If I Can Hear What You Can See!

ByMichael McCarty-January 31, 2012by Donna J. JodhanWhat should developers bear in mind when ensuring that their websites are fully accessible to those who are blind and partially sighted? The short version response in my humble opinion would be if i can hear what you can see then what a wonderful world it would be!What does this all mean?When developing a website, developers need to be fully cognoscent of the following:Access technology and how it deals with icons, images, graphics, and pop-up and drop down menus.
Accessible file formats.
Readable web content.
Links that are easy to understand and navigate.
Language that is easy to understand.
Fields and forms are easy to complete.This list is by no means complete and I will deal briefly with each component individually. It is a good start and I hope that it helps to get you going on the right track. The one thing that I am going to stress here is that my list not only benefits blind and sight impaired people, it benefits everyone.Access technologyBlind and si…Post a Comment Read More »

Tap into the IRS for Accessible Tax Information

ByMichael McCarty-January 31, 2012IRS provides assistance for people with disabilitiesIndividuals who are blind or visually impaired can download hundreds of the most popular federal tax forms and publications from IRS.gov. These products range from accessible PDFs to e-Braille formats and are accessible using screen reading software and refreshable Braille displays. Visit the IRS Accessibility page to download these forms and publications. Also, view a video that highlights IRS products and services available for people with disabilitiesTax Return preparation help is also availablePeople who are unable to complete their tax return because of a physical disability may get assistance from a local IRS Tax Assistance Center or through a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance or Tax Counseling for the Elderly site (VITA or TCE). To find a Tax Assistance Center near you, click on contact IRS, on IRS.gov and then select contact your local IRS office. You can also find a nearby VITA or TCE location by calling 1-800-906-9887. The …Post a Comment Read More »

My Favorite Colors

ByMichael McCarty-January 18, 2012by Donna J. JodhanFor as long as I can remember, yellow has always been my favorite color; as a child when my vision was just a bit, as a teen when I received much more, and even now when I have precious little. Yellow has always reminded me of happy things and happy times. When I was a kid, I had to have a yellow cup, a yellow plate, and a yellow saucer and a yellow bowl. I loved and cherished my yellow Sunday dress, the one that I wore to church. I adored my yellow jersey, and my yellow bathing suit. Mom and dad had to always buy me something yellow; the yellow beach ball, the yellow water wings, and everything else yellow. I even loved the yellow balloon which was something special for me as I had a fear of balloons and when we got our dog and named her Yella, that was the best thing for me since sliced bread. Yellow continued to dominate my life as I blew past my teen years into adulthood and I continued to buy yellow sweaters and jackets, yellow coats, yellow pants, …Post a Comment Read More »

Do Professors Really Understand?

ByMichael McCarty-January 18, 2012by Donna J. JodhanWhen I was at university which was many years ago, I must say that as a whole, most professors understood that in order to complete my courses, I had to have access to texts and that I had to be given a bit of extra time to write exams. They also understood that we all had to go the extra mile to ensure that my texts were on time and that I could understand charts, diagrams, and graphs.When I was at university, there were no online courses and my texts were either given to me on tape or in Braille. Lectures were all conducted in the classroom and I was able to get the full attention of most of my professors. I either typed my papers or spoke onto tape and sometimes I had oral exams for French and Spanish.That was then and this is now. With the evolution of the Internet, more courses are being offered the online way. Students submit their exams via email or by logging into a specified website. They receive their texts through the Internet but there are sti…Post a Comment Read More »

Perkins School for the Blind Pioneered the First Physical Education Program in the United States for Students with Blindness or Visual Impairment

ByMichael McCarty-January 13, 2012When Samuel Gridley Howe opened the school’s doors in 1832, he was immediately troubled by his students’ poor health. In that era, children who were blind were customarily treated as invalids and were prevented from doing anything for themselves. Fearing they might be injured, their families discouraged them from enjoying physical activity. As a result, children who were blind were often weak and vulnerable to every illness.Perkins is pleased to announce that a collection of digital images from the Perkins Archives is now available to be viewed online at Physical Education at Perkins Post a Comment Read More »

Reading APH’s Free Downloadable Manuals on Your iPad

ByMichael McCarty-January 13, 2012Did you know that you can read many of APH’s free Downloadable Manuals on your iPad? Once you download the PDF file from http://shop.aph.org or http://louis.aph.org/ simply select “Open in iBooks” from the menu bar at the top of the screen. You will be able to view your PDF using the iBooks app, and the PDF will be saved in your iBook collection.A complete list of available Downloadable Manuals is available here: www.aph.org/manuals/Post a Comment Read More »

Organize Your Braille Documents with Binders, Folders and Notebooks from APH

ByMichael McCarty-January 04, 2012Braille Pocket FoldersWill hold 11 1/2 x 11 inch braille sheets. Has slant-cut pockets. Punched for 3-ring binder. Made of durable, flexible plastic. Student pack has 3 folders, 1 each: green, blue, and yellow, to match the Floppy Braille Binders below. Office pack has 3 folders, 1 each: red, gray, and black.

Braille Pocket Folders:

Student Pack:
Catalog Number: 1-04294-00

Click this link to purchase the Braille Pocket Folders.Floppy Braille BindersDurable plastic 3-ring binder designed to hold 11 1/2 x 11 braille sheets. Flexes to fit easily into a backpack. Has an inside pocket. Includes 3 binders, 1 each: green, blue, and yellow.

Floppy Braille Binders:
Catalog Number: 1-04295-00
Click this link to purchase the Floppy Braille Binders.Braille Notebooks, 3-RingTwo popular sizes. Made of heavy-duty board covered with vinyl. Will hold approximately 100 sheets of braille paper.

Azure Blue, for 8 1/2 x 11 inch braille paper:
Catalog Number: 1-04320-00
Note: Azure Blue Notebook no…Post a Comment Read More »More posts Powered by Blogger

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