[NFBF-L] DBS Media Reports for the week of August 3 - 7, 2020

Tue Aug 11 01:05:55 UTC 2020

DBS Media Report

Friday, August 7, 2020

The Observer News: Visually Impaired Riverview Child Competes In National
Braille Institute Challenge
<https://www.observernews.net/2020/08/06/visually-impaired-riverview-child-c
ompetes-in-national-braille-institute-challenge/> 

Aviana Nelson, a 7-year-old girl from Riverview, doesn't let the fact she's
totally blind keep her from accomplishing great things. She was recently
named one of 50 finalists out of more than 1,200 participants in the Braille
Institute's 2020 Braille Challenge, where she was among 10 children ages 6
to 8 in the Apprentice category, one of five categories in the competition.

The Guardian:
<https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/aug/06/wisconsin-election-visual-i
mpairment-voting> A Visually Impaired Man Tried To Vote Amid Covid-19 - But
There Were No Safe Options

But when it came to Wisconsin's 7 April election - the only in-person
balloting held in the midst of the pandemic that month - the Shorewood,
Wisconsin, resident hit a surprising roadblock, due in part to his visual
impairment. Natzke was disenfranchised because recent surgery limiting his
mobility and a fear of exposure to Covid-19 kept him away from his
neighborhood polling site. Because of his age and underlying health
conditions, for Natzke, complying with Wisconsin's Safer at Home order meant
not voting in person

The Conversation: The Pandemic Is Undermining Visually Impaired People
<https://theconversation.com/the-pandemic-is-undermining-visually-impaired-p
eoples-independence-heres-how-to-fix-this-142209> 's Independence - Here's
How To Fix This

If a sighted guide is required to help someone get around a new environment,
the visually impaired individual being guided needs to be consulted on what
would be most helpful. Sighted people not understanding visually impaired
people's needs - in particular their need for independence - has been shown
to be detrimental to their wellbeing.

Education

KTLA 5: LEGO Is Launching Braille Bricks For Students, Will Send Them To
Schools For Free
<https://ktla.com/news/nationworld/lego-is-launching-braille-bricks-for-stud
ents-will-send-them-to-schools-for-free/> 

For schools that won't be reopening this fall, the LEGO Foundation is
sending the braille bricks to districts where blind or visually impaired
students are registered in the hopes that teachers or administrators can
send them to students' homes. While teachers continue to navigate uncharted
territory, "They have some options," an APH spokesperson told CNN Business.
"They could send a kit to students at home and do activities over Zoom or a
similar platform. If they have in-person classes, they could supply each
student with their own kit, for now."

Thursday, August 6, 2020

Inside Higher ED: The ADA At 30
<https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/08/05/qa-ada-30> 

Inside Higher Ed interviewed Mary Lee Vance, currently the director of
services for students with disabilities at California State University,
Sacramento, about the law's impact, consequences of the pandemic and how
colleges can do better for their disabled students. Vance has worked in
disability services and academic advising for more than 20 years at several
universities. She was lead editor on the book Beyond the Americans With
Disabilities Act, published by NASPA, Student Affairs Administrators in
Higher Education, and sits on the editorial review board of the Journal of
Postsecondary Education and Disability. She answered questions over email.

Eye Health

Post Register: August Is Children
<https://www.postregister.com/chronicle/news/august-is-children-s-eye-health
-and-safety-month/article_4000a1e9-6542-5848-b66f-2691425f4730.html> 's Eye
Health And Safety Month

One in 20 children - ages 3 to 5 - has a vision problem that could become a
permanent problem if left untreated, according to Consumer Health Digest.
And, despite this unsettling statistic, 80 percent of preschoolers do not
receive an eye screening. As you begin to schedule end-of-summer health
appointments, make sure to include an annual eye screening. A good place to
start is with your primary care physician; they can do an initial eye exam
during an annual physical and then refer you to an eye doctor if necessary.

Wednesday, August 5, 2020

Beacon Senior News:
<https://beaconseniornews.com/top-carousel/see-the-world-with-the-tactile-tr
aveler/> "See" the World With The Tactile Traveler

Even at age 77, nothing can come between Nick Isenberg and his lifelong
passion for reporting the news. Not even total blindness. In 2019, this
Glenwood Springs-based journalist started producing a monthly podcast called
"The Tactile Traveler," taking both the sighted and sightless on adventures
around the world-and, sometimes, just around the block. With help from six
contributing reporters from around the world-all of whom are blind-he's
guided listeners down picturesque mountain trails and taken them overseas to
explore typhoon damage in the Philippines. These reporters also help him
fulfill his mission of empowering blind and low-vision people with
resources, and to help sighted friends see the world in a new way.

Eye Health

WTVY: Seven Myths About Children
<https://www.wtvy.com/2020/08/04/seven-myths-about-childrens-eyes/> 's Eyes

Think you have the facts on your child's eye care? When is the right time to
have their eyes checked? Is too much screen time damaging their eyes? Do
they need to wear sunglasses? There are a lot of myths and misinformation
out there about children's eye health. Don't turn to Dr. Google for answers,
ask your ophthalmologist - a physician who specializes in medical and
surgical eye care - if you want to set your child up for a lifetime of good
vision. With August being Children's Eye Health and Safety Month, the
Alabama Academy of Ophthalmology, The Medical Association of Alabama and the
American Academy of Ophthalmology debunk seven common myths about children's
eye health:

Bloomberg: Virtual Doctors Add Eye Exams, Mental Health Under Trump Order
<https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-03/virtual-doctors-add-eye-
exams-mental-health-under-trump-order> 

Doctors treating patients virtually can provide new services like eye exams
and certain mental health visits after the pandemic subsides under an
executive order announced Monday. As part of the order, the Agriculture
Department and Federal Communications Commission are partnering to boost
broadband access to rural communities, bolstering telehealth efforts beyond
the pandemic. The telehealth order offers some peace of mind to both doctors
and patients. The move boosts treatment options for patients in rural areas
who might have to drive miles for treatment. It also brings certainty to
doctors who feared that some of the telehealth practices allowed under
temporary orders would be considered fraud when the public health emergency
is over.

Invision Mag: Healthy Eyes Healthy Children Grant Program Brings Vision Care
To Children In Need
<https://invisionmag.com/healthy-eyes-healthy-children-grant-program-brings-
vision-care-to-children-in-need/> 

Essilor Vision Foundation (EVF) continues its partnership with Optometry
Cares-The AOA Foundation through the Healthy Eyes Healthy Children community
grants program. EVF is the founding sponsor of the program, now in its
fourth year, which gives grants of up $5,000 to eye care professionals who
focus on collaborative efforts to spread awareness and increase vision
services in their community. For the 2019 cycle, 17 grants were given out to
eye doctors in 13 states for a total of $77,500. These funds support
optometrists who p artner with their community to drive quality health care
to underserved youth through sustainable community-based solutions across
the U.S.

Tuesday, August 4, 2020

Upworthy: LEGO Is Releasing Sets Of Braille Bricks For Visually Impaired
Children
<https://www.upworthy.com/lego-is-releasing-sets-of-braille-bricks-for-visua
lly-impaired-children> 

Why LEGOs? Well, the American Printing House for the Blind recently found
that only 8.4 percent of visually impaired children read Braille, as opposed
to 50 percent in 1960. With the advent of audio books and voice-to-text
technology, reading and writing are becoming lost arts for the visually
impaired, often for lack of resources or time - modern braille education
methods include expensive "Braille writers" or a slate and stylus, both of
which create text that is difficult for students to edit or erase. LEGO
bricks are not only swappable, but children are already familiar with their
mechanics!

Falls Church News-Press: Covid-19 Shows Telework Is Viable For People With
Disabilities
<https://fcnp.com/2020/08/03/covid-19-shows-telework-is-viable-for-people-wi
th-disabilities/> 

"Let the shameful walls of exclusion finally come tumbling down" is the
directive that former President George Bush gave us when he signed the ADA
into law 30 years ago, on July 26, 1990. I graduated from the University of
Maryland in 2008, and I can still recall the excitement of that day with
such clarity. I remember the nervous anticipation I felt sitting in that
huge auditorium with my family and friends in front of me; how surreal it
felt to stand beside my fellow graduates as we took our place in the
procession line; and the thrill of finally hearing my name being called. I
remember how proud I felt walking across that stage, with my cane grasped in
one hand and my friend's elbow clutched in the other, ready and willing to
start the next chapter of my life. But what I was not prepared for was the
long intermission that would precede this next chapter.

Cision PR Newswire: Website Auditing And PDF Document Partnership To
Eliminate The Digital Divide
<https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/website-auditing-and-pdf-document-
partnership-to-eliminate-the-digital-divide-301103877.html> 

For over 20 years, CommonLook has led the standards-compliant document
accessibility market. While laser-focused on PDF and document accessibility,
CommonLook knows that many customers need trusted partners for website
audits, testing and compliance monitoring as part of a complete solution.
CommonLook is the only PDF remediation tool, aside from Adobe, listed in the
World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) PDF Techniques for WCAG 2.0. W3C is an
international community that works to develop standards online.

Accessibility

Forbes:
<https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanmoed/2020/08/03/this-startup-aims-to-m
ake-ecommerce-accessible-for-everyone/#74325b5b18e9> This Startup Aims To
Make E-Commerce Accessible For Everyone

The lack of web accessibility in today's websites and online services
continues to prevent people with disabilities from fully enjoying the
conveniences and benefits that the internet can offer. Consumers are now
embracing online transactions more than ever. Unfortunately for the
disabled, the limited number of accessible e-commerce channels excludes them
from participating in the global e-commerce boom. 

Eye Health

Ophthalmology Times: Thyroid Eye Disease: Not Limited To Visual Impairment
<https://www.ophthalmologytimes.com/view/ted-not-limited-to-visual-impairmen
t> 

Thyroid eye disease (TED) goes far beyond simply affecting patients' vision.
It has a profound effect on their quality of life (QOL) and mental health,
as well, according to the authors of a recent survey, which reflected
physicians' perceptions of the disease's impact on their patients. The FDA
recently approved teprotumumab-trbw (Tepezza; Horizon Therapeutics) to treat
TED. 

Technology

Tech Crunch: Announcing Sight Tech Global, An Event On The Future Of AI And
Accessibility For People Who Are Blind Or Visually Impaired
<https://techcrunch.com/2020/08/03/announcing-sight-tech-global-an-event-on-
the-future-of-ai-and-accessibility-for-people-who-are-blind-or-visually-impa
ired/2020/08/03/announcing-sight-tech-global-an-event-on-the-future-of-ai-an
d-accessibility-for-people-who-are-blind-or-visually-impaired/>  

Remarkable leaps forward like that are the foundation for Sight Tech Global,
a new, virtual event slated for December 2-3, that will bring together many
of the world's top technology and accessibility experts to discuss how rapid
advances in AI and related technologies will shape assistive technology and
accessibility in the years ahead.

Workforce Development 

Forbes: Do Certificate Programs Pay Off?
<https://www.forbes.com/sites/wesleywhistle/2020/08/03/the-payoff-of-certifi
cate-programs/#7e1bc1b63fbe> 

New research form the U.S. Department of Education provides insight into the
labor market success of students who enroll in certificate programs. The
results paint a picture of the completion rate of the programs, as well as
the field of study and salary outcomes of those who enroll.

Tallahassee Democrat: TCC Offers Scholarships For In-Demand Programs
<https://www.tallahassee.com/story/life/family/2020/08/03/tcc-offers-scholar
ships-demand-programs/5574593002/> 

Tallahassee Community College's Division of Workforce Development is urging
prospective students pursuing in demand programs during the fall semester to
apply to the CARES Act scholarship. TCC is directing funding efforts to help
people unemployed and impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic achieve skilled
training that will afford them the opportunity to improve their livelihood
and embark on a career. The programs that can utilize the scholarship
opportunities are Medical Administrative Specialist, Industrial Machinery
Maintenance (IMM), Welding, Cybersecurity, Commercial Vehicle Driving (CVD)
and Computer Numerical Control (CNC). 

Monday, July 3, 2020

Accessibility

Digital Information World: Facebook Provides An Overview Of Some Latest
Improvements In The Accessibility Features, Keyboard Shortcuts And Rendering
Text Font
<https://www.digitalinformationworld.com/2020/08/facebook-provides-an-overvi
ew-of-some-latest-improvements-in-the-accessibility-features.html> 

Facebook recently had to bring some back-end structural changes and now, it
has come up with a refreshed desktop platform. As a result, Facebook is
announcing some new improved accessibility features and some other
interesting and long overdue changes. The site has made advancements with
the React feature, and now they have worked on new accessibility tools,
techniques on the basis of advanced technology. These features are specially
designed for people with multiple reading disabilities and visual
impairments, and who use screen readers. So, the newly crafted site
structure is far more inclusive and user-friendly than before. There are
more than 4.4 million people in the US alone who need screen readers to
navigate through their web pages, and there are many more people out there
who can use the newer techniques for improved and increased legibility,
Accessible Rich Internet Applications markup, and keyboard navigation tools.

Eye Health

Healthline:
<https://www.healthline.com/health-news/how-screen-time-may-be-contributing-
to-dry-eye-during-the-pandemic> How Screen Time May Be Contributing To Dry
Eye During The Pandemic

About 4 years ago, Melanie Yarger, 42, started having trouble with her
vision. She noticed her eyes were red and itchy, with her vision becoming
blurry. At first, she assumed it was just deteriorating eyesight that comes
with aging, but then the irritation just kept getting worse with no relief.
Yarger, who works in Wood County, Ohio, as a service coordinator with
children who have developmental disabilities, said she needs to have full
use of her "acute vision" to do her job properly. She told Healthline that
it became hard to not just help the children in her care and interact with
their families, but made it difficult to read and write and see well while
driving. 

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