Almost any degree of vision loss can make reading an arduous activity. Small text, low contrast or fancy fonts and creative color schemes often add insults to injury.As the difficulty progresses, we attempt to resolve the lacking legibility with magnifiers and more light. It often becomes a juggling act, and still the reading is just not easy.
We are hearing more and more about how people are utilizing the speech features in iPhone and Android. There is far less resistance to using speech technology now, because it is no longer an all or nothing proposition. Everyone can select just how much speech they need or desire, without having to deal with the significant learning curve a full function screen reader entails. The lighter speech options fill in the gaps across the spectrum of vision loss and may be helpful in stepping up to the full screen reader, if and when it becomes necessary.
So go ahead, take some pressure off, and start enjoying the freedom that speech can provide. While all the features are available on tablets too, it comes in particularly handy on a smartphone’s smaller screen.And if for some reason you don’t care for the voice you hear, there are plenty of others to select from.
Apple iOS (iPhone, iPad)
To access speech features in Settings go to General > Accessibility > Speech.
Speak Selection – highlight text with the drag of a finger and the control buttons will appear, tap ‘Speak’ (or ask Siri to “Speak Selection”).
Speak Screen – swipe down from the top with 2 fingers to have the entire screen read to you.
Typing Feedback – hear letters, words, corrections and predictions when you cannot see the keyboard clearly.
VoiceOver – the full function screen reader, operated with its own set of gestures. This is involves a leaning curve. More about this on OE: Let VoiceOver Do The Reading
Speaking Rate – adjust the speed to your preference.
Voices – if you don’t like the default voice, there are plenty of others to choose from.
Voice Control – allows you to use your voice to control your iOS device.
Voice Assistant – Siri is there for the asking, make a call, send a message, search the web and much more.
Many similar speech features are included in Android devices and can be found in the Settings app under Accessibility.
Select to Speak – for Android reads selected text or describes selected items.
TalkBack – is Google’s screen reader included on Android devices, (like VoiceOver) it provides spoken feedback enabling the use of device without seeing the screen.
Voices – choose your preferred speech engine, speaking rate and pitch.
Voice Assistant – Say “Hey Google,” and the Android smart assistant is at your service
Speech for some is a natural transition, for others it takes some adjusting. For everyone with vision loss, it’s an excellent alternative.
This article was originally published Aug 23, 2019 and updated May 17, 2021
The TV commercial gets your attention. It’s surprising to see a commercial about accessibility for people with vision loss, in primetime. It is powerful, as it elevates awareness for everyone who sees it when this kind of information still typically travels through word-of-mouth. And that’s not the only unusual aspect, this is a commercial about a product from Spectrum Communications which is available, free of cost, whether you are a Spectrum customer or not.
The 60-second spot shows a movie clip running along with an audio description track, providing the visual details pertinent to understanding what’s happening on screen. We then see a group of friends watching together and reacting to the movie’s unfolding events. One friend in the group is visually impaired and she is hearing the audio description privately from an app on her phone. “The Spectrum Access app gives the visually impaired audio description right from their phone, so nobody misses a thing.” This is a solution that gets you the information needed to enjoy movies and TV, without imposing it on others. The app puts you back in control.
Select the title to sync with your streamed TV program or movie. There are currently over 450 titles available on the app, with more being added regularly.
Download the title’s audio description.
Sync the audio description to your TV audio using the microphone on your smartphone. It syncs quite impressively to the exact same spot as the TV audio.
The video content on TV can originate from any streaming platform including Spectrum, Netflix, Hulu, PrimeVideo, On-Demand, and more. Spectrum is also partnering with NBC, CBS, and others to build the library of titles read to sync.
Not very long ago, news about developing technologies for people visually impaired or blind was not widely reported, if reported at all. It was also unusual for this kind of news to be attached to the biggest technology companies on the planet. All that has definitely changed! In 2018, Google announced an Android app in development called ‘Lookout,’ its purpose to help people with vision loss, identify objects around them and read text. The news was quickly shared by many news outlets, noteworthy because while Google has been involved in the creation of accessible Android applications for quite some time, they had not previously made big pronouncements about it.
The accessibility app was first launched in 2019 and has recently been updated. Lookout is designed to deliver spoken notifications with minimal interaction. So it does not create a juggling act for the user, it is recommended that the smartphone be carried in a shirt pocket or on a lanyard, camera facing out.
Powered by artificial intelligence (AI), it utilizes camera vision to help people, who are visually impaired, get the information they need without having to ask others for help. The enhanced access is delivered now in these 5 modes:
Explore – identifies objects in your environment
Shopping – reads barcodes and currency
Quick Read – for signs, labels and mail
The newest features in 2.0 are:
Food labels – identification of packaged foods
Document scan – captures and reads full detail
Lookout 2.0 is now available on Google Play for devices running Android 6.0 Marshmallow or later with 2GB of RAM available. This is a free app, it does not require an internet connection and uses machine learning to identify items of importance and keep delivering the information people are interested in. In addition to English, the app is now localized for French, German and Italian.
Get more information about using Lookout and share your feedback by contacting the Google Disability Support Team online or on the BeMYEyes app.
Lookout is not currently available for Apple iOS devices, but a similar app called Seeing AI is.
This article was previously published Jul 26, 2019 and updated Mar 26, 2021.
We are often asked for guidance on buying an iPhone for the first time. The initial move from a feature or flip phone, or from an Android phone to an iPhone requires personalized setup, and a mix of patience and practice to adjust. The reason for switching, in this case, is the advanced accessibility iPhone offers for people with visual impairments or blindness.
The real initial setup of an iPhone only has to happen once. Next time you upgrade your iPhone, the data, apps and settings will transfer from iCloud and fill the new phone with all your stuff. This way it’s totally familiar and there’s no need to start the whole process over again with each new model.
People browsing in an Apple Store.
At The Apple Store:
What You Need to Know
The Apple Store is the best place to buy the iPhone and get it set up. It is not always so easy to get your phone set up at a mobile retail store, especially when it involves accessibility. At the Apple Store, there is a process for “Personal Setup,” and they know this phone intimately.
iPhone model:Newer models are always best for the long term. The best model for you may be dependent on screen size. Try them in the store, ask your sales specialist to show you larger text and contrast settings to determine whether they enhance your ability to read.
iPhone storage size: The phones come in different storage sizes. For new users, the smallest, which is now 64GB, should suffice. If you are planning to access a large photo or music library, you may want to consider more space.
VoiceOver: For those of us unable to read the screen comfortably in any text or screen size, option 2 is learning to use VoiceOver, iPhone’s full-function screen reader. This does add to the learning curve, but totally worth the work!More on this from OE: Let iPhone’s VoiceOver Do The Reading
Apple Care Plus: Consider Apple Care Plus for extended warranty and replacement. This can be a good thing to have, just in case.
Apple ID and iCloud: If you already have an Apple ID and iCloud account, be prepared to provide the username and password. If not, they will be created at setup. (To lessen any potential confusion, always best to make the Apple ID and iCloud accounts the same username & password.)
Email password: Your email address and password are also required to set the Mail app, don’t forget.
Transfer Contacts from previous phone (if possible)
Set A Passcode Lock and Face ID (or don’t, it’s easier without)
Set Auto-Lock for 5 minutes so the screen doesn’t keep locking as you are learning
Set up “Hey Siri”
Turn on Dictation
Set up your email
Make a few calls right away from the Apple Store so you know how to use the phone, then go right home and practice making calls, answering calls, ending calls
Turn on VoiceOver or Speak Screen (if needed)
Once the VO setting is turned on, VO can be turned on/off by asking Siri
Learning:
Here Are The Keys
The key to success is repetition. So keep in mind, if you repeat an action 25 – 30 times, it gets committed to muscle memory, and then you just begin doing it automatically. This is not a matter of technical ability, it’s simply perseverance. Everyone, regardless of visual acuity, experiences the learning curve.
For VoiceOver users, the curve is a bit steeper, but (take it from one who knows) the conquest is even sweeter! You’ll need to begin practicing the VoiceOver gestures that navigate the screen. Again, it’s all about practice, the more you touch the screen the better you become. For your reference, here’s the list of VoiceOver Gestures.
Apple Accessibility Support Phone Line: (877-204-3930) is an invaluable learning tool. A dedicated line for customers with visual, hearing, motor and learning impairments, available 24/7. Not only will they answer your questions and resolve your issues, they will also provide tutorials on the use of apps. Don’t be shy, they want to hear from you. If you’re stuck…call them. If you want to learn something new…call them. There’s no limit.
Get your learning started with these topics…
Get familiar with Phone app: Recent calls, Contacts, Voice Mail
Use Siri to make a call by name or phone number
Learn to save phone numbers and emails to Contacts
Practice is a must – put in an hour a day getting comfortable.
Once you’re phoning, emailing and texting with confidence, you’re ready to move on and master more apps of your choosing. The apps you use every day will become ingrained and after a while, you won’t even have to think about it.
A virtual and comprehensive catalog of iPhone courses is available at HadleyHelps.org and it’s as good as one-to-one training. They offer live expert help and phone support too, all fee-free….Meet Hadley 2.0, Your Personal Tutor.
This article was originally published Nov. 8, 2018, and updated Mar. 18, 2021.
Please note that this article was not paid for, affiliated with, or endorsed by any third-party companies. The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author’s.
Keeping a calendar accurate and up-to-date is not something we all do well. Missing an appointment, because it never got on the schedule, is embarrassing to say the lease. Calendar management becomes all the more challenging with a visual impairment.Perhaps it would be easier, and more efficient if you had an assistant or even a digital assistant like Siri.
Working with an artificially intelligent voice assistant is similar in ways to working with a live human, both require very specific instruction and a degree of patience. The interaction can be messy at the start but don’t give up so fast, you and your assistant will come to terms. It’s all about what you say and how you say it.
Schedule appointments
Activate Siri with a long press on the power button, home button, or by saying “Hey Siri.”Practice asking Siri to schedule, change, update, cancel or review your calendar appointments (or events).
“Hey Siri, schedule a call with Lisa Rose on Thursday at 10 a.m.”
“Schedule an appointment on June 2nd at 3 p.m. with Dr. Smith.”
“Schedule lunch today at 1.”
Siri will repeat (or display) the details and ask if you’re “Ready to schedule it?” If you answer “No” Siri will ask if you’d like to change it or just cancel?”
Cancel, change or update an appointment
“Cancel dinner tomorrow with Steve.”
“ Change my dentist appointment on Tuesday to Thursday morning at 11.”
“Move my 10:00 appointment today to 11:00.”
Siri will ask you to confirm your request if it is unclear.
Review or check your schedule
“What’s on my schedule tomorrow?”
“What is on my calendar for Saturday?”
“Do I have anything scheduled on March 12?”
Set calendar alerts
As important as getting the appointment scheduled, is being reminded of it coming up with calendar alerts.
Go to Settings> Calendar> Default Alert Time> select how long before the appointment you’d like to be alerted, choices include 5, 10, 15 or 30 minutes before, 1 or 2 hours before, 1 or 2 days before, and 1 week before. On this page, you can also set Birthday Alerts.
By default, your appointments made with Siri will go to all devices linked to your Apple ID: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch Mac, Apple Watch, and Home Pod.
Something really good just got even better.The reimagining and rebuilding of HadleyHelps.org was well underway as the COVID pandemic kicked in. Both the update and the timing feels perfect, delivered at a moment when it was so needed. The distance learning experts, with 100 years of experience, launched a newly designed program beautifully attuned to the needs of the largest demographic for vision loss, older adults.And by the way, creating programs accessible for an aging population, actually, improve usability for everyone.
Hadley 2.0 is the newly developed approach for adult learners. Video and audio based learning opportunities are now presented in smaller bites that take minutes instead of hours. You decide, for example, which features of the iPhone you want to learn and in what order. Feel free to repeat a workshop, or even a sentence, as many times as you need to, there’s no limit. No need to worry about failing here, it’s all about success.
Image Shows senior woman smiling on hadleyhelps.org home page.
The pandemic compounded many of the challenges inherent to vision loss.It became clear that technology skills are essential, although the training has not always been so readily available, especially from the privacy of your own pace.Now you can log on to HadleyHelps.org and decide what you want to learn today. The primary categories are: Daily Living, Technology, Adjusting to Vision Loss, Braille, Recreation, and Working. A click on Technology brings up subcategories: Android, iPhone & iPad, Windows, Apple Watch & TV, Talking Books, and Zoom. Selecting iPhone & iPad brings up the courses organized by series. The very first is iPhone & iPad Low Vision Features, segmented into five quick courses: Zoom, Text Size, Dark Mode, Speak Screen, and Magnifier.Similar to a tasting menu, Hadley’s small bites are abundant and delicious, don’t stop at one, enjoy them all.Explore the entire catalog here.
The technology offers, alone, is enough to trigger a celebration, but there are many more topics and perks available to Hadley subscriber.
No fees or costs to the user.
Ask the Experts for a live tutorial.
Call in and join an interactive Discussion Group on a variety of topics including: cooking, crafting, writing, gardening, travel, Braille, and Spanish.
Listen to Hadley Presents Podcast.
Transcripts are available for all content.
Have a workshop printed and mailed.
Get alerts and email notifications.
Provide feedback after every workshop, Hadley is paying attention.
I have been a fan, a follower, and a Hadley learner, personally and professionally since discovering the iPhone VoiceOver Tutorials by Douglas Walker while on staff at Lighthouse. We often share Hadley links on OE and featured Hadley in the OE Patients Podcast Episode 3. The Hadley Institute is a nonprofit organization living up to its mission to create personalized learning opportunities that empower those with vision loss to thrive — at home, at work, and in their communities.Take advantage of Hadley’s learning opportunities and don’t forget to give back, from time to time, by supporting the great work they do with a charitable donation.
Living in a pandemic, like living with vision loss, rattles our confidence and upends our sense of security. We have little choice but to accept the change and adjust to a new normal. In both scenarios it would be well-advised to embrace technology. Digital access is not an option today, it is a necessity.As the COVID shutdown curtailed major segments of daily activity, the internet opened, enabling us to order food deliveries, stay in touch with loved ones, visit doctors by video, work remotely and educate online.
Before the pandemic, patients with vision loss were counseled against isolating or social distancing. Now both behaviors are widely encouraged to keep everyone healthy and well. With faces partially hidden behind the safety of a mask, the ability to read expressions and recognize others is a problem suddenly affecting the population at large.
It would be fair to assume that the added restrictions would elevate the degree of difficulty for people with low vision. The downside appeared very steep for many in the early days, but as we settled into this new reality, it became clear there were some silver linings.
Image shows: Multiple faces on Zoom video conference screen.
Zoom Video
The now ubiquitous Zoom video conferencing platform will likely go down in history as the pandemic MVP. It stepped in to fill a potentially massive void with a virtual, and COVID-proof, face to face connection. The technology kept work and school ongoing remotely. It allowed for family gatherings, dinner with friends, support group meetings and therapy sessions.
And for those of us with central vision loss, it gave back an ability to see peoples’ faces more clearly than we had in years. I can attest to this experience as a patient with a visual acuity long documented as “counting fingers.” It’s amazing to zoom in and see someone’s facial details more vividly on a digital screen than if they had been sitting right beside me. It did not take long to find others also enjoying the gift of “Zoom acuity.”
Video calls can be accessed either on a smartphone, tablet or computer screen.Far more opportunities have opened up through this medium.People can now attend conferences, seminars and trainings online without the significant expense and travel requirement. Museums can conduct virtual and accessible tours, allowing their patrons in for the closest look at art ever.These are just a few examples of how virtual engagements are expanding.
Pandemic safety precautions pushed us, visually impaired or not, to embrace digital options to maintain daily life. Here are some of the highlights.
Image shows: Man with mask and gloves providing food delivery service to home.
Online Deliveries
Navigating a grocery store was never an enjoyable activity for people with vision loss. The pandemic necessitated a vast expansion of online delivery options, so shopping doesn’t have to be arduous anymore. Most of these services offer same-day delivery or curbside pick-up. Services like Instacart, Shipt and Prime Now also make it possible to communicate with the shopper to insure you’re getting exactly what you want. Once these accounts are set up and products are purchased, it becomes easier to repeat orders by accessing your previous lists. Amazon even has an Accessibility Customer Service Line, for customers with visual impairments, to assist with online shopping. The same goes for ordering take-out from restaurants for delivery through Seamless, Uber Eats and DoorDash. Generally, customers find this a better way and it is likely that most will continue with online deliveries in the long-term.
Image shows: Woman leades video business meeting from home.
Work from Home
The shift to work from home (WFH) happened on a scale and at a speed we would not have imagined achievable. The benefits of this arrangement may even exceed its original purpose of flattening the curve of COVID19 cases. According to Gallup (April 2020), a majority of employees would like to continue WFH even when the pandemic ends . For employees and job seekers with vision loss, the upside is that flexibility and quality of life is being widely recognized resulting in more opportunities. We discussed WFH in on the OE Patients Podcast (September 2020) and our experienced panel also agreed this development will serve to improve employment opportunities for people with visual impairments.
Image Shows: Health care provider talking with patient on video visit.
Telehealth
Patients quickly found telehealth calls and video visits quite appealing as a pandemic alternative with the understanding that they can supplement but not replace in-person visits. On the OE Patients Podcast (June 2020) Allen C. Ho, MD, a retina specialist, discussed better utilization for video visits beyond triaging the need for urgent care. He introduced us to the new hybrid visit being studied, which combines a quick in-person appointment for a fundus photo and OCT scan, followed by a video call with the provider to assess the images and talk with the patient. The result is efficient, high quality and safe patient care. Dr. Ho said, “I see healthcare moving more toward at-home and remote services enabled by technology and accelerated by the pandemic of COVID19.” Our listeners respond very favorably to more convenience and less time in waiting rooms.
Embrace Technology
The common thread throughout these examples of the pandemic silver linings is the use of technology. It is all within the grasp of anyone using a smartphone or tablet. With built-in visual and speech features these devices well-accommodate the needs of patients across the spectrum of vision loss. Age is less of a barrier than one might imagine. Pew Research (2019) shows 73% of people over 65 were Internet users, with screen time over 4 hours per day. We expect significant growth in internet usage for 2020, mainly driven by the pandemic.
Considering the number of Americans with low vision is projected to double by 2050, the American Academy of Ophthalmology stated in a press release (September 2019), “the tragedy isn’t that people have lost vision, it’s that most believe nothing can be done to improve their quality of life.” This is not true and AAO recommends patients make small changes that have positive impact and embrace technology.
Patients look to professionals for advice. Physicians and healthcare providers play an influential role in encouraging patients’ digital acceptance and preparedness. It is the key to maintaining independence and an all-important sense of normal.
Living with vision loss, like living in a pandemic, requires us to accept change and embrace technology. Digital access is no longer an option, it is a necessity.Every patient experiencing changes in vision should know there are a multitude of accessibility options, available in their smartphones (and tablets), designed to help compensate low vision.
Apple & Android offer similar accessibility options including:
Text Size increased and bolded
Screen Brightness adjusted
Dictation converts speech to text
VoiceOver, Talk Back screen readers
Zoom magnifies entire screen
video Magnifier up to 15x
Improve color contrast
Reverse contrast to white text on black
Color filters for legibility
Adjust intensity and brightness of colors
Speak Selection reads selected content aloud
Speak Screen reads page aloud from top to bottom
Highlight Content as it is spoken
Typing Feedback spoken
Select voice and set speaking rate
Audio Descriptions for video content
FaceTime, Google Duo or other apps for video calls
Voice Assistants
Siri, Google & Alexa await your voice command. Ask them to open apps, make calls, send messages, search the web, tell time, get weather, turn on lights, play music and much, much more.
Here are a few or the many special apps designed to help compensate visual loss.
Seeing AI, by Microsoft for iOS, is an intelligent camera app that reads text, identifies products, people, currency, color, scenes, and handwriting.
Soundscape, by Microsoft for iOS, a map with 3D sound provides background narration into your earbuds from the left, right and center, telling where you are, what’s around you and what’s ahead.
LookOut, by Google for Android, camera vision delivers information in 3 modes: Explore describes your environment, Shopping reads product barcodes and currency, and Quick Read reads signs, labels and mail.
Google Maps Detailed Voice Guidance, by Google for iOS & Android, added voice guidance feature in the apps navigation settings.
Aira, an acronym for AI Remote Assistance, teams artificial intelligence with live agents to help people with vision loss get around and get things done. The subscriber model combines both free and fee-based service options.
Be My Eyes, has 3 million volunteers signed up to assist 200 thousand visually impaired users, when they need to borrow a better pair of eyes, or directly speak with technical support or customer service at Microsoft, Google, and more.
Accessibility Support Phone Lines
Don’t go it alone, expert technical advice is a phone call away.
Apple Accessibility Support: 877-204-3930
Google Accessibility Support: Call on Be My Eyes app
If you like having the news read to you, it should come as no surprise many others do too. It’s a welcomed option for people with vision loss, and a much appreciated alternative for people driving cars, commuting, working out, taking a walk or cooking dinner.You may be one who also prefers listening to a human voice, as opposed to a computer simulated voice. The good news is you can get all that now, and more, for a small fee.
There is an abundance and a diversity of news stories available daily, on the News app from Apple, without a fee. However, the Audio content is part of the Apple News+ upgrade, for $9.99 a month in the US, and in the UK, Canada and Australia (with price converted based on currency , of course). The premium subscription gives you access to over 300 popular magazines, newspapers and digital publications in addition to the Audio features.
Image shows screenshots of Apple News+ Audio and magazines pages.
A curated selection of new Audio stories are produced each week highlighting longform journalism from a variety of publications that include Wall Street Journal, Time, Wired, Los Angeles Times, Vogue, Esquire, and Sports Illustrated, to name just a few. You’ll find a breathtaking catalog of publications in the Apple New+ subscription like The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, National Geographic, Vanity Fair, O Magazine, Food & Wine, Architectural Digest and hundreds more.
Apple News Today is a hosted daily news update available free to all listeners, Monday through Friday. This audio feature is a podcast review of the important topics of the day with a look at how top journalists are reporting the news.
Let’s not forget, there are a number of ways to get Apple News content read to you utilizing one of these useful features found in Apple Accessibility Settings: Speak Screen, Speak Selection and VoiceOver. These are excellent solutions for reading all print articles, courtesy of the computer voice, which honestly, to most ears, is quite good,
Apple News is available free on iPhone, iPad and Mac devices which offer an opportunity for customers to experience a free month subscription when adding Apple News+.
In early 2020 I was invited to write an article for the ophthalmic journal, Retinal Physician. The prospect was delightful, because there is only one thing I enjoy as much as enlightening patients about the best solutions in low vision technology, and that is to elevate the awareness of their physicians. The article was submitted at the end of March just as the COVID pandemic was kicking into high gear. The timing for this topic was now in question and I wondered when would it again be relevant?The rebound was quicker than I expected, and in May the editor offered an opportunity to reframe the conversation for a pandemic world. We did that and the article was published in the July/August 2020 issue.
The intention of this article is to bring physicians up to date on the proliferation of smart technology options and apps for compensating low vision. Patients are far more enthusiastic to embrace everyday accessible technology, as opposed to expensive and stigmatizing assistive devices. One of the powerful benefits, it helps retain, or recover, a semblance of normal. As the months and years move forward we will find the majority of patients are engaging with some of these devices.
The article’s revelations were discussed on the Retina Podcast by Drs. Jay Sridhar, Priya Vakharia and Shriji Patel. All three agreed this was important information to share with their patients and that they probably had underestimated their older patients use of technology. Dr. Sridhar started the conversation by saying, “a whole new world opens up when you look at these apps that are available.” Dr. Vakharia said she, “was just blown away, and it might just be because it’s so simple and so easy. The technology is technology that patients have, and I just never thought about it.”She thought the Ai apps were “purely phenomenal” enabling patients to have a level of independence “I think low vision aids simply cannot provide.” Dr. Patel acknowledged that most of his patients carry an iPhone or Android smartphone and “they may not realize how much power they have in hand.”
The big question is how to help patients get this information? And the answer is, start talking about it.
Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) is recognized on the third Thursday in May, and has been since 2012. The focus on digital access and inclusion has progressed in meaningful ways over the past decade, and the future holds endless possibility. This is an effort that unifies people of all ability.
At OE we celebrate and elevate accessibility awareness everyday, and we think you should too. For people with vision loss, information about accessibility often travels from person to person, so please go ahead and spread the word!Tell your family, tell your friends, tell your coworkers and your healthcare providers about the accessibility features in technology devices that promote equal access. Living with uncorrectable vision loss brings many challenges, but utilizing accessible technologies can give us back a sense of normal.
As we have seen during the COVID pandemic, the use of technology is no longer an option; it is essential. Accessibility doesn’t always just work for you, you must also be willing to work for it. Become an advocate. By helping yourself, you can also help others. Learn about the accessibility of the products and services you engage with. A Google search of any product with the word “accessibility’ is an enlightening exercise – try it.
Big Tech, as you would imagine, has the most comprehensive accessibility detail available online. They have been building this effort for many years now and it shows. They also offer specialized accessibility support to customers, in the interest of providing an excellent customer experience. Take advantage of these opportunities and always share feedback when you find something that can be improved.
Here is the pertinent accessibility contact and links for Apple, Microsoft, Google and Amazon, but first we’re sharing our comprehensive list of accessibility phone support lines.
Unlike most of the world, the Internet was well prepared for a global pandemic. As huge sectors of life shut down, the world wide web expanded to fill in some of the gaps, enabling us to work remotely, educate from a distance, stay connected with loved ones, get food delivered, and visit the doctor via video.
Online it is also possible to continue enjoying culture and the arts through virtual tour and live-stream video. For people with vision loss, streaming live events can assure a seat front and center. Here are just a few of the options, a Google search will reveal an abundance to choose from. Some opportunities are for a limited period while live gatherings are discouraged.
Image of main hall of Musee d’Orsay Paris
Museums
Social isolation rules have shuttered museums, for the moment, but that doesn’t mean they’ve locked you out. There is practically no limit to the museums and galleries you can visit online. No distancing from the art is required on these tours, so feel free to zoom in and get as close as you want.
Andrew Lloyd Webber is gifting access to his mega-hit musicals, including The Phantom of the Opera and Cats, on Youtube for free during the COVID quarantine.A new show goes live each Friday at 2pm EST and will be viewable for 48 hours. So get to the theater Saturday night, or see a matinee on Sunday.
Broadway HD – a streaming service with access to over 300 shows performed on Broadway and London’s West End, like Kinky Boots and 42nd Street, is offering a 7 day trial free. After that the subscription rate is $8.99 a month. Take your front row seat and catch up on all the hit shows you’ve missed.
Image of Met Opera performance
Opera
The Metropolitan Opera stage has gone dark for a bit, but do not despair, they’re opening the doors to you digitally. A different encore performance of their most celebrated shows, from the “Live in HD”series, is being streamed for free every evening on MetOpera.org.
Image of NYC Ballet performance.
Ballet
Through May 29, NYC Ballet presents a digital stream of two ballets each week. The altered spring season schedule includes new podcast episodes and movement classes streamed for all ages. Go ahead, get in touch with your inner-ballerina on NYCBallet.org
Image of Rock Concert
Concerts
Whatever musical genre moves you at any given moment, YouTube is streaming it all. Search by artist, song, band, orchestra or event. Totally up to the individual, be careful though, once you get in it’s hard to get out.
