Creating a LinkedIn profile with screen reading software

Forms seem to be the bane of our existence.

Filling out forms as a sighted person can be aggravating. Try doing it blind folded and rely on what the software tells you. It takes a tsunami of training to get to the point where you can fill out online forms using Jaws, NVDA, or Narrator. Low-vision people can have a small advantage, but can miss buttons that the screen reading software would have found.

The desktop is best for completing the profile and posting, while the phone app is much better for building your network and searching for jobs.

I once got to show a Google programmer why website accessibility and user friendliness matters. Using Jaws software, I had him navigate and fill out a very accessible form and then had him navigate LinkedIn. He even got visually lost.

So, in teaching Internet with Jaws, my students start with some successes before tackling LinkedIn. Then they can say, "We came. We heard. We conquered."

Free Webinar on Audio Books for people who have Low Vision or are Blind

 Outa Sight Solutions for Leveling Up Your Literacy

Date: Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Time: 4 PM PDT

Join this interactive webinar from the Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc.  as we explore and demonstrate several accessible apps and resources to bring digital and printed information to your ears and fingertips. We will compare the recently released BookShare reader with other mainstream apps including Kindle and Apple Books, and explore a new look and feature set for some familiar favorites. For those who are newly blind or struggling with degenerative eye conditions like Macular Degeneration, we will briefly discuss strategies for figuring out which app or solution may be best for you. Come learn how to read it your way!

Register in advance for this webinar:

https://thelighthousefortheblindinc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MVC0VwApSLaszwSmhPkbHw

 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Please contact Tim Paulding at tpaulding@lhblind.org if you have any questions or need assistance registering for this event.

 

Free Training Webinar

 

What’s roasting over that open fire, and what’s nipping at my nose?  There’s an app for that.

Wednesday, December 14, 2022, 4 p.m. PST

 

Come explore SuperSense and Seeing AI, two leading apps that leverage artificial intelligence to describe the world around you. We’ll compare these apps in real world scenarios, learn to maximize their functionality, and help you decide which app might best meet your needs in this interactive webinar from the Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. 

 

Register in advance for this webinar:

https://thelighthousefortheblindinc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_54Ben7JCTBeh66IoXUzzWA

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

 

Meet the Hosts

Everett Elam, CATIS, is a computer and assistive technology instructor at the Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. Prior to serving at the Lighthouse, Everett worked for a year in St. Louis, Missouri in the k-12 arena and also created and managed a curriculum for Assistive Technology Training. He has served in a variety of roles in the blindness rehabilitation field. He is a technology enthusiast who is passionate about helping people who are blind to reach their fullest potential. Everett believes that learning should be tailored to the learner, easy to apply in real world situations, and should most definitely be fun. In his free time, Everett is an award winning fiddle player and marathon runner and lives in Spokane, Washington. 

 

Timothy Paulding is the services and instructional manager at the Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. He has served in the blindness rehabilitation field for over ten years as a computer and assistive technology instructor and orientation and mobility specialist. He believes that people who are blind can be as independent as they want to be, given proper opportunity and training. Tim has masters degrees in Blindness and low vision studies and is dual certified in orientation and mobility and vision rehabilitation therapy. Tim is a drummer and keyboard player and lives with his wife and 5 children in Spokane Valley, Washington.

 

 Apply for a college scholarship

The American Council of the Blind (ACB) offers educational scholarships ranging from $2,000 to $7,500 for entering freshman, undergraduate and graduate students, and students attending technical college. This program awards students with scholarships to help with educational financial needs such as tuition, fees, room and board, and assistive technology.

To be eligible for a scholarship, applicants need to be legally blind, maintain a 3.0 GPA to be eligible for most scholarships, be a full-time student or a part-time student who works at least 32 hours per week, and be involved in their school and local community. Students must submit their application by February 14th, 2023.

For more information about ACB’s scholarship program, visit ACB's Scholarship page. Learn more about ACB’s 2022 scholarship recipients through a series of videos on our YouTube page.

 Free webinar on how to use Windows Narrator

The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. invites you joih us to learn about the Windows built-in screen reader, Narrator. Your hosts, Tim Paulding and Everett Elam, will make it worth your time

When: Wednesday, Nov 16, 2022, 6:00 PM PST

Where: Online or via phone. 

To register visit:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/windows-narrator-not-just-another-voice-in-the-crowd-tickets-454175780987

GiveBig Tuesday, May 4, 2021

This Tuesday is the big fundraiser ofr nonprofits in Washington State. The Washington Council of the Blind (WCB) is participating and could use your help.

Why should you care?

The work of WCB has an affect that goes way beyond the Pacific Northwest. We are an all-volunteer, grass roots organization that advocates for opportunity, equality, and independense for people who are visually impaired.

Do you think the services we have today are available because a sighted peerson thought it was a good idea? NO! Blinded veterans coming back from the World Wars pushed hard to rehabiitation services so they could manage businesses, farms, and live independently. Their efforts resonated with people who were blind. They organized and got vocal. 

We've come a long way with public awareness and accessibility with technology. The unemployment figures tell us we have a long way to go. 

Keep the momentum going. Follow the link below. You can give as little as $10 and make a difference.

https://www.givebigwa.org/washingtoncounciloftheblind

Computer anxiety

Al Yardley told me that a good teacher needs to be a good student. You are always preparing. It's almost impossible to keep all the key commands in your head.

Computer students often experience anxiety--thinking they need to know everything right now and be perfect. That's not how learning works. Instructors also experience anxiety, especially when a situation stumps them. At that point you say,"I don't know the answer, but I will find out."

Studying for the ZoomText and JAWS certification exams definitely prepares a person to be a better informed instructor. Taking an exam is free. You are given one hour and over 80 multiple choice and true / false questions. Purchasing certification is $99.00 and your name is entered on the Freedom Scientific website.

This year I gained more confidence with the products and services. Freedom Scientific offers live and archived training webinars that I find very helpful. For example, the other day, a participant asked for steps in navigating captchas. YES! Those captchas can be a bear. I've requested those steps because my students will benefit.

Studying for these exams also meant developing good study notes that I can load onto my Victor Stream for review.

Now to dive into the scary world of braille displays and Android gestures. Notes. I will take lots of notes and review. Baby steps... like that movie, "What About Bob?"

It never ends.