[Diabetes-Talk] using insulin pumps

Fri Feb 8 08:52:54 UTC 2019

Yes, all great points, Amber.

I will be honest. AIRA seems great on the surface, but my concern with it is that too many of us will rely on it for things we can frankly do nonvisually on our own; I already know too many people like this. And second and worst, it's really just another work-around for blind people. Why should anyone consider accessibility when we can just use a service like AIRA? I want to be able to access my life, whatever it may be, on my own as much as possible. When companies refuse to accommodate in providing me with accessible material or a fully accessible medical device, my needs are pushed to the side, the implication being I don't matter. And now these companies can say, "Oh, just use something like AIRA to access what you need." But all this is is a sighted person I essentially pay to do something for me, meaning I'm not doing it on my own. This is more a band-aid fix than a real solution.

I'm not against AIRA in-and-of-itself and it has some useful functions, and I'm certainly not saying we should get rid of it or not use it, but the more we just say we can rely on something like AIRA, the less likely it is for the world to adopt more independent means of accessibility for us. Equal access is not special treatment; if a sighted person is able to do something independently, I should be able to as well. When I insist a service like AIRA can just meet my needs, companies like Medtronic don't have to even think about creating a pump that allows me to use as easily as I use my iPhone completely on my own.

Bridgit

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-Talk <diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Amber Wallenstein via Diabetes-Talk
Sent: Friday, February 8, 2019 12:51 AM
To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Amber Wallenstein <amber.wallens at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] using insulin pumps

There are several problems with this.
1. You are assuming I have the smart phone or glasses to use AIRA. 
2. You are also assuming I have the funds to buy AIRA services each month. And you can’t miss a month if you buy this inaccessible pump, because of the inaccessibility, you would have to use it. What if something happens to AIRA and it is no longer operational? 
3.  It also gives the company a pass on accessibility.  If I buy the pump, what is their incentive to make it accessible?
4.  The fact I would have to use AIRA or another service is extremely disconcerting to me… I don’t really want a person knowing that information about me.  In addition, I’m not sure I feel comfortable telling this person information about me, or having to have them direct me on everything I must do. Frankly it’s another cumbersome step in what I need to do to access my own care.
So unless the companies of the inaccessible pumps were to pay for AIRA, the equipment to access it, and pay me to be trained on how to use AIRA effectively, I pass.
Amber

> On Feb 7, 2019, at 11:29 PM, Paul Magill via Diabetes-Talk <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> 
> 
> All I know about insulin pumps is what I have read on this list, but 
> may I make a suggestion re using the touch screen controller:
> 
> 
> 
> Would it help to use the Aira service to have an agent tell you where 
> the appropriate control is, so you can press it.
> 
> 
> 
> https://aira.io/
> 
> 
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Paul from Australia
> 
> 
> 
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