail, browse the Web, and stay connected? Wouldn't it be good if we could watch any TV program we wanted, and actually know what's happening without having to convince a sighted friend to watch and explain action to you? And, my goodness, if you're deaf-blind, the simple act of making a phone call independently can cost thousands of dollars just to have the necessary technology. At a May 1 hearing on accessible communications technology, we heard compelling testimony from people with disabilities and advocates about the need for a law to ensure that communications technologies—such as iPhones, Blackberries, TV programming, and more—are made accessible to people with disabilities.

The hearing focused on draft legislation known as the "Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act," and was an exciting first step in what will be a long journey to bring about improved access to Internet-based communications devices and services and television programs and receivers.

One of the highlights of the May 1 hearing was the testimony of Sergeant Major Jesse Acosta, one of our nation's military heroes who lost his sight just two and a half years ago in combat in Iraq. Sergeant Major Acosta was honest in describing the frustration we all experience trying to buy and use new technologies from cell phones to personal digital assistants to televisions. He even had a little fun challenging a Congressman to try using his Blackberry with his eyes closed.

But there is a long way to go before we see this legislation pass or the results of this work become real. A representative of the cell phone industry said that many of the requirements in the proposed legislation were not needed because the information technology industry is addressing the needs of people with disabilities. While we agree that important progress has been made in some areas, notably where legal requirements like Section 255 are now in place, much work still needs to be done. In an ironic twist, on the same day that an attorney was telling this Congressional hearing that stronger enforcement such as a right to bring a case to court might actually hurt people with disabilities, yet another agreement was signed with the retail industry to make point-of-sale machines and a web site accessible to people with disabilities. This agreement, with RiteAid, came about through negotiations that did not require action in the courts, but it likely wouldn't have happened without the incentive provided by the strong enforcement language included in the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Without a doubt, it is all too clear that for people with vision loss there are no TVs with accessible controls and menus, there is minimal video description available of TV programs, PDAs and other new communications devices are not designed to be accessible, and there is little help for deaf-blind individuals to purchase expensive communications devices.

And, there is no doubt that this legislation is needed. We'll soon be asking you to contact your member of Congress to ask him or her to support the "Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act."

April 2008

Celebrity Witnesses Support Equal Access to Communications Technologies

From Mark Richert, Esq., Director, Public Policy

Though we live in a world where we rely on technology to succeed at our jobs, keep in touch with friends and family, and stay on top of current events and pop culture, communications technology isn't accessible to everyone. Tomorrow celebrity witnesses and disabilities rights groups are gathering before the US Congress to testify on the need for a comprehensive piece of legislation known as the "21st-Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act." This bill aims to expand access to communications technology including text messaging, smart phones, the menus on DVDs, TV programming and more.

The celebrity line up supporting this legislation includes Jamal Anderson, a pro football player for the Atlanta Falcons, Russell Harvard, a Hollywood actor who is deaf, Sergeant Major Jesse Acosta, who has vision disabilities as a result of action in Iraq, and Larry Goldberg with WGBH in Boston, a leading provider of video programming accessibility. You can watch the May 1 hearing via the Internet at http://energycommerce.edgeboss.net/wmedia-live/energycommerce/
11990/100_energycommerce-2123_060901.asx.

AFB is really excited to be part of the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT) that has been working hard to ensure people have access to modern-day, mainstream communications technology. To read more about AFB's work on the cell phone front, visit www.afb.org/cellphones, and to check out some examples of good video description, take a look at our new video gallery on FamilyConnect. With the population aging and the vision loss numbers expected to multiply in the next couple of decades, it is really important that we make sure technology can be used by everyone.

FamilyConnect™ Launches Today!

Today is a big day at AFB! Through a joint venture with the National Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments (NAPVI), our newest online community launches today—FamilyConnect™. FamilyConnect is geared toward the parents, grandparents, and other caretakers of children with visual impairments, giving them a place to connect with other families and find the support, information, and comprehensive resources they need, 24 hours a day.

AFB and NAPVI partnered with leading national organizations and hundreds of local agencies that serve children who are visually impaired—because of this, FamilyConnect content is complete and constantly updated. Visitors to the site are able to create a personal profile and receive information on news and events geared toward their child's age, eye condition, and location. Parents have access to message boards where they can talk to other parents, videos of real-life families, parenting articles, a glossary of eye conditions, and links to local resources. They can also find featured sections dedicated to multiple disabilities, technology, education, and every age group from infants to teens.

When you visit FamilyConnect, be sure to check out A Parent's Voice, a blog from Susan LaVenture, Executive Director of NAPVI, a parent of a child with a visual impairment, and a great friend to AFB. You can also add a FamilyConnect icon (like the one above) to your site—find out more information about linking to FamilyConnect™ here.

I hope you visit FamilyConnect and enjoy it as much as I do. Here at AFB, we're all excited about today's launch and looking forward to what's to come!

Top Credit Agencies to Make Accessible Credit Reports

Earlier this week, through the result of an agreement signed by the American Council of the Blind (ACB) and other organizations, the top three major U.S. credit reporting agencies—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—said the free online credit reports they offer through www.annualcreditreport.com will now comply with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) by October 31, 2008; braille, large print, and audio CD reports will be available by the end of the year. These guidelines ensure web sites are accessible for people with vision loss, especially when using screen reading software or screen magnifiers. Our friends, Lainey Feingold and Linda Dardarian, who were recently awarded an Access Award at AFB's 2008 National Conference (JLTLI), used their Structured Negotiations process to work with the ACB and the credit agencies.

This is a huge advancement in accessibility because up until now, those of us with vision loss have not been able to independently access and read our credit reports, something all of us should be doing periodically. By addressing barriers to web accessibility and by providing reports in alternate formats such as braille and large print, people with vision loss can now independently monitor our credit and financial data and keep the information private.

Kudos to Linda Dardarian and Lainey Feingold for their continued use of Structured Negotiations, and to ACB, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion for their initiative in making accessibility a top priority.

For more information or to view the full agreement, visit www.lflegal.com/2008/04/credit-report-agreement. You can also view the press release online at www.lflegal.com/2008/04/credit-report-press-release.

On Paterson, Vision, and Generosity

As expected, New York Governor David Paterson has been getting quite a bit of media attention lately, not only for his politics, but also for being legally blind and his tax records. When Paterson was first sworn in a little over a month ago, stories about the fact that he is legally blind, and how he could take on such a high profile job, seemed to dominate the coverage of his rise. This fascination has not died down, as evidenced by a story in Monday's New York Times detailing some of his routines. It's an interesting glimpse at how one person handles his day-to-day responsibilities, and it highlights an important fact: there are a wide variety of low- and high-tech adaptive tools for today's blind and visually impaired employees, and numerous ways these workers—including myself—use these tools to get our jobs done.

In the last week, Paterson has also been getting a lot of flak for how little he donated to charities last year, but here at AFB we've always known him to be open and giving in ways that go beyond the wallet. Paterson has long been a friend to the Foundation, lending us his expertise and time through nine years of service on our Board of Trustees. He has also been instrumental in our fundraising efforts; because his passion for our mission comes through whenever he speaks of AFB, he has convinced others to support our work. My hope is that we can define generosity by looking at all of a person's actions, not just a tax return.

AFB Senior Site Celebrates Its First Anniversary!

Just a year ago, we launched AFB Senior Site for the millions of seniors with age-related vision loss and their family and friends. With the rates of age-related eye conditions expected to double as the nation's 78 million baby boomers reach retirement age and beyond, we felt it was really important to let Americans know that people can continue to live normal, active lives with vision loss.

In this first year, we've made sure that Senior Site is the most comprehensive, informative resource on the web for people with vision loss. The response from users has been overwhelmingly positive, and we're proud that the site has helped visitors understand how they can help themselves or their loved ones. One visitor told us, "I am [73 years old] and today was diagnosed with early signs of macular degeneration. Reading about you and your method of dealing with this made me feel a lot better." We've also heard from family members seeking a better understanding of what their loved ones are experiencing, such as this comment: "Thank you for the videos and information on how to help someone with macular degeneration. My grandmother has this condition and NOW I know how she sees things."

Thank you to everyone who has made our first year a success! AFB Senior Site's second year promises to bring more great things to visitors from across the country, and the world. We're constantly updating the site with new and exciting features, such as quick tips, more informative articles on living with vision loss, videos, and more! If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an eye condition, check back often for the resources you need to live well with vision loss.

AFB's 2008 National Conference Got Techie in San Francisco

I apologize for the blogging hiatus! The beginning of April was quite eventful for AFB as we were hosting AFB's 2008 National Conference (JLTLI) in San Francisco, CA. The conference attracted over 200 leaders and emerging leaders in the field that were interested in the many ways technology is changing the lives of people living with vision loss. And boy, did we have some big names in the technology field in attendance, including our keynote speaker, Jim Fruchterman, founder and CEO of Benetech and Bookshare, as well as representatives from Verizon, AT&T, IBM, and Microsoft (to name a few!).

AFB's technology experts, Lee Huffman and Darren Burton, from AFB TECH in West Virginia, are preparing a blog post with the inside scoop on the sessions and speakers, so keep your eye out for that wrap-up. For now, you can read more about the National Conference and the Access and Migel award ceremonies in the April edition of AFB eNews. You can also check out photos from the event in the 2008 National Conference (JLTLI) Photo Gallery.

Many thanks to all of the sponsors, speakers, and participants of AFB's 2008 National Conference. I think it was a huge success!

March 2008

Summer Fragrance Workshop in France for Visually Impaired Teens

AFB and French beauty company L'Occitane are teaming up again to send four visually impaired teenagers to L'Occitane's perfume school, Provence dans tous les sens (Provence in every sense). The program is a magical experience that gives students the opportunity to visit lavender fields, learn how soaps, perfumes, and other products are made, and practice their Bonjours, Mercis, and S'il Vous Plaîts. If you know any 14-, 15-, or 16-year-olds interested in fragrance design, please encourage them to apply! Applications must be submitted by April 21. For more information, visit the 2008 announcement.

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Horton Hears a Who!, Video Described for You

From action films to animated children's films, WGBH Media Access Group is doing a lot to make a night out at the movies more accessible and enjoyable for those of us who are visually impaired. I've blogged about video description in the past, especially for movies like The Great Debaters and National Treasure, a Schroeder family favorite. Opening today, March 14, Dr. Seuss' classic Horton Hears a Who! is the next film in a lineup of many to be video described by WGBH. You can check out the accessible trailer here.

AFB is so excited about the movie that we've made Horton Hears a Who! the Braille Bug Reading Club Featured Book to draw attention to the issue of video description. And video description is not just for fun; it can be an important component of education as well. AFB has partnered with the Described Captioned Media Program (DCMP) to develop guidelines for description of educational media materials for students from preschool to high school.

The accessible Horton trailer has certainly inspired my colleagues, so I will leave you with one of their interpretations of how Dr. Seuss might've described the movie's opening. Enjoy!

Horton Hears a Who!, Dr. Seuss' whimsical creation,
Is a story about an elephant who hears a Who nation.
It opens in theaters March 14, today,
So make plans to see it. You must! You may!
Based on a book, this great children's narrative
Is video described, and this is highly imperative
For those of us who are visually impaired
Because without it, unless we are paired
With a sighted friend who can give their remarks
Of what's happening on screen, we'd be lost in the dark.

My Vote for Photo of the Year

Guest Blogger, Helen Selsdon, Archivist

As the archivist here at AFB, I've developed a strong affection and a huge respect for Helen Keller and her teacher Anne Sullivan Macy. AFB has a very rich archive of letters, manuscripts, photographs, artifacts, and much more on Helen that dates back to the earlier years of her life.

I'm sure by now many of you have read about a recently released photo of Helen and Anne. The photograph, taken in 1888 during a summer vacation to Cape Cod, is fascinating because it may be the earliest photograph taken of the two together; it exemplifies their relationship in so many ways. Anne encouraged Helen to study outside and investigate the natural world and in this image we see the two of them sitting outdoors. Helen is viewed holding a doll, something she always loved as a child, and "d-o-l-l" is the first word Anne ever spelled for her. The image is beautifully composed: the two of them sit in front of a lattice work fence, Anne's lovely face looks tenderly towards Helen as she holds or spells into Helen's hand, Helen's dress drapes neatly to the ground.

The Associated Press released an article and copy of the photograph, which was instantly picked up by the New York Times, the Boston Globe, NBC Nightly News, and other news outlets. I'm surprised at the media coverage of the photo and how quickly the story was picked up, but then again, maybe it isn't so surprising. Helen remains a key figure in American history and one of the most influential women of the 20th century. For one photo of her as a young girl to gain national attention means she is still loved and remembered, and her legacy continues to this day.

I'm Back!

So much has been going on here at AFB that I have neglected to post a blog entry in almost a week! As many of you probably know, former AFB Board Member, Lt. Governor David Paterson, is going to be sworn in as Governor of New York State on Monday (I'll have more to write about that in the next few days). We're also gearing up for AFB's 2008 National Conference, taking place April 4-5 in San Francisco, CA. Our early registration rate is good until March 20, so hurry up and register today for what is going to be an informative, fun, and "techie" weekend in sunny California.

One thing I've been wanting to let you know all week is that last Tuesday, some of my colleagues and I had the privilege of attending a private screening of Blindsight, the film that tells the adventurous story of six blind Tibetan teenagers who, along with Erik Weihenmayer and their instructors, set out to climb the 23,000-foot Lhakpa Ri on the north side of Mount Everest. I can honestly say that I left the theater inspired. No, not inspired to head to Tibet to climb a mountain, but inspired by the amazing portrayal of the Tibetan teens, the determination and spirit of the entire mission, and the overall theme of the movie (which I'm not going to give away, because I think you should see the film yourself!).

My only negative feedback is that the audio description was very difficult to hear. It was great they offered the option of audio description, but it was a shame that it wasn't very helpful. Regardless, this was a fantastic film and I commend the director, producers, stars, and anyone else involved in its creation. They even received a rave review from the NY Times—something many films can't brag about!

New Guidelines Provide Medication Safety

Guest Bloggers, Judy Scott, Director, AFB Center on Vision Loss, and Pris Rodgers, Program Manager, Senior Site & Independent Living

Imagine not being able to see the labels on your medication bottles or read the accompanying prescription information from your pharmacist…it could put you at serious risk for potential misidentification or misuse of your medications. For those of us with vision loss, this is a serious concern. In January, our policy department blogged about the launch of our RX Label Enable campaign, an effort to ensure that people with vision loss have ready access to medication information, enabling them to take medications safely, effectively, and independently. Recently, some positive steps have been taken to make medication labels accessible to people who have trouble seeing. AFB and the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists Foundation (ASCPF) formed an Advisory Group to create guidelines for pharmacists. The guidelines are now final, and our hope is that pharmacists will use the tips to give consumers with vision loss ready access to the vital information on medication labeling. You can read the full set of guidelines online at www.ascpfoundation.org or you can visit the RX Label Enable section of AFB's web site for some tips for you to share right away with your pharmacist.

We are also collecting stories from consumers, family members, or friends who have had difficultly with reading prescription labels or over-the-counter medication information. I hope you will join the effort and fill out our short, informal survey in the Tell Us Your Story section of AFB's web site.

February 2008

The Stars and Stripes…and Dots

I just read an article announcing that the Arlington National Cemetery is paying tribute to America's first braille flag and blind veterans nationwide. The flags, produced by the Kansas Braille Transcription Institute in Wichita, are fully tactile and inform people who are blind of the flag's colors, along with the 50 stars and 13 stripes. It also bears the Pledge of Allegiance in braille and print. The American flag is such an important symbol, representing all of the rights we have as members of this society, and I think it's great that the Kansas Braille Transcription Institute has created a version of the flag for the blind community.

One More Reason to Love Paris

Shortly after my post on the blind Tibetans and their visit to the MoMA here in New York City, I came across this article on the Louvre in Paris, France. Ah, the Louvre—one of the world's most prominent art museums, home to the Mona Lisa and other famous works of art. For those of us living with vision loss, though, experiencing these world-renowned works is often difficult, unless you're visiting with a friend who can describe the art or happen to be taking an audio-guided tour. Most museums tend to offer these tours, as well as braille labels and large print guides, but many ask visitors to refrain from touching the art on display. This isn't the case with the Louvre's Tactile Gallery, where "Please Don't Touch" signs are absent and exploring art with your hands is highly encouraged. The Tactile Gallery opened in 1995 as a way for those of us who are blind or visually impaired to experience art; it's the only space in the museum where visitors can actually touch the sculptures.

I had the opportunity to visit the Louvre 10 years ago, and spent some time wandering around the Tactile Gallery. I have to admit, I wasn't very impressed with what they offered. The collection seemed inferior and fell rather short of my expectations, but it's been quite some time since my visit, and I hope the Louvre has made some changes to improve the exhibit. This doesn't take away from the fact that the museum created an accessible exhibit for people who are blind or visually impaired, something I hope to see other museums provide.

Blindsight Stars Visit NYC

A great article ran in the NY Times today about some of the stars of Blindsight, the movie I wrote about yesterday. Five of the blind Tibetan teenagers that accompanied our friend Erik Weihenmayer up Lhakpa Ri, a 23,000-foot mountain on the north side of Mount Everest, spent Wednesday afternoon at one of New York's most beloved attractions, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MoMA). According to the article, the students are spending a month in the United States to promote the film and also have some fun—walking across the Golden Gate Bridge, hang gliding in Los Angeles, and visiting museums in NYC. I was happy to read that the teens were able to experience MoMA's "touch tour" of the museum, a regular service MoMA provides for the blind and visually impaired. I hope they enjoyed their visit to New York!

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Blindsight Coming Soon to New York

Our good friend Erik Weihenmayer is at it again! For those of you that don't know him, Erik is an accomplished athlete, author, and motivational speaker. He has climbed all Seven Summits, the highest peaks on each of the world's continents, and he also happens to be blind.

In a few weeks, on Friday, March 7, Blindsight, a new and exciting documentary featuring Erik, will debut at the IFC Center in New York City. The film tells the adventurous story of six blind Tibetan teenagers who, along with Erik and their instructors, set out to climb the 23,000-foot Lhakpa Ri on the north side of Mount Everest. It amazes me to think about the amount of dedication and courage all of the climbers in the film must possess and I'm interested to see how the film captures the dangerous and inspiring journey up the mountain. In addition, the film seems to focus a lot of attention on the way blindness is perceived within the Tibetan culture. According to the film's announcement, these six blind teens, along with many other blind Tibetans, are believed to be possessed by demons and are rejected by their families, villages, and society. I wonder if their adventure up the mountain changes these cultural perceptions and shows all viewers that people who are blind or visually impaired are able to achieve the same accomplishments as those in the sighted world.

For the film's trailer and for more information visit the Blindsight web site. If you have the chance to see the film, let us know what you think.

SPECIAL VALENTINE'S REPORT

AFB Puts Match.com, eHarmony, and Love is Blind to the Accessibility Test

By Adrianna Montague-Gray, AFB Communications, and Marc Grossman, AFB Consulting

With Valentine's upon us—that time of year when everyone's talking about relationships and dating—I was curious about the accessibility of online dating sites, so I asked my colleague Marc Grossman to help me evaluate a few. We didn't do a formal evaluation of each. Instead we looked at the homepages of Match.com, eHarmony, and Love is Blind, and tried to sign up for these sites' services using the JAWS screen reader on Marc's computer.

We started with Match.com, one of the most popular dating sites on the web. At first, things were looking good. Match makes good use of headings, and most of the links, edit boxes, and controls on the site were well labeled. But then, we started hitting some bumps. First, the "sign up" and "subscribe" buttons were not clearly labeled, which made it hard to locate them without sighted assistance. But the kicker came at the end of the sign-up process where we hit a CAPTCHA—the inaccessible, visual verification tool designed to keep spam out of systems. Though Match offers an 800 number (1-800-838-9045) for sight-impaired people who cannot read the CAPTCHA, it's not a working number. We tried it three times and got the same "out of service" recording!

From there we moved to Love is Blind, an online matchmaking site for blind and visually impaired people. This site was an accessibility dream in comparison. Links, edit boxes, and controls were well labeled. The site was clutter free and had a clean design. Unfortunately, we were constantly being reminded that we were not running the latest version of Adobe Flash. This file type is not supported by the W3C guidelines and efforts should be made to come up with a suitable workaround.

Our last stop was eHarmony, a site that asks users to fill out a very long compatibility survey before sending potential love interests their way. The good news is eHarmony doesn't use a CAPTCHA for their sign-up process. But the site was a little disorienting to navigate because it doesn't make use of headings or other markup. In addition, "register to begin" was an unlabeled graphic, which made it near impossible to find the sign up page. But once we did, the combo-boxes and edit fields and radio buttons all had clear labels. We wanted to check out the accessibility of the rest of the site, but we couldn't make it through the questionnaire. It was just too long!

So how many Cupids do these sites get for accessibility?

Here is Marc's conclusion:

Love Is Blind gets four Cupids for accessibility but could easily jump to a perfect five if they would develop a workaround for the Flash barrier.

The eHarmony site earns three Cupids for accessibility. While a few of the problems were annoying and slowed me down, with only minor persistence, I was able to navigate the site.

Match.com would have also earned three Cupids—as most of the site is well labeled and easy to navigate—but with its inaccessible CAPTCHA and out-of-service help number, I have no choice but to give it one Cupid.

But we're hoping all these sites show us some love this Valentine's Day by fixing their accessibility problems.

Now, how to convince my wife that I was on these sites for "research purposes…."

Win a Grant to Create New Assistive Technology

Calling all entrepreneurs and techies! The Spanish Organization for the Blind (ONCE) is calling for entries for their 5th International Research and Development (R & D) award in New Technologies for the Blind and Visually Impaired. The lucky winner will receive a $300,000 grant to help develop new assistive technology in the area of engineering, artificial intelligence, computer sciences, telecommunications, microtechnology, or nanoelectronics (sorry if this is confusing for the non-tech folks!). AFB is thrilled to reteam with ONCE to raise awareness about this important award. Learn more about the award and how to submit materials by visiting the ONCE web site.

Playhouse Celebrates 25 Years of Accessible Theatre

I came across this article in the New York Times yesterday about Paper Mill Playhouse, a critically acclaimed theatre in Millburn, New Jersey. The playhouse is celebrating 25 years of access services and a commitment to making theatre fully accessible to those with disabilities. All shows in Paper Mill's current season have scheduled performances offering sign-interpreted and open-captioned performances for the deaf and hard-of-hearing, and audio-described performances for those with vision loss; large print and braille playbills are also available. If you can make it out to Millburn, I encourage you to stop in and see Paper Mill's current show, "The Miracle Worker," running now until February 24. Visit Paper Mill Playhouse's web site to see when sign-interpreted and open-captioned performances and audio-described performances are scheduled.

Let's give a standing ovation to Paper Mill Playhouse for their commitment to making theatre something that can be enjoyed by everyone!

Pepsi Ad Scores Big This Superbowl Sunday

Guest Blogger, Marc Grossman, Accessibility Specialist, AFB Consulting

The hype around this weekend's Superbowl game between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots isn't all about Tom Brady and Eli Manning (for those non-football fans, they are the quarterbacks for each team). Then again, don't most people watch the Superbowl for the wacky advertisements? In the disability community, the buzz has been around a Pepsi commercial scheduled to show during the game. According to an article from the Associated Press, the ad hopes to raise awareness of deaf culture and "features a joke that originates from the deaf community and will play out on screen over 60 seconds of total silence." The article also explains that the ad was conceived and acted by Pepsi employees who are deaf.

As a member of the disability community, I think it's great that Pepsi is spending a ton of money to raise awareness through this commercial. The thing is…what about us football fans that are visually impaired? Without the sound, there's no way for me to know what's going on in the commercial. I was thinking of starting an online petition demanding that Fox add a video description. Otherwise, how will I know to run out and buy a case of Pepsi?

Nip/Tuck Slices Stereotypes

I recently blogged about an episode of Desperate Housewives in which a character on the show became blind. Over the weekend, I heard the most recent episode of Nip/Tuck, shown on cable network FX, also featured a blind character played by Rick Boggs. Rick, a blind actor and friend of AFB, last appeared on television in 2001 in an episode of Ally McBeal. I'm really sorry to have missed the show. From what I hear, the episode actually commented on a common Hollywood practice: using blind actors to coach sighted actors when playing the role of a blind person.

Kudos to the producers of Nip/Tuck for using Rick in this episode and showing their audience an accurate portrayal of someone with vision loss. If you had a chance to watch the episode, I'd love to know what you thought.

January 2008

Thanks, Facebook!

Guest Blogger, Caitlin McFeely, AFB Communications

Over the past few months, AFB's Communications Department has spread the word about AFB through the "Cause" application on the social networking site Facebook. For those of you unfamiliar with the site, the Cause application allows individuals and organizations like AFB to explain their mission, invite other "Facebookers" to join and learn more, keep indivudals up to speed on issues, and raise money. To date, AFB's cause has 334 members and has raised $35!

AFB's biggest recruiter for our Cause is Michelle Hackman, one of the teenagers who spent a week at the L'Occitane Perfume School last June. Not only has Michelle recruited 65 people to AFB's Cause, but she has recently become an advocate for an accessible Facebook. Many blind and visually impaired users of Facebook, including Michelle, have noticed some flaws with the site.

One of the biggest problems still revolves around the CAPTCHA-the visual verification tool used to keep spam out of sites that provide online services. While it was great that Facebook added e-mail and audio alternatives to the CAPTCHA, Michelle noted these options don't always work: specifically, the audio alternative is difficult to comprehend. So even with these alternatives, the CAPTCHA still prohibits her from using many of Facebook's features. Another problem we recently encountered is that the audio CAPTCHA is available only when a screen reader is detected by the program. While this is great for blind users of Facebook who are accessing the site with a screen reader, this can prohibit low vision users from accessing the audio and/or e-mail alternative.

Michelle decided to take action and bring this and other problems to the Facebook staff. Last week, Michelle and I had the pleasure of discussing the inaccessible features of the site with Jeff, a Facebook employee that works on accessibility issues. Jeff was really responsive to our concerns and promised that his team would work hard to tackle these issues. He even hopes to set up a project timeline to keep track of the concerns and progress made.

I'll keep you posted about changes that are made by Facebook to make the site usable by all. For now, we want to thank Jeff and Facebook for making accessibility a priority. As Michelle said after the meeting, "I really liked what he said about Facebook really being accessible for everyone who wants to use it, because, of course he's right, but I don't think other people are always as considerate."

150 Years of APH

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the American Printing House for the Blind (APH). Since its inception, APH has provided specialized materials, products, and services for people who are blind or visually impaired. In honor of the anniversary, The Louisville Courier-Journal ran a great article about APH and the role they have played in using technology to level the playing field for the blind community.

Both Paul Schroeder, Vice President of Programs and Policy at AFB, and I are two of the countless individuals who have benefited from using APH services and products. Paul notes, "APH has been part of my life and success as a blind person almost from the beginning right through to today. I count myself lucky for having had the chance to read braille books, examine maps and globes, write with slates, calculate math and listen to cassette recorders, all made possible by APH. And today, as my friends well know because I talk about it all the time, I love my BookPort and use it every day, even to read this newspaper article. Thank you, APH, for making my life richer and more complete and, more importantly, thanks for all you have done to ensure that those of us with vision loss are able to receive an education and be productive."

Congratulations to APH for 150 years of providing people with vision loss with the communications tools that allow them to work, interact, and live independently.

National Glaucoma Awareness Month

Since January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month, I thought I'd take a moment and let you know AFB has great resources on understanding and living with vision loss. Vision loss from glaucoma can change your life, but there are many ways to adapt and still maintain your independence. If you or someone you know is experiencing vision loss, check out AFB Senior Site for more information on simple solutions for maintaining a healthy and comfortable lifestyle.

Bloggers Take on Web Accessibility

A few weeks ago, I posted about NY Times blogger David Pogue's acknowledgement of the inaccessibility of technology gadgets. I was thrilled to see Pogue mention the accessibility issue and also to see the larger discussion about the accessibility of cell phones, iPods, and other gadgets that unfolded.

This week Wendy Bounds, another accomplished blogger from the Wall Street Journal, is talking about another important issue—web accessibility. In the post, Bounds encourages businesses, bloggers, and web designers to ask themselves an important question: Is Your Web Site Blind Friendly? She explains how the NFB/Target lawsuit has brought about a push to make sure web sites are compatible with screen reading software used by computer users who are blind and offers ways to test the accessibility of your site (including a link to AFB.org, which was great to see!).

As we know too well, people with vision loss are being shut out from popular commercial web sites because so few businesses follow accessibility guidelines for the web. This is despite the fact that the US Department of Justice and the presidentially appointed National Council on Disability have said repeatedly that the ADA covers accessibility of commercial web sites for people with disabilities. When web pages are not designed with accessibility in mind, people with vision loss and other disabilities are shut out from the goods and services on the site.

Improving the accessibility of a site is not that difficult, and can be done by making a few simple modifications, ­such as properly labeling graphics and links. As baby boomers reach retirement age and beyond, and the vision loss numbers begin to multiply, more and more of us will expect the web to be accessible. It's time businesses, bloggers, and designers pay attention to web accessibility, and make necessary changes to their sites.

New and Improved ATMs from HSBC Bank

I thought I'd let you know about some good news from the finance world. In a press release this morning, HSBC Bank announced they are now offering "talking" ATMs in over 250 locations across the U.S. For those of you who aren't aware, these ATMs have an audio jack and when headphones are plugged in, a recorded voice prompts users through their transactions. Talking ATMs are great because they allow people who are blind or visually impaired to safely and independently complete their banking needs. Visit the Taking Care of Business section of AFB Senior Site to watch a video on managing finances and to see how these talking ATMs work.

Kudos to HSBC and other banks that are keeping their visually impaired customers in mind by offering these ATMs.

Vision Loss Comes to Wisteria Lane

Most of you may not know this, but one of my favorite television shows is Desperate Housewives. I enjoy Sunday evenings spent tuned in to life on Wisteria Lane and the unending drama between Susan, Lynette, Gaby, Edie, and Bree. The latest episode was especially interesting for me. After a disastrous tornado struck town, Carlos, one of the show's leading men, was rendered blind due to the storm. Albeit, it's a bit dramatic, but Desperate Housewives fans know not to expect any less. It's interesting when blindness or visual impairment enters pop culture; it's a great way to challenge the public perception of what it means to live with vision loss. I'm interested to see how the women of Wisteria Lane react (assuming the writers get back to work soon)!

In Memory of Edward A. Brennan

Celebrating a new year is always a cause to reflect on the past year, and to say hello to the many possibilities that lie ahead. The flip side is that we sometimes have to bid farewell to certain possibilities, and to friends. This was the case toward the end of last year, when we regretfully had to say goodbye to Edward A. Brennan, an entrepreneur and good friend to AFB.

Brennan began his career in 1956, selling men's furnishings with Sears, Roebuck and Co., eventually becoming Chairman and CEO. In 1995, Brennan received the Helen Keller Employment Opportunity Award on behalf of Sears' longstanding commitment to employing people with disabilities and encouraging career advancement.

One of the things I remember most about Ed Brennan was his welcoming personality; he was always willing to give his time and provide advice and counsel when needed. His benevolent character showed through in everything he did, whether it was in his position as CEO or donating his resources to organizations like AFB. Having a grandson who is visually impaired, Brennan truly saw that hiring and retaining workers who have disabilities is good business, a principle he demonstrated throughout his life.

We give our thanks to Ed Brennan for his dedication and friendship to AFB and praise his many accomplishments across the years. He will surely be missed.

December 2007

Pop the Champagne! Good News on the Legislative Front

On December 21, the Energy and Commerce Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives released proposed legislation that seeks to ensure telephones and television programs are accessible to people with disabilities. Known as the "Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act," the draft legislation is being hailed by the disabilities community as a dramatic and comprehensive step forward for consumers with disabilities. Check out the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology's press release for more details.

Hats Off to Horizons for the Blind

We always like to show our support for innovators in the blindness field, so I wanted to share with you some news a colleague of mine recently passed along. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Horizons for the Blind, a nonprofit that provides accessible materials for those of us with vision loss. Founded by Camille Caffarelli, Horizons empowers visually challenged individuals by giving them access to a variety of large-print or braille materials, enabling them to read their bills, etc. without aid.

The organization, based in Crystal Lake, Ill., is staffed mostly by people who are blind or legally blind. Customers can get materials embossed in braille or magnified in 22-point "large print" typefaces; and audio versions of many items, including bills, are also available on cassette, CD and MP3. More than 20,000 bank, utility and credit card statements are transcribed each month, along with items like menus for larger companies and user manuals for household appliances get transcribed as well.

Congratulations to Camille for providing this invaluable service to our community for so many years!

Holiday Favorites

Hope you all had a great holiday weekend! Last year around this time, we let you know about some of AFB's favorite holiday gifts for people with vision loss: Portable digital talking book players from Telex or Visuaid, a tabletop radio, DVS Home Videos, and the Jitterbug cell phone. This year, we thought we'd find out what some of your favorite vision loss-friendly holiday gifts were. Leave me a comment below. And maybe, if there are a few responses, I'll let you know my favorite gift from 2007.

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A Present from Pogue

I received a great holiday gift yesterday. No, it wasn't a new cashmere sweater or a trip to Tahiti (though I wouldn't be opposed to either of those gifts). My gift was simply a few short paragraphs from David Pogue, the NY Times Technology writer. In a recent blog post, Pogue, a well-known and widely followed writer in the tech world, acknowledged an issue well-known to the vision loss community: the accessibility (or inaccessibility) of technology gadgets.

While suggesting holiday tech gifts on NPR's "Talk of the Nation" earlier this week, Pogue received a call from a listener who was blind. The listener commented on how the gadgets must be great for consumers who have their vision, but questioned whether Pogue ever stopped and asked himself how blind people are supposed to use them. It seems Pogue had not. This call inspired Pogue to mention the issue and ask about accessibility in his blog post, which in turn opened up a larger discussion about the accessibility of cell phones, iPods, and other gadgets.

Here at AFB we are constantly working to help the information and communications technology industry improve the accessibility and design of its products. This is evident in many of our efforts, from our reviews in Accessworld® of various products available to people who are blind, to AFB TECH and AFB Consulting's work with companies who want to make their products more accessible, to AFB's 255 Action Campaign to encourage cell phone manufacturers and service providers to offer accessible cell phones. Half the battle in getting those in the industry to make a change to their products is publicizing the access barriers and design possibilities, hence my excitement about Pogue's post. Hopefully, the buzz about accessibility will continue to catch on and manufacturers will begin to create gadgets and products that all people can use.

I even added my own comment to the post and I encourage you to read and respond to Pogue's blog to help publicize both the challenges with inaccessible gadgets and the simple steps that can be taken to make them accessible. And, of course, we always like seeing your comments on our blog, so feel free to write a comment on this post. Let us know what category of technological product you'd most like to see made accessible to people with vision loss.

AT&T Expands Options for Cell Phone Users with Vision Loss

Good news on the cell phone front. This week, AT&T Inc. announced their new partnership with Code Factory and their initiative to increase usability for wireless customers who are blind or have low vision. AT&T will now offer the screen reader and magnification software, Mobile Speak and Mobile Magnifier, on select Windows Mobile and Symbian Series 60 phones. Consumers with vision loss are advised to contact AT&T's National Center for Customers with Disabilities at 866-241-6568 with questions or for more information.

We have set up a page on our web site to compile information about cell phone accessibility and ways in which people with vision loss can address access concerns. As we more fully understand the AT&T offer, we will provide details on that page.

We're pleased to see that AT&T continues to show leadership in addressing the needs of the blind and low vision community. AT&T is to be commended for offering full-fledged screen access software, something that no other cell phone company is doing. However, we are disappointed that AT&T has decided to charge people with vision loss an $89 fee for Mobile Speaks or Mobile Magnifier. Though this price is a substantial savings off the market price of these products, this financial burden amounts to a "disability surcharge" for cell phone use that is available to customers without disabilities at no extra charge. (By the way, AT&T had offered the screen reader TALKS with a full rebate for the price of TALKS with a two-year contract).

I also want to note two other concerns:

1. The phones that are offered with the screen access software tend to be expensive (even with a two-year contract).
2. Some consumers do not wish to learn the commands of a screen reader. We hope that AT&T will do more to address the needs of consumers with vision loss who want a low-end phone with a simplified access interface.

Those concerns notwithstanding, I commend AT&T for its leadership and hope that other cell phone carriers and manufacturers will follow AT&T's lead and will offer more accessible wireless options for customers with vision loss, while keeping in mind these options should be made available at no additional cost to blind or visually impaired consumers.

Takin' it to the Street

Guest Blogger, Marc Grossman, Accessibility Specialist, AFB Consulting

Earlier this week, I read a blog entry from the Tri-State Transportation Campaign (TSTC) that sparked an interesting conversation among some of my colleagues and I. The blogger wrote about the poor design of the streets surrounding Penn Station-the same streets I travel everyday on my way to AFB's headquarters in New York City-and how it's a great time to talk about making changes to the area's layout, as New York's Development Corporation is planning a revamp of Penn Station.

Many New Yorkers, regardless of the status of their vision, find this area to be a nightmare. The streets are crowded with commuters and tourists, sidewalks are narrow (and are made narrower by scaffolding, garbage, and street vendors), and cars often block the crosswalk on 7th Avenue (just last month, a car blocking the cross walk rolled over and broke my cane!). In passing this blog post around to some of my colleagues, a discussion about the accessibility of certain areas and cities for a pedestrian with vision loss unfolded. Some felt that Penn Station and the surrounding area are incredibly accessible because of the layout, consistent land marks, flow of traffic, and availability of good stores and food. Others, like myself, feel that the throngs of people (especially during the holidays), vendors, and inconsiderate drivers, really make this area dangerous for all types of pedestrians. So, what makes an area accessible? I guess the saying is true, different strokes for different folks!

In the end, I think the real thing to take away from reading the TSTC blog and the subsequent discussion is that New York City has an obligation to design city streets that maximize the safest environment for all travelers. Pedestrians who are blind or visually impaired support the same pedestrian-friendly environments and features that all thoughtful pro-pedestrian organizations, like TSTC, promote. So, as the city begins to evaluate its plans for rehabilitating the area surrounding Penn Station, I encourage pedestrians to speak their mind and alert city planners to our concerns.

Rx Label Enable: Calling for Accessible Medication Labels

Guest Bloggers Paul Schroeder, VP, Programs & Policy Group and Mark Richert, Esq., Director, Public Policy

We're lucky to live in an age where we have access to medications that treat everything from the common cold to more serious conditions like high blood pressure. While it's great to have access to a wide variety of medications, I'm sure you would agree that it's crucial to ensure that all consumers have a safe, effective system for organizing and identifying prescription and over-the-counter medications—what they are, what's the prescribed or recommended dosage, how often you need to take them, and what side effects might occur as a result of taking the medication. Those of us with vision loss face a problem when taking medication because of the lack of accessible medication label information. The print on labels and package inserts is typically very small, making it difficult or impossible for those of us with vision loss to read important medication information. This poses a serious public health threat for the nearly 20 million Americans currently experiencing vision loss.

In an effort to ensure that people with vision loss have access to medication information, AFB embarked on its newest campaign, Rx Label Enable. We're reaching out to consumers experiencing vision loss and their family members, policymakers, federal regulators, doctors, the pharmaceutical industry, retailers, assistive technology providers, and public and private insurers, to promote solutions, build consensus, and take action. Our hope is that through these efforts, policymakers will address this problem and develop standards to ensure that medication labels and information are accessible to individuals with vision loss.

We need to hear from you and I hope you will join the effort. If you, a family member, or friend has had trouble reading prescription or over-the-counter medication information, check out the Rx Label Enable page on our web site and fill out our short, informal survey in the Tell Us Your Story section.

Let's Go to the Movies!

Great news! I'm happy to report the Schroeder family will be able to see a video described version of The Great Debaters. My wife, Lori, and I received a reply from Ms. Olivares of The Weinstein Co., yesterday, letting us know that The Great Debaters will be released with descriptive video as well as captions, thanks in large part to Lori's efforts (you have to let me brag a little). In addition, Ms. Olivares said the company will attempt to make this happen whenever possible.

This whole experience proves yet again that sometimes companies like film studios want to hear from their customers and are listening. If DVS is important to you, I encourage you to urge the movie studios to add description, and to go to as many described movies as you can. If we ask for DVS, and take advantage of it when it is offered, I can foresee a time when video description will be much more available.

Many thanks to The Weinstein Co., Buena Vista, WGBH Media Access Group, and of course, to Lori, for making this happen!

Finding Treasure at the Movies

The Schroeder family loved the movie National Treasure (yes, sometimes even I like pop culture) and we were thrilled to find that the sequel is scheduled for release this holiday season. But, there was a disappointing catch-it was being released without video description.

We've blogged before about Descriptive Video Service (DVS), which is a separate audio track heard through a headset that describes key visual elements in a movie, and its importance to blind and visually impaired moviegoers (and there are many of us!). With DVS, there's no need to have my wife or daughters describe the movie to me in a whisper that's sure to irritate our fellow moviegoers. And so we contacted a friend at WGBH, the pioneer behind DVS and the motion picture access efforts called MoPix, who put us in touch with National Treasure's distribution company, Buena Vista.

Thanks, in part, to a most eloquent note written by my wife, Lori, Buena Vista agreed to describe the movie. So there you have it-proof that one person can make a difference!

Emboldened by this success, we are now petitioning The Weinstein Co. to describe The Great Debaters, also due out during the big Christmas rush. You can read Lori's letter, which is similar to the one she sent to Buena Vista.

Her words express exactly how important DVS is for our family, and I suspect for others as well. In fact, my favorite line was "I hate to admit, there are times that I avert my eyes (because I am scared by what is on the screen) and during those times, Paul has no idea what is taking place on the screen." Yes indeed! Taking my wife to see Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven, which was not described in theatrical release but was later released on video with description, is now the stuff of legend in our house as I was left hanging disappointed at some very key moments. If you also love movies, but hate missing much of the action, take this story to heart and urge the movie studios to add description-they will listen to you, and the more they understand how important DVS is, the more movies will get described.

WGBH's National Center on Accessible Media maintains an excellent site with lots of information about movies and theaters with video description (and closed captioning) at www.mopix.org.

75 Years of AFB and Talking Books

As my vision began to diminish in high school, reading became an increasingly difficult task. By the time I graduated college, I had completely lost interest in reading. Eventually, with some encouragement from my sister and a close friend, I enrolled in the Talking Books program and ended up with a copy of Watership Down. The book was narrated by Alexander Scourby, one of the most admired narrators in the history of the Talking Books program, and I remember thinking, "I can't believe books are so good again!" I've been an avid and steady reader of Talking Books since. That being said, you can imagine how proud I am to work for AFB, an organization with such close ties to Talking Books since 1932.

In honor of AFB's involvement with Talking Books over the past 75 years, AFB launched a new, web-based Talking Book Archives. Thanks to generous grants from the Carnegie Foundation and The New York Times Company Foundation, an electronic finding aid to the collection is available online and is accompanied by a multimedia exhibit, including audio clips from celebrated narrators, letters, press clippings, and photographs from the collection. We're so excited to be able to preserve this collection and make the archives available to you all.

I highly encourage you to visit this web site, learn some new things about the history of AFB and Talking Books, and share your own story in the Post Your Tributes section. As always, let me know what you think!

November 2007

A Time to Give Thanks

As Thanksgiving draws near, I would like to thank all those who have made AFB a stronger, better organization in the last year. AFB is very lucky to have a dedicated, innovative staff and Board of Trustees, and a strong group of supporters. From the launch of AFB Senior Site in spring 2007, to our soon-to-be launched web site for parents of children with vision loss, we are helping families live independent, active lives with vision loss. I want to thank the Verizon Foundation for their outstanding support of AFB Senior Site. In addition, I want to thank our other major contributors for their generosity and dedication to our mission:

Conrad N. Hilton Foundation; Lavelle Fund for the Blind, Inc.; The Bernard Newcomb Fund, Silicon Valley Community Foundation; The James H. & Alice Teubert Charitable Trust; Daniels Fund; Jessie Ball duPont Fund; Delta Gamma Foundation; IBM Corporation; F.M. Kirby Foundation, Inc.; The J. Willard & Alice S. Marriott Foundation; NEC Foundation of America; Reader's Digest Partners for Sight Foundation; Wells Fargo Foundation.

And, last but not least, I want to thank all of you for visiting our web site, reading our blog, and contributing your thoughts and ideas. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Play It Safe With the Talking First Aid Kit

I think it's always important to keep safety in mind, so I thought I'd let you know about a new product from intelligentFirstAid™, the First Aid "talking" Kit. Although we haven't had the chance to try it out ourselves, it seems like a great tool for someone living with low vision to have around. The Kit includes nine injury-specific packs to help treat common injuries, including Bleeding, Head & Spine Injury, and Shock. The packs are individually labeled and color-coded, which I love because it would help someone with low vision easily distinguish the packs. The best part, though, is that with the press of a button, the audio component attached to each card provides step-by-step instructions to manage the wound. Situations often become chaotic when a loved one, an acquaintance, or even you, experiences a minor injury. With this tool, people with low vision can remain calm and have an idea of how to handle things without worrying about reading any print. Check out the intelligentFirstAid™ website to purchase the product or get more information (the site even allows you to listen to a sample of the audio component of the kit). And if you've tried the kit, let us know what you think.

Recapping the New Hampshire Presidential Candidate Forum

I follow politics the way some people are dedicated to sports. Maybe it wasn't quite the World Series, but last Friday in Manchester, NH, I joined hundreds of people with disabilities and advocates interested in disability issues to hear several candidates for President of the United States address "our" issues and concerns.

It was a political forum hosted by Granite State Independent Living and ably led by the American Association of People with Disabilities and several cosponsors (including AFB). All major candidates from both major parties were invited to outline their priorities firsthand. While several Democratic candidates attended, unfortunately, only one Republican candidate presented to the group.

The idea behind this forum was to "wake the sleeping giant," the millions of voters with disabilities. Candidates addressed several different issues in their remarks and in answers to specific questions. And hopefully, this is the beginning of much greater voting among people with disabilities. Regrettably, our electoral participation has been far too low.

If we want to improve opportunities for employment, education, and independence through technology and other means, then we need our highest government officials to address our issues and not just give us lip service. We know our society is made better when all of us can participate fully, and better government policies can help to make that possible.

Another Tech Writer Confirms Cell Phones Aren't Designed for People with Vision Loss

I read this great article that appeared in the Personal Technology section of Newsday this weekend. Lou Dolinar, whose own vision has been deteriorating over the years, talks about the daily challenges he has faced, namely how everyday activities like using a computer or cell phone gets harder as these products keep getting smaller and more complicated. In the article, he talks about having to replace his Motorola T720, which he loved because he could enlarge the type and operate it without using glasses; however, the new version of this phone does not have this option. He jokes about wanting a "geezer phone"—one that is easily operated and not as complex as most that are currently on the market and argues that not everyone necessarily wants to be able to access YouTube, or listen to the their favorite song, via their cell phone, but just wants to use it to simply call a friend.

Dolinar may not be aware, but one company has recognized this desire and created a simple, no-frills cell phone that happens to be one of our favorite gadgets: the Jitterbug. While the large buttons and bright, easy-to-read screen make the Jitterbug a great option for anyone experiencing the same frustrations as Dolinar, the pricing and service structure of the Jitterbug are limited. We'd love to see other cell phone service providers begin to make phones that offer the same accessibility options as the Jitterbug, but that also offer alternate service plans.

I thought the author made some clever and interesting points, but the best part of the article is that he mentions AFB's 255 Action Campaign, our effort to encourage cell phone manufacturers and service providers to offer accessible cell phones. You should definitely check it out!

October 2007

New Hampshire Presidential Candidate Forum on Equality, Opportunity and Access

We thought you'd like to know about an extremely important event for people with disabilities, taking place this Friday in New Hampshire. Below is the Media Advisory with the information about the event.

New Hampshire Presidential Candidate Forum this Friday

Who: Moderated by Edward Kennedy Jr., board secretary for the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the presidential candidate forum on Friday, November 2, 2007, will feature appearances by Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE), Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), and Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio). Senator John McCain (R-AZ) will participate by phone, while John Edwards' campaign manager and former Michigan Congressman David Bonior will address the crowd of more than 600 New Hampshire voters.

The forum is being hosted by Granite State Independent Living. Co-hosts include: New Hampshire Developmental Disabilities Council; New Hampshire Disabilities Rights Center; New Hampshire Institute on Disability; New Hampshire Spinal Cord Injury Association; and People First of New Hampshire.

What: Presidential candidates will address more than 600 New Hampshire voters representing a consortium of non-partisan national and local groups committed to ensuring self-determination and full participation for people with disabilities in all aspects of society. The candidate forum, sponsored by groups representing more than 50 million Americans with all types of disabilities, will focus on the political, economic, and lifestyle goals of the consortium, as well as the priorities of the presidential candidates.

Polls have shown that members of disability community vote in presidential elections based on issues of importance, rather than party affiliation.

When: Friday, November 2, 2007; 8:30 AM-4 PM.

The schedule of candidate appearances is as follows:

10:15 AM Senator Hillary Clinton
11:00 AM Senator Joseph Biden
11:30 AM Senator Chris Dodd
2:00 PM Congressman Dennis Kucinich
2:30 PM former Congressman David Bonior, campaign manager for John Edwards
3:30 PM Senator John McCain

Additional speakers and expert panels will be announced as they are confirmed.

Where: Radisson Hotel Ballroom, 700 Elm St., Manchester