It’s Labor Day weekend, the unofficial end of summer. School is in for most of our kids across the country while many public pools are closing. Picnics and specials at the mall will draw quite the crowd now as they did for Memorial Day. Many people will be riding the bus, hopping a flight, or taking a roadie with the fam. In any case, travel continues this weekend and into the fall.

You can see a few general tips here here and here as Boldly Blind has covered travel elsewhere and featured other’s posts as well.

Still, it’s a good reminder to add to the list of tricks for the trade. So in no particular order, here’s a few more:

— Don’t wait till the last minute to apply for preboarding a plane or bus. If you schedule your trip well in advance, you will have the preboard option available to you. It’s better to latch onto that ramp agent’s arm or follow them up the ramp, stairs, or concourse where you be greeted by your driver or a flight attendant. Waiting till a couple days ahead may cause confusion, particularly if you have a guide dog. The best way we can help narrow the acceptance gap regarding our capabilities is to show we are more prepared than the next guy over and that we respect the time it may take for gate agents, skycaps, or drivers to make accommodations.

— Speaking of guide dogs, if you are traveling with one, you know the laws, so don’t mention them unless it becomes necessary and then only to a supervisor or head flight attendant. If you be natural about letting your dog lead out while you command him or her, people will see what he does and that he’s not just the run-of-the mill pet. I advise you to give the follow command instead of dropping the harness and latching onto someone’s elbow. Then the curious or confrontational alike will notice your dog working just as quickly as they notice you are blind.

— If using a cane, fold it up in the pocket on the seatback ahead of you (plane) or on the seat beside you (bus) That way, you know to grab it and won’t need someone to help you search for it at your destination. Storing it in the luggage compartment with your carry-on may result in it sliding or getting lost among other people’s baggage.

— Remind your driver (bus) or head flight attendant (plane) that you will need handicap assistance at your destination. My experience is that they will work with who they need to for that to happen. If you assume that just noting the need by a checkbox on your registration is enough, you may fall victim to your request getting lost in the suffle. Not so much if you naturally bring it up in conversation when boarding.

— Pay for your meals by plastic and your skycap tips in cash. It means a lot for the skycaps to receive that generous bit of your appreciation. It will prepare them for the next person who is blind or low-vision to tip them as well. At restaurants, it takes less time to whip out that debit or credit card than to filch through your billfold. Knowing what you want to eat and paying for it quickly will save yourself and whoever is assisting you time before heading to your gate or waiting station. Furthermore, it shows the cashiers where you get food that you recognize they have a lot of people to serve.

Perhaps, you may also have some tips of the travel, too. Share them, if not on this blog, elsewhere with friends, colleagues, and family.

Many of us are creatures of habit, especially when it comes to the operating systems we use on our computers. We get comfortable with Microsoft or another system, Mac vs. Windows, and so forth. Then when updates come along, we may wonder if our world is getting a bit more than tweaked.

That’s why I was glad for David Goldfield’s post updating me with Microsoft’s latest announcement of programs being discontinued, changed, or updated. And believe me, when you view this link, you’ll see it’s hot off the presses.

If you are teaching assistive technology or the user who loves keeping abreast with JAWS Zoomtext, and Fusion versions, you will be prepared to see what adjustments may appearing in the next ones to come. After all, screen reading developers sometimes feel as if they are a half to full step behind the latest technological advances unfolding at warp speed.

However, as closer ties between web developers and screen reading software programmers more quickly bind, the more pertinent updates like this one will help both assistive tech professionals and the average user.

As always, those advocating for better web accessibility will want to keep in touch with the accessibility and special accommodations teams at the major software development sources.

In addition, companies in both the private and government sectors of the job market will need to recognize these changes when talking with perspective blind employees. Sometimes, even some of our better computer users will not be aware of the more finite or cutting edge developments. So when being hired into a programming position, call center, or similar office environment, they will need a little give and take when communicating with managers, on-the-job trainers, and work coaches while tech. specialists from Freedom Scientific’s providers bring a terminal or whole network into 508 compliance.

Changes will always happen which contour ways we navigate inclusion as employees, management, rehabilitation personnel, and assistive technology instructors. We certainly can be thankful for the legal guidelines such as the ADA and Rehabilitation Act whose standards

are always being improved. However, articles like this one help us all at the grassroots level so we who are boldly blind can navigate life’s contours.

Who remembers when Schwan’s pretty much had a corner on the market when it came to food delivery with preordered and frozen meals? Back then, several of my blind friends used their service, especially those who lived out in the country some distance away from a supermarket . Of course, several major supermarket chains have joined the food delivery biz with specials like Walmart’s free delivery for a year of joining their service, Meijer and Kroger having occasional markdowns on delivery charges.

Now, check out Amazon’s plans. Here’s a fascinating article I received thanks to the Tech VI list moderated by David Goldfield. Perhaps not this year, but Amazon’s got big plans as they seek to open their fresh delivery services in a city bnear you. Already they are in markets including Dallas, TX.

Of course, we can immediately see the advantage for us who are blind getting our food delivered. The market is one less place we have to go if we don’t want to find handicap assistance which most stores do provide. We can avoid standing in lines and running our debit or credit card through that machine that may or may not accept our payment on the first swipe.

One of the quick ways we in the blindness community learned to adapt during the era of the COVID pandemic was online shopping along with getting Waiter On The Way or Door Dash to bring us dinner. Every blindness-related email list or Facebook group seemed to have the latest ways we could get food.

The contageon hasn’t stopped. In fact, with the shift in work patterns and the greater prevalence of working from home, online shopping has continued to grow in popularity.

I do personally enjoy the service since I myself write from home while my wife, Amy, works at an office a few miles north of where we live. It’s convenient and I can put the groceries away in the fridge, freezer, or pantry by the time Amy gets home. There are, of course, times where I do love stretching my legs, going to the grocery store and talking with the person who guides me around the store so I can shop. There’s something about inhaling the aroma of aisles full of strawberries or the smell of freshly cooked sausage at the meat counter. And for years, I’ve often taken my computer with me so as to write while sitting in the supermarket’s food court for a couple hours, giving me a change of scenery.

Needless to say, we’ve got so many options now for grocery shopping and Amazon is throwing their hat-or sack-into our kitchen.

It’s early for a Fitness Friday. But you’ve got to check out what these athletes are doing. Yes, blind tennis is real and it’s active.

The main deal, as the video explains, it that there are three divisions based on visual acuity. So with the mostly sighted get a bounce, the mid-level get two bounces, and the low-partials and totally blind get three bounces to locate the ball and hit it over the net.

For you who are sighted, check out the skill it takes to play this adapted game. And you who are blind, catch the volleys of commentary coming into your side of the court.

Yes, we who are blind can and do play tennis!

One of the misperceptions about people who are blind or low-vision is that we are not and cannot be as tech savvy as the average, everyday worker or user of social media. Of course, if someone sighted spends much time around many of us, they will see a community that has embraced the use of smartphones, web applications, and gadgets like Echo or Alexa. The question for many of us is affordability. How do we maintain that web presence or grow in our ability to navigate sites necessary for work, school, or entertainment.

The Federal Communication Commission has taken note of this dilemma that many of us face such that they have created plans to make web access more affordable. As Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has low-income options for having a roof over our heads, so the FCC has developed a program designed to reduce costs for having Cable and internet service. I paste this fascinating opportunity below. If you are blind and wondering how to afford in-home technology along with the necessities of food, rent, and medical payments, here you go. Perhaps, this program will give those who have been cautious about having email or getting involved in using social media to increase their independence through web accessibility. More people who are blind or low-vision may be encouraged to take classes at their local center for independent living designed for navigating the basics of the internet and using email.

Here’s the FCC press release:

“

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Media Contact:

Paloma Perez

Paloma.Perez@fcc.gov

For Immediate Release

MORE THAN 20 MILLION HOUSEHOLDS ENROLL IN NATION’S

LARGEST BROADBAND AFFORDABILITY PROGRAM

FCC Highlights Historic Number of Low-Income Households Enrolled in Affordable

Connectivity Program

—

WASHINGTON, August 14, 2023—Today, Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman

Jessica Rosenworcel announced more than 20 million households have enrolled in the agency’s

Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), the nation’s largest broadband affordability program.

Thanks to funding support in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, millions of

families who previously could not get online or struggled to pay for this modern-day necessity are

now connected. Eligible low-income households can receive a discount of up to $30 per month

toward internet service and up to $75 per month for eligible households on qualifying Tribal lands.

Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop,

desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if the household contributes more than

$10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price.

“For a long time, closing the digital divide focused on one part of the equation—the lack of

physical infrastructure to get online. But we know that for many people, even when there was

technically access, the cost to get online was too high. Thanks to investments from Congress, we

have new tools to tackle both challenges, including the Affordable Connectivity Program that is

helping struggling families to get or stay online to pay for this modern-day necessity,” said

Rosenworcel. “Enrolling more than 20 million eligible households is no small feat—and

wouldn’t be possible without the partnership of organizations in rural, suburban, and urban

communities across the country who are getting the word out about this powerful program. We’ve

made too much progress in helping families get online to turn back now.”

A household is eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program if:

• Their household income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, about

$60,000 a year for a family of four or $29,000 a year for an individual;

• Anyone in the household, including children or dependents, participates in certain

government assistance programs like SNAP, Medicaid, WIC, Federal Housing Assistance

or others;

• Anyone in the household participates in the National School Lunch Program or the School

Breakfast Program;

• Anyone in the household received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year;
• Anyone in the household already receives a Lifeline benefit; or
• A household may also qualify for the ACP through a participating provider’s existing low income program.In order to reach today’s enrollment milestone,
  the FCC heavily engaged local, state and federal

organizations to serve as ACP outreach and awareness-raising partners. To date, the FCC has

hosted or participated in more than 1,400 + virtual and in-person awareness and enrollment events, Unlabeled graphicand offers outreach materials in more
than 10 languages. In addition to closely collaborating with

other Federal agencies to promote program enrollment, the FCC is also conducting a nationwide

paid media public awareness campaign with the support of Congressional funding set aside for

outreach efforts. Relatedly, the FCC has committed over $72 million in grants at the state and

local level, with 228 ACP Outreach Grants issued to trusted state, local, and Tribal governments

and community partners.

Along with extensive outreach efforts, the FCC also highlighted important consumer benefits to

eligible households and outreach partners. These consumer protections included a multilingual

ACP Support Center, FCC rules to protect consumers participating in the ACP, and a dedicated

FCC process for ACP complaints should consumers run into issues with the program.

To learn more about the impact of the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program, please visit the

program’s data dashboard. Additionally, for those interested in sharing information about the

ACP with their community, you can find consumer outreach materials available at

https://www.fcc.gov/acp-consumer-outreach-toolkithttps://www.fcc.gov/acp-consumer-outreach-toolkit or

https://www.affordableconnectivity.gov/community-resources/https://www.affordableconnectivity.gov/community-resources/, including Spanish and ASL

informational videos about the program. For a full list of eligibility requirements and more

information about the ACP, visit GetInternet.gov”

See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).”

One of the greatest fears people have when losing their sight is whether they will injure themselves by falling a lot. That’s understandable as those splinters and blotches or lessening definition blurs colors around you. Sometimes, the bright sun of summer shines in through your front bay window or into your kitchen. Then glare gets in your eyes and some contrasts on your carpeting between reds and yellows or oranges make getting around a challenge.

This brief talk by one of Hadley’s Orientation and Mobility staff is for you. There’s also a link to the transcript along with the button for the audio. After all, you’re going to learn a lot of basic tips in a short few moments. Applying the suggestions for enhancing your house or apartment’s color contrasts will take some time.

Here’s the link. https://hadley.edu/workshops/o-m-basics-series/preventing-falls

In addition to the tips the podcast discusses, permit me to ad a couple more that can help both low-vision and totally blind alike.

When walking on ice outside or a longer staircase inside, keep your knees slightly bent. If you do fall, you will slide onto the ground rather than toppling head first. If your legs give out, let your hand arc toward the floor, palm down, so you can break your fall. Whether you back fall or go onto your side, the impact will cause much less injury or immediate shock as would crumbling to the ground. Such break falls are very helpful for those involved in the various martial arts when they are thrown or swept to the floor in randori or a full-out match. They also transfer to your everyday life as well. If you want better hands-on assistance learning proper ways to fall, perhaps, your center for independent living may host a self-defense or mobility safety course from time to time.

For more help with ways of creating color contrasts and other adaptations in your home, check out Dr. Maureen Duffy’s book, Making Life More Livable.

Thanks to reading about this over on David Goldfield’s blog, I’ve got an app we all will want to get!

Alexa and Google Assistant have proven very helpful for us who are blind or low-vision. Now they’re going to be combined in one device or app. Check this out for yourself.

Access both Alexa and Google Assistant on the same device. First of its kind.

It hit me as I ordered and took my seat at Mocha Lounge for working remote today. These folks here really know my routine; they’re getting to know me. I say that as an encouragement for those friends of mine who are to some degree blind like me.

Sometimes, getting used to a new setting-restaurant, bank, store, workspace-may start out slow. There may be those rocky spots where it feels like servers or counter workers, aren’t sure how to address you. Sometimes, the customer assistance personnel don’t seem so accommodating right off the bat. But give it time. The more we frequent places in public the more folks will see us as part of the ebb and flow of the crowd.They will see our capabilities as well as those areas where we may need their assistance.

The same is true for folks who are blind or low-vision attending church. It’s not time to just walk out the door because folks don’t accommodate you right on day one. Or, if the quicky welcome wears off and you may feel suddenly like folks are just getting back to their normal ebb and flow of worship without initiating so many conversations with you, let it ride and keep coming. Pretty soon, you can just join in the Bible class and coffee hour conversations, sing the hymns and follow the liturgy just like anyone else without saying so much about your blindness. Making those ad hoc accommodations will become easier both on your part and on those who see you there regularly.

Narrowing that acceptance gap will come not by legalities and regulations as much as it will one person at a time at the grassroots, gut level of stepping up and showing up, getting into life’s flow and navigating life’s contours with eager joy.

This year’s 2023 World Cup in goalball is certainly proving how tough the competition is this year. Only the winner for the men’s and othe winner from the women’s divisions will qualify for the 2024 Paris ParaOlympic Games.

So far, the U.S. Men are in a position where winning out is a must to finish no. 1. After dropping their first two games, they have come back on day 3 and 4 with more impressive performances. As I write, the USA women have their hands full with a very good Canadian team.

You can watch the games here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWo8jPUt9Nc

(This story comes from a recent post on The Arc of NE Indiana/Easter Seals’ blog. We who are blind gain encouragement from reading how others go to school and navigate the scope of education. It’s also a sneak peak for parents who want to learn more and anyone who is disability curious.

Growing Up Blind: My Experience in School

I can certainly relate to much of what is said here having gone through both the blind school scene and much of my high school career prior to the ADA’s passage. Of course, big, braille books may still be in vogue for some students along with the apps, advanced screen reading technology, and new ways of learning mobility. Still the coping stories many tell have the same plot lines, interactions though the names have changed over the years, and embodied determination in each student.