All About Access

Monday March 10 marked the beginning of the 23rd Annual International Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference, (known as the CSUN Conference).

AS usual the weeklong conference was sponsored by the California State University Northridge Center on Disabilities. The CSUN Conference is the place to be for those interested in access technology which affords all persons with disabilities greater independence.

This year’s CSUN Conference featured over 125 exhibitors and was attended by a wide variety of persons interested in technology used by persons with disabilities. Attendees ranged from teachers of the disabled and consumers with disabilities to techies from IBM, Microsoft and Apple.

The CSUN conference featured many interesting speakers and announcements of new products and services. Listed below are some of the announcements of particular interest to blind and visually impaired persons:

1. Bookshare.org Partners with Don Johnston Incorporated to Provide Free Text Reader for Print Disabled Students. This means that print disabled students will now be able to read DAISY books from www.bookshare.org free of charge. In other words, these students will be able to highlight important sections of books and write their own notes in these books just like students who read print books.

For more information on the Read:OutLoud® Bookshare.org Edition Text Reader, go to”overview of free text reader”: http://www.donjohnston.com/products/rol_bookshare/index.html.

2. HumanWare Announces the Trekker Breeze GPS System. The Trekker Breeze, which will be offered for sale this summer, offers many of the same features found in the Trekker but is contained in a handheld device that will be more user friendly for those not familiar with computers. The breeze will also be more affordable. For more information on the Trekker Breeze, go to “announcement of Trekker Breeze”: http://www.humanware.com/en-usa/about_us/press_releases/breeze

3. Serotek Introduces new features of System Access and the System Access Mobile Network. System Access now supports screen magnification. Users of the System Access Mobile Network will now be able to download pod casts and other audio directly to either the victor Stream or LevelStar’s Icon. For more information, go to www.serotek.com

You can learn more about the 2008 CSUN Conference at the following links. “overview of 2008 CSUN”: www.csun.edu/cod/conf/

CSUN Exhibitors

Join Freedom Scientific on Thursday, March 20 – at The Carroll Center Technology Center (Newton, MA) for an informative workshop on Technology Solutions for persons with Low Vision .

Charles Madsen, Low Vision Product Specialist, for Freedom Scientific Blind/ Low Vision Group will lead a presentation on the benefits of using electronic vision aids and software to improve activities of daily living at home, school, the work place or just about anywhere!

Participants will have an opportunity to learn about and explore (HANDS-ON), Freedom Scientifics’ desktop, handheld and portable video magnifiers; screen magnification software, as well as, products that read books, bills, mail – and more!

This educational seminar is tailored for those with vision loss, parents and caregivers of those with vision loss, technology trainers, eye care professionals, seniors and senior center staff, and support groups.

Two sessions will be held at The Carroll Center in Newton, MA from

9:00am to Noon and from 1pm to 4:00pm.

Space is limited so please RSVP indicating attendance time (9 am or 1 pm) for this event.

To register by phone/ email – contact:

The Carroll Center

Tel: 617-969-6200×237

dina.rosenbaum@carroll.org

OR

Bill Kilroy

Freedom Scientific Regional Manager

Tel: (800)-444-4443×1188

Email: Billk@Freedomscientific.com

Event Logistics:

Date: March 20, 2008

Time(s): 9:00 am—Noon & 1—4:00pm

Location: The Carroll Center

770 Centre Street

Newton, MA 02458

The workshop will be held in the Carroll Center Computer Training Center.

To learn more about Freedom Scientific Low Vision Technology go to:

http://www.lowvisionsolutions.com

In late January KNFB Reading Technology Inc. announced the KnfbReader Mobile. This is the next generation of the KnfbReader that was introduced back in 2006. This reading software is installed on the Nokia N82 cell phone.

This represents a major advancement in this technology. The original KnfbReader, (now known as the KnfbReader Classic) consists of a digital camera attached to a personal data assistant and can fit in your brief case or purse. The new KnfbReader Mobile is contained within a cell phone and can fit in your pocket. Additionally, you can read documents, make phone calls, search the internet and text message all on one small device. In order to use the many features of this cell phone, the user must add a screen reader such as Mobile Speak or TALKS.

The KnfbReader Mobile can read all sorts of documents when and where you need them read including menus, newspaper articles, meeting handouts, memos, bills and more. It can also identify currency. The user must hold the device at the proper distance from the document to be read. For the typical 8.5 by 11 inch document, this distance is usually 10 inches. The process of positioning the device for a variety of documents is explained in detail in the user guide and a training page is provided to assist the user in learning how to get optimal results. Use of the device requires a steady hand.

The KnfbReader Mobile is designed to allow blind persons to read on the go. During a typical working day, a user might use it to read documents in an important meeting; read the mail; read the menu at a restaurant; and identify currency to pay the check after dinner.

There are two drawbacks involved in the purchase of the KnfbReader. Firstly, it is rather pricey at 00.00. That’s 00 for the software and 0.00 for the phone. Secondly, the Nokia N82 will work only on the AT&T and the T-Mobile networks. Persons using other carriers such as Sprint or Verizon may not want to switch carriers. They could, of course, decide to purchase the KnfbReader Mobile and carry two cell phones. A representative of knfb Reading Technology was not sure when or if the reader might be made to work with alternative cell phones.

Finally, I was talking about the new KnfbReader Mobile with a good friend who was concerned about what would happen if the user were unlucky enough to misplace the cell phone. He was concerned that the user would lose 00.00 worth of software along with the cell phone. Fortunately, this is not the case. A knfb Reading Technology representative assured me that the software could be installed on another cell phone at no additional cost.

To learn more about the KnfbReader Mobile, go to www.knfbreader.com/products-mobile.php

Or http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2704,2253691,00.asp. For Massachusetts residents who wish to obtain a demonstration or purchase the KnfbReader, Contact Adaptive Technology Consulting at www.adaptivetech.net.