Audio-Tips News

This month, we have a rich array of opportunities to share with you:
Podcasts and Vodcasts
EASI Online Course: Barrier-free Web Design
Webinars: 6 different Webinar experiences with both EASI and guest speakers

February is ALMOST here.  Several of these opportunities start at the beginning of the month.  Don’t put off checking out these opportunities.

Podcasts and Vodcasts
We now have 4 different Podcast and Vodcasts we deliver every month.  The newest one shares videos designed to watch online or, better, on your
MP4-enabled personal player.  These are all captioned IT Tips and Tricks shares audio on ideas to make information technology more accessible.
It’s About People Not Technology contains personal interviews AT conferences carries recordings from recent conferences.  This month is a presentation from the 2007 Higher Ground conference about accessible math. You can find these from the Podcast link on the home page (http://easi.cc).

EASI’s online courses can be taken individually or 5 of them will earn the Certificate in Accessible Information Technology.  This month, the course
is Beginner Web Design.  While for many this may be old hat, the Web is including more and more interactive elements which cause new accessibility
problems.  While this is an overview course, it does introduce participants to making interactive elements accessible. The course starts Feb. 4 but registrations will be accepted till Feb. 8. You can read more and register at (http://easi.cc) and select courses.
Six different Webinar experiences (2 are fee-based series and 4 are open to the public).

Taming MS Office Programs Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26
This series will aim at different audiences.  One focus will be on using these applications to create output for delivery in several different
modes but in formats that will be accessible to users with disabilities.  The other focus will be to help users with disabilities and their trainers to
master these products using their special software. Accessible Blogs and Wikis Feb. 7, 14, 21 28
Blogs, Wikis and the many different formats of social networking are prime examples of how the Web is more than a window through to view
information.  It is now highly interactive enabling the user both to interact with the Web itself and to interact with other people through the
medium of the Web.

These 2 fee-based Webinar series are free to EASI Webinar annual members.  The normal fee is $195 per series.
Read about these and register from the Webinar link on the home page (http://easi.cc)
There are 4 open, public Webinars but you need to register online in advance to reserve a seat in the Webinar room.  These can be found from the Webinar link on the home page (http://easi.cc).

1  AutoHotkeys (Feb. 13 and 20) is software that makes it easier to create your own hot keys.  The application is accessible and people with disabilities are some of those who benefit from these tools to facilitate manipulating a computer.  This is a 2-part public series.

2 Bookshare update Feb. 26 AT NOON EASTERN
Jim Fruchterman will provide an update.  With the new grant Bookshare has received, it will become more useful and important as a resource for electronic texts.

3.  Webinar Snapshot, Accessible Cell Phones Feb 6
This will be a short overview of the current state of the accessibility of cell phones.  Accessibility of these phones has been slow in coming and is
still less than perfect.

4 Webinar snapshot Feb. 27 demonstrating editing audio with Audacity open source software.  With the popularity of making podcasts, free open source
editing software is a good place to get started.

Both individuals and institutions can benefit from subscribing to the EASI Webinar Annual Membership.  For one fee, you can access all the fee-based
Webinar series for an entire year and get a discount on all courses.  Read more at: http://easi.cc/sub.htm.

Webinar services for EASI provided by http://www.talkingcommunities.com

Fullerton, CA - January 16, 2008 Low vision and blindness portal, OcuSource.com, announces the OcuSource EXPO 2008, a year-long virtual conference for the visual impairment industry. Through the integration of accessible web-conferencing, visitors to this online event can participate in interactive online presentations, visit exhibit “booths,” and even attend online entertainment events, all from any sound-enabled computer with access to the internet. Hosted by the virtual tradeshow system from LetsGoExpo.com, the resource will offer a series of monthly events throughout the coming 12 months, kicking off March 26, 2008 at http://ocusource.com/main.cfm?page=vision&topic=osexpo, and can also be found via the LetsGoExpo calendar of events: http://letsgoexpo.com. “The OcuSource EXPO fulfils many needs of the vision impairment industry” states Dr. Lou Lipschultz, founder of OcuSource.com. “The key here is that there are around 14 million individuals in the United States with some form of vision loss. Yet, we estimate that less than a total of 10,000 visually impaired persons attend the five major vision impairment tradeshows in U.S. There is obviously a significant access issue here,” stated Lipschultz, a low vision specialist and former executive of one of the manufacturers of technology for the visually impaired. “Lack of awareness, transportation, and financial constraints contribute to poor attendance by both consumers and professionals. OcuSource is now bringing the conference to attendees around the world, and we’re doing it all through an interactive online venue designed specifically for low vision and blind users.” The “virtual conference center” is provided by sister company, LetsGoExpo, and is constructed to seamlessly work with software called a screenreader such as Jaws or WindowEyes. Users easily navigate through “presentation halls” and “exhibit halls” allowing the visitor to find his or her way to the topic of interest. Presentation halls are organized by topic including macular degeneration, education and employment resources. Exhibit halls are filled with “booths” staffed by manufacturers, vendors, agencies, organizations, and other entities eager to share information about their services and products. Attendees can also speak directly to booth representatives over the internet via the integrated web conferencing tool from venture partner Talking Communities, which allows the exhibitor to show PowerPoint and video presentations from within their booth. Visitors who are unable to attend the live portion of the conference can still experience all the benefits around the clock through archived streamed videos of the presentations which will be available for 12 months after the live presentation. “Our greatest challenge is getting the word out around the world of this valuable resource. We’re hoping that as the year progresses, a network of low vision, blindness and senior oriented sites will share the availability of this valuable resource with their visitors” describes Lipschultz. The management team is now accepting applications for exhibitors, presentations, and sponsors. About OcuSource California based OcuSource.com, LLC (www.ocusource.com) , an internet portal dedicated to assisting the low vision and blindness industry with essential search tools and resources for consumers and professionals. OcuSource provides multiple databases of products, vendors, doctors and therapists, along with a customized auction system. The privately held company was founded in 2003, and is headquartered in Fullerton, California. About Talking Communities Michigan based Talking Communities (www.talkingcommunities.com) creates interactive synchronous web conferencing tools which provide customers numerous capabilities at a very affordable rate. Live voice-over-internet conference rooms are suitable for public or private business meetings, employee training and support, family get-togethers, educational purposes, public and private interactive events, live broadcasts, and web presentations. About LetsGoExpo California based LetsGoExpo, Inc. is a web development firm, and is owner of (www.letsgoexpo.com), a web content management (live or recorded audio and video), and meeting management resource. The service creates countless opportunities for entrepreneurs who may create business opportunities through the integrated e-commerce abilities of the service. After creating their free account, users can assume the role of attendee, exhibitor, advertiser, or even host events. Events or “venues” can be configured by hosts to achieve various objectives: Capture information and opinions through surveys, create online meeting and webcasts, provide online training, hold online “virtual” tradeshows or conferences, provide e-learning services, and most recently, to manage on-site tradeshows and conferences. LetsGoExpo is committed to affordable pricing so that businesses of all size may use the system, and to accessible web design for those with various disabilities.

The Accessible World News Wire:  January 16, 2008Indianapolis, Indiana USA

Presenter:  Woody Anna Dresner, National Braille Press.
888-965-8965  http://www.nbp.org
Computer users worldwide are meeting the daily challenge of harnessing the power of Google, the largest, most complete, and popular Internet search engine available today. Attendees at this week’s Accessible World Tek Talk event WILL BE PROVIDED  an introduction to using Google based on the book “Get Going with Google”, (more…)