kestrell: (Default)
I think I have finally mastered the rotor gesture, which I can also use with my Kindle Fire tablet.

The secret is: there is no secret, you just need to do it over and over a few dozen times.

Here's how I finally came to think of it: hold your fingers about an inch apart, as if you are making the "this much" gesture. You can hold them either on the vertical or horizontal plane: for me, the best starting position is to make the "this much" gesture and then twist my hand to the left as much as as comfortable.
Note: you should get your hand into position before you touch the screen.
Once you have your fingers in this position, lightly touch the screen. Now switch the position of your fingers without moving your hand: it's a lot like a finger snap, but without having the fingers touch.

While I was practicing this, I imagined my thumb and forefinger as two dancers in an old-fashioned dance: they begin positioned opposite each other, then switch sides, passing each other without touching.

Another way I imagined this was to place my thumb lightly on the screen, and then have my forefinger move around it in an arc. Think of those old-fashioned protractors we used to get with pencil sets. Put your thumb in the center of the bottom's straight edge, then move your forefinger along the arc over it. This doesn't work as consistently as the dancers/fingersnap version, but it got me started in being able to picture the gesture in my head.

The benefit of the latter gesture is that, if you have reduced agility in your hands, you can put one finger down on the screen in that center position, and then take your other hand and make the arc around it with the forefinger.

While this was what I consider my big success for the week, the Tech Juggernaut Voiceover course is giving us *huge* amounts of information. The other big challenges for this week was learning to use Webex with Jaws (because I'm not adept enough at using my iPhone to manage all the emails and Webex links), and learning to use Google Classroom, plus its (kind of crappy). I'm also trying to figure out how to move files and recordings from Google Classroom to Google Drive. viewer for videos.

Also, yesterday afternoon I got to help beta test the new Bookshare skill for Alexa. The voice is very nice, but there is a still some functionality that needs to be added. Still, this Alexa skill is going to be really awesome when its finished.

I did take the opportunity to voice my disappointment that Maria Dahvana Headley's Beowulf is still not available on either Bookshare or NLS.
kestrell: (Default)
Kes: oh. my. Possibly the best Alexa skill ever. 99 cents plus tax and you have to tell Samuel it's okay to use adult language because "Why the f*** not."
"Alexa, introduce me to Samuel L. Jackson"
Add extra personality to your Alexa experience with Samuel L. Jackson. Just ask and Samuel can tell jokes, give you the weather, and more.

"Alexa, help me register to vote"
Are you registered to vote in the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election? Alexa can help you get started by sharing instructions on how to register online.

Ahoy! Argh you ready for Talk Like a Pirate Day?
Just say, "Alexa, tell me a pirate fun fact"

"Alexa, play Quick Question with Malcolm Gladwell"
Tune in to Quick Question to listen to New York Times best-selling author, Malcolm Gladwell, answer burning questions from other Alexa customers.
Kes: sorry, couldn't find the direct URL for this.

Kes: FYI: I just found out that Bookshare is developing an Alexa skill that will probably be released next year sometime.

To learn about Alexa's accessibility features, just ask
"Alexa, what are your accessibility features?"
or go to
https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=202158280

"Alexa, set a sixty minute study timer"
Alexa can help you reduce distractions and stay focused with easy to set timers. Find out more on the Alexa blog.
https://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=17978648011

"Alexa, tell me a joke about time"
"Alexa, play Radiolab on Amazon Music"
Now you can stream podcasts with Amazon Music. Listen on your Echo devices, and continue listening anywhere seamlessly in the Amazon Music app.
kestrell: (Default)
Kes: The pandemic occurring around the 30th anniversary of the ADA certainly is providing interesting times. It's great seeing all the free webinars on how PWD can access services and apps, but I'm still hearing some people say things like, "We don't have any disabled people using our service/program/facility."

I am always amused and gratified when sighted people make me realize that being physically blind is not that much of an impairment compared to other forms of vision impairment. Leonardo Da Vinci described it like this:

There are three classes of people: those who see, those who see when they are shown, those who do not see.

On July 26th, the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) turns 30! This landmark legislation prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in a wide range of settings, including employment, transportation, communications and access to state and local government programs and services. How has the ADA impacted your life? And what areas of disability rights do you believe most need our attention now? Take this short survey and share your story
with the Bookshare community to join the virtual celebration.
https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5709215/ADA-30th-Story-Collection

There is also still time to join the summer readathon. Learn about it here
https://www.bookshare.org/cms/campaign/summer
kestrell: (Default)
Over the past few days, I've been having using Bookshare with Firefox; specifically, I can connect to Bookshare.org with Firefox but when I try to go to "Recent books" or "New books," nothing happens.

Has anyone else been having issues like this? The issue does not occur when I use IE.
kestrell: (Default)
In honor of the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Bookshare is making a special offer to qualified U.S. citizens who are not yet Bookshare members.

Starting August 1 and running for three months, people can get a free member ship entitling them to 20 books during that period. If they opt to become paying members, the $25 setup fee will be waived.

Also be aware that you do not have to be blind or visually impaired to qualify to join Bookshare--anyone with a documentable disability or print impairment qualifies.

To read more, go to
http://www.bookshare.org/_/aboutUs/2010/07/ada20Anniversary

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