DC Night Out

The Web Braille service is now online!

You can access the service at the URL:

[http://www.loc.gov/nls/braille/](http://www.loc.gov/nls/braille/)

Then log in with your username and password. The only change appears to be that just prior to downloading any volume you must accept an agreement to uphold the copyright and other terms of the web braille service agreement.

I first found out about this through the Blind Cool Tech podcast list as well as some of the NFB lists:

[http://www.blindcooltech.com](http://www.blindcooltech.com)

An

[http://www.nfbnet.org](http://www.nfbnet.orgg)

I have tried it myself, and it seems to work.

The only strange thing is when I click the I Accptt button, it opens the BRF file right in my web browser, rather than prompting me to open or save the file, but this might just be a setting on my computer.

So web braille again appears to be back online, and available for users!
[tags]web braille, National Federation Of The Blind, American Council Of The Blind, braille, civil rights[/tags]

Skype [announces free calls to any USA or Canada land line or mobile
phone](http://www.skype.com/help/guides/skypeout.html)
valid through 12/31/2006. Previously, a Skype user would have to pay
“Skype Out” rates for these calls, which were quite low but free is even
better. This will be especially good for people outside the USA or Canada
who want to call traditional phone numbers in these locations.

If you do not already have Skype installed, you might as well [download
the latest 2.5
beta.](http://www.skype.com/download/skype/windows/downloading_beta.html)

If you are a screen reader user, [Jonathan
Mosen](http://www.mosenexplosion.com)
has developed a high quality low cost [Speaking Of Skype
Tutorial](http://www.mosen.org/sos/)
which contains relevant information for both the novice and expert
computer user. I have personally bought and listened to the audio
tutorial and would highly recommend it. You can hear the introduction to
the tutorial at the above link before you decide to buy.

If your a Jaws For Windows user you’ll also want to surf over to [Chris
Nestrud - JFW Scripts for
Skype](http://www.panix.com/~ccn/projects/jfw/skype.php#beta) and download
the latest beta scripts. By the way, the beta scripts work with the Skype
2.5 beta in conjunction with the Jaws For Windows 7.1 beta. There are
detailed instructions on how to install and compile the beta scripts
either on the web site or in Jonathan’s tutorial. It is not difficult,
but there are a series of steps and procedures you need to go through to
activate the scripts. Skype works without the scripts, but is much
improved with the free scripts.

Skype seems to be all the rage on the net right now, so I would go get it,
and consider buying some Skype gear as well. In later entries, I will
review the Skype gear I just ordered.
[tags]Skype, Jaws For Windows, blindness, tutorial, voice over ip, Jaws
For Windows, Jonathan Mosen[/tags]

I have registerred the domain
[RestoreWebBraille.com](http://www.RestoreWebBraille.com)
which currently directs to the Restore Web Braille Petition. I figured this would be easier for people to remember than the original URL :).
[tags]Web Braille, braille, civil rights, library, fair use[/tags]

There has been continued interest over the weekend in regards to the shut down of the web braille service both online and offline. I urge you to sign the Restore Web Braille Petition which has just been created by
[Earlene Hughes](http://www.earlenehughes.com)
[tags]web braille, braille, blindness, petition, library, equal access, civil rights, fair use[/tags]

by Christopher Gray

[American Council Of The Blind](
http://www.acb.org
)

Presidents Message

In 1998, the
[National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped](
http://www.loc.gov/nls/
) (NLS) made its collection of braille books in electronic format available to
eligible borrowers over the internet through a program called
[Web-Braille.](
http://www.loc.gov/nls/newsreleases/archive/1999-08-24.html
) Blind and visually impaired people could brows among thousands of titles
and
download books to their Braille-aware devices such as BrailleNotes, PAC
Mates and Braille Senses or emboss them and read them in hardcopy. Beginning in 2004, Web-Braille was used to make large numbers of braille music titles
similarly available. This was a great service to library patrons and we in
the ACB, individually and collectively, applauded NLS for their accomplishment.

On May 11th of this year, NLS announced on the Web-Braille web site that
“Because of technical and security difficulties, Web-Braille will be
unavailable in the near future. NLS regrets the inconvenience and will
provide
further information as soon as possible.”

While the nature of the ” technical and security difficulties ” have yet to
be officially explained, it is clear that the leadership at NLS are concerned about possible violations of “fair use” in the Chaffee Amendments of the U.S.
Copyright laws. Web Braille files are prepared in a special braille format called “BRF” files,
fully translated into contracted Braille and formatted in the same way they appear in NLS hardcopy braille titles or as embossed on braille paper. These files can only be downloaded by registered eligible users who have been
issued the proper user name and password by a cooperating NLS network library.

Each day that Web-Braille is down, blind children are being denied access to
Braille books that are in limited supply; those who are deaf-blind are restricted from accessing a primary source of reading material; and libraries are being forced to engage in additional shipping of hardcopy braille books adding to their operational expenses.

While we understand that NLS must be responsible when it comes to complying with copyright law, we believe that they have taken precipitous and unwarranted action in restricting access to Web-Braille, and have taken an extremely
narrow interpretation of “fair use”, thus negatively impacting the patrons they are pledged to serve in accessing reading materials.

As a longtime devotee of audio recordings (in both an analog and digital environment) and having worked in both the mainstream and adaptive technology fields, I know that any individual, whether sighted or blind, can easily acquire and use the technology necessary to convert files from one format to another, including from BRF e-text files to mp3 audio files. The world relies on the good will of end users, not to abuse this ability. Certainly, users
of Web-Braille have honored that commitment for the past eight years. We will not stand by and see our access to information denied on the basis of “it might
be done someday”.

ACB calls on NLS to reinstate Web-Braille immediately while continuing to work on acceptable procedures that are not burdensome to borrowers, while
assuring compliance with copyright law. To our knowledge, Web-Braille has not been abused by those who it is intended to serve, and registered borrowers and the
blindness community as a whole should not be punished as if they have violated the law.

I ask each ACB member to [contact their elected representative](
http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/
) in Congress today in Washington D.C. and ask them to use their influence with NLS and its director Frank Kurt Cylke to urge the immediate restoration of Web-Braille access to registered users. Congress should also take this opportunity to clarify and assure that “fair use” for blind and visually impaired citizens includes Web Braille and similar projects.

In addition, feel free to express your concerns to NLS Director Frank Kurt Cylke

by
sending him an email
or at 1-800-424-8567.
Let me assure you that this narrow interpretation of the law can endanger other services being provided by both public and private organizations wishing only to bring the joy of reading to all of us. The pressure you can bring on NLS and Congress is all that stands between you and restored equal access to the written word.

[tags]blind, literacy, braille, internet, fair use[/tags]

This is the laptop I am thinking of getting.
[Video Review: ThinkPad X60s (ZDNet/CNET)
](http://www.small-laptops.com/2006/05/10/video-review-thinkpad-x60s-zdnetcnet/)

[Click to listen to 50 minute podcast](http://media.libsyn.com/media/dcnightout/dcno_09may2006_001.mp3)
[Jamal Mazrui](http://www.empowermentzone.com)
is pleased to present
[TextPal](http://www.empowermentzone.com/palsetup.exe)
latest programming project, a text editor with many features.

[Princeton University](http://www.princeton.edu)

[Bethany Beach cam](http://www.bethanycam.com/)
[Gettysburg National Military Park](http://www.nps.gov/gett/)
[National Federation Of The Blind Presidential Releases](http://www.nfb.org/pr/pr.php)
[NY Times, Boeing Bets The House On 787 Dreamliner](http://www.nytimes.com/pages/business/yourmoney/index.html)

[tags]blindness, accessibility, text editor, travel, podcast, happy hour, airline, Boeing 787, Verizon Wireless, LG 8100, National Federation Of The Blind, homelessness, VIBUG[/tags]

The American Council Of The Blind has signed on with one of many travel booking sites, which has an affiliate program. If you book through the affiliate URL ACB will receive 40% of the travel agency commission. That might sound like a lot, but (particularly the airlines) have cut travel agency commissions to almost nothing. Though there are commissions still involved in packages, hotels, etc.

I took a quick look at the user interface of the site, and while it is certainly usable with a screen reader, it is by no means optimal. For instance with the Jaws 7.1 public beta (either using legacy or dom) internet support, it does not natively announce the field names for various edit fields like from, to, etc. You must manually find these on the screen which you can do.

I would have just thought that since there are probably hundreds of sites ACB could have chosen to do something like this, that they would have picked one with at least above average accessibility. This site might be most difficult for a novice screen reader user, but should be old hat for either an intermediate or advanced user.

Also the main URL is not very catchy.

I hope they make a lot of money from it though.
YTB Travel Network - AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND

I also tried to get the May Braille Forum (monthly magazine) on the ACB web site, but it is not there. I have since been informed that apparently they post the forum on the web site last out of all the distribution channels. Apparently the first distribution channel to get the magaizine is email (which I suppose makes some sense) but they don’t post on the web until last which seems, well, interesting.
[tags]American Council Of The Blind,accessibility,travel agency,affiliate programs,blindness[/tags]

In my Skype email newsletter it was announced that this new beta version is now available. The download and install went very quickly (installation took less than 1 minute). The software now allows you to send, but not receive, SMS messages. SMS is a sort of instant messaging standard found mostly in GSM cell phones. It is most popular, in fact very popular, in Europe, and probably popular here in the USA with teenagers. For example, my sister in Prague can order a taxi by sending an SMS message which is very cool. But, as per usual, it seems we are very behind in the states with what we do with mobile phones. See my post coming up soon on getting a new one.

There is also integration to allow one to initiate Skype calls to contacts stored in Outlook. While thats cool, I still “store” most phone numbers in my head. I found if I used some kind of tool, I would lose somewhat the ability to remember numbers in my head. I guess its the old “if you don’t use it you’ll lose it,” cliche.

The beta accessibility wise seems about the same, but Jonathan Mosen over at
The Mosen Explosion is more of a Skype gurue than me, and in fact he is developing an inexpensive Skype tutorial for users with screen readers.

One continued problem with the 2.5 beta from a screen reader accessibility perspective is that you cannot use first letter navigation to repeatedly jump through names in the contact list.

So in conclusion I wouldn’t hesitate to get and install the new Skype beta, but at the same time nothing really exciting that I have found in playing with it for 10 minutes. I hope that there are some exciting feature I am missing, but I don’t know.
Skype 2.5 BETA

[tags]skype, accessibility, software development, Jaws For Windows, blindness, screen reader, Prague, sms[/tags]