Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Help my recently blind uncle with audiobook readers (self.Blind)
submitted by fuck_ya_bud
Is there a way to have a audiobook reader that is optimized for people with no vision? (No tapping, self instructing, easy user interface, instructions in order of frequency of use, etc)
Thabks
-shacklebolt- 2 points 5y ago
You can get something like the victor reader http://www.humanware.com/en-usa/products/blindness/dtb_players/compact_models for on-the-go use. I don't personally own one and can't say how simple they are.
He really should be encouraged to get and learn how to use a smartphone (especially an iphone) if he is cognitively able to do so, as a phone can be used for ebook and audiobook reading but also 1000 other tasks in the same device.
At home, an amazon Echo can be used as well. You can ask it to read you an audible book (human-read) or a kindle book (computer-read) in your library, as well as news, play music, etc. They're extremely easy to use as there's no real "menu" to learn and all voice controlled.
https://nfb.org/nfbnewsline https://www.loc.gov/nls/
https://www.bookshare.org/cms/ might be of use to him (other countries also have country-specific libraries as well.)
If he is receiving services for adjusting to his blindness (he should be if possible!) he can also typically request some kind of technology evaluation to demo different devices and determine what works best for him.
He really should be encouraged to get and learn how to use a smartphone (especially an iphone) if he is cognitively able to do so, as a phone can be used for ebook and audiobook reading but also 1000 other tasks in the same device.
At home, an amazon Echo can be used as well. You can ask it to read you an audible book (human-read) or a kindle book (computer-read) in your library, as well as news, play music, etc. They're extremely easy to use as there's no real "menu" to learn and all voice controlled.
https://nfb.org/nfbnewsline https://www.loc.gov/nls/
https://www.bookshare.org/cms/ might be of use to him (other countries also have country-specific libraries as well.)
If he is receiving services for adjusting to his blindness (he should be if possible!) he can also typically request some kind of technology evaluation to demo different devices and determine what works best for him.
fuck_ya_bud [OP] 1 points 5y ago
Thanks for the response. He is currently using an iPad but it seems that all the programs are designed for people with some vision in mind and he's looking for one designed for someone with no vision.
-shacklebolt- 1 points 5y ago
I assume he has voiceover enabled? With training (there's a lot of tutorials around) and practice, an ipad is totally accessible to someone who is totally blind. Voiceover's gestures override the normal way you click at things on the screen, so there's only a minimal benefit to being partially sighted versus completely blind while using it. Some people also make a lot of use of the siri voice commands as well.
https://applevis.com/new-to-ios
https://applevis.com/new-to-ios
fuck_ya_bud [OP] 1 points 5y ago
Yes he does. I was just with him today. He can use it just fine but he showed me how it works and I agree it could be so much more streamlined and better.
fastfinge 2 points 5y ago
Have him look at voice dream reader from the app store. It's an audiobook and ebook reader designed for blind folks, that even works with some of the blindness specialty libraries.
bradley22 1 points 5y ago
I don't really see how it could be made better. What would you do to improve it?
FiloRen 1 points 5y ago
My recommendation is buying an Echo or Dot off Amazon, coupled with an Audible membership or just audible books. Alexa will start a book from where you left off. All you have to say is "Alexa, play Harry Potter on Audible" and she'll do it.
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