Like everything else it does, Amazon’s commitment to accessibility is big! Join us for a complete run-down on all features and services that make their products friendlier for people with vision loss.
Please RSVP for this as seating is limited.
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Living with vision loss does not mean giving up the enjoyment of movies, museums, theater, or TV.There has never been a better time for access and inclusion in art and entertainment, for everyone. You just need to know it’s there for the asking.
It’s all been covered on the pages of OE Patients and we think it’s well worth repeating.Take advantage of these opportunities to elevate your accessibility awareness, and then pass the information along to a friend.
Close up portrait of woman smiling while wearing headphones.
Movies
All movie theaters, in the U.S., now make audio descriptive devices readily available to everyone. The descriptive track, embedded into all widely released movies, automatically syncs with the film and describes the details you may have otherwise missed. The descriptive narration is slipped into the quiet places of the film, so it does not interfere with the soundtrack.
Times Square’s animated colorful LED lights and Broadway theaters in New York City.
Theater
You can count on Broadway for audio description as well. Descriptive devices are available, for the asking, at every live performance beginning 4 weeks from opening night. Borrow a device in the theater’s lobby kiosk, or use the GalaPro app on your own mobile phone. And when purchasing theater tickets, don’t forget to ask about access seating closer to the stage. Staff is always on hand to help you get set to fully enjoy the show. These accommodations may also be available at a theater, off-Broadway, and near you, so go ahead and ask!
Visitors In Botticelli Hall Of Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy.
Museums
Art is more accessible than ever. More often than not, museums offer programs that include touch tours, verbal imaging tours, and audio description, available by appointment, or just for the asking.Explore the opportunities and you’ll discover there are many ways to ‘see’ art.
Woman using tablet to help navigate settings on TV.
Television
Viewing and navigating a TV is definitely a challenge with vision loss. Thanks to the 21st Century Communications & Video Accessibility Act, your cable provider must offer a voice-enabled TV guide. This too is available for the asking and at no extra cost. Today many cable providers are adding features, like channel selection, that can be controlled by voice.
A visit to any doctor’s office can include some degree of difficulty for people with uncorrectable vision loss. The same challenges can even exist in the office of the ophthalmologist.Good patient care is not just measured by the exam and treatment, it is also measured by the patient experience.
Follow these guidelines to establish policies and procedures that help create an accessible office environment that is better for everyone.
Make Sure Signage is Easy to Read
Signs throughout the office should be in large print, using legible, highly contrasted easy to read font styles. Never use print on a patterned background, or gold letters on a beige wall. Positioning signs close to eye level makes them easier for everyone to see.
Utilize Color Contrast
Use contrast in the office design. Paint doors or frames a color that stands out from walls. Use dark seating against a light carpet color. Steps should always have contrasted edges and handrails. Avoid glass doors and walls entirely, they are hazardous to people with low vision and also those with dilated eyes.
Use Good Verbal Communication
Always address patients directly by name, as they may not be able to see that you are speaking to them, or make eye contact. When you greet a patient, identify yourself by name, don’t assume they will recognize you or know your voice. Generally, it is not necessary to speak loudly to people with vision loss, unless you know their hearing is also impaired.
Ask the patient if they need your assistance. Don’t make assumptions about their abilities or their needs.
Don’t point or say, “over there,” when giving directions. Orient to the person’s direction by saying, “Walk to the end of this hall and turn left, the exit is the first door on your right.”
Provide Accessible Information
Obviously, it is incorrect to assume all patients are able to complete paper forms. If your office is still using clipboards to collect information, there should be alternatives offered. Better options for everyone include online forms or having a staff member directly input all necessary information, provided by phone, pre-appointment.
Make sure written communications are accessible. Any printed or digital information given to patients should use text at least 18 pt., or larger and bolder when possible. Always use a clean, easy reading, sans-serif font style like: Arial, Helvetica, or Verdana. Be sure the content on copied documents is clearly legible.
For many patients, particularly those who cannot easily read print, digital documents are the best alternative, as they can be adjusted to the reading preference of each individual.
Remember, small changes can make a big difference in the way patients feel when they visit your office.
If your memory isn’t quite what it used to be, or you just have too many things on your mind, it’s time to get a little help from your technology. “Reminders” are the new age To Do list, and they’re available wherever you access your digital assistant. This is a great way to keep track of everything you want to recall, like errands, appointments, shopping lists, and projects you’re working on.
Telling your mobile phone or smart speaker to schedule a reminder, sounds like an accessibility feature tailor-made for people with vision loss, but the fact is, regardless of age or acuity, reminders are good for everyone!
Of course, you can set reminders the old-fashioned way, by tapping and typing, but we totally prefer talking. Here, for example, is what you can do on an Apple iOS device.
On iPhone, iPad, iPod touch
To call upon Siri, be sure Settings are turned on for: “Hey Siri” and “Voice Feedback” always.
To create a list:
Say: Create a new list called Shopping.
Say: Add milk to my Shopping list.
Say: Add eggs to my Shopping list.
Say: Delete milk from my Shopping list.
Say: What is on my Shopping list?
To schedule a reminder:
Say: Remind me to call Jack tomorrow.
Say: Remind me to email Jill about the meeting.
Say: Remind me to stop at the dry cleaner on my way home.
Say: Remind me on Monday that I have a dentist appointment on Tuesday at 8 am.
Say: Delete reminder to call Jack.
Say: Do I have any reminders for today?
It is relatively easy to use these voice commands, and enormously satisfying to get such cooperation from your assistant. Do your best to keep lists and reminders organized and under control. To get started, sit down with your iOS device and begin trying the voice commands listed above.
Should you want or need more detail, and don’t mind using the keyboard, here are more options for creating Reminders from Apple.
Reminders can also be set for Google Home and Amazon Alexa speakers. For guidance on that and for Accessibility Support on iOS, the best way to get yourself properly set up is by calling for expert assistance at the phone numbers below.
A new year is a good opportunity to think about how you can make life a little easier and live better with vision loss.
It really comes down to how you manage the things that matter. We never advise making lots of changes at once, but even selecting just one or two things you can improve over the course of a year, can have lasting impact on the quality of your life.
While we are indeed talking about ways to live better with vision loss, the changes suggested are not specific to vision impairment. The fact is…everybody’s doing these things, it’s all about inclusivity!
Man paying bills online with smartphone.
Better Banking and Bill Paying
This is a change with many big, long term benefits. There is nothing extraordinary about banking and paying bills online, it is the new norm. So take the stress out of monthly check writing, checkbook balancing and envelope mailing. Going paperless is not only good for you, it’s good for the environment.
If you think this is a daunting task, take it one step at a time. The online set up is relatively uncomplicated, as long as you have your account numbers. An even easier way to get set up is to go into your bank and they will arrange it all for you. Bring in the bills you will be paying online, and your bank will set those up as well. Take advantage of the services the bank provides, it can lessen the angst.
Most companies also accept electronic bill paying by phone, which is a handy and efficient alternative for those who are not interested in banking online. The setup requires a checking or credit card account, and can be set up directly or with the help of customer service.
Here is something we can all practice, today and every day, to positively impact the long-term health of our eyes. It is particularly encouraging to note, the addition of several foods to your regular diet has shown to slow the progression of disease, or ward it off entirely.
Make sure you’re getting plenty of:
Leafy Greens like spinach, kale, collard greens, etc.
Whole Citrus Fruit has healing properties, add an orange a day (sorry juice doesn’t count)
Oily Fish including salmon, trout, tuna, mackerel, herring, and sardines are good for your eyes, your brain and your heart
Olive Oil can be used in abundance, so go ahead and dip your bread, dress your salad, and scramble your egg in it
iPad screen showing very large text.
Read Better
Reading is something that must be addressed actively with aging and with progressing degenerative eye disease. Both require a willingness to change. The goal is, always, continued access to print, and that may at some point become audible not visual.
Enlarge the text for newspapers and books on a tablet or eReader
It’s a good idea to find yourself a friend in IT and get some help exploring all the possibilities your computer has to offer. An adjustment to text size, screen magnification, brightness, color or contrast, can make a night and day difference to your screen reading, and keep you working productively.
Whether it’s Google, Alexa, or Siri, on mobile or in a speaker, your digital assistant is ready and willing to help with many tasks. Choose one and get to know it this year. Although they are not created equal, they all have similar, basic abilities in common, so go ahead and ask:
Check the time, weather, calendar, dictionary
Play music by song, artist, album, genre
Ask a question about sports, history, entertainment or trivia
Make a phone call
Set a timer, alarm, or reminder
Keep in mind, small frequent adjustments are key to changing a habit. If you want it, and commit to it, you will succeed. The gain is always greater than the pain.
Stick with us, we see a year ahead brimming with possibility!
This year, we were thrilled to hold our “Accessibility Resources for People With Visual Impairments” series at Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital in NYC, supported by the Association for Macular Diseases.
Events were lively, fun and full of laughter and discussion, covering an abundance of exciting topics, from smart speakers to electronic glasses to the latest and best in accessibility apps. Our audiences spoke up and exchanged thought-provoking opinions on favorites, preferences, and future developments in accessibility.
If you missed any of our events, not to worry! We return in Spring 2019. Meanwhile, explore the best of this year’s event recaps and accessibility resources below.
Spring/Summer 2018
Google Home smart speaker in gray/white colors.
Smart Speakers
Alexa, Google, and Siri are the virtual assistants that make life easier for everyone, especially people with vision loss.
Make the iPhone easier on your eyes using VoiceOver & Speak Screen for text to speech, Dictation to replace typing for speech text, and Siri for voice commands.
Explore the options available for audible TV guides and menus, audio describing programming, and the use of voice commands from cable providers and streaming services.
Black headphones against a bright yellow background.
Audio Description
Now available on-demand for Broadway shows, museum tours, at the movies, on TV and much more. Explore how this visual voice fills in the missing detail, vividly.
Take a closer look at wearable assistive devices, including IrisVision, OrCam, Jordy, eSight, Acesight and Aira, designed to help you see, read, work and navigate with vision loss.
OE Patients Features Assistive Technology At Empowering Event For People With Vision Loss
In October 2018, we held an accessibility event featuring smart wearables for people with vision loss. Read about featured electronic glasses, the importance of persistence as a mindset, and the idea of finding a solution that fits your personal needs.
Graphic of OE Patients website displayed on desktop and iPhone.
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On October 18, 2018, OE Patients held an accessibility event featuring smart wearables for people with vision loss, hosted jointly with Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital in New York City.
Representatives for major assistive technology brands spoke about and demonstrated their electronic glasses, such as OrCam, IrisVision, Jordy by EnhancedVision, and Acesight by Zoomax.
eSight and the service Aira were also described by Dorrie Rush, the moderator of the event, and the Chief Content Officer at OEPatients.org.
After product introductions, the speakers engaged in a lively Q&A with the attendees, the majority of whom were living with vision loss due to a range of eye conditions, including age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa. Pricing, features, and different uses for the electronic glasses were explored.
In the second half of the event, the attendees toured the room, to try the different wearables for themselves.
The Progress of Assistive Technology
The featured products at the event were smart wearables that helped with maximizing one’s remaining vision, to different degrees. Ideal uses ranged, depending on the product.
For example, certain electronic glasses such as IrisVision or Jordy, were more appropriate for specific, stationary activities such as watching TV or reading. Other options like the Acesight offered a wider range of mobility, with additional features like adjustable contrast or colors.
The OrCam My Reader and My Eye products, however, rather than enhancing one’s vision, used smart cameras to convey visual information from the world to the user. (For an overview of all the featured electronic glasses, read our event recap.)
If there was one thing everyone in the room agreed upon, however, it was that across the board, assistive and accessible technologies have flourished over the past decade.
Vishnu Hoff, an education coordinator at the Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital, has worked in ophthalmology for over 20 years and witnessed firsthand the evolution of technology for people with visual impairments.
“Seeing technology finally being to offer some relief from the difficulties of vision loss is fantastic,” he said. “Ten years ago, I could probably rattle off 4 or 5 technologies available and now, there’s that many coming out a month.”
Finding the Right Solution
OE Patients believes that every person with visual impairments lives a personal, very individual visual experience due to the unique progression of his or her eye condition.
Throughout the event, speakers and attendees alike echoed this sentiment, observing that it was vitally important to experiment with different solutions to see what worked.
Darius Pietrocola, an assistive technology trainer, liked that the demonstrations at the event helped attendees experience the wearables for themselves. He noted, “One size doesn’t fit all. You really, really have to see what works.”
The Importance of Persistence
When it comes to successfully finding the right solution, an attitude of persistence and perseverance is key — another tenet of the OE Patients philosophy.
Steven Hansen, from Eye Assist, described the Jordy users he personally knew. They ranged widely from little third-graders to even a 101-year old gentleman in the Bronx.
He pointed out the one thing he felt helped with one’s adoption of assistive or accessible technology across all ages — mindset. “You have to be optimistic,” Steven said. “You have to be good with technology. Anyone can pick up on it. It’s a learning curve, but you eventually can do it.”
The motivated energy in the room seemed to prove this point.
Judith Eisner, an attendee living with retinitis pigmentosa, expressed her eagerness for any chance to learn new technologies. Her newest project was mastering VoiceOver. She was also a big fan of Microsoft’s Seeing AI app. At the event, she was curious about electronic glasses as a potential solution.
“Necessity is the mother of invention,” Judith said. “When you need it, you try to do it.” She paused and then continued, as her friend next to her nodded, “Part of me would like to stay in my apartment all day long and keep listening to my books, but that’s not a healthy way to live. I have to keep making adjustments.”
Opening Up Direct Dialogue for Audiences
The uniqueness of the event’s format and environment was not lost on the representatives of the assistive technology brands.
David Bradburn, the CEO of Zoomax who debuted his company’s new electronic glasses, Acesight, earlier this year, spoke about the valuable opportunity to develop a dialogue with a motivated audiences.
“I wish every eye hospital would do the same thing,” he said. “Usually, we’re in a conference or at an exhibition, and people come to our booth and ask us questions in isolation, and they might forget what they’ve seen or heard.”
Innovative education for audiences living with vision loss was exactly what Joan Daly, board member of OE Patients and member of the Association for Macular Diseases, had in mind.
A year ago, Joan and Dorrie helped to launch the joint accessibility resources series with Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital. “What we really wanted to do was to reach out to people and create awareness,” Joan said. “There are specific things that people need assistance with and all of this technology to use the vision they’ve got.”
So far, OE Patients’ Accessibility Resources series has spotlighted the most popular topics from the website, including accessibility tips for key Apple products, like the iPhone, iPad and the Kindle, smart speakers, audio description, and more.
About the Accessibility Resources Series
The “Accessibility Resources for People with Visual Impairments” series explores the latest tips, advice and news for living well with vision loss.
Dorrie Rush, Chief Content Officer at OEPatients.org, is the moderator and a key speaker for the series, which is hosted at Manhattan Eye Ear and Throat Hospital, and presented by the Association for Macular Diseases.
Now that the technology is universal, the awareness should be as well. In the following article, accessibility expert Dorrie Rush shows how inclusive technology has been a game-changer for people with vision loss. Original version published in the September 2018 issue of Retina Specialist Magazine.
Imagine what it is like to be shut out of a major event, then suddenly the doors open. The opportunity to be like everyone else, in this respect, is life changing.
For people with vision loss, the ability to perform daily functions had been limited by their access to bulky overhead readers and thick magnifiers, but those days are over. Thanks to the evolution of technology, the doors are opening for these individuals. They can now perform visual tasks inconspicuously.
This technology evolution has been happening for more than a decade, driven by inclusive design, universal access and the needs of an aging demographic. So now that the technology is universal, the awareness should be as well.
Here is a brief overview to bring the retina specialist up to speed on where we are and how we got here.
Apple Accessibility
In 2008, the fully accessible iPhone 3s came to market.
This was the first smartphone designed to accommodate the entire spectrum of vision loss. The accessibility settings on the iPhone included large text, zoom, invert colors and VoiceOver, a full-function screen reader. It was a pivotal moment: a popular consumer product, with built-in accessibility ready to go right out of the box at no extra cost.
Hand holding iPhone
As the mobile operating system developed, the visual accessibility tools developed with it. In many ways the regular features that evolved in the iPhone were a boon to people who are visually impaired. Dictation allows everyone to avoid typing on the keyboard by turning speech to text. Siri was our first experience with a digital assistant driven by artificial intelligence, which initiated an era unto itself.
In 2018, the iPhone is the most common denominator among people with vision loss. Although all smartphones now come off the shelf with accessibility requirements, Apple’s attention to inclusive design, technical and customer support is unparalleled.
Extra apps can add even more function.
Convert the camera to a high-definition magnifier, document scanner, product identifier or sign reader. Get walking directions from the digital assistant using Maps, find the right way with Compass, have the newspaper read aloud or dictate a shopping list into reminders. There is a flashlight always on hand, a book reader, transit tracker, banking, contacts and much more. Think of it as 100 low-vision devices in one.
The iPad, iPod Touch, Apple Watch, Apple TV and the Mac also come with the same standard functions for visual and non-visual access.
Microsoft
Microsoft is also committed to accessibility more than ever.
The Windows operating system has vastly improved its built-in accessibility options for people with visual impairments. The adjustments users need to make in terms of magnification, contrast and speech can be accomplished with a little help from their IT department.
For low-vision users, this largely eliminates what once was an inevitably awkward conversation with an employer requesting complicated, expensive and often unsupported assistive software. Requiring some adjustments at work to personalize visual settings is not at all unusual today.
Workspace with bright, open windows
Recently, Microsoft made another move to progress mobile accessibility, but not for its own product. The company built two groundbreaking apps for the iPhone and put them on the Apple App Store for free.
They are:
Seeing AI, accessed more than 1 million times in its first six months, offers multiple channels that identify short text, documents, people, products, handwriting and more. Some of the features are in development and keep improving. For low-vision users, the short text feature is a dream come true; just point the phone at text and it instantly starts reading.
Soundscape is billed as a “map with 3D sound.” This technology incorporates GPS to give visually impaired and blind users enhanced information about their surroundings. It’s a bit like strolling along with a friend who is telling you about your environment and calling out streets and intersections on your rout.
Accessibility Support
Apple continued to remove barriers by implementing a phone support line dedicated to accessibility, further empowering customers with visual, hearing, motor and learning impairments. It soon went from a limited number of hours each day to 24/7.
In relatively short order, Microsoft launched the Disability Answer Desk. Verizon Wireless and Comcast opened their own accessibility support centers. Amazon’s technical support specialists are well versed in accessibility. Google is reportedly preparing to roll out its own accessibility support phone service soon.
CVAA Pushes the Envelope
It would only be fair to call out the influence of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, signed in 2010 to update federal laws to require advanced communications products and services, including digital, broadband and mobile technologies, be accessible to people with disabilities.
The requirements, which were phased in over a period of years, address the accessibility of mobile browsers, descriptive video, on-screen menus and TV program guides.
Although the rules of the CVAA were neither strict nor specific, the technology makers of note seem to have stepped up and continue to deliver.
Amazon
Not always the bastion of accessibility, Amazon is undeniably the most improved in this category. All Kindle e-readers and Fire tablets offer an array of options to adjust text and display settings, or to use VoiceView, the screen reader for non-visual access. Magnification is available in the tablets, as is Alexa, the digital assistant.
Smart Speakers and Digital Assistants
The advent of artificial intelligence is driving interactivity into an entirely new realm.
No reading or typing required, just talking. Digital assistants in smartphones have quickly gained traction, particularly for people living with vision loss. Just ask for the news, weather, audiobooks, podcasts, time and timers. Or you can play games, order an Uber, calculate math or ask an endless number of interesting questions.
Perhaps Amazon’s greatest contribution to accessibility is the Echo speaker with Alexa.
Amazon Echo speaker
Smart speakers are already being adopted at a rate faster than smartphones, and they are accessible to everyone who has a voice. For the moment, the smart speaker business is dominated by Amazon, with Google Home and Apple’s Home Pod and others vying for a bigger piece of the action. Amazon, Google and Apple all have phone support available to help in the setup and use of their smart speakers.
Android
Phones and tablets with Android operating systems can be counted on for advanced visual accessibility, although not universally as well supported or user friendly as Apple’s offerings.
Recently Google announced an accessibility app in development for Android called Lookout. It’s designed to provide auditory cues about your surroundings and to read text. It will be available by year’s end on Google Play.
Accessible TV and Movies
The CVAA now requires cable television providers to supply voice-enabled on-screen menus and television guides to visually impaired customers. This accommodation can be achieved in a number of ways, including the use of apps and smart speakers.
Comcast offers the most comprehensive services. They include talking menus, voice search and a dedicated accessibility support center. Descriptive audio is also now available for moviegoers who are unable to clearly see the big picture. An embedded track is woven into the quiet spaces, describing the visual details of the film that might otherwise be missed.
Theaters are now required to have listening devices available upon request. Descriptive audio can also be accessed on mobile devices and smart TVs with a selection in settings.
While technology to aid the visually impaired has come far in the past few years, this is just the beginning. There is much more to come. Stay tuned and be aware.
On September 20, we were joined by speakers from Broadway, Cooper Hewitt, The Met and MoMA to discuss accessibility and the arts.
Technology is certainly playing an important role in making both performing and visual arts an inclusive, enjoyable experience for everyone. The great news is, to benefit from these audio descriptive technologies, all you have to do is show up.
While the information reviewed here pertains to New York City, the attention to access and the use of audio description is being embraced on a global scale. So if you don’t get to NYC much, go ahead and do some exploring of your local theaters and museums.
Speakers at the OE Patients accessibility session, from left to right: Francesca Rosenberg of MoMA, Ruth Starr of Cooper Hewitt, Dorrie Rush of OE, Christine Vanech of The Met Museum, and Kyle Wright of The Shubert Organization.
Audio Description on Broadway
The Broadway League’s accessibility initiative provides audio description and closed captioning on-demand for all shows (4 weeks from opening). Devices are available for borrowing from a kiosk in the theater’s lobby, or use your own mobile device with the Galapro app (download it before arriving at the theater and the kiosk staff can help you get started).
The app also does language translation and is available on the App Store and on Google Play. The technologies sync the assistive tracks seamlessly with the live performance, so you can relax and enjoy the show!
Verbal Description + Sensory Tours at Cooper Hewitt. Dynamic verbal description tours of exhibitions are offered the first Friday of every month at 1:30 p.m. Join a Cooper Hewitt educator, curator, or staff member in conversation and explore a selection of objects through detailed verbal description and touch. No registration required.
The Senses: Design Beyond Vision is on view now until October 28th. This exhibition explores how multi-sensory design amplifies everyone’s ability to receive information, explore the world, satisfy essential needs and experience joy and wonder.
Cooper Hewitt cares about inclusive design. Every video shown is audio-described and they are working on an app (available at the museum) to translate text labels to speech and make exhibition guides accessible.
Seeing Through Drawing workshops enable the artist in you to create your own work with the inspiration of the museum’s collection, verbal imaging, experimentation with techniques and materials.
Touch Tours are a very special experience, particularly at MoMA where you’ll get to touch a work of art by Picasso, Matisse or Rodin. Art InSight tours are scheduled monthly, offering exploration of the museum’s entire collection through vivid, detailed descriptions. Both tours are also offered by request.
Accessible audio guides with verbal description are available on the MoMA app and on MoMA.org. The museum will soon make audio description available for its movie screenings.
The upcoming first museum solo for Park McArthur, runs from October 27–December 16, 2018 at MoMA, examines questions of structural accessibility, and is accompanied by an audio guide and a large print illustrated brochure.
Address and Contact
MoMA
11 West 53 Street, between Fifth and Sixth Aves. in NYC
Web: MoMA.org
Phone: 212-408-6347
Email: [email protected]
Audio description and descriptive video service are increasingly available for movies, theater and TV. Learn more about how AD helps you see the details.
A project by American Council of the Blind (ACB), this resource provides audio-described program listings for U.S. museums and parks, TV, movies, streaming services and more.
Perhaps you’ve noticed the increasing availability of audio description (AD) and descriptive video service (DVS) for movies, theater and TV. This is one of the ways digital technology is boosting accessibility for viewers with vision loss. The visual voice describes the images and fills in the details we might have otherwise missed. It is the great equalizer.
Young woman outdoors with headphones on autumn day
Audio description is a narrative guide subtly slipped into the quiet spaces of the program, its purpose to keep the viewer fully informed. AD is something of an art itself, delivered by trained, skilled professionals, with typically high-quality results.
Access to the visual content through concise descriptions changes the experience completely. The things you cannot see become known: a facial expression, a subtle gesture, a funny quirk.
Audio Description for Movies, Theater and TV
The descriptive track is now embedded into most widely-released movies in the US.
To access the tracks on mobile devices or computers, it’s as easy as turning on Audio Description in the device setting. For example on an iPad, AD is turned on in the Accessibility settings under “Media”. More movie theaters are providing AD listening devices for any guest wishing to use them, and there is theater personnel on hand to assist.
Getting access to AD on a traditional television is a bit more complicated, and dependent on the TV, the cable provider, and even the region. For TV, our best advice is, settle in for a long call with technical support, it will prove worth your while.
Although it is lovely to have a live, professional audio describer at your service, it is not nearly as efficient as digital technology. There is a tremendous freedom involved in knowing an audio track is readily available for Broadway shows, museums and movies. Even better when the technology is accessed from your own personal device.
Broadway has the Galapro app for iOS and Android, which syncs the audio description instantly to the live performance.
There is an app for movies called Actiview, also designed to sync automatically and getting excellent reviews on the App Store. Rest assured, we will be seeing a great deal more development in apps of this nature for all arts and entertainment.
The Audio Description Project: A Comprehensive Resource
The progress we get to enjoy today is the result of inclusive technologies aligning with advocacy efforts years in the making. One of the organizations that stepped into a leadership role in AD is the American Council of the Blind (ACB).
The Audio Description Project (ADP) “is designed to promote and advocate for the use of high-quality audio description in television, movies, performing arts, museums and educational materials,” Joel Snyder, PH.D, the project’s director told us in an email. He added, ADP’s goals “are to build awareness of audio description among the general public as well as its principal users, people who are blind or have low vision.”
Started a decade ago, the scope of the project’s work include a Biennial ADP Conference, outreach and education, training courses and mentoring programs for professionals. And, we were pleased to learn there are even ADP Awards. The ADP website provides a comprehensive reference and resource for all things AD.
Audio Described Program Listings are published for:
AD Service Providers
International
Museums and Parks
Performing Arts
TV
DVDs
Movies
Streaming Services
The ADP website is intensive, so take some time to browse. There is a Master List with over 2,000 entries.
If you’re wondering about a specific program, go straight to the website’s search field.
And should you have a question or need assistance, click on the link to “Contact Webmaster” on the bottom of every page; his name is Fred Brack and we found him very responsive and extremely helpful.
Our popular series on Accessibility Resources for People With Visual Impairments continues this fall at Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital in NYC. There is an abundance of great topics to cover and we’re pleased to present 3 new sessions, all hot topics on OEPatients.org. Join us for a conversation about the expanding availability of audio descriptive technology, a review of the latest electronic glasses, and an update on the best in accessibility apps.
Please RSVP below for these events as seating is limited.
September 20, 2018, 3 to 4 pm
Audio Description
Now available on-demand for Broadway shows, museum tours, at the movies, on TV and much more. We’ll talk about how this visual voice fills in the missing detail, vividly.
[easy_media_download url=”https://oepatientsbu.xyz/2025/event-recap-audio-description/” target=”_blank” class=”directpdf” text=”READ THE RECAP”]
October 18, 2018, 3 to 5 pm
Electronic Glasses
Let’s take a closer look at wearable assistive devices, including IrisVision, OrCam, Jordy, eSight, and Aira, designed to help you see, read, work and navigate with vision loss.
[easy_media_download url=”https://oepatientsbu.xyz/2025/event-recap-electronic-glasses/” target=”_blank” class=”directpdf” text=”READ THE RECAP”]
November 15, 2018, 3 to 4 pm
App Happy
The apps we love continue to improve and empower us to function better every day. We’ll tell you what’s new in our favorite apps and what’s coming up. And you’ll tell us what apps are changing your life!
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The actor enters stage left to thunderous applause. You are not sure who this is, perhaps your loving companion will intuitively whisper the name in your ear, or maybe you’ll recognize the actor’s voice. The theater burst into an uproarious laugh, but you have no idea what was so funny? Even access seating in the first few rows may not be close enough to see the subtle gestures and facial expression. You wish there was a voice in your ear, a narrative track that keeps you in the loop.
Wish granted. That’s right, as of June 1, 2018, Broadway has taken a giant step forward in making live theater more accessible for people with vision and hearing loss. The new inclusivity measures offer audio description and closed captioning at every performance, beginning four weeks from any production’s opening night.
How did they do it? Technology, of course. There are two options available for accessing audio descriptions. One is a simple listening device borrowed from the theater, the other is an app, accessible by smartphone.
An empty theater stage lit with dramatic lights.
Customers can pick up an infrared listening device, at the accessibility kiosk in the theater’s lobby. A state issued ID or passport must be left in exchange for the borrowed device.
The GalaPro app features audio description and closed captioning. It syncs with the show for a real-time accurate experience. The app can be downloaded and set in the theater. Staff at the accessibility kiosk will help you set it up and get started. Airplane mode assures your phone will be quiet during the performance as it runs on private wifi. The app also extends inclusivity to international visitors with a language translation feature.
Broadway has been offering accommodations to its patrons for many decades, on a smaller scale. The current and very ambitious initiative, by The Broadway League, significantly advances the industry’s commitment to creating an inclusive theater experience that potentially impacts more than 20 million adults affected by vision loss, and nearly 50 million Americans experiencing some degree of hearing loss.
Broadway wants to be seen and heard by everyone, so go ahead and give this new technology a try.It might just give you back something you thought was lost.
Here’s a link to Playbill’s video showing Broadway’s new accessible technology.
