ACB Focus: Technology

Presenter: Brian Hartgen, Director of Hartgen Consultancy, Caerphilly, Mid Glamorgan, South Wales

•  Brian Hartgen has 24 years experience training visually impaired people how to use adaptive technology, from Braille-based hardware, to screen-reading software delivered within education, companies, rehabilitation organizations, to individuals in their own homes. For the past 18 years, Brian has focused his attention on improving the access people receive from applications using the JAWS for Windows Screen-Reader. Brian holds certificates from the development company in JAWS product knowledge and the Advanced JAWS Scripting course. Brian believes in providing visually impaired people with the best possible service and support. Whether you are a user of the JAWS for Windows screen-reader who needs some training at home, an employer of a blind person who would like to ensure an application is accessible, or you would like a screen-reading product to make your life easier, Hartgen Consultancy can help! Attendees joined us for an informative presentation from Brian Hartgen.

Facilitator: Earlene Hughes, President, Blind Information Technology Specialists, West Lafayette IN

Panelist:

☺ Christopher Maae, Student, BITS Vice President, Santa Ana, C

 ☺Rebecca Knaub, Bureau of Blind and Vision services of Pennsylvania, Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist/ Assistive Technology Specialist, Harrisburg, PA

☺ Rosanna Beaudrie, Secretary, Blind Information Technology Specialists, Levittown, NY 

The four major companies in the field of access technology, Vispero, Hims, HumanWare, and APH, updated attendees on their products.

Facilitator: Earlene Hughes, President, Blind Information Technology Specialists, West Lafayette IN

Panelist:

◘ Christopher Maae, Student, BITS Vice President, Santa Ana, CA

◘ Vispero: Presenter: Ron Miller, Blindness Technology Product Specialist, Safety Harbor, FL

◘  HIMS: Presenter: Thomas Simpson, Vice President of Marketing and Sales, Albany OR

◘ APH: Presenter: Jim Sullivan, Director of Social Enterprise for APH, Louisville KY 

◘ HumanWare: Presenter: Peter Tucic, HumanWare Brand Ambassador Blindness Products, Chicago IL

Are you getting the most from your hearing devices? Have you ever wondered if any hearing aids will work with other technology such as your iPhone?  Attendees enjoyed an informative presentation during which two audiologists and a Hearing Care Professional served as panelists as they addressed the issues and answered questions.

Presenters:

• Dr. Carol Hamer, Audiologist, Hellen Keller National Center, Sands Point, NY

• Jacob Smith, Hearing Instrument Dispenser, Oak Lawn, IL

• Dr. Nancy Mascia, Audiologist, Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services, Birmingham, AL

Use Smart Plugs, Lights, Door Locks, and Other Smart Devices. Attendees learned about all of the things that you can do to make your house a smart home.

Presenters:

♣ Peter Korn, Director of Accessibility, Amazon Lab 126, Seattle, WA

♣ Joshua Miele, Principal Accessibility Researcher, Amazon Lab126, Sunnyvale, CA

♣ Elodie Fichet, PhD, Sr. Accessibility Program Manager, Seattle, WA

Grab your headphones and come with us on a 3D audio experience! Let your headphones be your virtual reality goggles as we take you to places so real, you feel like you are actually there. Listen as your environment takes shape above, below and all around you.

BPI members:

♦ Chris Snyder, Los Angeles, CA

♦ Byron Lee, Minneapolis, MN,

hosted a Q&A session.

Have you wondered what it would be like to experience video games using elements of assistive technology? Ever considered pursuing your own experience playing video games? Attendees joined the team of organizers that hosted The Showdown during the Summer 2020, the first ever Mortal Kombat 11 tournament exclusive to players who are blind and visually impaired occurred. They provided an overview on navigation using Narrator, the Microsoft screen reader that was implemented into the Xbox One and later consoles. Travel in this virtual tour, filled with narrated examples of playable game designs across the universes of Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered, Microsoft’s Killer Instinct, Capcom’s Resident Evil 6, NetherRealm Studios’ Mortal Kombat 11, The Coalition’s Gears 5, and the latest golden standard title of our time, Naughty Dog’s the Last of Us Part II. Attendees were invited to engage with the group and ask your questions afterwards.

 Disclaimer: Mortal Kombat 11, Resident Evil 6, Gears 5 and The Last of Us Part II. are all games rated M for mature audiences by the ESRB. Viewer discretion is advised

 Panelists:

♠ Gable Meade, Gamer, Cedar Rapids, IA

♠ Carlos Martinez, Gamer, Los Angeles, CA

♠ Carlos Vasquez, Gamer, Houston, TX

♠ Dexter Roberts, Gamer, Los Angeles, CA

♠ Alex Vasquez, Gamer, Los Angeles, CA

Sponsored by: ACB Students

Attendees heard from two rehabilitation professionals about what providing rehabilitation services virtually has been like.

♠ Megan Conway from the Helen Keller National Center 

♠David Kingsbury from the Carroll Center for the Blind

Discussed providing rehabilitation services virtually, what accessibility challenges they faced and how they worked through them to continue serving their clients. They then began a conversation about remote support-based services. Many continue to work from home and they gave some opinions on the leading products in this space and some tips and tricks when working with each of these products. They discussed Apple, Microsoft, AIRA and more during this part of the 411 presentations. In addition, Judy Dixon made a brief presentation about a new technology found on the latest iPhones. Is this truly the thing to have for your iPhone? Attendees learned how this technology can be put to use in your environment to help follow people in a line, learn about a new space, and locate large objects.

Presenters:

♠ Megan A. Conway, PhD, Research and Accessibility Specialist, Helen Keller National Center, Healdsburg, CA

♠ David Kingsbury, Assistive Technology Instructor at the Carroll Center, Stoughton, MA

♠ Judy Dixon, Co-chair of the IAC, Arlington, VA

♠ Ray Campbell, Second Vice President of ACB, Glen Ellyn, IL 

Co-sponsored by: Information Access committee and Rehabilitation Issues Task Force

Part 1: Braille Notetaking Devices Versus Mainstream Products:

 Can a blind person be as effective using a mainstream product like an iPhone or are braille notetakers still the way to go in this space? Peter Tucic from HumanWare and Greg Stilson, American Printing House for the Blind discussed the HumanWare BI line of products and the Mantis. This was a lively discussion with some tips and tricks for both types of users.

Presenters:

♥ Peter Tucic, HumanWare, Brand Ambassador, Chicago, IL

♥ Greg Stilson, Head of Global Innovation, American Printing house for the Blind, Madison, WI

In this live, interactive session, Vispero covered new products, advances in online training, and attendees had the opportunity to have their questions answered by industry experts.

Presenters:

☻ Eric Damery, Vice President of Software Product Management, Clearwater, FL

☻ Rachel Buchanan, Product Manager, User Education and Outreach, Clearwater, FL

☻ Mike Wood, Strategic Accounts Manager, Education, Clearwater, FL

☻ Michelle Williams, Sales Director, North Central US, Clearwater, FL

☻ Ron Miller, Blindness Technology Product Specialist, Clearwater, FL -

 Windows is used by hundreds of millions of people throughout the world and is a critical component of Microsoft’s strategy to achieve its mission. Windows includes features designed to empower every person to achieve their full potential, including people with vision, hearing, mobility, cognitive and speech disabilities. During this session Microsoft covered a few of these Windows features.