Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Graphs/complex data visualization solution? (self.Blind)
submitted by yoyo2718
Is anyone here a full time screen reader user who frequently works with complex data/graphs in their job? I’m trying to find a good solution for this when data isn’t super straightforward and easy to visualize. Like maybe you’re trying to fit data or something and need to know how close you are, or want to see some trends for nonlinear plots, or whatever. I have to think there are good numerical methods to deal with this, but my vocational rehab specialist basically blew me off and said I couldn’t return to a field that needed charts and graphs, which sounds like BS to me. I’m thinking along the lines of things you’d use in scientific data analysis/machine learning/engineering/programming type fields. If anyone works in these areas and can comment how doable this is, I’d be really interested to hear.
Shadowwynd 2 points 1y ago
One solution is AIRA.io ( https://aira.io/pricing/ ). They (or other similar services) act like a professional version of "Be My Eyes" (which is random bag of volunteers) - these operators are college-educated, trained on working with VI, and should be able to help with many basic data-analysis questions (e.g. meaningfully describe a chart to you, etc.)
The way most people I have worked with do this is to have an braille embosser that can also make tactile graphics. You can print things out and examine the graph by hand. Obviously this is a lot of paperwork and assuming you can read braille.
You may want to check out the Graphiti by APH and Orbit: http://www.orbitresearch.com/product/graphiti/
it is a refreshable Braille display that is designed for images.
The way most people I have worked with do this is to have an braille embosser that can also make tactile graphics. You can print things out and examine the graph by hand. Obviously this is a lot of paperwork and assuming you can read braille.
You may want to check out the Graphiti by APH and Orbit: http://www.orbitresearch.com/product/graphiti/
it is a refreshable Braille display that is designed for images.
yoyo2718 [OP] 1 points 1y ago
Thank you!
TechnicalPragmatist 1 points 1y ago
Do you know how to use excel put that to good use.
Get an embosser and emboss those graphics?
Your rehab person shouldn’t be saying that. But I’ve learnt they say whatever the heck they want anyway. I think blind people can do some of that for sure. It depends how much visuals is in it but if it’s more numerical and just graphs and charts probably it’s still very possible.
Get an embosser and emboss those graphics?
Your rehab person shouldn’t be saying that. But I’ve learnt they say whatever the heck they want anyway. I think blind people can do some of that for sure. It depends how much visuals is in it but if it’s more numerical and just graphs and charts probably it’s still very possible.
yoyo2718 [OP] 1 points 1y ago
Thanks, these are some good thoughts. it was super frustrating talking to them. I don’t think they really understood stem fields. They wanted me to give them a specific job title I could do without graphs and I was like, wtf? It was like they had a checklist or something and just wanted to train me for A different field entirely because it was easier for them.
TechnicalPragmatist 1 points 1y ago
Interesting they actively oppose stem fields. Blind people are waaaaaay under represented in the stem fields. That’s really stupid. I wanted to do a technical field at one point journalism actually, and the guy wrote on paper or on my file, no joke. Prag knows that she won’t find a job and her chances are very low but she still wants to do it. Not in that exact wording but something like that. I was not pleased. I was like okay write whatever you want but seriously?
Rehab likes to judge your majors and be your parents. Don’t even get me started. I closed my case two years ago and now am happier for it. The dor people wasn’t doing anything for me, demanded my grades and schedule and business, but wasn’t going to pay for school or books anyway. I was like so what’s the point of all that info then? They use to pay and help with books no matter what but he turned around and told me to use my own money and to use my financial aid pretty much. So many other things. I was busy missed a few e-mails but honestly I was fed up with them. They also insisted that I do full time or they would not support me or even close my case. So many things.
Rehab likes to judge your majors and be your parents. Don’t even get me started. I closed my case two years ago and now am happier for it. The dor people wasn’t doing anything for me, demanded my grades and schedule and business, but wasn’t going to pay for school or books anyway. I was like so what’s the point of all that info then? They use to pay and help with books no matter what but he turned around and told me to use my own money and to use my financial aid pretty much. So many other things. I was busy missed a few e-mails but honestly I was fed up with them. They also insisted that I do full time or they would not support me or even close my case. So many things.
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