[Diabetes-talk] Guidance on talking glucose monitor

Sat Apr 3 19:49:03 UTC 2010

Not exactly sure what you mean by "universal design," but as I understand
the term, it involves identifying core capabilities of an interface
independent of its presentation.  Universal design is not an end in itself,
but rather a way of organizing necessary features of an interface in such a
way that custom adaptations can be implemented in a natural, flexible
manner.  Your comments suggest that you may have experienced interfaces
which lacked the appropriate customization for your needs, and which may
have been advertised, erroneously, as "universal designs."

"Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of
thought."
-- John F. Kennedy

-----Original Message-----
From: diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mike Freeman
Sent: Saturday, April 03, 2010 12:56 AM
To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Guidance on talking glucose monitor

Eileen:

Perhaps a simple meter might be no problem for everyone to implement. But as

is often the case, things aren't quite that simple. I have received 
communications from a deaf-blind person who has differing requirements, 
i.e., he wants *less* spoken although he doesn't want to eliminate the 
ability to set date/time, review past readings, etc.

And when we get into meters connected to pumps, we need to begin to deal 
with how to convey things like trending; we, the blind, haven't figured out 
a presentation mechanism for such things yet.

I realize I'm going against the grain here but I think having everything 
have speech access designed by the manufacturer built-in is a recipe for 
mediocrity of access at best. I am *not* a believer in universal design; in 
trying to accommodate everyone, devices so designed end by not perfectly 
accommodating anyone. It just isn't in the cards to have speech in 
everything, much as it might be desirable theoretically.

Mike

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "eileen scrivani" <etscrivani at verizon.net>
To: "Diabetes Talk for the Blind" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, April 02, 2010 8:41 AM
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Guidance on talking glucose monitor

> Cheryl:
>
> Let's keep in mind that the meters are the "cheap" part of this picture. 
> Companies give meters away for free as promotions to get you using the 
> strips that go with the meter. The real money is in the strips.  And that 
> is the strips for any meter talking or not -- they are all expensive.  All

> Electronics these days are made cheaply with the expectation they will be 
> thrown away after some period of time and a new widget of any kind 
> re-purchased.  I've said it before and will say it again that a speech 
> component should be an easy enough build into the electronics ... talking 
> phones, thermostats, watches, tape measures, scales, thermometers, color 
> scanners, microwaves book/mp3 players computers, note takers.  How 
> complicated can a little glucose meter be ... It has to announce a range 
> of numbers (date, time, and results -- all numbers plain and simple), a 
> limited number of errors, and a few expected or anticipated events.  Much 
> less than what a talking screen reader has to deal with.
>
> Eileen
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "cheryl echevarria" <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
> To: "diabetes-talk" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, April 02, 2010 10:17 AM
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Guidance on talking glucose monitor
>
>
>> Here! Here Eileen:
>>
>> I think that the Glucometer companies in general should take into
>> consideration that diabetics has some kind of eye issues whether it is
>> losing their vision, just making them bigger to read, and not make them 
>> smaller and smaller.
>>
>> It would be advantageous to the consumer and to the companies. To have 
>> voice etc in them and not just the ones specially made.
>>
>> Should be standard practice for all companies.  But we don't live in the 
>> kind of world]
>>
>>
>> Cheryl Echevarria
>> Independent Travel Consultant
>> http://Echevarriatravel.com
>> 1-866-580-5574
>>
>> http://blog.echevarriatravel.com
>> Reservations at echevarriatravel.com
>> Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel 
>> CST-1018299-10
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "eileen scrivani" <etscrivani at verizon.net>
>> To: "Diabetes Talk for the Blind" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Friday, April 02, 2010 10:03 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Guidance on talking glucose monitor
>>
>>
>>> Mike:
>>> I will address 2 of your messages in this one reply.
>>>
>>> First, the PV was promoted all over this list as having the NFB's input
>>> into
>>> the design and development of it if I am recalling correctly.  DDI, if I
>>> am
>>> not mistaken, also were given some kind of acknowledgement/award  at a
>>> national NFB convention.  I did not say the NFB was given any form of
>>> funding or monies by DDI, but if the NFB is promoting themselves as 
>>> having
>>> played a large part in the PV's development, doesn't it set up in the
>>> minds
>>> of many people how wonderful the NFB is and that they  do so much good?
>>> It
>>> does work as an excellent public relations promotion and image builder 
>>> for
>>> NFB.
>>> I would think, since you've been the one to bring up the subject, the 
>>> two
>>> images I stated could possibly prompt people to make more donations to 
>>> NFB
>>> chapters/divisions and that's okay because that's good smart business 
>>> for
>>> either a for profit corporation or a non-profit charity like the NFB. 
>>> Any
>>> company/organization will play these things to the utmost for their own
>>> benefit & promotion.  That is, however, a very different thing than 
>>> being
>>> given money by the company developing the meter and I never, never said
>>> that
>>> happened!  I did say it makes the NFB look good and it does.
>>>
>>> ACB, Huh?  What does that have to do with anything in this conversation?
>>> Did I mention the ACB in any of my emails?  Do you have some kind of 
>>> issue
>>> with me that I am not aware of?
>>>
>>> Going back to some of your other remarks , you seem to have issues with
>>> the
>>> new Solo meter, because it wasn't done "under your watch!"  Are you the
>>> only
>>> blind diabetic??  I think not.  From what I have read here both Cheryl 
>>> and
>>> Vinny have had contact with ADS and would think that both these people
>>> with
>>> long-term diabetes would have some excellent input on the Solo meter's
>>> design/development.  They too are not the only other blind diabetics, 
>>> but
>>> seem to be open to giving encouragement to companies that want to bring
>>> new
>>> accessible meters to us.
>>>
>>> Isn't it possible that other blindness organizations have had input into
>>> the
>>> development of the Solo.  There are medical providers that have blind
>>> patients and could have also had some good input into the development of
>>> this meter.  The NFB does not know all that has gone into the design of
>>> the
>>> Solo.  Frankly, so long as I have an accessible glucose meter that is 
>>> both
>>> accurate and easy to use I could not care less how it came about.  Do 
>>> you
>>> know for a fact if the Solometer company has blind/vi/disabled 
>>> employees?
>>> Does it really matter if a blind or sighted person programmed the meter?
>>> What is important is that we, the end-users of the product have a 
>>> quality
>>> device that does not impact our health negatively.  It would be a good
>>> thing
>>> to have some say into how a meter works or what it does, but I have the
>>> impression that ADS & Solo are open to input from people who are using 
>>> the
>>> new meter.  What more can we expect with any accessible meter?
>>>
>>> Oh, excuse me, but since I am only a mere mortal and not an NFB Division
>>> President, I'm only a diabetic of 41, almost 42, years, I can't know as
>>> much
>>> as you about these issues and the frustrations a blind diabetic faces in
>>> living with the disease as a blind person for the past 29 years, right?
>>> And, yes, it is my personal opinion that it is a very great disgrace 
>>> that
>>> the number of accessible meters to blind diabetics has in the time I've
>>> been
>>> blind remained at negligible numbers.  Again, diabetes is more often 
>>> than
>>> not promoted in numerous studies, advertisements, and articles as being
>>> the
>>> leading cause of blindness.  Taking that into consideration, it remains
>>> shocking to me that there's only 2, maybe 3 companies taking this into
>>> account when developing meter after meter.  Sighted diabetics even have
>>> choices into what color they want there glucose meter to be.  In today's
>>> business world, both economic consciousness and  political correctness 
>>> are
>>> driving factors in what companies do and how they act.  Decisions to 
>>> make
>>> a
>>> product that may not have high market demand,in a case like this is just
>>> "good business" practice.  An accessible meter would help blind 
>>> diabetics
>>> to
>>> maintain good health, & reduce further complications.  Thus, costs to
>>> insurance companies, medicare and tax payers would also be reduced.
>>>
>>> Eileen
>>>
>>>
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>>>
>>
>>
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>
>
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