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This version was saved 12 years, 10 months ago View current version     Page history
Saved by Judi Cumley
on May 18, 2011 at 1:48:59 pm
 

Newer (5/18/11)

Jeremiah Beasley from Wisconsin Center for Blind and Visually Impaired offered this information about Blind users & appropriate apps on iDevices. Read Jeremiah's blog for current information about apps for Blind and Visually Impaired.

 

iBraille!

I have been asked “How are the Braille apps for the iDevices?” and I have to say that they are not that good.  Most of them are designed for sighted users and thus do not work well with Voiceover (the built-in screen reader).  I have also noted that they don’t deal with contracted Braille.  Most all Braille readers read contracted Braille.  This is the literary Braille code.  To have an app that just deals with the alphabet is really more of a novelty then something real useful to a blind user or someone working with a blind user.  

Now that I have you thinking that Braille is not available on the iDevices let me tell you the cool part.  Braille is very much part of Apple’s commitment to accessibility!  The Voiceover screen reader has support for Bluetooth Braille displays.  This allows a blind user to access all of the functions of an iDevice from a Braille display.  You can:

  • Read books in iBooks or inDaisy.  
  • Read your e-mail in the mail app.
  • Lookup your favorite recipes in your favorite cookbook app.
  • Read news stories from many online newspapers.
  • Lookup your bus schedule.
  • Surf the web using Safari.
  • Get info on what is around you in the Aroundme app.
  • Get directions to a destination.
  • Update your Facebook status.
  • Check the weather forecast.

You can read all of this in Braille.  You can also get this information in an auditory format.  You can use the Braille style keyboard to input contracted or un-contracted Braille.  You can send a text message or e-mail using contracted Braille and the person receiving it will get standard text.  You can then read the reply in contracted Braille.

The price of a Braille notetaker is around $7000.  You can buy a Refreshabraille from APH for around $1700.  Teachers of blind students can get the Refreshabraille on quota funds thus saving the $1700.  The iPod Touch can be had for around $200 depending on the model.  The iDevice can do almost everything that the Braille notetaker can and a lot more.  The student is using a device that their sighted peers are using or would really like to use.  It has the COOL factor going for it!

Apple has truly provided out of the box accessibility for blind people.  This technology is still in the beginning stages.  I think it will only get better from here.

New (4/26/11) Reading Picture It! pdfs in iBooks on your iPad

Do you know about Picture It! documents? They are books, stories, visual schedules and more that are created with the software Picture It! by Slater Software. Picture It! attaches a rebus symbol to text. Your Picture It! documents have picture supported text. Now you can load Picture It! pdfs that the company has created directly onto your iPad to open in iBooks. The directions are attached. Be certain that you do all of the steps using your iPad. The directions are created for working within the iPad.

 

 4 Part Video Tutorial on uTube for using an iPad as an interactive whiteboard (be certain to click on "See All" on the uTube page to see all of his series & updates)

 

Other Media for the iPad/iTouch

 

 

  • You can also use Zamzar to convert YouTube videos to play on your devices. Copy the URL of the YouTube video. Paste it into the Zamzar window that asks for the URL. Convert to iPod,iPad or MP4. Download the file after you receive the notice in your email. Put the file on your desktop or someplace "easy to find". Go to your iTunes playlist for movies. Go to File>Add to LIbrary (or control O), navigate to the file & click OK. Hook up and sync the device.

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