[Nfb-science] An Inquiry About Technology and Vision Loss

[David Evans]

Dear Christine,

The I-Phone is a wonderful platform for a blind user.
There is a learning curve, as with everything in life.
The Mac computers are also equipped with Voice Over as all Apple products 
are these days.
The Voice Over commands are, for the most part, the same from one Apple 
device to another, with some exceptions.
I just started using an I-Phone -S and I like it very much.
I am still learning, but I am getting better all of the time and would 
encourage other blind users to do so also.
There are many accessible blind apps and allot of them are free or cost 
under $f dollars.
I took a class from my local Lighthouse, based on a program taught by the VA 
and learned ho to navigate the screen, turn pages and use the different 
"finger" commands to select items and activate them.

Once (VO) Voice Over is turned on under settings and selected under 
accessibility, it can be turned on or off by 3 quick taps on the "home" 
button.  The home button is that round button, on the bottom of the phone, 
under the screen and is one of the five physical buttons on the phone.
This way you can turn it off, so a sighted person can use the phone or turn 
it on for a blind person to use VO.
If you would like copies of the hand outs I got with the class I took, write 
me back and I can e-mail them to you..

David Evans, NFBF and GD Jack.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Christine Szostak" <szostak.1 at buckeyemail.osu.edu>
To: "NFB Science and Engineering Division List" <nfb-science at nfbnet.org>; 
<social-sciences-list at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, June 30, 2013 11:22 AM
Subject: [Nfb-science] An Inquiry About Technology and Vision Loss


> Hi All,
>  I was wondering if anyone here can help me out a little. I am working 
> with someone who is interested in gaining information about the usability 
> of the iPhone and vision loss (e.g., its usability, and whether you can do 
> everything on it verbally, especially with a touch screen). I know the 
> iPhone, especially G4 is supposed to be quite usable, though I had no 
> success personally:), and thus am not going to be able to personally give 
> useful info from my own experience. Relatedly, this person is interested 
> in the advantages and challenges of switching from a PC to a Mac as a 
> screen reading software user. In other words, what is the learning curve 
> like, what are the benefits of switching to a Mac when one is visually 
> impaired and a user of both ZT and JAWS... Any information others here can 
> provide would be much appreciated.
> With very warm regards,
> Christine
> Christine M. Szostak, PhD
> Psychologist, Instructor, and Professional Consultant
> http://findingthevision.wikidot.com
> http://researchconsulting.wikidot.com
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