The UCB
Flier
A publication of
Utah Council
of the Blind
January
2019
For the latest news
updates call the Utah Connection 801-299-0670 or 1‑800-273-4569. (You may
also leave a message at the end of the announcement.)
Mail
correspondence to: UCB, PO Box 1415, Bountiful, UT 84011-1415. E-mail us at ucb.board@gmail.com.
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In
This Issue
President’s Message.................................................................................. 4
Funding for
Technology.............................................................................. 6
Transportation............................................................................................ 7
Country
Christmas...................................................................................... 9
Braille
Cookbooks Available in the UCB Office......................................... 12
Ideas for
Marking Household Items.......................................................... 19
Resources for
Adaptive Technology......................................................... 23
The
Accessible Home: A Look at Laundry Room Accessibility................. 24
General UCB Information......................................................................... 35
Upcoming Board Meetings...................... 35
Note to Braille and Audio Readers
Article links are omitted from these versions for ease of reading, but may be found in the newsletter archived on our website at utahcounciloftheblind.org
Disclaimer
Articles and
announcements included in this publication are presented for your information
and interest. They reflect the opinions of the respective authors and are not
necessarily endorsed by the UCB.
October was a busy month for the UCB, Rick and me. We appreciated everyone coming to the Health Fair and hope that you all received helpful information from it. The one problem that we had was with the information on the flyers in accessible formats. The person's name and address were written down, but not which flyer was requested. If you requested them, please give me a call. We will get them out to you as soon as possible. My number is 801-245-9264 or email me at tinakt67@live.com. We also have our membership drive going on right now so please be aware of that.
Rick and I took a couple of days this week and got out of the valley. We went to St. George and then to Kanab. We met up with another teacher-trainer team and went to the Grand Canyon. They were also gracious and took us to several other places around the area. I was speaking with a couple of people over the last week, and they said they were not sure they would appreciate the Grand Canyon without seeing it, but I enjoyed the crispness and cleanness of the air, the quiet around me and the feeling of the sheer open area. Sam did his sheep herder's yell, and you could just hear it bouncing off the area. Rick showed me an open fireplace by one of the visitor's areas. We were marveling about how difficult it would have been to get the stone up to that area. Sam and Allen made wonderful tour guides and we fell in love with the area.
I also had the pleasure of doing a cooking demonstration at the Red Rock Center for Independent Living. As a country girl, it was wonderful for me to work in the smaller areas for a bit. I am hopeful that we were able to give the people there some encouragement as well.
I was thinking about how quickly time goes by. It is hard to believe I have been the President of the UCB for almost a year now. There have been many joys and many challenges. It has shown me many things on a personal level, and I hope that I will continue to grow and be an asset to the Utah Council of the Blind over the next year.
Finally, I want to wish everyone a happy Holiday and blessings for the season.
You may not be aware that the UCB offers assistance with purchasing adaptive technology for those who are blind or visually impaired. This grant can be for as much as $500. The applicant must be willing to pay 25% of the cost. Application for this grant can be requested by leaving your contact info on the Utah Connection or by calling Tina at 801-245-9264. The Utah Center for Assistive Technology (UCAT), located at Utah State University (USU) in Logan, also has funding to help purchase adaptive technology. This is your chance to afford some of the adaptive technology you think you can't afford. You may also call the Independent Living Center nearest to you and ask to be placed on the waiting list for technology funding. Make certain you give them specific information about the exact piece of technology you wish to own. This resource is about one year waiting time, but the entire piece of technology is paid for by this funding. It is difficult to lose sight; these grants help you acquire the technology which can help you remain independent. Let all of these resources help you.
Many of you may not know that the UCB has transportation resources to help you travel when you can no longer drive. The subsidized Cab Coupon Program offers you the opportunity to purchase coupons to use a cab for a huge discount. Presently you can purchase coupons worth $160 for just $64 plus $6 shipping. The UCB has contracts with cab companies in St. George, Cedar City, Richfield, Provo, Salt Lake City, Davis County and Ogden. Recently Ogden Yellow Cab closed its doors. The UCB is contracting with Ogden Cab to accept the coupons. The cab coupons you purchase act just like money. This is a great way to travel, especially when and where UTA does not offer service.
A second part of the UCB's transportation program is that of the Driver/Guide Program. If you are a member of the UCB you can purchase Driver/Guide coupons for up to 300 miles a month. You must only find someone who will transport who is not a member of your household. The cost for 300 miles worth of coupons is $45. The coupons can be carried from month to month. You can purchase fewer mileage coupons for $.15 per mile. The UCB will reimburse your driver/guide $.50 a mile. A person driving you can earn $150 a month if they drive the entire 300 miles. This is a great way to get to places when transportation resources are lacking. You may use either or both of these programs to satisfy your need to travel. To order your Driver/Guide mileage coupons or your discounted cab coupons, send a check to the UCB or call Tina at 801-245-9264 and use your credit card to make the purchase. By using these programs, there is no reason for you to ever be stuck at home.
© Sam Jackson (One of our team teachers)
Christmas in the country is a different sort a’ thing.
A quiet, peaceful, solitude, that nature seems to bring.
Yet, some folks from the city feel sad we miss so much.
Those “tinsel town mall muffin’s”, think we’re really out of touch!
No decorated streets to flaunt the merchant’s floats parading.
No helicoptered Santa’s land to sirens serenading.
Far removed from distant crowds of noisy people shopping,
scramblin’ hard to outdo friends, must really keep ’em hopping.
No crowded bunch of shopping malls chuck full of plastic toys.
No bands a tootin’ Christmas songs that get lost in the noise.
Curried groves of pine and spruce are crowding every space,
designer colors coat the boughs and take away their grace!
I’m givin’ thought to such as this as we come ‘round the bend,
the team now breaks into a trot as they see journeys end.
With full moon just a peeking o’er mountains to the east,
its light careens off snow clad trees and gives our eyes a feast.
Beside me in the Bob Sleigh, a Christmas tree is riding,
faces framed by fur trimmed caps are laughing as we’re gliding.
Just ahead, a cabins light, smoke curlin’ from its stack.
A cheery voice is calling out—“So glad to see you’re back”!
Aroma of good things to eat come drifting out our way,
and makes us want to hurry as we feed the team their hay.
We finish chores, then take the tree, into the house for Mom to see.
We knew that she would tell our Dad; “Prettiest tree we’ve ever had!”
Christmas morning! What a sight! Not much sleeping here last night.
Grand folks made it through the drifts, family fun, exchange of gifts.
Told our stories, laughed at Dad, best Christmas that we’ve ever had!
At Christmas time don’t pity me—This is how they all should be!!
Thanks to Tom Mitchell for providing this inventory list. If you are interested in obtaining one of these items, give Donni Mitchell a call and visit her in the office on Wednesday afternoon to pick up your book. A small donation to our Personal Braille Program in exchange for the books would be much appreciated. Donni will let you know the recommended donation amount for each title.
2000 of Your Favorite Family Recipes—with a Fraction of the Fat
by Evelyn Tribole
Copyright 1994 by Evelyn Tribole
Published by Rodale Press
In 9 volumes
Braille produced by Leslie Gertsch
According to the cover a reference cookbook of low-fat recipes.
2000 of Your Favorite Family Recipes—with a Fraction of the Fat
[Recipes Only Version]
by Evelyn Tribole
Copyright 1994 by Evelyn Tribole
Published by Rodale Press
In 5 volumes
Produced by Leslie Gertsch
3 copies
In one volume
Produced by Leslie Gertsch
134 braille pages of different types of desserts, apparently uncategorized and unsorted
2 copies
In one volume
Produced by Leslie Gertsch
51 braille pages of unsorted cakes and candies
2 copies
by Ruth H. Brent
In 2 volumes
Copyright 1972 by Ruth H. Brent
Published by Holt, Reinhart and Winston
Produced by the American Printing House for the Blind, 1982
Book Jacket: "Delicious foolproof recipes—none requiring more than four ingredients—with short and easy directions for preparation."
Food Preparation Methods and Techniques for Blind Homemakers
by Ether Knudson Tripps
in 3 pamphlets
Produced by the American Printing House for the Blind, 1979
On the Cover: "Abbreviations, Equivalent Weights and Measures, Measuring, and Substitutions; Meal Planning and Marketing; Table Service and Etiquette; Beverages; Breads; Cakes and Frostings."
LA Weight Loss Centers
Your Personalized Program balance moderation variety
In one volume
Produced by Leslie Gertsch
Two Day weight Loss Program Featuring Take-off
In one volume
Produced by Leslie Gertsch
I suspect the previous two titles may be companion volumes.
Plain and Fancy Salads for Every Occasion
by the Editors of Better Homes and Gardens
Copyright 1958 by Meredith Publishing Company.
In one pamphlet
Produced by the American Printing House for the Blind, 1979.
3 copies
by Helen Worth
Copyright 1959, 1960, 1965 by Helen Worth.
Published by Harper and Row
In 4 volumes.
Produced by the American Printing House for the Blind, 1979.
From the Foreword: "This complete cooking course makes it easy for you to become a successful cook, to have fun in your kitchen, and to glow with the pride and pleasure that come from setting a beautiful table."
In 2 volumes
Produced by Leslie Gertsch, 2008
A well-organized 246-page book of recipes from 18 people in one of the local Latter-day Saint wards.
by Donna C. Brinkerhoff
Copyright May 1991 by Donna C. Brinkerhoff
In one volume
Produced by Horizons for the Blind, Crystal Lake IL.
This braille book says it's a large-print book but the directions are written with the visually-impaired in mind.
by Elizabeth Grode
in one pamphlet
Produced by National Braille Press, 2006
A group of recipes made by a Russian immigrant.
In one volume
Produced by Leslie Gertsch
49 braille pages worth of different soups.
Over 80 braille pages of recipes, with non-sequential page numbering.
Easy Ways to Delicious Meals
One pamphlet
Produced by Volunteer Services for the Blind, Philadelphia, PA
A book specially prepared for the visually-impaired by the Campbell Soup Company. (Cover needs taping, as it's splitting.)
A Best Recipe Classic
Chapter 6: Crisps, Crumblers, and Other Fruit Desserts
by the Editors of Cook's Illustrated
Copyright 2004 by the Editors of Cook's Illustrated
Published by America's Test Kitchen
In one volume
Produced by National Braille Press, 2005
by Deborah DeBord
Copyright 1997.
in 3 pamphlets
Produced by the National Braille Press, 1998.
In 4 volumes
Volume 1 is a small volume and is contents only. The rest of the volumes are loaded with Recipes.
by Tina Terry
One of the daily challenges we have as blind or visually impaired is being able to differentiate between products. These would include things such as shampoos, cleansers, canned goods and so on. This is one thing that teacher trainers can come into a home and help with. There are some hints that we would like to share that have worked with us over the years. I have tried to ask other blind and visually impaired users for their ideas as well. This is, by no means, an all-inclusive list. We all can be very creative about ways that we would mark products.
One way I would tell cans was to shake them. I could tell by shaking a can by my ear, if it was a can of green beans or a can of corn. This was not an infallible method of telling what I had, and many meal adjustments were made around our home. If you read braille, there are many ways to create braille labels for cans, including simple envelope labels used in a braille writer, or a braille labeler, but if you do not, here are some hints that may help.
Create lines of each vegetable in your cabinet, tear the label in different places for each type of vegetable.
Purchase inexpensive bins and put groups of each product in each one.
Use different textures on each type of can such as a piece of scotch tape on peas, masking tape on peaches, rubber band on corn and so on.
Pay attention to the sizes of your cans. Condensed soups are often in smaller cans than vegetables or fruit. Take note of which products you have that use pop tops. Things like that can be an identifier.
If I am using cleansers, I would often smell the cleanser to see what it was. This is not always a wise idea. Things such as rubber bands around a window cleaner, a piece of masking tape on the all-purpose cleaner, and so on can also be helpful.
One item I used to use a lot around our house were simple notebook reinforcers. I could put one on all-purpose cleaners, 2 on window cleaners, a rubber band on floor cleaners.
I did not know until I started working with the Utah Council of the Blind about bump dots, and so I also used notebook reinforcers to mark my first microwave and washer and dryer.
A bottle of Elmer's glue can also be very helpful. This can be used to put tactile dots on items such as canned goods or appliances. I have used dots of glue to mark appliances, show patterns, and much more. When I was a child, my mother would trace pictures in a coloring book with glue to create an outline so that I could color like other children.
If you have a hard time telling shampoo from conditioner, place a rubber band around the shampoo, put shampoo at one end of the tub and the conditioner at the other, Shake the bottles and pay attention to whether the conditioner has a thicker sound than the shampoo. There are so many different things around the house that need identification. Ways to be creative and mark them are limitless. I have heard some very creative ways of doing this. Please let us know what your favorite way of marking is.
We often get calls to find out how to purchase various products for blind and low vision users. Here are a few of the resources that are available. Many have catalogs in print or online and a few in braille.
Axis (Karl Smith): 866-824-7885
Blind Mice Mega Mall: 713-893-7277, blindmicemart.com
Independent Living Aids: Toll-Free Sales: 800-537-2118 or 855-SHOPILA
(855-746-7452); Toll-Free Fax: 855-937-3906; independentliving.com
LS&S Products: (800)468-4789, lssproducts.com
Vispero (formerly Freedom Scientific and Optelec): 800-444-4443, freedomscientific.com
Humanware: 800-722-3393, humanware.com
American Printing House for the Blind 502-895-2405, aph.org
Harbolt Company: 405-633-2572, harboltco.com
MaxiAids: 800-522-6294, maxiaids.com
Horizons for the Blind: 815-444-8800, hims-inc.com
AT Guys:
269-216-4798, atguys.com
National
Braille Press: 617-266-6160, nbp.org
Bill Holton
When a door seal on my front loader washing machine tore recently, I thought it would be a good time to consider replacing the old clunker with a newer, more accessible model. What I learned was mostly discouraging. There was one bright spot, however: a totally accessible washer-dryer set made possible by the curiosity of a 13-year-old named Jack.
Though there are several manufacturers that produce "networked" laundry sets, Samsung and LG come first to mind, I found it impossible to find any of these models locally. Even if I had, in stores the machines are never set up for use--only for display. I spoke with several salesmen who were happy to tout the ability of the machines to be controlled by a mobile app, but when I asked, "Is the app screen reader accessible," you can guess the response I received. I could not find a single machine with a "demo mode" that would enable me to take a dry run to test accessibility, and even if I had, my experiences with networked thermostats, which I wrote about in the June 2017 issue of AccessWorld, left me reluctant to spend well in excess of a $1,000 on just the "possibility" that I could use the equipment accessibly.
Recently, Amazon introduced a line of Kenmore Elite appliances with Amazon Echo and Google Home capabilities built in. The line includes their smart hybrid water softener, smart electric water heater module, 75043 24-cubic feet smart French door bottom-mount refrigerator, smart air conditioner, smart front-load washer, and smart front-load dryer.
Note that Kenmore appliances are now manufactured by Whirlpool, which also owns Maytag.
Unfortunately, this new Kenmore line is a limited release and not available in all areas of the country, including my own. There is a mobile app, but before you can complete registration you must already own one of the appliances, so again, there is no way to try before you buy.
The Echo skill command set also seems rather limited. Below are the commands listed for use with the washer and dryer:
Alexa, ask Kenmore Smart:
How much time is remaining on my dryer cycle?
What is my washer doing?
What is my dryer doing?
To start my washer.
To pause my dryer.
If I need to run clean washer?
Is my washer able to be started?
While useful, these skill commands do seem a bit rudimentary. They do not offer nearly enough to take advantage of the premium features--delicate wash, air dry, and the like--that make these appliances cost more than other models.
GE also makes a line of connected home appliances that can be controlled both via mobile apps and with spoken Echo or Home commands. Again, there are no demos of the apps, and the spoken command sets are limited. However, GE Appliances, which is now owned by the Chinese company Haier, recently introduced a single-purpose device called the Talking Laundry Module which announces the function of every button and knob on their GE 4.6 DOE cubic feet capacity stainless steel washer (MSRP $699) and GE 7.4 cubic feet capacity aluminized alloy drum dryer (MSRP $699 for electric, $799 for gas).
How this came about makes an interesting tale.
The University of Louisville GE campus includes a small, wholly owned startup called FirstBuild. "We're a fast turnaround prototype creator and micro-factory that can develop products and get them to market quickly," says FirstBuild Technical Leader Sam DuPlessis. "We're also a socially engaged community of home enthusiasts, designers, engineers, and inventors. To date we have over 15 co-developed products on the shelf--including the first countertop ice nugget maker--and many more prototypes in development."
As part of their mission, every year First Build holds a weekend hackathon at their facility. "Last fall one of the participating groups took a flat surface induction range top and made it more accessible to the vision impaired," DuPlessis relates. "They added voice recognition and made the flat surface burners easier to locate and use by adding a thin glass overlay with holes cut out for the burners."
The American Printing House for the Blind (APH) is in Louisville, so Sam invited Larry Skutchan, APH Director of Technology Product Research, to view and assess the entry. Skutchan was impressed with the group's ingenuity, but he was also left a bit frustrated, because along with the flat surface range top, the unit also sported a flat surface touch control panel. "Haven't you guys ever heard of a knob?" he asked.
Skutchan explained that when a blind person is shopping for a major appliance, he or she is not just shopping for functionality, but also for independence. "All too often we end up with something that's less useable than what we had before."
DuPlessis's own washer and dryer did have knob controls, and as Skutchan had mentioned, like most knob controls they spun 360 degrees, without a start and end point, making it difficult to determine which setting had been accessed without braille or other markers. Skutchan had also been right when he had observed that more and more major appliances were being designed with touch screen controls.
DuPlessis did recall that GE has at least one washer-dryer set that still used control knobs. It also used bubble buttons, which at least could be distinguished by touch. The laundry pair also had service ports that used a standard USB interface for troubleshooting various service codes that were issued with each setting and control.
When DuPlessis happened to mention the issue to his son, Jack, the 13-year-old offered, "Let me take a crack at it." Jack had been experimenting with a Raspberry Pi, a basic computer the size of an Altoids mint tin. "I've been wanting to learn JavaScript," he said. "This would be a great project to learn on."
Before the weekend was over Jack had something to show his dad. His first version included a database of the washer knob control codes. Every time the dial was moved a different tone sounded, depending on which function was currently in focus.
For his second version Jack made recordings of each washer function and loaded the sound files onto the Raspberry Pi. Now the attached speaker announced by name the function of each knob position and bubble button. He did the same for the matching dryer, and when Jack demoed his new version, he and his dad agreed the technology would not only be useful for the blind, it could also benefit non-English readers because each control could be translated to be spoken in Spanish or other languages.
DuPlessis asked Skutchan to beta test his son's device. Skutchan's first suggestion was that they put a volume knob on the device. He also suggested that along with announcing the functions as they were engaged, there needed to be some way to review the controls before they were engaged, and to determine the washer or dryer's current status--including which cycle was currently running, and how much time was left.
After making these and a few other improvements, including a move to text-to-speech so more product improvements could be accomplished rapidly, FirstBuild installed several laundry sets equipped with Talking Laundry Modules in the Kentucky School for the Blind for further evaluation. Today the unit can be purchased for $99, but there is a 4-6-week waiting period. "Instead of waiting for sufficient demand to justify manufacturing the modules by the thousands, we're hand building each one. We're hoping to get the price down."
Presently, the Talking Laundry Module is housed in a 5 by 5 by 2.5 inches stainless steel box with a power cable and volume control knob. The same module connects to both a supported washer and dryer via cables from the module to the appliances' communications ports. The front of the unit features a pair of buttons that announce the current status of the connected washer and dryer and a Micro SD card slot for future software upgrades. A magnetic base enables the user to attach the module to the side or rear of either appliance.
Skutchan has his module connected to the rear of his dryer where it's an easy reach to either status button. "Before, I never would have used the stain removal, extra rinse, or spin speed features for the simple reason that I never knew they were there," he says. "Hopefully, soon the module will come built-in to every GE washer and dryer."
Some advocacy work is definitely needed in regard to the accessibility of "connected" appliances. Samsung, LG, and other makers of app-controlled appliances should be encouraged to both ensure their apps are VoiceOver and Talkback accessible, and to produce demo modes that mirror completely the app's functionality with various appliances.
In the meantime, the Talking Laundry Module is ideal for the newly blind, those who can't quite read the tiny controls, or others who absolutely need to purchase a new washer and/or dryer in the very near future. Since my wife would not allow me to wait for my investigations to be completed before she could launder her work clothes, I went ahead and had my current machine repaired instead of replacing it. I believe it's a fair assumption that by the time the washer breaks down again, the state of the art will be a little more advanced and I will either be able to get a laundry pair with built-in speech or an app-controlled pair I know is accessible.
If you have experience with one of the app-enabled laundry sets, or the Talking Laundry Module from First Build, be sure to let us know. We love hearing from you.
Product: Talking Laundry Module
Manufacturer: FirstBuild
Price: $99
Donni Mitchell volunteers in the UCB Office at DSBVI, 250 N 1950 W, Salt Lake City, UT, from 12:00 to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. If you wish to make a purchase, we recommend you give her a call at 801-520-3766 to be sure she is there when you visit to obtain cab coupons, t-shirts, screwdriver/hammers, 20/20 pens, signature guides, measuring cups and spoons, or other available items.
If you have questions or concerns for any board member or to be placed on the agenda of a board meeting, e-mail ucb.board@gmail.com or leave a message on the Utah Connection, and you will receive a timely reply.
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