by Stephanie Arnold
Background
- Over 34 million Americans suffer from (severe) visual impairments that cannot be corrected with glasses.
- There are many different types of blindness and low vision impairment, just like any other disability each individuals experience is different
- Assistive technology allows individuals who are blind or visually impaired to navigate throughout out sighted world
- Since different people need different technologies for everyday based on their individual needs this is not a completely inclusive representation of all blind tech
Services and Resources for the Blind: Virginia
- Virginia Federation of The Blind
- Provide services and training (free cane)
- The Library and Resource Center
- Inventory of adaptive equipment: braille textbooks, audiobooks, software, and
canes
- Inventory of adaptive equipment: braille textbooks, audiobooks, software, and
- American Council for The Blind
- Activate for equality and resources to increase independence, equality, opportunity, and quality of life (provide jobs and services)
- MaxiAids and LSSproducts
- Individual responsibility to find and pay for products and assistive Technology
Low Vision
- Playing Cards
- Magnified Telephone Sticker Numbers
- Also used for keyboards
- Magnifiers
- Merlin: desktop magnifier
Daily Living
- Wake up: Alarm/watch
- Pick out clothing: Identifier buttons
- Put on sunglasses: due to irritation from light
- Brush teeth: Squirt toothpaste in mouth not brush
- Cooking: Tactile sticker, Use finger to measure amount of substance in measuring cup
- Eating: White plate on black surface (plate shield)
- Medication: Use bar code labeler to identify, dropper cover
- Recreation: listen to audio book, use cell phone, or walk on treadmill (buttons)
Identifiers
- Tactile Stickers
- Bump Dots
- Clothing Identifiers (shapes)
- Braille Clothing Identifiers
Identifiers Continued: Labeling Systems
- Voila
- Pen Friend Z Voice
- Talking Color Detector
Assistive Technology
- Voice Recognition Memo Book
- Orbit Tracker
- Sunu Band
- Reizen Talking Watch
- Smart Phone (Alexa, Siri, Etc.)
School and Office Use
- Talking 10 Digit Calculator
- Audio Book
- Writing Guide Kit
- Tactile Pen
- Typoscope Check Guide
- Bold Line Neon Paper
- Computer Software (*jaws, Nonvisual Desktop Access Screen Reader(Text To Speech)
Braille
- Printer (32 Cell)
- Notebook Paper
- Stylus Writing Tool
- Keyboard Cover
- Games
- Watch
- Clock
Resources
- https://www.maxiaids.com/
- http://www.lssproducts.com
- https://www.technologyreview.com/s/608402/a-smart-watch-to-help-blind-people-navigate/ Sunu band
- http://www.envisionamerica.com/products/ ScriptAbility & i.d. mate
- https://nfb.org/ or https://www.nfbv.org/ National Federation of the Blind
- http://cpfamilynetwork.org/resources/virginia-department-for-the-blind-and-vision-impaired-library-and-resource-center/ Library in Richmond
- https://www.afb.org/default.aspx American foundation for the blind
- http://www.acb.org/ American council for the blind (ACB and its affiliates have been at the forefront of the creation of policies that have shaped the opportunities that are now available to people with disabilities in our country.)
