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

[Mike Freeman]

Jim:

You're absolutely right. In fact, that is what I was trying to imply. But I
could se some teaching only iPhone apps and, perhaps more ominously, I could
see some blind persons being seduced into believing that attitude and
standard way-finding techniques will be supplanted by the iPhone.

Mike


-----Original Message-----
From: nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Jim Barbour
Sent: Sunday, May 06, 2012 10:26 AM
To: NFB in Computer Science Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfbcs] How The Blind Are Re-Inventing the iPhone

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

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