[blindlaw] courtesy and JAWS (and other talking office products)

Tue Aug 25 18:22:46 UTC 2015

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions - I do keep either low, instrumental music  or a nature sounds-type thing playing most of the time, and try closing my door, signs indicating whether I am concentrating or can be interrupted, etc. - but I guess we are all so wrapped up in our cases that others don't notice any of these things.  I will definitely try a more obvious ear-bud set - given my earrings, I have never felt comfie in headphones, but something needs to work.  Thanks again - and maybe we should all get together to compose a "rules of courtesy" type thing!

-----Original Message-----
From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Angie Matney via blindlaw
Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2015 11:07 AM
To: Blind Law Mailing List <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Angie Matney <angie.matney at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [blindlaw] courtesy and JAWS (and other talking office products)

Another option is to use headphones that are a bit more obvious but do not impact your ability to hear other sounds (unless, of course, you want to use headphones with active orpassive noise-cancelling capabilities). I particularly like these headphones, which are inexpensive, have pretty good sound, and have an in-line volume
control:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00007056H?&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

But, again, these do not isolate you from ambient noise. I keep my door closed more often than most of my coworkers, but I recognize this isn't an option for everyone.

If you want a good earbud-type solution, I recommend the following, from Perkins Solutions:

http://www.perkinsproducts.org/store/en/reading-devices/243-earphone.html

This "over-the-ear single earphone speaker" is flat, and I often wear an iPhone headset over it. I play music at low volumes. Perhaps it sounds counter-intuitive, but the music makes other ambient noise less distracting to me. Here's a link to the iPhone headset I use:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003WV8PKG?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

This one is also not good at isolating you from ambient noise. For that, you might try one like the following (I haven't used it but have considered it):

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-Momentum-On-Ear-Headphone-Black/dp/B00DKPXU9A/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1440525814&sr=1-2&keywords=sennheiser+momentum

As an aside, I find it hard to concentrate on JAWS unless I am wearing an earbud or headphones. Of course, your mileage may vary.

If you do come across a good statement re assistive technology use, please pass it on.

Angie

On 8/25/15, Dan Beitz via blindlaw <blindlaw at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> There is nothing you can do but use an earbud.  When someone comes by 
> and asks for your opinion, you just take the earbud out, and tell them 
> to start over because your computer was yapping at you.
>
>
>
>
> Daniel K. Beitz
> Wienner & Gould, P.C.
> 950 University Dr., Ste. 350
> Rochester, MI  48307
> Phone:  (248) 841-9405
> Fax:  (248) 652-2729
> dbeitz at wiennergould.com
>
> www.wiennergould.com
>
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Susan 
> Kelly via blindlaw
> Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2015 1:30 PM
> To: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org; Blind Law Mailing List
> Cc: Susan Kelly
> Subject: [blindlaw] courtesy and JAWS (and other talking office 
> products)
>
> Like many governmental offices, my agency is a fairly noisy one - thin 
> walls, folks who would yell between offices and cubicles rather than 
> sending an e-mail or message, playing of audio disclosure at high 
> volume, use of speaker phones at equally high volumes...all sorts of 
> thing that conflict with being able to hear my computer.  I have 
> relatively sensitive hearing, and thus hate to turn it up to overpower 
> the other audio distractions.  Past attempts at using an earbud 
> weren't helpful, especially since that made it even more likely that a 
> co-worker would come I and start asking for my legal opinion on 
> something before I could silence the narration.  Is there a 
> non-offensive list or statement of courtesy considerations towards 
> assistive technology users somewhere that I could print and post near my office?  How does everyone else deal with this on a daily basis?
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