[nabs-l] Seems we lost an ally

Tue Jan 3 17:07:38 UTC 2012

Carly and others,

I am downloading Ally books as we speak, but not after great lengths to
find, install, and use the new Book Shelf manager.

The Ally site, more specifically the my bookshelf section, is flawed at its
design. I have heard from a few very computer-savvy blind users that have
had issues with the site and can not download books.

Some user finding from my surveyal on Learning Ally are as follows:

1. They still list the old download manager on the page for PC and Mac.

2. Books on the book shelf are nearly impossible to download from the combo
boxes provided. I've heard reports from users who have been able to
download, but only after trial and error, and more trial, and frustration
playing with the combo boxes provided.

3. The new download manager is provided on the my bookshelf page, but as
others here can attest to, the site design is not intuitive, making it
difficult to locate the book shelf software, and the site an unfriendly
environment for screen reader users.

My suggestions are as follows: I write them here to jot down my thoughts to
list readers, and later forward them to the appropriate LA staff.

1. Provide a link to download each book on the book shelf for users who
choose to use the old manager.

2. Remove the old manager from the page to encourage and guide users to what
will hopefully be a simple and usable experience downloading and cyncing to
one's chosen player.

3. Consulting with a group of blind users to maintain optimal screen reader
access for the blind. This was obviously overlooked in the past few months.

4. Provide documentation for use of site and download manager features for
everyone.

These are my thoughts,

Antonio

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org]On
Behalf Of Carly
Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2012 7:48 AM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list; National
Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Seems we lost an ally

Good morning Josh, Ashley and any other interesteds,

It is my strong belief that, removing all reference to blind, from
the name might serve to parallel the difficulties wwe are now having
accessing this supposed, ally! It is another charade that is meant to
appear inclusive, but really isn't. How unfortunate is it that the
initial population RFB was meant to serve, now is rendered
decisively, removed from anything resembling blind peoples' alliance!
Carly
>Ashley, why not start this discussion on the NFB-Talk list.
>I'd even contact Scott LaBarr about this.
>Blessings, Joshua
>
>On 1/2/12, Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
> > Joshua,
> > I use the cd player too. The new victor reader strattus allows you to
play
> > daisy cds as well as  a USB slot for downloaded books and I think
> a sd card.
> > I have a vr stream, but like you I find it hard to figure out.
> >
> > I've also heard of other blind people having problems with the
> learning ally
> > downloads.  Sadly, they are not really much an ally to the blind now.
They
> > took blind out of their name and as I said, I feel their website,
including
> > the download features, is not very user friendly. For instance before in
> > your book search results you could press H to see each book title and
> > information underneath it. Now they are tables and you only see the book
in
> > a link. And they have pictures of each book cover. Notice jaws saying
> > graphic a million times; that is because they added pictures to the book
> > catalog. And with more links and clutter, you cannot find the text as
> > easily.
> >
> > Ashley
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Joshua Lester
> > Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 9:02 PM
> > To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> > Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Seems we lost an ally
> >
> > Wow!
> > I still use the CD player for my classes.
> > I hate the Victor Stream, because I can't figure it out!
> > Blessings, Joshua
> >
> > On 1/2/12, Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
> >> Antonio,
> >> What are the problems? Do you use jaws? I've tried to figure out the
> >> download; it took me a while to learn the old way, and now they changed
> >> it.
> >> I'm not the most patient with technology, keep in mind. If you have a
cd
> >> player, you still can order daisy cds, but now that humanware no longer
> >> offers the little daisy players; vr wave, vr vibe and vr classic,  more
> >> probably will download. I still have my old vr wave and thankfully it
> >> works!
> >> Since as you said downloading is not friendly and a Daisy cd player is
IMO
> >> easy to use and simple.
> >>
> >> Humanware recently released a new victor reader player, vr strattus,
which
> >> both plays those daisy cds and downloadable books from many places like
> >> nls
> >> and learning ally.
> >>
> >> I encourage you to write learning ally. Many are disappointed. With
> >> changing
> >> their name, it seems they changed their mission to focus on learning
> >> disabilities without identifying them as disabled, for politically
correct
> >> purposes. Tell them to still include blind people and that blind people
> >> have
> >> depended on them for over 30 years since they started. Don't let them
> >> forget
> >> us and be specific as to your accessibility challenges. Stating
something
> >> is
> >> not accessible won't help.
> >>
> >> Also IMo, their site is more hard to navigate. More images and complex
> >> organization. Like no longer can you see the book catalog from the main
> >> page
> >> and when you search books you cannot read the edition/publisher anymore
> >> without clicking on something extra. So I see like ten books with the
same
> >> or similar name and it takes longer to figure out what to pick.
> >> frustrated,
> >> Ashley
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: Antonio Guimaraes
> >> Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 8:35 PM
> >> To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> >> Subject: [nabs-l] Seems we lost an ally
> >>
> >> Dear NABS members,
> >>
> >> It is more than obvious to me that the new Learning Ally download
> >> features fall short of offering blind screen reader users the services
> >> we've come to know in previous years.
> >>
> >> Today I experienced at least an hour of frustrations trying to use
their
> >> new and improved program for downloads. I have listened to their You
> >> Tube video explaining the process, and then reached out to people like
> >> you for some feedback.
> >>
> >> There are several reports that blind readers can not use Learning
Ally's
> >> download features.
> >>
> >> I am not a happy scholar. I am writing to find out if you too have come
> >> up against issues with the download service.
> >>
> >> The NABS division and its membership should not accept lack of access
> >> from an organization that has long been at the forefront in providing
> >> access to recorded texts for blind users.
> >>
> >> Your experience will only help confirm some of the reported issues, and
> >> hopefully result in rectifying what must certainly be an oversight on
> >> Learning Ally's part.
> >>
> >> Sincerely,
> >>
> >> Antonio Guimaraes
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
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