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Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, August 2, 2018 - Volume 669

The Week's News in Access Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

This Week's Featured Advertisement: Introducing ARC, Your Agile and Affordable Path to Accessibility

Photo of the ARC Dashboard open on a laptop.

Whether you are a novice to accessibility or a seasoned pro, sometimes your best start to accessibility is to let technology do some of the heavy lifting. Designers, developers and testers dealing with an accessibility project or program are looking for ways to inform their team quickly about what's inaccessible within their digital content and get rapid insight as to how to fix it. There's a more optimal way to achieve accessibility compliance in a timely, responsive, and cost-effective manner using Accessibility Resource Center (ARC).

Includes next generation automated testing know-how, ARC looks for machine-detectable accessibility defects within digital content. Designed for rapid scanning of a web domain, ARC will crawl through your website identifying accessibility violations against common standards, including WCAG 2.0 A/AA or Section 508.

ARC is powerful, customizable, and affordable. It transforms scanned data into meaningful, actionable insight, and is an excellent means of managing the profound risks that inaccessible content poses to an organization.

For more information, or to schedule your online demonstration, contact accessibility@flying-blind.com, or call +1 (216) 381-8107 📱️ today.

Don't be caught off-guard by the potentially devastating legal consequences of deploying inaccessible, digital content! We're standing by to assist!

Preview ARC on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/DVNVi4_EA9A

Greetings,

1)

Interested in learning about 3D printing? These links from a recent presentation cover a lot of area, and include several related to blindness:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRlvkSPSMzpcqLkn3w3Vzze9XLDcQ8mrpDTwPOZHwxSeBkzru6FojbkDAdxTCuopH_0iNHE32VeL9-t/pub

2)

Hungary joins Colombia and Spain in giving free licenses of Freedom Scientific software to its citizens:
http://blog.freedomscientific.com/jaws-zoomtext-and-magic-now-freely-available-in-hungary/

3)

The always-punctual monthly AppleVis Summary for July 2018 ensures that you will catch any Apple-related news we didn't mention here:
https://www.applevis.com/blog/accessories-apple-Braille-gaming-ios-ios-apps-mac-apps-macos-news-opinion-reviews/applevis

4)

The Dot Watch, a Braille SmartWatch, has been promised for years. Apparently, now it can be bought, and here is a review:
https://www.applevis.com/reviews/Braille-devices/bit-Braille-road-honest-review-dot-watch

5)

This post carries the title, '7 Tasks Chromebooks Still Can't Do As Well As Macs or PCs:'
https://fieldguide.gizmodo.com/7-tasks-chromebooks-still-cant-do-as-well-as-macs-or-pc-1827814042

6)

The WayAround smartphone app lets you label a wide array of items around the house:
https://www.wayaround.com/

7)

Here is an update from scripter Doug Lee about the elimination of Skype Version 7 and our alternatives. Microsoft has made accessibility enhancements to Skype 8:
http://www.dlee.org/skype/skype7phaseout.htm

8)

From the North Dakota Assistive Technology Blog comes this run-down on 'Cheap or Free Cellphone Adaptations for People with Disabilities'. Part 2 to follow:
http://ndipat.org/blog/cheap-or-free-cellphone-adaptations-for-people-with-disabilities-part-1-speech/

9)

Learn about 'The Full Advantages of Using Groups.io' on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 7 August 2018 at 00:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

10)

This story illustrates how the iCanConnect program for people with both vision and hearing impairments benefits one user:
http://icanconnect.org/news/icanconnect-helps-pennsylvania-college-student-stay-touch-family-back-home

11)

Android or iOS users who want to test future versions of Dice World can email, stating your operating system, to:
support@appa11y.com

12)

The August 2018 Blind Post classified news will be emailed on or before the seventh of August 2018:
http://theblindpost.com/Readthelatestnewshere.html

13)

The Eyes on Success team explore their new State of Colorado, and discuss their adventures in Eyes on Success #1831:
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net

14)

The National Federation of the Blind seeks Access Technology Specialists. Email cover letter, resume with wage history and two professional references to:
hr@nfb.org

15)

The Accessibility Moving Forward podcast covers the accessibility of the Amazon Fire Tablet:
https://overcast.fm/+NIn_Vx8Mw

16)

Enhancements to UEB Math come to Duxbury Braille Translator:
https://www.duxburysystems.com/dbt_new.asp?f3=USA

17)

Hear about enhancements to the Aira service and more on the Blind Side Podcast Episode #97 [MP3]:
http://hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/0/b/2/0b220b3d627e5037/TheBlindSide97.mp3

18A)

This team tested 37 video players, both free and paid, for accessibility. Only two passed the tests fully:
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-94277-3_9

18B)

Meanwhile, Microsoft writes about the Azure Media Player's many accessibility features:
https://amp.azure.net/libs/amp/latest/docs/index.html#accessibility

19)

While we're focused on accessibility, WebAIM has a readable checklist to use when evaluating compliance with the WCAG 2 guidelines:
https://webaim.org/standards/wcag/checklist

20)

And finally on this theme, we have a short note on the accessibility of styled form controls:
https://developer.paciellogroup.com/blog/2018/07/short-note-on-the-accessibility-of-styled-form-controls/

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Flying Blind, LLC Highlights:

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1.)

JAWS Inspect - Your Visual Resource for Accessibility Testing - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
http://bit.ly/2M9vvUZ
If you are employed by, or lead an Organization committed to providing manual, accessibility test services for web content using the JAWS screenreader, but your testing and developer teams have individuals who are not JAWS users, then the newly released JAWS Inspect Solution is your missing ingredient for optimizing your test processes while maximizing your accessibility efforts ...

2.)

Introducing TPG Tutor - Your eLearning, One Stop Shop for Accessibility Training - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
http://bit.ly/2JB9EnA
Have you been directed to make a website or mobile app 'accessible', but have no idea where to begin? Or perhaps you know a bit about accessibility and really want to immerse yourself in the field, but you can't afford to have you or your ...

3.)

Introducing ARC, Your Agile and Affordable Path to Accessibility - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
http://bit.ly/2ueyjtk
Whether you are a novice to accessibility or a seasoned pro, sometimes your best start to accessibility is to let technology do some of the heavy lifting. Designers, developers and testers dealing with an accessibility project or program are looking ...

4.)

Welcome to OWAC! Operating Within A Cloud! 'OWAC: Where The Sky's The Limit!' - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
OWAC Onsite = $1,000.00 USD + Pre-approved travel expenses. | OWAC Remote = $500.00 USD
http://bit.ly/OWAC-HTML
The OWAC Professional Development Workshop marries decades of assistive technology know-how with the fast-paced expectations of a predominantly sighted world. Are you serving students ...

5.)

'iOS in the Classroom: A Guide for Teaching Students with Visual Impairments, iOS 9 Edition' Authored By Larry L. Lewis, Jr., President, Flying Blind LLC, and Published by AFB Press - AFB Online Store
Paperback: $29.95 | Online: $17.95 | ePUB: $20.95 | Kindle: $20.95
http://bit.ly/iOS9-ITC-AFB-FBLLC
This book represents a 'must have' for any direct service provider working with vision impaired consumers who are using iOS technology within their educational or pre-vocational settings ...

6.)

Silver Indoor Outdoor Talking Thermometer for $16.95 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
http://bit.ly/1HHaM7I
Indoor and outdoor temperature spoken at the touch of a button, Fahrenheit or Celsius, volume control and on/off switch. LCD visual display can show either indoor or outdoor temperature ...

7.)

Large Print Address Book for $16.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
http://bit.ly/1Q1LZxC
Spiral bound book. Holds up to 500 address listings. Three address listings per page. Includes 20/20 pen. Durable covers with inside front and back pockets. Alphabetical tabs and ample room ...

8.)

Large Print Check Register for $8.75 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
http://bit.ly/1TmcA6r
Spiral bound register helps keep better control of check recording. Contains spaces for 14 entries per full page. Size: 5" x 9" ...

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