[Electronics-Talk] GE Braille Labels, An Update

[Andrews, David B (DEED)]

I can use my new stove because of a couple things.  The burners have knobs, it is electric, although this isn't the point of this message. Secondly the oven is controlled by a flat panel, but luckily the panel is not touch sensitive, you have to actually press on the right spots, so I was able to make Braille markers.  Finally, the oven defaults to a known state, that is it starts at a known temperature, 350 degrees, and I can go up and down in 5 degree increments. If I turn the oven off, and back on again, it will return to 350 degrees.  Finally, each time I press a control, up down, on off, broil, bake, clean, it beeps.

The other thing I want to say, which I think hasn't been said yet is that you may be able to find the manual for a given appliance, somewhere on-line, thus you can read and possibly get the answer to these questions, without actually trying the device.

It is tricky out there -- and we seem to have fewer and fewer options, but at least there are still some.  My stove, by the way, was a less expensive stove, the more expensive units seemed to be more problematic!

Dave



David Andrews | Chief Technology Officer
Department of Employment and Economic Development 
State Services for the Blind, 2200 University Ave. W., Suite 240, St. Paul MN 55114
Direct: 651-539-2294 | Mobile: 612-730-7931
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-----Original Message-----
From: Electronics-Talk [mailto:electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Annette Carr via Electronics-Talk
Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2016 4:31 PM
To: 'Discussion of accessible home electronics and appliances' <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Annette Carr <amcarr1 at verizon.net>
Subject: [Electronics-Talk] GE Braille Labels, An Update

Hi All,

 

There was a surprise waiting for me in my mailbox today.  An envelope inside another envelope, with 2 things inside of the inner envelope.  A 8.5 by 11 glossy piece of paper folded in half, and a piece of plastic slightly larger than the palm of my hand.  The plastic has what appears to be random braille letters on it.  With a quick glance at the paper, my husband figured out that this little card contains 45 2-letter combinations that correspond to
45 different buttons on a microwave.  It appears to be clear plastic, but there does not appear to be any type of perforation between the 2 letter combinations, nor are there spaces between the 2-letter combinations, so my husband does not think that it is possible to cut the labels apart.  On the back of the card, you can feel rectangles, but there does not appear to be any perforations there.  We were unable to peel back a corner, so at this point we are not sure how they might be applied to a control panel if one does exist.  Maybe there are instructions on the printed sheet that explains how to use the labels.  These appear to be generic and not specific to a model of microwave.  

 

So despite being told by the GE Rep that GE no longer provides braille labels, either they still do, or someone found this in storage.  So now if I could just find a microwave to put the labels on.

 

My latest exchange with the GE Rep has been about finding a replacement range that is accessible.  I figured if I can no longer use a microwave, then I had better make sure I will still be able to use the range.  The Rep provided me with 4 model numbers, and they all clearly state in the specs that the oven control panel is a glass touch.  It is not looking good.

 

I will keep you posted.