[nfbcs] How The Blind Are Re-Inventing the iPhone

[Jim Barbour]

On Sun, May 06, 2012 at 09:06:23AM -0700, Mike Freeman wrote:
> And what are we doing with the iPhone that might better be done with
> standard techniques? (huge grin)

Hey Mike, and hello nfbcs!

Mike, are you making the assertion that the iPhone, by its very helpfulness to the blind, is displacing more traditional alternative techniques?

If so, then I say "bah! ridiculous."

Keep in mind that plenty of blind folks use Braille on the iPhones, explore neighborhoods with their iPhones in much the same way we used paper street guides and directory assistance, and read talking books on their phones in much the same way we used tape machines or record players.

The iPhone also lets people do things they find convenient, such as taking a picture of something and asking a question about it, rather than waiting for sighted assistance to show up.


The problem arises when we only teach blind folks technology, and not the attitude, philosophy, and confidence they'll need to be successful.  Now, there's a problem to tackle, by crackie!

Jim