Chris Danielsen

Director of Public Relations

National Federation of the Blind

(410) 659-9314, extension 2330

(410) 262-1281 (Cell)

Perez’s Confirmation Would Increase Job Opportunities for Disabled Americans

By Mark Riccobono

On April 11, 2013, I wrote a blog post entitled, “We Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident—Do You?” That post was the result of talking to many people about the shift in thinking that needs to occur with respect to technology and accessibility. My post was also motivated by a letter that my colleague, Daniel F. Goldstein, who has represented the National Federation of the Blind in many cases for over a quarter of a century, wrote to the Office for Civil Rights regarding an April 4 article that covered our concern over the use of inaccessible Amazon Kindle products in schools and similarly inaccessible educational technologies.

As I noted in my previous blog post, the only logical way to meet the standard is for the same technology to be accessible and usable by all students—eliminating the notion of separate and unequal access. I am surprised by those who have a hard time understanding why the subject of technology accessibility is so critical to our struggle for equal access to education. I am pleased that Mr. Galanter and the Office of Civil Rights appear to hold these truths to be self-evident, and I am hopeful that the schools and technology developers who are in a position to implement accessibility continue to uphold their responsibility to equal access for students with disabilities in their programs and services. Equality will come when accessibility is included from the beginning, and not as a bolted-on, second-class afterthought. We continue to need champions for equal access to stand with us to demonstrate the truth about accessibility and to ensure equality in education.

At the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) Jernigan Institute we work on creating educational programs and tools that enhance the participation of blind students. The summer of 2013 marks our tenth summer in a row providing high quality instruction in science, technology, engineering, and math—see the NFB STEM-X program http://www.blindscience.org/STEMX. Below is an announcement about an exciting product that will be tested at the 2013 NFB National Convention. In the past, too much technology development was done without input from blind students. The work being done by this team of researchers and technology developers is exactly where we should be putting time and energy as blind consumers. Our participation in this research will make the resulting technologies truly powerful. I encourage you to take part in this important research.

gh, LLC (makers of the ReadHear e-book reader software) and the University of Alabama in Huntsville are developing a new software program to enable improved math education (particularly in advanced subjects like algebra and calculus) for blind and visually impaired students. They are looking for volunteers to participate in one of eight testing sessions on Tuesday, July 2, from 1:00-5:00 p.m., to help evaluate and refine the software’s design. 

Thirty-two participant slots are available (four slots every thirty minutes, starting from 1:00-4:30 p.m.). Appointments are recommended. Walk-up time slots may be available on a limited basis.

Participants must have recent experience with Windows, screen-reader software, and high school algebra. Current high school or college students are preferred. 

During the thirty-minute testing session, participants will be introduced to the software, instructed in its use, and then provided with a series of basic algebra-related exercises to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of the software’s interface. At the end of the session, participants will be able to give feedback and suggestions about the software. All participants will receive a small gift as thanks for their time and assistance. 

At the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) Jernigan Institute we work on creating educational programs and tools that enhance the participation of blind students. The summer of 2013 marks our tenth summer in a row providing high quality instruction in science, technology, engineering, and math—see the NFB STEM-X program http://www.blindscience.org/STEMX. Below is an announcement about an exciting product that will be tested at the 2013 NFB National Convention. In the past, too much technology development was done without input from blind students. The work being done by this team of researchers and technology developers is exactly where we should be putting time and energy as blind consumers. Our participation in this research will make the resulting technologies truly powerful. I encourage you to take part in this important research.

gh, LLC (makers of the ReadHear e-book reader software) and the University of Alabama in Huntsville are developing a new software program to enable improved math education (particularly in advanced subjects like algebra and calculus) for blind and visually impaired students. They are looking for volunteers to participate in one of eight testing sessions on Tuesday, July 2, from 1:00-5:00 p.m., to help evaluate and refine the software’s design. 

Thirty-two participant slots are available (four slots every thirty minutes, starting from 1:00-4:30 p.m.). Appointments are recommended. Walk-up time slots may be available on a limited basis.

Participants must have recent experience with Windows, screen-reader software, and high school algebra. Current high school or college students are preferred. 

During the thirty-minute testing session, participants will be introduced to the software, instructed in its use, and then provided with a series of basic algebra-related exercises to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of the software’s interface. At the end of the session, participants will be able to give feedback and suggestions about the software. All participants will receive a small gift as thanks for their time and assistance. 

Baltimore, Maryland (May 7, 2013): The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the nation’s oldest and largest organization of blind people, today announced the winners of its 2013 Scholarship Program, which awards thirty scholarships each year to recognize achievement by blind scholars.  The winners are listed below in alphabetical order with their home states and vocational goals:

• Conrad Austen, MD: History professor and disability historian
• Cody Bair, CO: Tax accountant (CPA)
• Riki Burton, KY: Teacher of the blind and visually impaired 
• Mark Colasurdo, NJ: Doctor and research scientist in biological engineering 
• Angela Dehart, KY: Elementary special education teacher (including severe disabilities) 
• Stephanie DeLuca, TN: Scientist and STEM education policy analyst
• Meg Dowell, IL: Dietetic nutritionist, researcher, and journalist 
• Albert Elia, MA:  Lawyer - high tech disability and intellectual property law
• Molly Faerber, RI: Fiction author, writing instructor, publisher 
• Kristin Fleschner, MA: Lawyer, federal government analyst
• Juna Gjata, MA: Undecided – considering journalist 
• Fredrick Hardyway, KS: University professor of world history 
• Natasha Hubbard, VA: Social worker, professional counselor, and life coach 
• Edgar Johnson, SC: High school history teacher            
• Tyler Kavanaugh, KS: Software developer of accessible appliances 
• Mi So Kwak, CA: High school teacher/college professor
• Domonique Lawless, LA: Cane travel (O&M) instructor of blind students 
• Alex Loch, MN: Physical therapist 
• Brooke Lovell, UT: Marriage and family therapist
• Julie McGinnity, MO: Professor of voice and performer 
• Mona Minkara, FL: University professor/researcher in quantum chemistry 
• Disa Muse, OK: Adult education instructor, disability advocate 
• Treva Olivero, LA:  Teacher of blind students, K-12 
• Steven Phelps, UT: Licensed social worker, administrator, and advocate 
• Kaitlin Shelton, OH: Board-certified music therapist 
• Jermaine Siqueiros-Ramirez, CA: Vocational rehabilitation counselor, rehabilitation psychologist 
• Ivy Wanta, NY: Scientific researcher, possibly in physics 
• Kathryn Cornell Webster, CT: Actuarial scientist and motivational speaker
• Matthew Yeater, IN: Professor of theology and evangelist 
• Stephanie Zundel, NJ: Speech pathologist in a hospital setting 

“These students represent academic excellence, and many of them are doubtless future leaders of this nation’s blind,” said Dr. Marc Maurer, president of the National Federation of the Blind.  “They are forging a path in disciplines as varied as engineering, theology, special education, law, and psychiatry.  They are proof of our conviction that we, the blind of this nation, can compete on terms of equality with our sighted peers, and we are very proud of their accomplishments.” 

In July each winner will attend the NFB’s seventy-third annual national convention in Orlando, Florida, where the Scholarship Committee will spend several days getting to know each student and then decide which scholarship (ranging in value from $3,000 to $12,000) to award each of them.  The scholarship winners will then be announced at the banquet of the NFB convention on Saturday, July 6.

For more information on the National Federation of the Blind Scholarship Program, visit www.nfb.org/scholarships.  

By Amy Mason

Hip Hip Hooray! There shall be joy and dancing in the streets.  It finally happened!  Without a word to anyone, Amazon quietly slipped an update to their Kindle app into the app store.   This was not left unnoticed for long.  CNET, Engadget, and PC Magazine, have all put in their two cents, but now’s the real question.  Considering the “Accessibility” features in the Kindle Fire, the A team was understandably skeptical when we heard this announcement. That being the case, what’s a better way to learn about a free app than to download it, and play?

Grading Criteria

Amazon has been working very hard lately to get their books into the classroom.  Therefore, it seems especially fitting to me to give them a bit of a test, and put the grades up for all to see. Therefore, I will be grading the Amazon app according to the fairly recognizable scale that many of us used in school.  Points will be deducted for features that do not work as they ought to, or those that have not been implemented accessibly at all.  Each category will start at 100% and grades will be averaged at the end.  Double weight will be awarded to the most important categories for successful use in the classroom.  Severity of impact upon the reader will determine how many points are lost for any given failing.
•    F: 0-59%
•    D: 60-69%
•    C: 70-79%
•    B: 80-89%
•    A: 90-100%
So let’s get started then, shall we?  We will be grading against what is possible for sighted users, as well as against the capabilities of other accessible eReading platforms.  Really each grade will only be a bullet point, unless of course further explanation is required.  One further note before we get started.  None of the current options would pass my test below with a perfect grade.  Several eReading platforms would pass, but no one has all the answers yet.    

General Layout (Double): 98%

Does the app layout make sense?

 
Yes. Full marks. The app is easy to navigate.

Are all buttons clearly labeled and accessible to the user?

Yes

Can a user get the information they need in the library to download and access books? -2 pts.

Blind users are not given information on how far they are into a book, which is available to sighted Kindle users.  It doesn’t terribly affect the enjoyment or usefulness of the app, and the information can be gleaned from the menus inside of the book, so the points removed will be minimal, however, this is information that some users may want to have.

How about using menus to change font and other reading options?  

Full Marks.  This matters because if a user is using speech, they may want to decrease font size to hear page turn noises as little as possible, or increase font size to have a more granular Braille reading experience (more on this later).  

Basic Reading (Double): 93%

These are the minimum criteria for reading a book, primarily for pleasure.  

Can a user navigate text easily including read continuously, move by pages, lines, characters and words?  

Yes.

Move backward and forward in the text?

Yes

Bookmark their place and easily access bookmarks again?

Yes

Jump between chapters? -7 pts.

A user ought to be able to at the very minimum use the table of contents in a book to move from one chapter to the next, but many Kindle books do not offer a table of contents, and inline links (which often replace a properly coded table of contents) are not accessible to blind users.

Academic Reading (Double): 55%

Academic reading is more involved and active.  It requires a more stringent level of interaction with the text than regular reading and thus has further requirements that must be considered.  

Can a user select text? -30 pts.  

Amazon has implemented a method for selecting text, but it is extremely buggy.  A user is expected to double-tap and hold to select text on the page, however this method is at best deeply flawed, and at worst unusable.   When a user attempts to double-tap and hold to select text, about one third of the time, the page changes, one third of the time the menus appear, and the final third a word is selected.  It is almost never the word that the VoiceOver cursor is highlighting.  It is usually a word on the same line, but if a user has a page full of text, it can be difficult, if not impossible to then find the actual word they wished to select.  Once a first word is selected, using selections is handled quite cleverly in that it is possible to move the beginning and end of the selection to add to it or shrink it,  

Can a user take notes in the text? -10 pts.

Yes, if they are able to select it.  The note taking feature works, and leaves a note in the list of associated information in the “Go To” menu, however, a blind user who is later reading the text will not be aware the note is actively there.  It is understandable that a heavily annotated text might be annoying to read, but this could be fixed for both blind and sighted users by offering a “clean” view, and an “annotated” view which would include a user’s notes and highlights, and speak them to the blind user as they come across them.  

Can a user access the dictionary?

Yes, but only if they can select the word they want to view.

Can a user highlight important or interesting passages for easy later retrieval? -10 pts.

The highlights are available to a blind user in the “Go To” menu, but not announced inline.

Can a user access endnotes and footnotes? -20 pts.

No, this is not possible, just like other links in the text; this is unavailable to blind users.  

Can a user jump to a certain page in the text?

Yes, if the book includes page numbers.  Not all Kindle books do.

Can a user access X-Ray and Book Extras? +25 Bonus points.

X-ray and Book Extras are features that are available only from Kindle books, and can be used to give information on the background of a book. They include glossary terms, major characters, possibly major locations and other important information about the book.  This makes up partially for no access to end and foot notes, and is a feature that is presently not available through other vendors.  Because these features are accessible and very useful to students, Amazon earns some points back here. Disclaimer: this feature was tested with text-based content only, no graphics or interactive content were encountered

Braille Support (double): 25%

Disclaimer: Braille was tested on the iPad 2 with the BrailleEDGE.  Your results may vary, in fact, I hope they do.
Braille is an important criterion in the academic environment as well as in leisure reading.  Furthermore, it is the only way that deaf-blind users will have access to Kindle books, therefore it receives double weight.

Can the text be read with Braille? -20 pts.

Yes, sometimes.  However it is fully possible for a Braille user to crash the access to Braille in the app by trying to move to the top or bottom of a page.  If this is attempted, a user may find that the Braille display no longer pans, and the only way they will get Braille function back in the Kindle app is to close the book they are reading (using the screen) and open a new book.  Turning pages also seems to remedy the behavior, though strangely the Braille is about a page behind the voice if speech has not been silenced.

Can the text be navigated with Braille with the same granularity as with speech? -15 pts.

No.  When a Braille display is paired, it sees the entire page as a single chunk of text.  Therefore, a Braille user can turn pages, and begin at the top of each page, however, they are unable to navigate through the page using rotor commands available to speech users, and thus lose the ability to move by words and lines.  

Can app menus be controlled using only a Braille display? -25 pts.

No. During our testing, the Braille display and speech would lock up when trying to navigate through menus on an iPad 2.  If it is possible to use menus successfully with Braille, it is buggy at least on some devices and can get users locked into a state they cannot exit without crashing the app. Therefore, deaf-blind users may not be able to access the Kindle app.

Can users select text with Braille? -15 pts.

No, there is no equivalent for double-tap and hold on the Braille display so all commands that require this gesture are not going to work.

Content: 100%

No requirements here really. Kindle has the largest library out there. It’s why we’ve all been champing at the bit to get to it for so very long.

Ecosystem: 85%

Are social networking features such as sharing quotes and ratings of books accessible?
Yes. Though some require the ability to select text first.

Is Whispersync and Whispersync for Voice accessible?

Unknown as this has not been adequately tested.  (It is likely though because the dialog that offers to move a user to the latest part of the book in the inaccessible versions of the app actually were accessible iOS dialogs.)   Whispersync allows a user to sync their bookmarks, notes and location in a book to other devices and Whispersync for Voice syncs a user’s location in an Audible book with their location in a text book.  

Is buying books accessible? -5 pts.

Book buying is as accessible as buying any other product on Amazon, so generally usable, but not fully accessible when using standard web accessibility guidelines.  The process may be difficult for some web users.

Cross-platform use: -10 pts.

Amazon is promising improvements in this area, however, until more apps and devices are released, and firmware  for other Kindle devices is updated, iOS is really far and away, the most accessible Amazon Kindle platform.

Conclusions:

Amazon has made a good start, but with a grade of (…wait, let me pull out my calculator here…) 73% (a low C) they still have some serious work to do to come up to the standard of accessibility we hope to see for our students.  Do I recommend using it? Yes… mostly… if you aren’t doing anything too serious with it, and if the Braille is not going to be a major concern. It’s got a pleasure reading grade of 77% a high C, and that would be a fair bit higher if Braille was working properly. This puts it in a similar class as the Nook app which I’ve used to read a novel or two.  (Nook’s Braille is limited, but it is less likely to crack under the pressure than the Kindle app’s.  Would I want my textbooks on it, for my next class, well no, nor would I want to use it to read my Kindle books in Braille, with all the difficulties encountered while testing, but for picking up a novel with speech, I’d say give it a go.  

By Amy Mason

Hip Hip Hooray! There shall be joy and dancing in the streets.  It finally happened!  Without a word to anyone, Amazon quietly slipped an update to their Kindle app into the app store.   This was not left unnoticed for long.  CNET, Engadget, and PC Magazine, have all put in their two cents, but now’s the real question.  Considering the “Accessibility” features in the Kindle Fire, the A team was understandably skeptical when we heard this announcement. That being the case, what’s a better way to learn about a free app than to download it, and play?

Grading Criteria

Amazon has been working very hard lately to get their books into the classroom.  Therefore, it seems especially fitting to me to give them a bit of a test, and put the grades up for all to see. Therefore, I will be grading the Amazon app according to the fairly recognizable scale that many of us used in school.  Points will be deducted for features that do not work as they ought to, or those that have not been implemented accessibly at all.  Each category will start at 100% and grades will be averaged at the end.  Double weight will be awarded to the most important categories for successful use in the classroom.  Severity of impact upon the reader will determine how many points are lost for any given failing.
•    F: 0-59%
•    D: 60-69%
•    C: 70-79%
•    B: 80-89%
•    A: 90-100%
So let’s get started then, shall we?  We will be grading against what is possible for sighted users, as well as against the capabilities of other accessible eReading platforms.  Really each grade will only be a bullet point, unless of course further explanation is required.  One further note before we get started.  None of the current options would pass my test below with a perfect grade.  Several eReading platforms would pass, but no one has all the answers yet.    

General Layout (Double): 98%

Does the app layout make sense?

 
Yes. Full marks. The app is easy to navigate.

Are all buttons clearly labeled and accessible to the user?

Yes

Can a user get the information they need in the library to download and access books? -2 pts.

Blind users are not given information on how far they are into a book, which is available to sighted Kindle users.  It doesn’t terribly affect the enjoyment or usefulness of the app, and the information can be gleaned from the menus inside of the book, so the points removed will be minimal, however, this is information that some users may want to have.

How about using menus to change font and other reading options?  

Full Marks.  This matters because if a user is using speech, they may want to decrease font size to hear page turn noises as little as possible, or increase font size to have a more granular Braille reading experience (more on this later).  

Basic Reading (Double): 93%

These are the minimum criteria for reading a book, primarily for pleasure.  

Can a user navigate text easily including read continuously, move by pages, lines, characters and words?  

Yes.

Move backward and forward in the text?

Yes

Bookmark their place and easily access bookmarks again?

Yes

Jump between chapters? -7 pts.

A user ought to be able to at the very minimum use the table of contents in a book to move from one chapter to the next, but many Kindle books do not offer a table of contents, and inline links (which often replace a properly coded table of contents) are not accessible to blind users.

Academic Reading (Double): 55%

Academic reading is more involved and active.  It requires a more stringent level of interaction with the text than regular reading and thus has further requirements that must be considered.  

Can a user select text? -30 pts.  

Amazon has implemented a method for selecting text, but it is extremely buggy.  A user is expected to double-tap and hold to select text on the page, however this method is at best deeply flawed, and at worst unusable.   When a user attempts to double-tap and hold to select text, about one third of the time, the page changes, one third of the time the menus appear, and the final third a word is selected.  It is almost never the word that the VoiceOver cursor is highlighting.  It is usually a word on the same line, but if a user has a page full of text, it can be difficult, if not impossible to then find the actual word they wished to select.  Once a first word is selected, using selections is handled quite cleverly in that it is possible to move the beginning and end of the selection to add to it or shrink it,  

Can a user take notes in the text? -10 pts.

Yes, if they are able to select it.  The note taking feature works, and leaves a note in the list of associated information in the “Go To” menu, however, a blind user who is later reading the text will not be aware the note is actively there.  It is understandable that a heavily annotated text might be annoying to read, but this could be fixed for both blind and sighted users by offering a “clean” view, and an “annotated” view which would include a user’s notes and highlights, and speak them to the blind user as they come across them.  

Can a user access the dictionary?

Yes, but only if they can select the word they want to view.

Can a user highlight important or interesting passages for easy later retrieval? -10 pts.

The highlights are available to a blind user in the “Go To” menu, but not announced inline.

Can a user access endnotes and footnotes? -20 pts.

No, this is not possible, just like other links in the text; this is unavailable to blind users.  

Can a user jump to a certain page in the text?

Yes, if the book includes page numbers.  Not all Kindle books do.

Can a user access X-Ray and Book Extras? +25 Bonus points.

X-ray and Book Extras are features that are available only from Kindle books, and can be used to give information on the background of a book. They include glossary terms, major characters, possibly major locations and other important information about the book.  This makes up partially for no access to end and foot notes, and is a feature that is presently not available through other vendors.  Because these features are accessible and very useful to students, Amazon earns some points back here. Disclaimer: this feature was tested with text-based content only, no graphics or interactive content were encountered

Braille Support (double): 25%

Disclaimer: Braille was tested on the iPad 2 with the BrailleEDGE.  Your results may vary, in fact, I hope they do.
Braille is an important criterion in the academic environment as well as in leisure reading.  Furthermore, it is the only way that deaf-blind users will have access to Kindle books, therefore it receives double weight.

Can the text be read with Braille? -20 pts.

Yes, sometimes.  However it is fully possible for a Braille user to crash the access to Braille in the app by trying to move to the top or bottom of a page.  If this is attempted, a user may find that the Braille display no longer pans, and the only way they will get Braille function back in the Kindle app is to close the book they are reading (using the screen) and open a new book.  Turning pages also seems to remedy the behavior, though strangely the Braille is about a page behind the voice if speech has not been silenced.

Can the text be navigated with Braille with the same granularity as with speech? -15 pts.

No.  When a Braille display is paired, it sees the entire page as a single chunk of text.  Therefore, a Braille user can turn pages, and begin at the top of each page, however, they are unable to navigate through the page using rotor commands available to speech users, and thus lose the ability to move by words and lines.  

Can app menus be controlled using only a Braille display? -25 pts.

No. During our testing, the Braille display and speech would lock up when trying to navigate through menus on an iPad 2.  If it is possible to use menus successfully with Braille, it is buggy at least on some devices and can get users locked into a state they cannot exit without crashing the app. Therefore, deaf-blind users may not be able to access the Kindle app.

Can users select text with Braille? -15 pts.

No, there is no equivalent for double-tap and hold on the Braille display so all commands that require this gesture are not going to work.

Content: 100%

No requirements here really. Kindle has the largest library out there. It’s why we’ve all been champing at the bit to get to it for so very long.

Ecosystem: 85%

Are social networking features such as sharing quotes and ratings of books accessible?
Yes. Though some require the ability to select text first.

Is Whispersync and Whispersync for Voice accessible?

Unknown as this has not been adequately tested.  (It is likely though because the dialog that offers to move a user to the latest part of the book in the inaccessible versions of the app actually were accessible iOS dialogs.)   Whispersync allows a user to sync their bookmarks, notes and location in a book to other devices and Whispersync for Voice syncs a user’s location in an Audible book with their location in a text book.  

Is buying books accessible? -5 pts.

Book buying is as accessible as buying any other product on Amazon, so generally usable, but not fully accessible when using standard web accessibility guidelines.  The process may be difficult for some web users.

Cross-platform use: -10 pts.

Amazon is promising improvements in this area, however, until more apps and devices are released, and firmware  for other Kindle devices is updated, iOS is really far and away, the most accessible Amazon Kindle platform.

Conclusions:

Amazon has made a good start, but with a grade of (…wait, let me pull out my calculator here…) 73% (a low C) they still have some serious work to do to come up to the standard of accessibility we hope to see for our students.  Do I recommend using it? Yes… mostly… if you aren’t doing anything too serious with it, and if the Braille is not going to be a major concern. It’s got a pleasure reading grade of 77% a high C, and that would be a fair bit higher if Braille was working properly. This puts it in a similar class as the Nook app which I’ve used to read a novel or two.  (Nook’s Braille is limited, but it is less likely to crack under the pressure than the Kindle app’s.  Would I want my textbooks on it, for my next class, well no, nor would I want to use it to read my Kindle books in Braille, with all the difficulties encountered while testing, but for picking up a novel with speech, I’d say give it a go.  

Baltimore, Maryland (May 2, 2013): The National Federation of the Blind commented today on a $240 million verdict awarded by an Iowa jury to disabled former employees of Henry’s Turkey Service.

Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: “The National Federation of the Blind congratulates the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for obtaining this important verdict, and we commend the jury for recognizing the equal dignity and value of workers with disabilities.  The jury in this case has sent a strong message that the exploitation of Americans with disabilities is morally reprehensible and those responsible must be punished.”

Baltimore, Maryland (May 1, 2013): The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the nation’s leading advocate for access to technology and education for the blind, commented today on Amazon’s incorporation of new accessibility features into its application for the iPhone and other devices using Apple’s iOS operating system.

Dr. Marc Maurer, president of the National Federation of the Blind, said: “We are pleased that Amazon has taken advantage of the inherent accessibility of Apple products and Apple’s clear guidelines for creating accessible applications by finally releasing a version of its Kindle app that allows blind readers to access Kindle content on Apple devices. Continued improvement of this app is needed, however, in order to make it appropriate for use in educational settings, and Amazon must also make its Kindle devices fully accessible.  Amazon should also make its future software, devices, and content available to the blind when these products are released to the general public rather than implementing accessibility at an unspecified later time.  Today’s app release is a significant step on the journey to full access to Kindle content by the blind, but that journey is not over, and the National Federation of the Blind will not rest until its completion.”

Blog Date: 

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

By Clara Van Gerven

When we started planning the first-ever Tactile Graphics Conference here at the NFB HQ we thought it would be more of a meeting than a full-fledged conference. We put out a call for proposals, and when we got more than we could really fit in our plans, we expanded the plan. The panel sifted through the proposals, and we managed to put it all into a conference schedule. Then we opened registration, hoping fervently that, having built this, attendees would come. A few people signed up. Then some more signed up. More followed. Before we knew it, we had once again outgrown our britches and had to scale up again.

One hundred and twenty people from fourteen countries. Clearly I wasn’t the only one to think that tactile graphics are an important tool in getting blind people a better education and better jobs. The Friday and Saturday of the conference were full of introductions and plans for future co-operations. For those of you who couldn’t attend the event, keep an eye on the Journal of Blindness Innovation and Research for papers on the topic of tactile graphics --all of our presenters have been offered a slot there to share some of their insights and findings. The submission deadline is May 13, and we will publish after that.

Meanwhile, some of the highlights of the event included keynote speaker Dr. Sarah Morley Wilkins talking about some of the work being done at the RNIB, including www.load2learn.org.uk, a new repository of accessible learning materials, including images. While some of these materials are, for the moment, copyright restricted, other information is freely available to anyone signing up for the site. One especially useful part of the site that is available to all is the training section, which lays out the basics for accessibility for a number of formats.

Another very popular session was MakerBot’s Nate Leichter’s talk about innovative uses of 3D printing. Here, too, there is an online resource worth pointing to--http://www.thingiverse.com/. Thingiverse is a collection of freely downloadable (and modifiable) 3D models run by MakerBot, and populated by its users.

There were, really, too many great talks to list here, and not many that fit in a nutshell very well. I will point out one more great collection of images--APH’s Tactile Graphics Image Library. That site contains a number of 2D tactile images related to science, math, art, and other topics. With that, I pass the torch to JBIR, where the presenters, as authors, can present their material in full.