The Canadian Council of the Blind Podcast
The Canadian Council of the Blind Podcast is produced by CCB Program staff. It shares information, updates, and conversations relevant to Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Episodes focus on advocacy, accessibility, community programs, and resources from the Canadian Council of the Blind.
Episodes
156. CCB-GTT APPS and TAPS LECTURE #2
An iPhone is designed to be useful for any person. To turn that into being the most useful as possible for you requires an understanding of settings. In this Apps and Taps session, we’ll dive deep into the available settings. We’ll talk about how the settings are organized and also about what choices you can make to configure your iPhone. This won’t be an exhaustive tour, so be sure to explore the
155. CCB-GTT APPS and TAPS LECTURE
The Apps and Taps lecture series is designed for people who want to continue learning about how to make the most of their iPhones while totally blind. While it doesn’t require people to have participated in the Unseen Touchscreen course, it assumes that participants have a basic working knowledge of how to use VoiceOver and the iOS operating system. Lectures of the Unseen Touchscreen course remain
154. CCB-GTT Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 40
During this course, we have discussed what your iPhone can do for you as a totally blind user. We have also discussed how to use your iPhone effectively, the many available accessible apps, and the many features built into your iPhone. Owning an iPhone is as consequential to one’s life as owning a car or house. In this final lecture, Michael Feir will discuss how to live well as owners of these po
153. CCB-GTT Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 39
In this lecture, the focus will be on the personal economics of owning an iPhone. Having a device which can do so much means that you’re likely to save money which you might have needed to spend on other devices. You can also tap into markets of digital goods such as apps, books, and streaming services, among many others. There are unavoidable costs such as the price of the iPhone, accessories and
152. CCB-GTT Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 38
The online world offers blind people many extraordinary benefits. However, owning an iPhone also exposes us to all of the spam calls, scams, fake emails, identity theft attempts, and other malicious activity. In this lecture, I will share what wisdom I’ve gained in avoiding becoming a victim of such activities while still participating in online life. We will also cover how your iPhone can protect
151. CCB-GTT Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 37
We have come a long way in the Unseen Touchscreen course. The focus of this month’s lecture is on using your iPhone to help you navigate and go places in the real world. There is a wide variety of apps which can help you do this. They typically use the GPS receiver in your iPhone combined with constantly updated map information. Some apps are built for absolutely everyone and made accessible to Vo
150. CCB-GTT Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 36
Your iPhone and the right apps can let you participate in social media from wherever you might be. In this lecture, we’ll talk about the dangers and benefits which participating in social media can entail. Rather than attempt to familiarize you with the various apps, we’ll focus more on common elements and the VoiceOver skills you’ll need to get the most out of whatever platform you might choose t
149. CCB-GTT Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 35
Your iPhone makes a very accessible gateway to all sorts of entertainment, including various streaming services. In this session, we’ll talk about some popular ones like Netflix, Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video. We’ll also discuss what makes YouTube and Twitch somewhat different from other platforms. How to explore content and how to activate described audio on the various services will be covered
148. CCB-GTT Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 33
In this session, we’ll cover some of the new features and changes that Apple has introduced in iOS 26. Besides less impactful changes for blind users like liquid glass, there are a bunch of new accessibility features. These include Braille Access mode, updates to VoiceOver, changes to numerous apps, and more. While this won’t be an exhaustive exploration of each feature, the hope is to make people
147. CCB-GTT Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 32
In part two of our discussion about productivity apps on iPhones, we take a whirlwind tour of possibilities. A wide range of apps to help with everything from task management, cooking recipes, scheduling events, recording music, and many more activities will be briefly covered. While I’ll offer some explanations of how to use various apps, the main goal is to make people more aware of the possibil
146. CCB-GTT Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 31
Your iPhone can help you get things done and be productive. In the first part of our look at productivity related apps and capabilities, we’ll get an overview of this. A good grasp of aspects of VoiceOver is vital. We’ll explore those aspects and also take a deeper dive into apps related to writing and office work.
145. CCB-GTT Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 30
One of the most powerful ways an iPhone has changed my life is through making books accessible and portable. This month’s lecture is all about how to acquire and read eBooks and audiobooks using your iPhone. Accessible digital libraries, small publishers, and large outlets such as Apple and Amazon make books available in digital form. Apps on your iPhone like Kindle, Audible, Voice Dream Reader, a
144. CCB-GTT Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 29
Your iPhone is a great device for listening to podcasts and internet radio. There are thousands of radio stations which broadcast over the internet. Many of them are run by people who are blind. Besides great shows to listen to, you can interact and be a part of a community by using social media and email. Podcasts are another area where blind people have gotten involved. There are podcasts about
143. CCB-GTT Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 28
In our modern lives, mental and physical health is an increasing concern. Using apps and sensors on our iPhone and in accessories we can connect it to, there are many ways in which your iPhone can assist you. iPhones can count the steps we take as we carry them with us. Workout apps can offer training and encouragement to keep ourselves fit. They can give us an outlet to journal our thoughts. Rece
142. CCB-GTT Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 27
The first lecture on accessible games focussed on good games for beginners and exploring different types of games. In this second lecture, we look more closely at the economics behind what games are available. We talk about why some great games have disappeared from the app store and what keeps some old favourites viable. I’ll talk about some of the deeper more complex games available and why they
141. An interview and demonstration of Innosearch.ai
The GTT program is excited to have a representative from Innosearch.ai Visiting us to introduce an innovative accessible shopping page!
This platform brings together products from multiple companies, all designed with accessibility in mind. It offers an inclusive shopping experience tailored for individuals using assistive technology, ensuring a seamless and empowering journey for everyone.
Join u
140. Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 26
We learn best when we’re busy having too much fun to realize that it’s happening. With their power to engage us, games can teach us lessons about ourselves, each other, and the technology we use to play them. Text adventures built of words, statistics and story can motivate us to learn typing and how to review the screen. Other games might improve our reflexes or show us the consequences of taking
139. Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 25
The camera on your iPhone is a tremendously useful addition for Blind users. Combined with the internet, human sighted volunteers and artificial intelligence, the right apps can do a whole lot of good. We’ll discuss the apps which harness these capabilities to help you read printed documents, identify items, find lost things and tell you what is around. We’ll also discuss some of the implications
138. Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 24
The app store is absolutely essential for anybody who wants to make the most of their iPhone. In this cession, we’ll explore the app store in full. You’ll learn how to get to various areas. From searching for apps, managing subscriptions, checking for app updates, and purchasing or redeeming gift cards, there’s a lot of digital ground to cover. We’ll also touch on why it’s helpful to look elsewher
137. Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 23
The Internet in your pocket is a core reason why you want an iPhone with you. Many apps tap into information available via the web. However, the Safari browser or a third party alternative of your choice will serve as your direct gateway to sites on the web which you want to visit. This month, we’ll take a deep dive and explore the Safari browser. It comes on your iPhone as an important part of iO
136. Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 22
There’s a lot which has been updated in iOS 18. This month, we’ll begin our detour from the second edition of the book in order to fill people in on these changes. We’ll talk about the new tutorial for VoiceOver users which is now available right in the VoiceOver settings. We’ll also look at how audio ducking has been updated and is now far more useful. There’s plenty which has changed outside of
135. Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 21
Increasingly, Apple is turning to making revenue through services which it offers. The News app offers a lot of interesting articles which are freely available even without a subscription. People can also search for and follow their own topics of interest. Through the Apple News Plus service available for a monthly subscription, this app will provide access to far more content including full artic
134. Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 20
In the second part of our look at communications apps which come installed on your iPhone, we focus on the two most complicated but empowering ones. These are FaceTime and Mail. The FaceTime app allows for live video and audio conversations with individuals or groups of people. Meanwhile, the Mail app lets you tap into that very popular form of written communication. Both of these apps have their
133. Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 19
Communication is what your iPhone is all about. Several apps come installed on your iPhone to help you connect and exchange information with people in your life. In part one of our tour of these apps, we’ll focus on the Contacts, Phone and Messages apps. We’ll also touch on some additional related topics like emoji characters, stickers, Voice mail, and more.
132. Russell Solowoniuk's demonstration of the LG washer and dryer with theLG ThinQ app
In this 12 minute podcast, Russell Solowoniuk demonstrates using his LG washer model WM3500CW and his LG Dryer model DLE3500W using the accompanying accessible iOS or Android LG ThinQ app. He describes how a blind person can use the washer and dryer standalone and how accessibility is enhanced using the app on his iPhone. Note that models described have been discontinued and replaced with washer m
131. Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 18
In this session, we will explore the lifestyle apps discussed in the previous session in more detail. We’ll talk about managing recurring events in the calendar. The Notes app is full of features to keep your information organized. Suggestions are at the heart of apple’s new Journal app and we’ll go through how to access these. Apps in this category are simple on the surface, but often have surpri
130. Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 17
Being so portable, your iPhone is an ideal device for helping with many aspects of everyday life. This session will discuss a number of apps designed to come in handy in everyday situations. These include Weather, Reminders, Calendar, Notes, Calculator and Journal. This group of apps is very suitable for use by beginners. Siri works well with all of them. Rather than an exhaustive exploration, thi
129. Reviewing the features of Finder on the Mac
Wayne Antle reviews the features and how to use finder on the mac.
finder is like file explorer for windows. It has many powerful features and uses.
128. Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 16
Apple has long been associated with music and creativity. Your iPhone can give you access to millions of songs, curated playlists, radio stations, and even some live events. This month, we’ll dive into the enjoyment of music and go over the Music app and the Apple Music Plus service in detail. This is one of the easiest ways for beginners to start truly enjoying their iPhones.
127. Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 15
Your iPhone is constantly checking for new information. Apps running in the background can interrupt you with notifications. So can calls and messages from people. Thankfully, Apple has provided tools to help deal with this effectively. We will discuss notifications settings in detail. These let you decide whether and how apps can inform you of things in normal circumstances. Meanwhile, focus sett
126. Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 14
The Voice Control feature allows people to control their iPhones entirely with spoken commands. Designed with sighted people in mind who have motion difficulties making use of the touchscreen difficult, the system can be used in conjunction with VoiceOver. This final lecture for 2023 will give a basic tour of how Voice Control works. This completes the many different ways there are of controlling
125. A Demonstration of perplexity on iPhone with voiceover
Nolan Jenikov gives us a brief demonstration of the iPhone application perplexity.
123. Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 13
For many blind people, Braille is vital. They prefer to type in Braille and read in Braille rather than using a touchscreen and synthetic speech. This is quite possible using VoiceOver on your iPhone. Apple offers extensive support for using their products with Braille displays. This week, we’ll focus on what’s possible when you connect a Braille display via Bluetooth to your iPhone. We’ll also di
122. Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 12
We store a lot of information on our iPhones. Apple does a lot to help keep that information secure. In this part of the Unseen Touchscreen course, we examine these security measures and the things we can do to safeguard our information while still making the most of our iPhones. The relevant section of the book is called Digitally Defending Yourself.
121. Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 11
The topics for this session will include a brief tour of Siri. This digital assistant can be very helpful especially to beginners. We’ll discuss what Siri is designed to do and what it can’t do. Also, we’ll discuss how iOS handles sound. This is an area where iOS can present some challenges for blind people who aren’t aware of sound related decisions that Apple has made.
120. ScripTalk talking prescription labels
ScripTalk talking prescription labels help a variety of people who cannot get their prescription information in traditional ways. Talking prescriptions help people with vision impairment, they help people who are print impaired or have other neurological limitations.
The challenge, as we focus our efforts on bringing ScripTalk into more Canadian pharmacies, is to get you to speak with your pharma
119. CELA introduces the Envoy Connect
The Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA) has recently introduced a new option to its talking book player line up. This is the Envoy connect player available for purchase through the CNIB smart life store. In this presentation about CELA’s new service supporting the Envoy Connect audio book player, we will cover the basics of the Envoy Connect player, basics of the associated CELA Connect so
118. Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 10
In part two of our tour of settings, we review the mental mapping of the settings discussed in part one. We then continue our journey through the settings exploring the security, Apple, and third party apps areas. Combined with what has been covered in prior cessions, this should leave everyone in good shape to enjoy and continue to master their iPhones over the Summer break. In the Fall, we’ll pr
117. Navigating CELA and Google web pages on the Mac
116. Voiceover tutorial for beginners on the Mac
115. Unseen Touch Screen Course session 9
The settings app is what you use to configure your iPhone so it best suits your needs. You can do everything from choosing how bright your display is to adjusting security options and enabling accessibility features. There are hundreds of settings inside various branches of options. This cession will be the first of a two part exploration of what settings are available. The focus will be on overal
114. Unseen Touch Screen Course session 8
In this lecture, we’ll continue our tour of various aspects of the iOS operating system. Topics will include the powerful spotlight search feature, the app library and home screens, how to organize and move apps on your iPhone, how files are stored, when to use the iPhone storage settings area, the files app, the philosophy behind iOS, and current developments.
113. Unseen Touch Screen Course session 7
Now that you understand what the VoiceOver screen reader does and know some basic gestures, it’s time to learn about the iOS operating system. We’ll take a tour of its main points of interaction with users. These include the home screens, notification centre, control centre, dock, status bar, today view, widgets, and spotlight search. We’ll also discuss what iOS does for its users behind the scene
112. Unseen Touch Screen Course session six
In part 2 of our exploration of Voiceover, Michael Feir will continue discussing various gestures and techniques for getting the most out of Voiceover. We will learn how to reach the home screens and other key parts of iOS. There are also a good many settings which can help you customize Voiceover to suit your particular needs. Features such as navigation styles, quick settings, rotor settings, an
111. Using drag and drop with voiceover on the Mac
Wayne Antle describes how to move contacts to different apps using drag and drop with voiceover.
110. Unseen touchscreen course session 5
The key to a blind person being able to effectively use an iPhone is the Voiceover screen reader. This provides a means of controlling an iPhone without sight as well as feedback via speech or Braille. This lecture will discuss various aspects and concepts of Voiceover. The rotor, navigation by units, screen exploration and important gestures will all be discussed.
This course is based on the seco
109. Unseen Touchscreen course session 4
When you start using an iPhone, you’re entering a carefully crafted ecosystem of hardware, software, and services. Apple tries to make its customers feel valued at the same time as they seek to profit from them. There are many implications of this. It’s far easier, for example, to purchase and read books using the Books app included on your iPhone than it is to obtain books from other vendors like
108. Using the Voiceover help features on the Mac
In this podcast, Wayne Antle walks us through using the powerful voiceover help features available on the mac.
107. Oran McAllister from NaviLens
NaviLens is a new and exciting cutting-edge technology which has been developed to provide blind and visually impaired people with more accessibility and autonomy in their everyday lives. Oran McAllister, Client Engagement Officer at NaviLens, gives a presentation about the NaviLens Codes and the amazing features of this technology. He gives a short introduction to the NaviLens code, how it came a
106. The Dexcom 6 Continuous Glucose Monitoring Device with Heather Walkus
November is Diabetes Awareness Month. On this special evening meeting we are pleased to welcome Heather Walkus, National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD), who is a user of the Dexcom 6 continuous glucose monitor system. Heather will present to us her experiences about its accessibility and usability for our community.
More info, https://www.dexcom.com
105. Freek van Welsenis, Co-founder of Hable One
Using a smartphone with a visual impairment can sometimes be frustrating and difficult. At Hable, we like to make this easier for you. The Hable One is the easiest Braille keyboard to control your smartphone.
Do you use Voiceover or Talkback on your smartphone and struggle with swiping gestures? Or do you find on-screen typing cumbersome and takes up a lot of energy? Then the Hable One is probably
104. Unseen Touchscreen course session 3
This week, Michael Feir focusses on hardware. He will explain what differentiates one iPhone from another and why it matters to you. From microchips, cameras, memory, and storage, we will talk about what is under the glass. Michael will also discuss accessories you may wish to acquire for your iPhone. From cases to keyboards to chargers, we will talk about how to shop for them and what to be caref
103. Unseen Touchscreen course session 2
Before we pull back and look at the larger picture, this month’s lecture is my attempt to give you the equivalent of a quick start guide. Sighted people will typically have access to enough instructions so that they are able to start exploring and enjoying their iPhones with a minimum of fuss. They are given very basic navigation instructions and directed to the app store among other resources. Bl
102. Unseen Touchscreen course introduction
the Unseen Touchscreen online course will give the information needed by blind iPhone users to make the most out of these powerful and versatile devices.
The course is based on the second edition of Michael Feir’s free e-book, Personal Power: Getting the Most From iOS as a Totally Blind User. This book can be downloaded in several formats from: Michael Feir’s Blog: at
http://michaelfeir.blogspot.c
101. Exploration of the mac voiceover utility with Wayne Antle
Wayne gives us a walk-through of the voiceover settings on the Mac explaining what each setting does
100. second edition of Personal Power with the author, Michael Feir
Description: Two years and literally thousands of changes later, the second edition of Personal Power is now available. It is an eBook which I wrote and am giving away freely. Basically, the book takes people from setting up their iPhones to thriving in the iOS environment. It teaches how to use Voiceover, the various parts of iOS, and a whole lot of apps.
. The link to the guide is:
https://drive
99. Using the focus mode on IOS with Michael Feir
We all get distracted by our iPhones. The answer used to be to turn on “do not disturb”. This would prevent notifications from being announced and prevent pretty much everyone from contacting you. Apple has improved upon this with a new feature called “Focus”. That is where “do not disturb” went to hide on everyone. It is now one of several different focus modes. You can take far more control over
98. Apple VS Android: Pros and cons with Caroline Toews
Caroline has used both Apple and android phones. She joins us to present on the pros and cons and features and her decision to use an android phone at present.
97. Using the Siri shortcuts app on your I Device with Kim Kilpatrick
As a follow-up to our presentation on using Siri a couple of weeks ago, we explore the Siri shortcuts app and show how to create your own shortcuts for Siri to use.
96. Using Microsoft Word from the Keyboard with Gerry Chevalier
In this 44 minute presentation, Gerry demonstrates using Microsoft Word from the keyboard with no mouse. Gerry explains basic keyboard navigation and screen reader commands by demonstrating various Word tasks including:
Navigate Word Views.
Navigate the Ribbons.
Navigate and Search document text.
Apply headings.
Set character attributes.
Set Text alignment, and font size.
Make bulleted or number
95. Using Siri and dictation on your Idevices with Kim Kilpatrick
Kim gives a walkthrough of the Siri settings explaining each one.
94. Jeff Godfrey from Accessibuild
Join us for a presentation about Accessibuild, a Canadian building navigation system that empowers users to navigate indoor environments independently using their Android or iOS device. Jeff Godfrey, the lead developer, will be discussing how the app works and provides a demonstration.
93. Canadian Assistive Technology
Thanks to the CCB GTT Edmonton team who always brings Steve Barclay to present to their group around this time, we are bringing Steve back on a national call to tell us all the exciting news from Canadian Assistive Technology.
Come and learn about new products, most popular software, devices, and more.
Maybe you will find that perfect gift for yourself or someone else.
92. Deep dive into IOS 15 accessibility with Kim Kilpatrick
A deep dive into the accessibility settings on I devices running IOS 15. Come learn about all of your accessibility settings. Where they are. What they do, and how to customize them.
91. Messages on the Mac with Wayne Antle
Wayne gives a great walk-through of how to use messages on the Mac explaining which key commands he is using and giving examples and scenarios as he goes through.
90. Dan Clark, Windows 11
Come and learn about Windows 11 and its accessibility.
Dan gives us a peek at some of the differences in the new Windows 11
89. Neal Ewers
FROM PRINT TO VOICE: THE MAKING OF AN AUDIO BOOK, Neal walks us through creating an audiobook he talks about things ranging from audio editing to the inflection a narrator might choose to use. He shows us a clip of a book he recorded and several clips of narrators discussing how they choose to narrate
88. CELA, update and review
Laurie Davidson, Executive Director at CELA, updates the group on what’s happening with CELA’s work, in the area of collections, partnerships and technology. Lindsay Tyler shares information about CELA services, how to join, find out what books and magazines are available, and ways to read them.
87. Wayne Antle, using numbers on the Mac
Wayne gives us a great Demonstration on how to use The numbers spread sheet application for the Mac.
86. Michael Feir, Using the reminders app on IOS
We all can use some help keeping track of the stuff of life. The Calendar and Reminders apps are Apple’s current answer to that problem. The Reminders app focuses on tasks and projects in our lives rather than appointments and events. You can set reminders to alert you based on due dates, make them triggered based on where you are, and keep track of which steps in bigger projects have been complet
85. Katja Danilova, Voxmate app
Voxmate is a new Android app with audio-first applications that can be operated with just four gestures. With Voxmate, you can read news, listen to audiobooks, play games, chat on the Audio Forum and more by simply swiping up, down, left, and right. The app was designed from the ground up to focus on a great audio experience rather than describing what’s on the screen, and that makes the whole exp
84. Wayne Antle, Making the best use of the IPhone camera as a totally blind person.
Using Seeing AI short text, product, and handwriting channels to identify products. Using Seeing AI short text and document channels, as well as Voice Dream Scanner to read documents. Using Tap Tap See to identify colours. Using BeMyEyes and other visual assistance such as AIRA or Facetime video.
83. Ned Desmond from Sight Tech Global
Sight Tech Global is the first global, virtual conference dedicated to fostering discussion among technology pioneers on how rapid advances in AI and related technologies will fundamentally alter the landscape of assistive technology and accessibility.
82. IOS 15 with Michael Feir
The latest version of iOS has just been released. There are hundreds of changes. Michael Feir will explain some of his favourites so far. For people feeling that rotor frustration, relief is a two finger four-tap away. VoiceOver now has quick settings which make it easy to access a wide range of convenient settings without using the rotor. Notes has gotten a new organization method called tags whi
81. Stephanie Shingle Customer Service Representative, En-vision America
Join Stephanie Shingle with En-vision America and learn how you or a loved one can get talking prescription labels for Free from your pharmacy!
website: https://www.envisionamerica.com
80. The federal election
Learn what to expect in the upcoming federal election. Discuss tips and tricks for voting successfully, what tools and assistance will be available, what technologies might assist you
79. Wayne Antle on accessing QR codes
Wayne gives us a talk on QR codes, what they are and how we use them. He includes two ways to quickly scan a QR code. Many great questions follow including the possibilities of using QR codes for personal use.
78. Chris Danielsen, Director of Public Relations, National Federation of the Blind
Chris tells us all about the 2021 NFB Convention, July 6 – 10, anywhere and everywhere. This conference will be fully virtual.
We also get to hear a lot about what attending one of these conferences is like in person during non-covid times. Enjoy
For more information visit the website at nfb.org
77. Darren Burton, former Director of Technology for the American Foundation for the Blind and accessibility specialist at Yahoo
Darren Burton, former Director of Technology for the American Foundation for the Blind and accessibility specialist at Yahoo, will tell some stories about working with Silicon Valley and other tech companies. He will focus on some of the history around Apple’s development of VoiceOver for the iPhone, including his involvement with the giants that made that happen.
76. Presenters: Nick Johnson, Libro.fm’s Creative Director, and Craig Silva
Learn all about a different audio book subscription model libro.fm
For more information visit the website at libro.fm
