Audio-based virtual gaming aims to help the blind navigate

Using only audio-based cues within the context of a video game metaphor, blind users in a study out of Harvard are able to explore a building's layout.

(Credit: Journal of Visualized Experiments)

A video game that uses audio cues and computer-generated building layouts has proven to be better at improving a blind person's spatial awareness of that place than does actually walking them through it, according to new research out of Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.
The findings could have implications for how visually impaired people -- and possibly those without impairments -- best learn to navigate unknown territory.
"It is a tool to build a map of a place you have never been to before," Lotfi Merabet, the neuroscientist whose team developed the software used in the study (which appears in the Journal of Visualized Experiments), told Reuters. "The video game not only allows you to build a map in your mind, it allows you to interact with it mentally in a way that you wouldn't be able to if you were taught explicitly by walking through it."
Read more on this article at: Audio-based virtual gaming aims to help the blind navigate

PenFriend Voice Labeling System

A new voice labeling system by RNIB that allows users to easily record, and re-record, information onto self-adhesive labels. This small pen shaped recorder provides easy recognition sound and just four buttons in a simple identifiable pattern. Instantly play back the recordings - no computer required. Use the PenFriend to label food items, including freezer food and even add cooking instructions, film and music collections, organize household paperwork, record shopping lists or leave audio messages. Clothing that is dry cleaned can even be labeled. The PenFriend can also be used as a portable notetaker. You can record your message and keep track of it by placing the allocated label in a small notebook or in your diary. This device is great for students as well as home use!

Find out more at: Pen Friend

iDevice Apps for Visually Impaired

iDevice Apps for Visually Impaired
This information was taken from Applevis.com.  I have not looked up the price for any of these apps.  Please let me know if you try any of these and how they work. 
COLOR IDENTIFIERS
AidColors
Color ID Free
Color Identifier
Color Reader
ColorDetect
ColoredEye
ColorVisor
HueVue
Say Color
VisionHunt

GPS or Navigation aids
AbleRoad, rate and review accessible places.
Ariadne GPS
BlindSquare
iMove
Sendero GPS LookAround

Bar Code or Label Readers
AudioLabels
Digit-Eyes
LookTel Recognizer
TapTapSee
Vizwiz

News and Radio
Earl, Use your voice to open and read newspapers
iBlink Radio
NFBNewsline
VIP Radio

Deaf/blind Communicators
HIMS Chat
Humanware Communicator

Scanning and Reading
SayText
TextDetective
VoiceEye
Money Identifier
Eyenote, identifies U.S. currency only
LookTel Money Reader
VisionHunt

Book Readers
DaisyWorm, does not support Bookshare or NeNIMAS files.
InDaisy, Supports Bookshare and Newsline
Learning Ally, must have annual subscription to Learning Ally
Pastime Audio Book Player, reads books in iTunes
Read2Go
Low Vision
Many of these are magnifiers so work best on an iPad.
Big Browser
Essentials, allows you to see your statusbar
Eyesight, for iPad
Lumin, magnifying glass
MagLighting
Optelec Magnifier, does not appear to work on iPad
Photogenda Mini, easy way to see and handle contacts

Input Aids
AccessNote, AFB Notetaker
Braille Sonar, allows for look-up of braille symbols
BrailleTouch, enter information in uncontracted Braille
Braillist, Braille keyboard for your phone
Fleksy, predictive text input method

Miscellaneous
AccessWorld, read AFB Access World
Blind Bargains, check things listed on Blindbargains.com
Light Detector, transforms light into sound
Looktel VoiceOver Tutorial, helps new users practice VoiceOver gestures
Talking Calculator or Talking Scientific Calculator
ViA, helps blind and visually impaired people find apps specially designed for them or very helpful apps.
VO Calender
VO Starter, program designed to offer training on VoiceOver features.
Voicebook VO, allows for basic facebook functionality.

Apex Braille Note-pair with ipad and write and edit in iA Writer

Learn the trick to pairing the Braille Note Apex to an ipad or iphone

Then how to use the bypass key to get to where you need to be

Next, work in and edit in iA Writer, a great writing processor for any itool

Finally, finish the work and email it off to whomever requires it

Fast and easy, this audio/visual lesson with written detail embedded will get you moving

Go to other lessons at: Braille Note Lessons to take you through the Basics to more advanced skills

Download an audio/visual lesson today att: How to pair the braille note with ipad or other itool and use Notes

or a text lesson at: Connect or pair the Apex-Braille Note to an iPad using Bluetooth

Blind maps for iPhone - interactive braille interface with iPhone

In a 36 hour project for the CIID, designers andrew spitz, markus schmeiduch and ruben van der vleuten
have developed an assisting device for the visually impaired to help improve their abilities in discovering
and navigating new routes throughout cities. known as 'blind maps', the braille-like interface provides
users an interactive experience with real time auditory feedback and tactile integration. it allows you
to become aware of upcoming intersections, turns and hazards on route - helping them adapt to
unfamiliar environments.
Find out more at: Blind Maps

World's First Handheld Talking Graphing Calculator for the Blind

Coming for the fall 2013 school year: A specially adapted version of the Texas Instruments TI-84 Plus calculator will transform STEM education for students who are blind and visually impaired

Read all about it at: World's First Handheld Talking Graphing Calculator for the Blind

How to Get Prayers Answered and/or Why Prayers Do Not Get Answered

For less than a cup of coffee, get inspired for the rest of your life with a great read.

Do you ever wonder why your prayers are not being answered? Then wonder why others are being answered? This book will give real life examples of why our prayers are hindered and what we must do to unlock prayers powers. You will walk through a fire literally and learn how to come out the other end. Listen to a very powerful story that will change how you view prayer and potentially change your life. Learn what you must do in your own life to enable prayer power.

Order your e-copy today:
 How to Get Prayers Answered and/or Why Prayers Do Not Get Answered

or order from Amazon at: Get Prayers Answered for your Kindle

The book is also available from Amazon at: Get Prayers Answered

Except from book:

Picture: Fire surrounding and burning everything

Prayer lesson: Pray and don’t stop praying--do what you do not want to do if God told you to do it

 Our part time neighbors, Donna and Todd, who lived on top of the mountain, were watching the fire through their cameras safely back home in North Bend. I know they started to pray too.  By the time Lynnette had reached me, Curt was racing toward our house to get her so they could pull their horses out of their burning barns. By the time they had driven off, we were surrounded, with 50 foot+ flames all the way up the trees. The fire was still about an acre away as I was still “TELLING” God my prayer and what HE needed to do for ME. “Please stop the fire” Don’t let it come close to me,” “Don’t let it jump the road.” Wow, what an ego centered prayer. But that is what we do----we pray, me me my me what about what happens to me prayers. As I realized that was NOT the prayer I was supposed to be demanding of God. I stopped talking and started listening. I asked, “God what do you want me to do?” Here is what HE TOLD me. “Get on your shoes! Get out on that tractor and start driving over the fire and put it out! I have prepared you for this.” That is NOT the prayer or answer I wanted to hear.

Prayer Lesson: Stop talking and telling God what to do as your prayers. Ask, “What should I do?”--- Then Listen.  How many of us do not have answered prayers because God told us something hard to do and we did not do it. We have to do what we can first THEN God does what we cannot do. We have to do the hard stuff first on our own, our own free will. If we did not listen then, afterward, we say “Why, God, why did you not answer my prayer” It was our own fault the prayer was not answered—we did NOT do what HE told us to first…LISTEN…then do it! God is telling us what to do all the time. If we are talking, we are NOT listening. Get quiet and listen.

 

I can tell you. Go fight the fire was  NOT NOT NOT the prayer answer I wanted to hear, but I said OK. If HE was guiding me, HE would be with me. But I could not tell it……yet….. I was shaking so hard I could barely move. I was so riveted on the flames outside my north front window and so stuck with fear I could barely breathe and God tapped me on the shoulder and said “Turn around”. As I turned around to look through the south facing window it was filled with flames an acre away too, zooming up toward my place faster than my own thoughts. It seemed I was moving in slow motion toward my shoes. That is what HE told me to do. Get ON my shoes. I did it. HE said, walk toward my tractor. My legs were noodles, limp and weak; I thought I would fall down. My breath was rapid, smoke filled my lungs, sweat poured down me; the air was acrid and it hurt. I grabbed my legs and willed them forward. It took everything inside me to will myself forward toward that tractor. The flames, fire and smoke had rapidly moved and closed in that acre and now were yards from the buildings, me, my animals, all that I loved.

Are you doing what God told you to do? Here is how you do it

Watch Video at: Diary of Destruction-Fire 2012

Braille Note-use the calculator and auto insert answers into Processor

Learn how to create a document, insert, date and answers from your scientific calculator.
Learn how to jump around your Braille Note quickly with 1 command, jumping from your calculator, completing addition, subtraction, division, multiplication and to the power of problems, then jump back into your processor where you left off to quickly insert the whole problem. Math is done quickly and efficiently.

Learn these quick modes also with the lesson: Math on Apex and insert answers automatically into Word

Learn about the Braille Note with extensive lessons at: Braille Note at: Braille Note Lessons to take you through the Basics to more advanced skills

How to pair the braille note with ipad or other itool and use Notes

Learn how easy it is to pair the Apex Braille Note with and iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch, giving great braille feedback to the iTool user.

Learn how to bypass Apex commands to utilize the iPad commands, use Notes and email a lesson to a teacher.

Download an audio/visual lesson today at: How to pair the braille note with ipad or other itool and use Notes

or a text lesson at: Connect or pair the Apex-Braille Note to an iPad using Bluetooth

or extensive lessons on the Braille Note at: Braille Note Lessons to take you through the Basics to more advanced skills

Over a Thousand books in Braille

THE SISTERHOOD OF TEMPLE BETH EL BRAILLE BINDERY -
Free Sample Books on Request
Over 1000 Children's Books in Braille!

Search through our webpage at: Children's books in braille

Dr Robinson teaches a Virtual Lesson on Spanish with talking software in Word

Blindness does not stop learning. Nick is learning how to type out Spanish words, listen to a Spanish real speak voice from JAWS, then email his lessons to his teachers for a grade. He will get back his work in email and listening to the corrections through the use of track changes. Independence is possible in all areas of education for the blind.

Watch Video at: Dr Robinson teaches a Virtual Lesson on Spanish with talking software in Word

More Lessons at: www.yourtechvision.com

Access Science for ALL

Chemist Dr Cary Supalo, who is himself blind, has a web-based site called Independence Science which is dedicated to making Science, and specifically Chemistry, accessible to students who are blind or visually impaired.

The Talking LabQuest (TLQ) is the latest in scientific access technology for the blind and the only device developed to improve hands-on experiments in the laboratory. This hand-held, portable computer allows a student to collect and analyze data independently or within a lab group of their sighted peers. Open a world of opportunity for a student who is blind or low vision in STEM fields of study with the ISci Lab Solution. Hear or view this video below for an overview of how the TLQ feels, operates, and completes an experiment.

Go to Independence Science

What and Who are Sighted People?

People who use their eyes to receive information about the world are called sighted people or "people who are sighted."

Sighted people enjoy rich full lives, working, playing and raising
families. They run businesses, hold public office and teach your
children!

HOW DO SIGHTED PEOPLE GET AROUND?!
People who are
sighted may walk or ride public transportation, but most choose to
travel long distances by operating their own motor vehicles. They have
gone through many hours of training to learn the "rules of the road" in
order to further their independence. Once that road to freedom has been
mastered, sighted people earn a legal classification and a "Driver's
License" which allows them to operate a private vehicle safely and
independently.

HOW TO ASSIST A SIGHTED PERSON
Sighted
people are accustomed to viewing the world in visual terms. This means
that in many situations, they will not be able to communicate orally and
may resort to pointing or other gesturing. Subtle facial expressions
may also be used to convey feelings in social situations. Calmly alert
the sighted person to his surroundings by speaking slowly, in a normal
tone of voice.

Questions directed at the sighted person help focus attention back on the verbal rather than visual communication.

At times, sighted people may need help finding things, especially when
operating a motor vehicle. Your advance knowledge of routes and
landmarks, particularly bumps in the road, turns and traffic lights,
will assist the "driver" in finding the way quickly and easily. Your
knowledge of building layouts can also assist the sighted person in
navigating complex shopping malls and offices. Sighted people tend to be
very proud and will not ask directly for assistance. Be gentle yet
firm.

HOW DO SIGHTED PEOPLE USE COMPUTERS?!
The person who
is sighted relies exclusively on visual information. His or her
attention span fades quickly when reading long texts. Computer
information is presented in a "Graphical User Interface" or GUI.
Coordination of hands and eyes is often a problem for sighted people, so
the computer mouse, a handy device that slides along the desk top,
saves confusing keystrokes. With one button, the sighted person can move
around his or her computer screen quickly and easily. People who are
sighted are not accustomed to synthetic speech and may have great
difficulty understanding even the clearest synthesizer. Be patient and
prepared to explain many times how your computer equipment works.

HOW DO SIGHTED PEOPLE READ?!

Sighted people read through a system called "Print." this is a series
of images drawn in a two dimensional plain. People who are sighted
generally have a poorly developed sense of touch. Braille is completely
foreign to the sighted person and he or she will take longer to learn
the code and be severely limited by his or her existing visual senses.
Sighted people cannot function well in low lighting conditions and are
generally completely helpless in total darkness. their homes are usually
very brightly lit at great expense, as are businesses that cater to the
sighted consumer.

HOW CAN I SUPPORT A SIGHTED PERSON?!

People who are sighted do not want your charity. They want to live, work
and play along with you. The best thing you can do to support sighted
people in your community is to open yourself to their world. These
people are vital contributing members to society. Take a sighted person
to lunch today!

Be nice to them, Some of my best friends are sighted people.

Online Games for the Blind

Card Games, audio games, accessible games for blind people. Here are a couple great sites to give you the edge in playing with others around the world online.
Go to:
Welcome at AudioGames.net!
or
Blind Gamers

See your computer screen better when you have low vision

There are many ways to adapt your computer to see everything better and these features are already built into a PC.
High contrast and enlarging icons and font are just a few great options to "see" better. There are many many more ways and lessons are at www.yourtechvision.com under the Low Vision Tab

Watch Youtube video at: Low Vision PC tricks

Android Access for the Blind

Welcome to Android Access, your portal to information on accessible Android apps and programs for the blind and visually impaired. We're excited to be a part of the Android community, and look forward to your comments, feedback, and submissions. If you're new to Android, check out our Getting Started page. Keep up to date with the latest reviews and news by following @AndroidAccess on Twitter.
For all those Apps you are looking for that are accessible for the blind, this is the page to go to: Android APPS

How can you program if you're blind? Answered Here

For all those people who are blind and have a great desire to program....you can. This article covers many blind people out there doing what you dream of doing. Here are great examples of possibilities.
Read:

How can you program if you're blind?

Adaptive Math Tools for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Here is a website that will give you all those wonderful tools that blind/low vision kids need in class to help them learn.

Take a walk through and watch videos to get a clear understanding on where to go
Adaptive Math Tools for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Virtual Instruction-using Find command in Word, moving around with talking software

Talking software enables blind individuals to move around quickly and easily in Word: find what you want, select, copy and paste into another document.
Watch video at:  Virtual Instruction-using Find command in Word, moving around with talking software

Lessons for what you need, at www.yourtechvision.com

Multiply Impaired Children Can Achieve their goals with the right Technology

Watch Josh. This wonderful young man has goals and desires but no way to get it out until the right piece of technology was introduced to him. Now he is just focusing on learning and achieving.
ALT is a piece of software that cuts down on the multipe key strokes required to accomplish a sophisticated task. If you would like to learn more about this software, contact Rob Nevin at Rob@u-r-able.com

Watch Josh using Alt with teacher Andrea Bodnari: Josh and Alt

Here are other tools also to help any situation: CES 2013: The blind see, the deaf hear, the mute can be heard

For more lessons, go to: www.yourtechvision.com

Join Hangout in Gmail—chat text and video call-virtual instruction

Video chatting and texting is always fun, but gmail hangout offers another wonderful option for virtual instruction too,
Learn how to
find the people to join you
connect to them
text them
video chat-you calling them with video
video chat with them calling you
answer calls
Download this lesson to learn the great secrets to move you around your window with ease:
 Join Hangout in Gmail—chat text and video call-virtual instruction

Watch video on Youtube at: Gmail Hangout

Track Changes with Comments--audio/visual lesson

Whether blind or sighted, learn how to make comments and tracks for editing in Word. Learn the keyboard commands that will quickly and easily move you through a page. In addition, learn how to do revisions and check for spelling and grammar errors throughout the page. This is how my teachers correct my blind student's work, so they can independently see what their grade is along with any comment about their work the teacher has for them. 

Emailing back and forth gives the teacher the work on time and then student grades as fast as their sighted peers. This is an audio/visual lesson--download a copy today

Go to: Track Changes with Comments

Virtual lesson-teaching blind student how to use track changes in Word-how teachers correct

In 9th grade, this student was only using a brailler to braille out all work....a very slow process to get it transcribed, then to the teacher, then back to the student. In 2 months the student has moved to completing all work on a computer, emailing to teacher, teacher corrects and sends back.

Watch on YouTube:

Virtual lesson-teaching blind student how to use track changes in Word-how teachers correct

Virtual Instruction through Skype Sharing and texting

I teach virtually to students around the country daily and around the world weekly. I may start in India, then head to New York, then Ohio, Washington State, back to Kansas and so on throughout a day. Skype texting or Gmail text/chat is always part of the first contact, then sharing of desktop or/and typically using Jaws Tandem to connect and bring up the students computer...Virtually, I go around the world in a day, teaching anyone who is blind and has a desire to reach their goals and dreams...or just someone who wants to become a better computer user.

See an example: Virtual Instruction through Skype Sharing and texting


More information at: www.yourtechvision.com

Navigating a Mac with Voice Over—Move around the desktop

Navigating a Mac—Move around the desktop contains all the information you need to learn how to take control of you Mac machine. Get your lesson at: Navigating a Mac—Move around the desktop
Lessons include:
Helpful Hints:
Navigating the desktop
Finder
Navigating the Finder to find all your content
Start and Stop interacting with content
Interacting with content areas
Find out how to hear the repeat information
Learn shortcuts and gestures on track pad
Using the Dock
About menus and the menu bar
About files and folders
Copying folders and files and other information
About System Preferences
About Spotlight
Clicking the mouse
Using sticky keys
Using slow keys
Using the cursor control keys
Setting the key repeat rate
Using buttons and other controls
Hearing open applications and windows
Switching between applications
Switching between windows
Move a window to the front
Moving windows and objects
Resizing windows and objects
Get your lesson at: Navigating a Mac—Move around the desktop

Mac computer, Voice over and email

Do you want to learn how to use mail on a Mac computer. This will get you moving.
Learn:
The most helpful hints that will help you on the Mac in general
Explore Menus
Setup Email
Create New Email
Major and minor spell check options
Understand pane layout and how to move around groups, lists and information in general
Forward Email
Delete Email
Find a person's email and explore other areas to understand how to do all aspects of mail
Get your lesson at:  Mac computer and email

Mac ipad with Voice Over lessons to get you going

If you were one of the fortunate to get an ipad, phone or Mac product for Christmas, let techvision help you get going.
The lessons you need at: Mac/iTools 
www.yourtechvision.com