Category Archive

LightHouse News

LightHouse Talks with The Bay Citizen about Smartphone Barriers.

Bryan Bashin,  LightHouse CEO,  and Josh Miele,  scientist and LightHouse board member,  discuss the digital divide when it comes to many new smartphones.

Smartphones Flunk for Blind Users

Blind users see digital divide in new generation phones

Smartphones can be pretty clueless when it comes to blind or visually impaired users.

For millions of consumers with normal vision, smartphones offer almost effortless conference calling, e-mailing and Internet browsing. They make it easy to find a gas station, a rental car or a recipe. Vast music libraries and video games are expected features for a device with a $200 to $600 price tag, although some people stay prefer to continue playing on computers, since they can use their favorite hardware as the logitech g105 gaming keyboard, and play games more advanced games that are just for the computer such as overwatch and get overwatch boosting from different online sites.

But for many in the blind and visually impaired community, the absence of physical buttons on most smartphones makes interactions with some devices virtually impossible.

Read the entire article at The Bay Citizen.

Northern California Entertainment and Recreation Listing June 18

If you do not receive this listing in your inbox every Friday, join the distribution list by emailing bberenson@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

This listing is compiled by the Resource Center at the LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired. It is compiled weekly as a service to the blind and visually impaired community of Northern California. If you have a meeting or event information that would be appropriate for inclusion in this list, please email info@old.lighthouse-sf.org. This list will be updated every Friday. Information for each Friday’s listing must be submitted by the Wednesday prior to publication.

northern-ca-entertainment-rec-listingjune 18

“Apple Products and Accessibility” Conference Call Cancelled

It’s with regret that The LightHouse won’t be able to stream or otherwise broadcast or record the Apple Products and Accessibility event scheduled for Friday June 11, 2010 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. PDST at the LightHouse.

Unfortunately, the Apple Corporation isn’t ready to make available streams or teleconferences of this evolving product. We regret the inconvenience this may cause those who are unable to attend in person. However, Apple assures us that everything to be covered in today’s presentation is covered in video tutorials on this site: http://www.apple.com/accessibility/voiceover/downloads.html

The last video on the page showcases some of the features of the iPhone OS, which is used on current generation 32GB and 64GB models, the iPhone 3GS and the iPad.

The LightHouse is committed to connecting blind technology users and enthusiasts with the frontiers of accessible technology, and we invite you to learn more about our future technology seminars.

"Apple Products and Accessibility" Conference Call Cancelled

It’s with regret that The LightHouse won’t be able to stream or otherwise broadcast or record the Apple Products and Accessibility event scheduled for Friday June 11, 2010 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. PDST at the LightHouse.

Unfortunately, the Apple Corporation isn’t ready to make available streams or teleconferences of this evolving product. We regret the inconvenience this may cause those who are unable to attend in person. However, Apple assures us that everything to be covered in today’s presentation is covered in video tutorials on this site: http://www.apple.com/accessibility/voiceover/downloads.html

The last video on the page showcases some of the features of the iPhone OS, which is used on current generation 32GB and 64GB models, the iPhone 3GS and the iPad.

The LightHouse is committed to connecting blind technology users and enthusiasts with the frontiers of accessible technology, and we invite you to learn more about our future technology seminars.

LightHouse Technology Seminar: Apple Products and Accessibility. June 11!

image of iPhone with enlarged text visible on the display

LightHouse Technology Seminar

Apple Products and Accessibility

June 11, 2010

1:00 – 3:00 p.m. PDST at the LightHouse, 214 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102

Join us in person to hear Apple discuss the latest universal access features on its iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch and OS X VoiceOver!

Apple’s out-of-the-box, assistive technology solutions make the iPad and other Apple products a truly viable option for blind and visually impaired users. Whether you are low vision or blind, you can now make calls, text, send emails and use other Apple applications without purchasing additional software.

Braille OS X VoiceOver manuals can be ordered from the LightHouse store at http://store.lbvi.staging.wpengine.com.com/featured_products.php

RSVP by emailing rsvp@old.lighthouse-sf.org or call 1-888-400-8933

The LightHouse is wheelchair accessible. Accommodations are available upon request.

LightHouse invites you to our Summer Bach Recital

Read the San Francisco Examiner article on Ayaka Isono.  Ayaka is a concert pianist,  music teacher, adaptive technology and Braille instructor. She has been part of the Light House community as a client,  volunteer and staff member.

Join us for our Summer Bach Recital at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music from 2 to 4 p.m.! The suggested donation is $20-$50 per RSVP. Seating is limited, so RSVP today. Call Kari Orvik at (415) 694-7370 or email korvik@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

Ayaka Isono at her piano.
Photo of Ayaka from her website. www.ayakaisonopiano.com


Webinar for Blind Job Seekers and Rehab Providers, The Hadley School for the Blind. May 28.

Seminars@Hadley Presents: What Research Tells Us About Obstacles for Blind Job Seekers & How They Overcome Them
Date: Friday, May 28
Time:
11:00 AM CDT, 16:00 GMT

Consumers, rehabilitation providers and employers each have distinct but overlapping opinions, perceptions, and experiences concerning success and best practices in employment of persons who are blind/visually impaired. An overview of major barriers to employment will be explored, along with strategies recommended for overcoming those barriers.

This hour-long seminar will be presented by Dr. Adele Crudden and Ms. B. J. Lejeune, both with Mississippi State University Rehabilitation Research & Training Center, and moderated by Billy Brookshire, Hadley’s consultant in Texas. Additional time will be provided for questions and answers.

As always, listening to the seminar remains free of charge. There is a US $25 fee associated with completing the seminar for credit (1 CE hour). Professionals interested in receiving continuing education credit will be required to successfully complete a quiz and brief survey before a certificate is issued. (ACVREP approval pending)
To register for this seminar, please follow this link.

Blinded Veterans Association Peer Mentor Program

Every generation of blinded Veterans faces different challenges. When the Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) was formed in 1945, it was easy for a group of blinded Veterans to reach out to each other–they were all being treated at the same Army hospital in Avon Old Farms, CT. Nearly 100 blinded Veterans at that facility came together to form BVA in the closing days of World War II.  Now, Veterans returning from operations overseas are usually sent back to their home states to recuperate with their families. They have access to…

Read the entire blog post at Dsaibility.gov. http://blog.govdelivery.com/usodep/2010/05/blinded-veterans-helping-blinded-veterans-operation-peer-support.html.

For info on finding a BVA in your area call the LightHouse at 1-800-400-8933.

Visually Impaired Person Technology User Conference by the Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired: May 22, 2010

Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired announces the Visually Impaired Person Technology User Conference (VIP TUC). The VIP TUC this year will focus on smartphone technology for the visually impaired. Smartphones are the wave of the future, and the wave is crashing around all of us right now. Keeping pace with the latest technology innovations (such as the touchscreen technology being incorporated into all the newest devices) and understanding how such technology is accessible to the visually impaired is a critical success factor for anyone with a vision impairment. Beyond all that, it’s really cool and a lot of fun. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience for yourself what all the buzz is about and how it might enhance your quality of life.

The VIP TUC will feature presentations on: 1) the latest wireless touchscreen smartphone accessible technologies, such as those incorporated in the touchscreen Google Android operating system, the touchscreen Apple iPhone operating system and other smartphone operating systems; 2) user applications for the visually impaired on Google, Apple, Samsung, Nokia and other smartphones; 3) special services offered by AT&T, Verizon and Sprint to the visually impaired; and 4) a keynote discussion on the future of mobile smartphone technology for the visually impaired by Mike May, CEO of the Sendero Group and Peter Cantisani, Technology Consultant. The VIP TUC will also offer attendees the opportunity to participate in user group sessions on: 1) smartphone screen readers, 2) smart phone navigation devices and 3) mobile book and text readers. A unique element of the VIP TUC will be the separate breakout user group sessions to focus on the accessibility features of the Google Nexus One smartphone, the Apple iPhone, Nokia smartphones and Samsung smartphones. The VIP TUC includes all this and an exhibition hall where vendors will be able to describe in detail these smartphone and related technologies.

For more info, email viptuc@vistacenter.org or call (650) 858-0202, ext. 102. You can also RSVP by contacting Rosa Mussallem, the registration coordinator, directly via email at rosamussallem@sbcglobal.net, or by calling her at (408) 297-1612. www.vistacenter.org