edited by Cynthia G. Hawkins
The announcement of products and services in this column does not represent an endorsement by the American Council of the Blind, its officers, or staff. Listings are free of charge for the benefit of our readers. “The ACB E-Forum” cannot be held responsible for the reliability of the products and services mentioned.
To submit items for this column, send a message to [email protected], or phone the national office at 1-800-424-8666, and leave a message in Sharon Lovering’s mailbox. Information must be received at least two months ahead of publication date.
Proposed Settlement in Murphy v. Eyebobs, LLC
A proposed settlement has been reached that would resolve the class action lawsuit Murphy v. Eyebobs, LLC, No. 1:21-cv-00017 (W.D. Pa.). The lawsuit alleges that Eyebobs, LLC violated the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 12101 et seq. by failing to take the necessary steps to ensure its online store, located at https://www.eyebobs.com/, does not discriminate against blind or visually disabled consumers who use screen reader auxiliary aids to access digital content. Under the settlement, Eyebobs agrees to take additional steps to make its website and any new website or mobile application it develops or acquires accessible to screen reader users.
For a more complete summary of the terms of the proposed settlement, visit https://www.eyebobsADAsettlement.com.
Social Security Benefit Increase
Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for approximately 70 million Americans will increase 5.9 percent in 2022. For more information, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/cola.
Survey Respondents Needed – Employment Outcomes
Dr. Shengli Dong of Florida State University is seeking respondents to a survey for a study on resource-seeking strategies and their impact on employment outcomes. To take the survey, go to:
https://proxy.qualtrics.com/proxy/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffsu.qualtrics.com%2Fjfe%2Fform%2FSV_cIaV5L8GVdj9Y2i&token=yzY%2BGC8FzQN0nxibGr0R%2BAs905LAbiR%2Bt9CljTlwvyo%3D. For questions, contact: [email protected].
Seeking Subjects for Survey for Product Design
Students in the MS Human-Computer Interaction Program at the Georgia Institute of Technology are seeking survey respondents. They are creating an accessible digital map. To take the survey, visit https://forms.gle/MC9HPboezHM5iKS8A. Send questions to [email protected].
NBP Touch of Genius Prize – 2022 Applications
The Touch of Genius Prize inspires entrepreneurs, educators and inventors to continue the promotion of braille and tactile literacy for blind and deafblind people worldwide. The winner of this prize will receive up to $10,000. Applications are due Jan. 14, 2022. Find application details and FAQs at https://www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/technology/tog.html. For additional questions, contact [email protected].
APH Museum Reopens
The American Printing House for the Blind (APH) Museum has reopened its doors to the public and relaunched its website, www.aphmuseum.org. This relaunch has been nearly three years in the making. Key features include access to more than 16,000 artifacts, displays and collections, and a virtual tour experience.
McDonald’s, Vispero Partner for Accessible Kiosks
Vispero’s product, JAWS Kiosk, is being deployed to select McDonald’s U.S. locations. This interactive solution will allow blind and low vision patrons to self-order independently. JAWS Kiosk will allow blind and low vision users the ability to interact with a self-order kiosk by inserting headphones into the headphone jack, located on the navigation pad, which will then navigate the kiosk screen, reading the content as they move through the application. McDonald’s is in the process of deploying this solution to corporate-owned stores and select franchise locations across the U.S.
NBP’s New Trustees
National Braille Press recently appointed seven new trustees to its board: Sally Bernstein, Virginia O. Brennan, Jenny Cohane, Julie Kerner, Terri Rupp, Thomas Wlodkowski and Laura Wolk. Daniel Hirce and Janet Ulwick-Sacca are returning to the board. For more information, visit www.nbp.org.
New Books from ACB Authors
Now available is “Adam’s Accessible Airport Adventure” by Michelle Grenevitch. It’s available in large print from Amazon, https://tinyurl.com/5b2ht35d. As Adam moves through the airport with his uncle, he learns that with a little help, public areas can be accessed by people with disabilities.
Newly available is “What Color Is Air?” by Larry P. Johnson. It features 60 commentaries from his video series, “And Here’s How I See It,” detailing his experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s available from Larry, [email protected], and via Amazon.
New Books
Newly available is “Your Amazing Itty Bitty® Guide for Adult 20/20 Vision Loss: 15 Key Topics for Successful Lifestyle Modifications,” by Gloria Riley. In this pocket-sized guide, Gloria talks about the reality of sight loss, the changes it makes in your life, and how to learn the skills you need going forward. This book is available from Amazon via Kindle and paperback.
New from National Braille Press
There are a lot of new items available from National Braille Press.
Looking for holiday cards and gifts? Take a look at www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/publications/holidaysale.html. You’ll find holiday cards in print and braille for 2021 (“Season of Smiles”), plus 2019 (“Sleigh the Season”) and 2017 (“Warm Winter Wishes”).
Is there a Peanuts fan in the house? Take a look at the 2022 Peanuts print and braille wall calendar.
New in books for young children are “Pouch!” by David Ezra Stein and “Lola at the Library” by Anna McQuinn and Rosalind Beardshaw. “Pouch!” is available in UEB for babies through two-year-olds. “Lola at the Library” is available in UEB for babies through 3-year-olds.
Also available is “That’s Not My Panda!” by Usborne Books. It’s a print-and-braille touch-and-feel book in uncontracted UEB for ages birth to 3.
Freshly available are “Happy Birthday to You!” by Dr. Seuss, and “I Love You to the Moon and Back!” by Amelia Hepworth and Tim Warnes. Both are available in UEB. The birthday book is for ages 5 and up; “I Love You to the Moon and Back,” for ages 2 to 5.
New for ages 4 to 8 is “Nana Upstairs & Nana Downstairs” by Tomie dePaola, which is available in UEB.
Also new is “In November” by Cynthia Rylant and Jill Kastner. It’s available in UEB for ages 4 to 8.
Recently published is “All the Way to the Top: How One Girl’s Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything,” by Annette Bay Pimentel and Nabi H. Ali. It comes in contracted UEB for ages 4 to 8.
Is there a math hater in your household? If so, check out “What’s the Point of Math?” for ages 9 to 12. It’s available in UEB and includes 93 tactile illustrations. The book unpacks how math is a surprising and essential part of our everyday life. It may change a child’s perception of numbers and give them the skills and understanding to apply the principles regularly.
Got a high schooler about to take the SAT? Take a look at “Crash Course for the SAT, 5th Edition” by Jonathan Chiu and the staff of “The Princeton Review.” It’s available in UEB with Nemeth, and includes 52 tactile illustrations.
Over in the technology section, there several new books available. “Android Commands and Settings, Android S (12)” by Ana Garza G’z is one of them. It’s available in braille, as well as a BRF, DAISY or Word file. This book is an introduction to important accessibility features for Android users. Coverage includes TalkBack gestures, voice commands, earcons, settings, and the on-screen braille keyboard as well as accessibility settings, low-vision features, and braille output.
Another book readers may find useful is “Remote Meeting Platforms: Work and Play Anywhere” by Kim Nova and Chris Nova. It, too, is available in braille, as well as BRF, DAISY, or Word files. You’ll learn the advantages of attending remote meetings, the necessary etiquette to follow, and specific protocols for screen reader users. You’re guided through using six of the most popular remote meeting services, including Zoom Video Communications, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, GoToMeeting, BlueJeans, and Slack.
Looking for some good recipes? Take a peek at “Sheet Pan Cooking: 70 Easy Recipes” by Good Housekeeping and Susan Westmoreland. It’s available in braille and as a braille-ready file.
For more information, call toll-free 1-800-548-7323, or visit www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/publications/index.html.
Grab My Bag Luggage Service
Grab My Bag offers a luggage delivery service from the airport baggage claim to the traveler’s requested location. This service could be helpful to all travelers – especially seniors and individuals with disabilities. This private service is not affiliated with the airlines or airports. Interested? Visit https://grabmybag.com/ or call 1-833-244-9994.
North American Association of Blind Sportsmen
The North American Association of Blind Sportsmen recently added a chapter in Oklahoma. (The first chapter is in Washington.) The group is a non-profit organization that takes blind people on hunting and fishing trips.
To support those trips, the organization holds fund-raisers. Members sell T-shirts, coffee, coffee mugs, turkey decoys and gun-cleaning kits, just to name a few items. NAABS also has a show on the National Sports Channel called Adaptive Pursuit.
For more information, or to join, visit https://www.naabs.org/. If you’re in the Oklahoma area, contact Kenny Blair, Oklahoma chapter president, at (918) 933-2093.