Federal Government Not Complying with Web Site Accessibility Requirements, Study Indicates

Baltimore, Maryland (May 19, 2011)- A study that has just been published online in the journal Government Information Quarterly has found that of one-hundred Web sites operated by federal government agencies, over 90 percent do not comply with government accessibility guidelines and likely cannot be used by people who are blind or have other perceptual or motor disabilities. The study, entitled “Accessibility of U.S. federal government home pages: Section 508 compliance and site accessibility statements” and coauthored by Doctoral Student Abiodun Olalere and Professor Jonathan Lazar of Towson University, found that the home pages of over 90 percent of the Web sites they evaluated contained violations of the government’s own guidelines for compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. That law requires that government electronic and information technology be accessible to people with disabilities.

Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: “Blind Americans are outraged that the government is failing to comply with its own guidelines to make government information and services available to citizens with disabilities. Given the clear legal requirements of Section 508 and the fact that use of the Internet is critical to education, employment, access to government benefits and services, and all other aspects of modern life, there is no excuse for failure to follow and rigorously enforce these guidelines. We demand that officials in all branches of government take immediate steps to bring all federal Web sites into compliance with the law, and we pledge to continue to hold the federal government accountable if it continues to treat the blind and others with disabilities as second-class citizens.”

To read more about the study, please click the above title.

Americans Living with Disability and Their Technology Profile

Pew Internet (Jan. 21, 2011) According to a national survey conducted in September 2010, 27% of American adults live with a disability that interferes with activities of daily living, including:

* 15% of American adults who say they have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
* 11% of American adults who say that, because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, they have serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
* 9% of American adults who say they have serious difficulty hearing.
* 8% of American adults who say that, because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, they have difficulty doing errands alone such as visiting a doctor’s office or shopping.
* 7% of American adults who say they are blind or have serious difficulty seeing, even when wearing glasses.
* 3% of American adults who say they have trouble dressing or bathing.

Americans living with disability are more likely than other adults to live in lower-income households: 46% of adults with a disability live in households with $30,000 or less in annual income, compared with 26% of adults who report no disabilities and live in households with that level of income.

NOTE: To read the entire article, click on the title above.

Specialized Phone Equipment

Many people with hearing or speech impairments have difficulty using a typical phone. The South Carolina Equipment Distribution Program (SCEDP) provides free, specialized phone equipment.

Examples are: a phone that amplifies the signal so the caller can be better heard, or text on a screen that shows what the caller is saying. Other equipment amplifies the user’s voice.
SCEDPs Product Guide provides information about available equipment to help find the best solution to meet individual needs. The Guide also answers many questions about the specific equipment offered by the program.

Applying for specialized phone equipment can be done in five easy steps. Qualifying disabilities are: hard-of-hearing, deaf, deaf-blind, blind/low vision with hearing loss, or speech impaired. A landline phone is also necessary to qualify for equipment.

(Note: LifeLine/Linkup is a state-funded program that helps people with low-incomes install and pay for a landline phone.)

SCEDP
101 Executive Center Drive, Suite 120, Saluda Building, Columbia, SC 29210
toll free: 877.225.8337 (Voice), 877.889.8337 (TTY)
local: 803.896.8337 (Voice), 803.896.8334 (TTY)
fax: 803.896.8345
email: AmplifyLife@scedp.org

To view the SCEDP website, follow the link in this post's title.

Seeing a Bionic Eye on Medicine's Horizon

ScienceDaily (Mar. 22, 2010) — Television's Six Million Dollar Man foresaw a future when man and machine would become one. New research at Tel Aviv University is making this futuristic "vision" of bionics a reality. Prof. Yael Hanein of Tel Aviv University's School of Electrical Engineering has foundational research that may give sight to blind eyes, merging retinal nerves with electrodes to stimulate cell growth. Successful so far in animal models, this research may one day lay the groundwork for retinal implants in people.

For more information please click on the title above.

Second Dose of Gene Therapy for Inherited Blindness Proves Safe in Animal Studies

ScienceDaily (Mar. 4, 2010) — Gene therapy for a severe inherited blindness, which produced dramatic improvements last year in 12 children and young adults who received the treatment in a clinical trial, has cleared another hurdle. The same research team that conducted the human trial now reports that a study in animals has shown that a second injection of genes into the opposite, previously untreated eye is safe and effective, with no signs of interference from unwanted immune reactions following the earlier injection.

These new findings suggest that patients who benefit from gene therapy in one eye may experience similar benefits from treatment in the other eye for Leber's congenital amaurosis (LCA), a retinal disease that progresses to total blindness by adulthood. Researchers had exercised caution by treating only one eye in the human trial.

For more information please click on the title above.

Stimulating Sight: Retinal Implant Could Help Restore Useful Level Of Vision To Certain Groups Of Blind People

receives visual data from a camera mounted on a pair of glasses. The coil sends the images to a chip attached to the side of the eyeball, which processes the data and sends it to electrodes implanted below the retina. (Credit: Courtesy of Shawn Kelly)

ScienceDaily (Sep. 24, 2009) — Inspired by the success of cochlear implants that can restore hearing to some deaf people, researchers at MIT are working on a retinal implant that could one day help blind people regain a useful level of vision.

The eye implant is designed for people who have lost their vision from retinitis pigmentosa or age-related macular degeneration, two of the leading causes of blindness. The retinal prosthesis would take over the function of lost retinal cells by electrically stimulating the nerve cells that normally carry visual input from the retina to the brain.

Such a chip would not restore normal vision but it could help blind people more easily navigate a room or walk down a sidewalk.

To view the entire article, please click on the link above.

SCSDB grant provides high-tech tools for daily tasks

John Byrum/john.byrum@shj.com

Leslie Brown, a graduate of the S.C. School for the Deaf and the Blind, uses a Omni barcode scanner to identify a product from a grocery store shelf. The device scans the barcode and then speaks the name of the product.

GoUpstate.com (Wednesday June 3) -- After reaching for a snack on the grocery store shelf, Leslie Brown scanned the box's barcode and heard "Quaker Granola Bar, chocolate chip." Saying she hated chocolate, Brown put it back and moved on to the next item.

Brown, 27, is a graduate of the S.C. School for the Deaf and the Blind. She can't see the items she's shopping for in the grocery store, but thanks to new vision technology tools, Brown can shop more independently.

SCSDB's fundraising arm, The Walker Foundation, purchased two Omni barcode scanners and three KNFB Readers, which double as phones, with a $8,372 grant from Bi-Lo Charities Inc. The high-tech tools will help students accomplish everyday tasks such as shopping, dining in a restaurant or cooking a meal.

"We like to say technology is a great equalizer, and these tools are must-haves for individuals who are seeking independence," Elizabeth McKown, SCSDB's interim vice president of outreach services, said in a written statement. "By helping our students who are blind use assistive devices such as readers and scanners, they can accomplish daily activities with ease."

by Lee G. Healy

To view entire article, please click on link above.

EASI Webinar on Accessible Distance Learning today Wed Feb 25

EASI Webinar: Distance Learning: How Accessible are Online Educational 
Tools. Public Webinar on Wednesday.
February 25 at 2 PM Eastern

Presenters: Dr. Stacy Kelly, Policy Research Associate, American Foundation 
for the Blind.
Mark Richert, Esq., Director, Public Policy, American Foundation for the Blind.

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) explored ways in which popular 
online educational tools can be made more accessible with the help of 
nearly 100 individuals who recently completed our online survey. Findings 
indicated the most important and necessary features of online educational 
tools present significant problems for those using assistive technology 
such as screen reading or screen magnification software.

In this webinar, we will be discussing the AFB Distance Learning Survey 
results which are available online:

You can read the study at:
www.afb.org/Section.asp?SectionID=3&TopicID=138&DocumentID=4492

You can attend the Webinar Wed. Feb. 25 at
2 PM Eastern
1 Central
noon Mountain
11 AM pacific.

go to
http://easi.cc/afb.htm

If you can't attend but want the recording, send email
norm.coombs@gmail.com

To sign up for the Webinar, please click on the link above

Introduction to the knfbReader Mobile

Thursday, February 19, 2009
Introduction to the knfbReader Mobile
1:00  1:30 PM

Location: Poplar Conference Room, Midlands Center, Columbia, SC
Presenter: Edna Beard  Quintex of Asheville, knfbReader Mobile Distributor in the Carolinas

The knfbReader Mobile is a phone that reads to you  a truly pocket-size solution to reading on the go.  This is a major advancement in portability and functionality of print access for blind, the visually impaired, and those with reading difficulties.  The knfbReader Mobile and kReader Mobile software packages run on a multifunction cell phone which allows the user to read mail, receipts, handouts, and many other documents wherever the user happens to be.  The knfbReader Mobile software has a feature set which is designed for use by blind or low-vision users.  The kReader Mobile is designed for users who have difficulty reading due to learning or language problems.  The presenter will demonstrate the functions of this truly amazing technology.

Active Learning and Study Strategies using the Kurzweil 3000 Software
1:30  3:00 PM

Location: Poplar Conference Room, Midlands Center, Columbia, SC
Presenter: Edna Beard  Quintex of Asheville,
Kurzweil Consultant and Distributor in the Carolinas 

If you already have Kurzweil 3000 or are just thinking about purchasing it  this workshop will help to clarify just how the Kurzweil 3000 can be used to help struggling students.  The Kurzweil 3000 is a content-independent reading, writing, and learning software.  It is used in elementary schools, middle schools, high schools and colleges and universities to help students succeed in the classroom regardless of their curriculum or lesson plans.

The attendees will be shown activities using the Kurzweil 3000 to teach learning strategies for pre-reading skills, vocabulary development, active reading strategies, writing and proofreading, and test taking skills.  In demonstrating these activities the presenter will be providing an overview of how this product can be used with any struggling student.

Educators and independent research have demonstrated that Kurzweil 3000 provides not only the tools students need to improve their reading speed and comprehension, but also the features that make it possible for them to learn and study independently.  Each attendee will receive a demo copy of the Professional Color software, a product overview brochure, and a copy of the “Summary Report of the Iowa Text Reader Longitudinal Study 2006-2007”.

To register for these workshops: 

Option 1: Complete the online registration form at http://www.sc.edu/scatp/forms/trainingregform2-19-09.html 
Option 2: Email Sally Young at Sally.Young@uscmed.sc.edu . 
Option 3: Call Sally Young at (803) 935-5263 or 800-915-4522. 
Option 4: Fax your registration information to (803) 935-5342. Please include your name, organization, address, email address, phone number. 
These workshops are free of charge, but limited to 16 attendees.

Enabling The Blind To Find Their Way

ScienceDaily (Oct. 13, 2008) — “Eyes on the future” is the mantra of the ‘World Sight Day’ held this month to raise awareness of blindness and vision impairment. New technologies, developed by European researchers offering the visually impaired greater independence, live up to this vision.

Many of the most innovative systems have been created by a consortium of companies and research institutes working in the EU-funded ENABLED project. The project has led to 17 prototype devices and software platforms being developed to help the visually impaired, two of which have been patented."

To view the entire article click on the title above

Pluripotent Stem Cells Shown To Generate New Retinal Cells Necessary For Vision, Study Finds

ScienceDaily (Nov. 21, 2008) — Pluripotent stem cells — those, like embryonic stem cells, that give rise to almost every type of cell in the body — can be converted into the different classes of retinal cells necessary for vision, according to a new study from researchers at SUNY Upstate Medical University.

This research points to exciting new possibilities for preventing or reversing the disabling vision loss caused by age‑related macular degeneration, diabetes retinopathy, retinitis pigmentosa, glaucoma, and other diseases that damage the retina, the layer of light‑sensitive nerve cells that line the back of the eye. The research was presented at Neuroscience 2008, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in Washington, D.C.

“Vision is lost in these diseases because one or more of the seven retinal cell types die,” said the study’s lead author, Michael Ezra Zuber, Ph.D., assistant professor of ophthalmology and adjunct assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at SUNY Upstate Medical University. “Current treatments can slow these diseases’ progression, but they can’t replace lost retinal cells. Pluripotent cells offer a promising starting point from which to generate new retinal cells.”

To view this complete article, please click the title above.

NFB Launches “Project VIP” to Help Blind Voters on Election Day!

National Federation of the Blind Launches
“Project VIP” to Help Blind Voters on Election Day

Voting Specialists Will Provide Advice and Assistance to Blind Voters

Baltimore, Maryland (October 21, 2008): The National Federation of the Blind, the nation’s leading advocate for the voting rights of blind people, announced today that it is launching Project VIP (Voting with Independence and Privacy), a toll-free hotline that will be available to blind voters across the United States on Election Day. The purpose of the hotline is to help blind voters who are experiencing problems voting independently and privately as required by the Help America Vote Act. The National Federation of the Blind will have voting specialists on call to provide support to blind voters who call from their polling locations and to assist in troubleshooting problems with nonvisual voting technology. If a blind voter is unable to vote independently and privately, the voting specialists will record details such as the city, state, and polling location. The information from situations that cannot be resolved during a phone call to the Project VIP hotline will be referred to the proper authorities for follow-up action.

Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: “There is no right that is more fundamental in a democratic nation than the right to vote, and the 2008 presidential election is the first election in which blind Americans are guaranteed the right to cast their vote for president independently and privately. The National Federation of the Blind is setting up Project VIP to ensure that every blind voter can exercise this historic and invaluable right, for which blind Americans have fought and will continue to protect.”

On November 4, blind voters who experience problems voting independently and privately are urged to call 877-NFB-1940 (877-632-1940) from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (EST). The voting specialists answering this number will assist the blind voter and/or the poll worker in resolving the issue. Voters are urged to call directly from their polling location to resolve voting issues rather than simply reporting problems after they occur.

Enabling The Blind To Find Their Way

ScienceDaily (Oct. 27, 2008) — “Eyes on the future” is the mantra of the ‘World Sight Day’ held this month to raise awareness of blindness and vision impairment. New technologies, developed by European researchers offering the visually impaired greater independence, live up to this vision.

Many of the most innovative systems have been created by a consortium of companies and research institutes working in the EU-funded ENABLED project.

The project has led to 17 prototype devices and software platforms being developed to help the visually impaired, two of which have been patented.

Guide dogs, canes, Braille and screen readers that turn digital text into spoken audio all help to improve the lives of the blind or severely visually impaired, but none of these tools can make up for having a friend or relative accompany a blind person around and assist them in their daily life. However, a human helper is not always available.

To view this complete article, please click the title above.

knfbReader Mobile Trainings at SCATP

Tuesday, September 16, 2008
“Introduction to the knfbReader Mobile”
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Poplar Conference Room, Midlands Center, Columbia, SC
Presenter - Edna Beard - Quintex of Asheville knfbReader Mobile Distributor in the Carolinas

The knfbReader Mobile is a phone that reads to you - a truly pocket-size solution to reading on the go. This is a major advancement in portability and functionality of print access for blind, the visually impaired, and those with reading difficulties. The knfbReader Mobile and kReader Mobile software packages run on a multifunction cell phone which allows the user to read mail, receipts, handouts, and many other documents wherever the user happens to be. The knfbReader Mobile software has a feature set which is designed for use by blind or low-vision users. The kReader Mobile is designed for users who have difficulty reading due to learning or language problems. The presenter will demonstrate the functions of this truly amazing technology.

This workshop is free of charge, but is limited to 16 attendees.

To register for these workshops:
* Option 1: Complete the online registration form by clicking the title above.
* Option 2: Email Sally Young at Sally.Young@uscmed.sc.edu
* Option 3: Call Sally Young at (803) 935-5263 or 800-915-4522.
* Option 4: Fax your registration informationto (803) 935-5342. Please include your name, organization, address, email address, phone.

This workshop is free of charge, but is limited to 16 attendees.

Gene Therapy Prevents Blindness In An Animal Model Of Mitochondrial Dysfunction

ScienceDaily (Sep. 8, 2008) — Scientists have created an animal model suitable for testing and validating gene therapies for treatment of a common mitochondrial dysfunction that causes loss of vision.

The research, published by Cell Press in the September issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics, describes an innovation that represents a significant advance toward development of the first treatment for one of the many devastating disorders caused by mitochondrial disruption.

The most common forms of metabolic disorders are due to mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Mitochondria are the cell's energy producers, and mitochondrial diseases involve tissues with high energy needs, such as retina, brain, heart, muscle, liver, and endocrine systems. Although 300 mtDNA alterations have been identified as the genetic cause of mitochondrial diseases, there are not, as of yet, any effective treatments available. "Despite progress made in identification of their molecular mechanisms, little has been done regarding therapy," says senior author Dr. Marisol Corral-Debrinski from the Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris.

To view this complete article, please click the title above.

How The Brain Compensates For Vision Loss Shows Much More Versatility Than Previously Recognized

ScienceDaily
"Previous research has found that when vision is lost, a person's senses of touch and hearing become enhanced. But exactly how this happens has been unclear. Now a long-term study from the Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) demonstrates that sudden and complete loss of vision leads to profound – but rapidly reversible -- changes in the visual cortex. These findings, reported in the August 27 issue of the journal PLOS One, not only provide new insights into how the brain compensates for the loss of sight, but also suggest that the brain is more adaptable than originally thought."

To view this entire article, please click the title above.

How Diet, Antioxidants Prevent Blindness in Aging Population

A new study reveals part of the magic behind a diet rich in antioxidants, showing how artichokes, blueberries and pecans can hold at bay the leading cause of age-related blindness in developed countries.

Researchers at Brigham Young University and Weill Medical College of Cornell University discovered a link between two processes in the retina that, in combination, contribute to a disease called macular degeneration. They found antioxidants disrupt the link and extend the lifetime of irreplaceable photoreceptors and other retinal cells.

"The implication is that people at risk of macular degeneration could help prevent the disease by consuming antioxidants,” said Heidi Vollmer-Snarr, a BYU chemist who earned a doctorate from Oxford and began work on this disease as a postdoctoral researcher at Columbia.

To read this entire article, please click the title above.

Stretchable Silicon Camera Next Step To Artificial Retina

The electronic-eye camera developed by researchers from the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Northwestern
University. The array of pixels is visible through the
magnified image created by the lens.
(Credit: Beckman Institute, University of Illinois)

ScienceDaily (Aug. 7, 2008) —

"Digital cameras have transformed the world of photography. Now new technology inspired by the human eye could push the photographic image farther forward by producing improved images with a wider field of view. By combining stretchable optoelectronics and biologically inspired design, scientists have created a remarkable imaging device, with a layout based on the human eye.

As reported in the Aug. 7 issue of the journal Nature, researchers at the University of Illinois and Northwestern University have developed a high-performance, hemispherical "eye" camera using an array of single-crystalline silicon detectors and electronics, configured in a stretchable, interconnected mesh.

The work opens new possibilities for advanced camera design. It also foreshadows artificial retinas for bionic eyes similar in concept to those in the movie "Terminator" and other popular science fiction.

NOTE: To read the entire article, click on the title above."

Sonar System For The Blind

ScienceDaily (June 26, 2008) —

"Echolocation is a method of perceiving the world by emitting noises, then listening to the reflections of these noises off objects in the environment. Animals use echolocation for hunting and navigation, but visually impaired humans also employ echolocation as part of their orienting repertoire while navigating the world. There are a few rare individuals who can echolocate very well without assistance.

However, researchers at Boston University have developed a prototype device that can enhance auditory cues while navigating an environment. The device repeatedly emits an inaudible (to humans) ultrasonic click several times per second, and each click reflects off any objects in the environment. The reflections are then detected by special head-mounted microphones, and computer processing converts the ultrasonic signals into audible signals, which the user then can hear over custom open-ear earphones."

NOTE: To read the entire article, click on the title above.

Online Service Lets Blind Surf The Internet From Any Computer, Anywhere

ScienceDaily (June 27, 2008) —

"Visions of future technology don't involve being chained to a desktop machine. People move from home computers to work computers to mobile devices; public kiosks pop up in libraries, schools and hotels; and people increasingly store everything from e-mail to spreadsheets on the Web.

But for the roughly 10 million people in the United States who are blind or visually impaired, using a computer has, so far, required special screen-reading software typically installed only on their own machines.

New software, called WebAnywhere, launched today lets blind and visually impaired people surf the Web on the go. The tool developed at the University of Washington turns screen-reading into an Internet service that reads aloud Web text on any computer with speakers or headphone connections."

NOTE: To read the entire article, click on the title above.