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Bookshare Featured in San Francisco Chronicle Article

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Check out this San Francisco Chronicle article featuring all the wonderful things Bookshare provides to those of us whom happen to be blind. I’ve said it before and I will say it again: If you are blind and use computer technology of any kind, then you’re absolutely crazy if you aren’t a Bookshare subscriber! Run, don’t walk on over to the Bookshare web site and sign up right now to gain access to more than 22,000 books on every imaginable topic! Bookshare also provides electronic access to the entire collection of technical books published by O’Reilly and Associates.

Catch me on ACB Radio’s Main Menu Technology Program

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Be sure you don’t miss ACB Radio’s Main Menu technology program this week! Brian Hartgen will be discussing the scripts he has written to create some accessibility to iTunes 4.9, Anna Dresner will be talking about her new book published by National Braille Press on the iPod Shuffle and I will be presenting the first part of my tutorial covering how to connect to the Internet using the PAC Mate, Nokia cell phone and T-Mobile Internet. The second part of the tutorial will be broadcast on next week’s show. You will also hear a brief update from me concerning Google’s public commitment to resolve their inaccessible visual verification issues within one to two months.

Main Menu can be heard on ACB Radio’s MainStream starting this evening at 6:00 PM Pacific Daylight Time (01:00 UTC on Wednesday) and replaying every two hours for the rest of the broadcast day. This event represents my very first full solo appearance on Main Menu. Please listen and feel free to provide constructive feedback.

Speakerphone Software, Total Recorder Issues Fixed, Skype Recording, Google and More on Accessibility Advocacy

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The past weekend was rather busy with accomplishments here at the journal.

  • I have now successfully implemented FAXTalk Messenger Pro with my speakerphone modem. It is now possible to receive, place and even record telephone calls using my primary workstation here in the Accessibility Command Center.

  • The extreme overall system sluggishness caused each time Total Recorder Professional 5.2 was installed on my primary workstation has now been fixed once and for all. If you are encountering similar issues, try opening Total Recorder, going into Options > Settings > System > Restrictions and checking the “disable accelerated recording” check box.

  • It is now also possible to record Skype conversations here in the Accessibility Command Center. After resolving the previous Total Recorder issue, I simply changed the sound drivers used by Skype to “Record Through Total Recorder” and “Playback Through Total Recorder”. All set now!

In this podcast, I also talk about the recent coverage of the Google visual verification issue and more about my ultimate position on my approach to advocating for accessibility.

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Homosapians or Canines – Which species are more effective communicators?

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Karen has something to tell us about the importance of communication and how it sometimes seems that our dogs are better at the task. Enjoy this combination of humor and seriousness.

This may seem like an unusual subject to be writing about, even something humorous! However, this is on one level a serious matter and is worth thinking about! Who is better at communicating, humans or dogs? Are humans capable of communicating with others or is it Man’s best friend, the dog? At the moment, I think it’s the dogs whom are better at this task!

I was inspired to write this article after arriving to work to find that my co-workers did not receive important notes that I had left with them on Friday covering things that needed to happen yesterday, since I was off. Somehow, the important information was not given to all of my co-workers. These notes were requests that were given to me by our Guests. I do my very best to serve the guest and provide exceptional service, we all try to achieve quality guest satisfaction each day. I know I Do! Yet, some people, are not as good at communicating requests and other important information that is vital to guarantee that the hotel is running smoothly as well as provide excellent service to our guests during their stay. If they receive outstanding service, guests will want to return, recommending our hotel to their family and friends; However, if they receive average or poor service, they will be dissatisfied and not return.

No matter who you are or what you do, you should do your very best to communicate in any given situation, not just on your job. If one does not communicate effectively it can cause misunderstandings and destroy relationships. If people do not take responsibility, communicate
with co-workers and customers, they too, can be terminated from their employment! Communication is key in every relationship and in every situation.

We can communicate in many ways; verbal, written and non-verbally. Depending on what your strengths are, where ones talents lie , some people are better at communicating verbally while others, like Darrell and I, find written communication a more effective way to express ourselves! Nonverbal communication also provides others with information on what is happening around them. Sometimes, people are unable, for whatever reason,
to verbalize or express their thoughts in written form. Nonverbal communication, or body language, can also give others feedback on what another person is trying to say! For instance, one can get an indication on what type of mood someone is in or what their needs are if he/she can not speak the language.

Dougie, my 5-year-old Golden Retriever guide dog, is an excellent communicator. He communicates through Dog speak. He verbalizes and also expresses himself through his body language. I know when he has to go out, when he is happy, sad, tired or bored! He is a better communicator than most people. Every morning he sneezes as he is waking, rubs his eyes and stretches! He wiggles and does somersaults and runs around spastically when he is happy! When he needs water, he licks the dish or pushes it around. If he has to go out, he will come to me, stand with his back to me, turn towards me, bend, stretch, firmly stand in my way, and gark! Yes, gark! He growls and barks once or twice to make me understand, sometimes being demanding, telling me that he has to go out right now or else! When in harness, he communicates by walking me around the obstacles, stopping at curbs or stairs. These are just some ways in which Douglas communicates and he does it well. I give him thumbs up, or I should say paws up!

After looking at this, you will soon see that it is not us whom are more efficient communicators, but, rather, our four-legged friends! Perhaps,
We cannot only learn from our fellow man but Man’s best friend!

This one’s for the electronically or mechanically impaired!

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Karen writes about her frustrating experience with the Book Port. I’m having a hard time teaching her how to use this device and, in general, helping her to learn to effectively get the most out of other electronic devices as well. Any ideas?

For those of you who love electronics and gadgets but are unable to use them until you know exactly how they work, this message is for you! I am one of those individuals whom enjoys playing on the computer, listening to music and using new nifty little gadgets; however, I also seem to have a nack for breaking them! For example, Darrell got me a Book Port accessible electronic book reading device for Christmas. I love it and want to use it! I even did for a while! I was listening to books on it. Then, somehow, I messed it up and could not get back into the book. I was listening to “How To Speak Dog”, but, somehow, deleted the file! I then attempted to use the help menu, but, have problems with the “ help menu” or lose interest in the contents of the help file. I find it extremely frustrating! Darrell upgraded the software on my Book Port and even loaded a podcast of Adam Curry’s Daily Source Code. I listened to most of it and was enjoying it! I arrived early to work and wanted to listen to the rest of it before I began my shift. While trying to lower the volume, suddenly, I messed it up again! I somehow lost the podcast and went into record mode! I do not know what exactly I did! Help! Now, the Book Port is messed up again and I lost some files. At least I can not retrieve them! I may sound ignorant and should know better. Yet, I am just one of those people who can not figure electronics out, just don’t have the nack for them! Darrell can get something new and teach himself how to use the new piece of equipment! I think they should attach an accessible manual on cd, cassette or in Braille for those of us whom are not mechanically inclined. If there is only a help menu on the gadget itself, we, who lack the skill to use the gadget will, somehow, manage to break it! For those of you who are good with electronics and have some techniques, tips for us mechanically impaired people, I am listening!

Doggycast

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Karen’s cute little five year old golden retriever, Douglas, definitely has quite a personality. He’s telling us he needs to go outside. He’s talking back. No respect. But, seriously, not only is his garking cute, we are also very glad he is such an excellent communicator. Definitely an example many others should learn to emulate!

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