[nabs-l] Seems we lost an ally

Tue Jan 3 17:43:21 UTC 2012

Hi,
Does anyone know where I can download a dictionary for my stream? I called 
learning ali and I was told they do not have any. Thanks
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Antonio Guimaraes" <freethaught at gmail.com>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2012 11:07 AM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Seems we lost an ally


> 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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