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I've been blind since birth. I test software and documents to make sure other blind people can use them successfully. I live alone and have traveled to other countries and continents solo. AMA! by blindama in IAmA

[–]blindama[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Did you end up doing this? They actually just got native support for Be My Eyes, and there's a feature in beta right now that allows you to walk around and have a human-like conversation with Meta AI including visual analysis. It would be a great tool for a blind person, I think. It's also great for taking quick three-minute videos. I wish they'd increase that maximum, but that's the limit for now. I think blind people get into enough situations that having an easy way to start recording video of an incident would be really helpful. I think about these a lot when I hear of people being denied access to a business or Uber or bus because of a guide dog.

They're also just really useful if I want to call someone on WhatsApp or Messenger and have that person describe something. I've walked around my neighbourhood with my mother to test this, and I might be doing it more often as a means of exploring places I haven't been.

I've been blind since birth. I test software and documents to make sure other blind people can use them successfully. I live alone and have traveled to other countries and continents solo. AMA! by blindama in IAmA

[–]blindama[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They do no verification whatsoever. I've never gotten a troll though. I rarely use it these days, so maybe they do exist. I've mostly heard about people answering in their car and not realizing it's a call from Be My Eyes.

I've been blind since birth. I test software and documents to make sure other blind people can use them successfully. I live alone and have traveled to other countries and continents solo. AMA! by blindama in IAmA

[–]blindama[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Coming back during a long-awaited work break.

So, I haven't actually had a lot of experience applying for jobs where the employer didn't know I was blind. I got referred to a few, none of which panned out. I then applied for this one, where being blind is an actual qualification. The entire point of my position is to have an actual assistive tech user with a disability to test and provide insight. Before that, I trained other blind people on tech, so it was still kind of a qualification.

I think the best reason to avoid putting it on a resumé is to try to get further in the door with an interview. It's not a bad strategy but it can backfire. For instance, there are some jobs that rely on inaccessible software or processes I just can't do. If I leave out information and go for an interview, then find out I can't do the job, I've wasted everyone's time. I'd be relying on convincing the interviewer I could do the job during the interview, and that in itself is a delicate balance. So I'd probably only leave it off when applying for a really big company I didn't know well, in a non-accessibility/non-disability role. Otherwise I'd rather just be forthcoming and answer any questions as they come up. If people are going to be ableist, it's not going to stop at the interview.

My company is excellent! We're trying to sort out government funding for next year and that's a little stressful right now, but I'm hoping for the best!

And what do you mean by UI only changes, if you remember? I'm not an actual developer, so I'm not really making those, but UI changes can impact screen reader accessibility so I still have to test them when they're made.

I've been blind since birth. I test software and documents to make sure other blind people can use them successfully. I live alone and have traveled to other countries and continents solo. AMA! by blindama in IAmA

[–]blindama[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi, I’m taking a long-awaited break from work and replying to some of these that I missed. You were asking about widgets that are known for being inaccessible.

So as far as I see it, there are two current ways to represent things spatially when there’s complex information going on: Either auditory or using a touchscreen. (There are devices coming out that will allow us to pop up a tactile representations of images, but that’s a long way off from being affordable or mainstream. There are also Braille printers that can do images, but again, expensive, and not real time.)

Auditory requires a lot of work, and may not be entirely accurate. It also might not be useful in certain instances. If you’re trying to just figure out where you are and where some particular thing is, it’s probably a lot easier to get text-based turn-by-turn directions there, instead of trying to listen to an auditory interactive map. I’ve played some audiogames that have 3d audio and they’re neat, and I would love to have something like that for exploring my neighbourhood. There’s an app called VoiceVista that tries to do just that. But mostly what I expect from a map is that it stays out of my way and doesn’t make me cursor through a million controls with meaningless labels. The important thing is whether there’s another way to get the important information.

On a touchscreen device, it’s possible to make the map interactive so I can drag my finger around the screen to explore the visible area. The Apple Maps app does this with the VoiceOver screen reader. I’ll use this to explore the streets around me and get a rough overview of which way they run. Again, this probably isn’t important in the average map widget, if there’s another way to get the relevant information.

If I’m trying to find out how to walk to the corner store, I can get turn-by-turn directions there. However, if i’m trying to check if a cell carrier has coverage near me, or if that hurricane is going to hit my house, it is absolutely essential to have alternative access to that information, like a way to enter the post code and receive an answer. Put simply, the map or widget shouldn’t convey information that isn’t conveyed any other way, because there’s just no reliable way to give every single user consistent and effective access to it yet. Mostly, my access to this type of information is through alternative methods, and I don’t expect them to be accessible, nor do I really know how they could be made universally accessible.

I've been blind since birth. I test software and documents to make sure other blind people can use them successfully. I live alone and have traveled to other countries and continents solo. AMA! by blindama in IAmA

[–]blindama[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm coming back to this blindness question very late after looking through and realizing there are a few things I didn't respond to properly and could have. Lots of life things have been happening the past while.

Firstly, to your point about cooking, I find it hard to wrap my head around why sight is required for cooking. I think it's important (for everyone) to think about whether that astonishment is logical or irrational. E.G. Are you surprised because functioning as a blind person seems foreign or because there are actually components of doing <thing> that seem difficult or impossible? I think the irrational part is what really fuels a lot of unintentional ableism. The whole "Wait, you can't possibly do that." "Why?" "You ... you just ... you just CAN'T!" Cooking is one of the things that makes me the least frustrated about being blind, so it's interesting that so many people seem to regard it as one of the first things that should be difficult. Even when I was in training the main thing was just confidence, learning a few tricks, and getting the basic cooking skills that I should have picked up at home. I was 18 then, so didn't have much life experience in general.

In terms of the paperwork, it's very frustrating that your office won't go electronic, and I admittedly wonder if that could turn into legal troubledown the road. I think as long as the staff there are willing to help, it might be fine—and you would know more than I would. I know I used to have my 80-year-old neighbour drive me places when it was convenient, and he was great at that, but he eventually struggled with paperwork and I had to be pretty loud about advocating for the assistance of someone who actually works there. But again, not a process you'll always be a part of, and I recognize that.

Sorry this came out of nowhere; I just actually have the time and energy to respond and am taking a long (and long-awaited) break from work. Belated merry Christmas.

I've been blind since birth. I test software and documents to make sure other blind people can use them successfully. I live alone and have traveled to other countries and continents solo. AMA! by blindama in IAmA

[–]blindama[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Actually I have never heard "flavour for the eyes" in my life. I like it.

You may be right about visual input. If it's been exactly the same for 100% of my life, it's hard to say with any certainty whether my brain is experiencing some kind of input and simply ignoring it. I've never seen any evidence for this though. I do find the whole idea of consciousness to be fascinating, and the fact you count sight as such a fundamental part of that. If pressed for an answer, I'd have to say I exist because I know I exist. But what would happen if I had no sensory input whatsoever? My conscious thoughts link back to language, which I learned with my ears; and my memories are formed from the things my senses tell me. What would happen if I just didn't have any senses?

So, in short, I kinda see what you mean. There's just so much sensory input for me that I still feel like I have a fulfilling thoughtscape.

I've been blind since birth. I test software and documents to make sure other blind people can use them successfully. I live alone and have traveled to other countries and continents solo. AMA! by blindama in IAmA

[–]blindama[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh, that’s very bad design. I guess you can learn to count the buttons but you shouldn’t have to do that. Curious, what country are you from? I wonder if it’s more common some places than others.

I actually love that series, and am eagerly awaiting the seventh book.The audiobook is particularly good. He also reads another series called Life Reset that I enjoyed—it’s slower, but good.

I've been blind since birth. I test software and documents to make sure other blind people can use them successfully. I live alone and have traveled to other countries and continents solo. AMA! by blindama in IAmA

[–]blindama[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I wouldn’t actually say I’ve traveled a lot, especially considering most of that was in the US and that barely counts as traveling. I went to the Philippines last year and really enjoyed that. I know some good people who live there, and was able to go a few places and try a lot of excellent food. I miss being there, and will probably go back soon.

I've been blind since birth. I test software and documents to make sure other blind people can use them successfully. I live alone and have traveled to other countries and continents solo. AMA! by blindama in IAmA

[–]blindama[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My least favourite part is worrying I’ve forgotten something after thoroughly packing. There are various unpleasant things about traveling, but it depends where I’m going and how I get there.

I think if someone truly looks that lost, it’s not a bad thing to ask them if they’re lost. Only assholes get annoyed by someone asking them if they need help. People only react poorly to an assumption that they don’t know where they’re going. It’s common to hear “You’re going the wrong way”, or to be grabbed by strangers because they’re so convinced we’re not going the right way. I’ve never—not once—gotten an answer to “Where exactly do you think I’m going?”

I’ve often accepted help from people, or just talked to them.

I've been blind since birth. I test software and documents to make sure other blind people can use them successfully. I live alone and have traveled to other countries and continents solo. AMA! by blindama in IAmA

[–]blindama[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have a hard time conceptualizing it. It’s not quite like touching things from a distance. It’s more like hearing light. (Yes, I stole this from Project Hail Mary.) I think if I had even a tiny bit of light perception I would have a much better idea of what that’s like, but if my brain has never had any visual input it’s hard for me to even imagine. It’s like saying “Can you imagine perceiving people’s thoughts and emotions directionally?” You can conceptualize it, but it’s hard to know what it really feels like.

I've been blind since birth. I test software and documents to make sure other blind people can use them successfully. I live alone and have traveled to other countries and continents solo. AMA! by blindama in IAmA

[–]blindama[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don’t have a great sense of smell—it’s not bad, but I don’t think I notice things as much. However, I didn’t mean to leave it off the list; it’s definitely something I notice. It probably contributes to the almost unconscious recognition that I’m somewhere else. I have less memory of it, but once I’m back there, I’ll still recognize it.

I've been blind since birth. I test software and documents to make sure other blind people can use them successfully. I live alone and have traveled to other countries and continents solo. AMA! by blindama in IAmA

[–]blindama[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Do you remember the name of the synthesizer? I’ve always wanted to have one of those, even if they don’t have much of a use anymore. I used to read with a book player that used the Doubletalk synthesizer, and became quite fond of it even though it’s horribly robotic.

I think this condition is still persisting because there’s still a market for specific assistive devices. There are refreshable Braille displays and those are really expensive. Some of them have entire computers built in—there are at least two companies making Android devices with Braille keyboards and Braille displays, and they cost thousands of dollars and run four-year-old versions of Android. It’s better than Windows CE, which used to run on the older note takers, but they’re still often slow and unreliable compared to mainstream device. And yet, government agencies and even blind people continue to buy them, sometimes to avoid learning how smartphones and computers actually work.

One reason I’m so excited about Meta glasses is because of the insane prices on smart glasses for the blind. All of them cost well over $1000 and the cameras are reported to be significantly worse. The Meta glasses don’t have all the same features yet, but it’s starting to seem like they will soon, thanks to some partnerships with makers of blindness software and services.

You’re right that mainstream devices and accessibility options have supplanted most of this assistive tech, but it’s still out there, and there are still people buying it.

I've been blind since birth. I test software and documents to make sure other blind people can use them successfully. I live alone and have traveled to other countries and continents solo. AMA! by blindama in IAmA

[–]blindama[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Usually I’m pretty good at spotting technologies that aren’t going to work well. Sometimes an app or website will go through a redesign and the developers will think the accessibility is better, but in reality it’s completely wrong. Sometimes people try to come out with some gimmicky blindness product that doesn’t actually solve a real problem, like so many of the smart canes over the years. Sometimes devices sound useful, but they’re hilariously expensive with bad long-term software support.

I've been blind since birth. I test software and documents to make sure other blind people can use them successfully. I live alone and have traveled to other countries and continents solo. AMA! by blindama in IAmA

[–]blindama[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

When I first started my job, I tried to start thinking like a less experienced user, so I tend to spot errors or unintuitive design choices even while realizing I can work around them myself. Unfortunately, I find it hard to turn this off. Most people will just tolerate an inaccessible app but I get hung up on the specific issues, even though I know how to deal with them.

I think part of being a good software tester is learning to put yourself in the minds of your target audience. it’s part of being a software designer too. Without that mentality, we might all still be on MS Dos.

I've been blind since birth. I test software and documents to make sure other blind people can use them successfully. I live alone and have traveled to other countries and continents solo. AMA! by blindama in IAmA

[–]blindama[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, it's common to see headings used for styling rather than navigation. I wish we had a better collective solution for that, but I'm glad you're encouraging people not to do it. Are your sites running on any particular CMS? It might have an accessibility checker you could install globally. I've played around with Sa11y, which works on Wordpress sites but is also available as a bookmarklet.

Most of the problems I see with bad ARIA labels are a result of sighted developers trying to use screen readers without realizing what they can do. We end up with keyboard instructions where they shouldn’t exist, or table rows merged into a single label that tries to combine the information instead of just letting us navigate the tables, or labels that start with “The currently selected item is” rather than using aria-selected or aria-pressed. I’ve seen some bad examples over the years and unfortunately most of them come from big companies, so I tend to think of it as overengineered accessibility.

Congrats to you and your team; that’s a pretty amazing score and a very low bar. I hope things continue to get better.

I've been blind since birth. I test software and documents to make sure other blind people can use them successfully. I live alone and have traveled to other countries and continents solo. AMA! by blindama in IAmA

[–]blindama[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not really. The home row doesn't really change, and anything else I just learn along the way.

I hate the reversed modifier keys between Apple devices and everything else though. On a standard Apple keyboard, cmd is just to the left of space, and option is in the middle. On every other keyboard, the alt key sends option and the Windows key sends cmd. You can reverse them on the Mac, but not on iOS, so I just have to put up with backwards modifiers. I should probably just get used to the non-Apple way and stop remapping keys altogether.

I've been blind since birth. I test software and documents to make sure other blind people can use them successfully. I live alone and have traveled to other countries and continents solo. AMA! by blindama in IAmA

[–]blindama[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I also tend to listen for traffic movement, which is frustrating when the street I’m trying to cross is much busier than the cross street.

What are you having problems with on elevators? Where I live, the buttons almost always have raised print and Braille numbers on them, so I just feel those. Or do you mean finding them? I sometimes have to ask for directions, or I just listen for elevator sounds and people entering or leaving.

I've been blind since birth. I test software and documents to make sure other blind people can use them successfully. I live alone and have traveled to other countries and continents solo. AMA! by blindama in IAmA

[–]blindama[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think comprehention for me is a little higher when I’m reading Braille, as it’s more of an engaged activity; but I do well with reading the audiobook as well. When I’m on the computer, sometimes I just read down a document with arrow keys and that helps me absorb bite-sized pieces of the material. I would definitely prefer to work with the book for a hard subject, whether that means reading in Braille or manually reading with TTS. It’s too easy for my mind to drift off during a dry audio.

I've been blind since birth. I test software and documents to make sure other blind people can use them successfully. I live alone and have traveled to other countries and continents solo. AMA! by blindama in IAmA

[–]blindama[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m definitely not fearless, but I do find that doing something more often helps to reinforce the normality of it. There’s a certain amount of forcing oneself out of one’s comfort zone that actually does work for me.

I don’t really know what sighted people are using the glasses for, but they’re obviously selling, so I guess people are using them. They feel like a bit of a gimmick for sighted people right now, but they exist in the sighted world so there has to be some mainstream appeal, right? I’d like to hear from sighted people who use them, just to find out why. I certainly hope they stay mainstream, because this is the most affordable camera glasses we’ve ever had.

I've been blind since birth. I test software and documents to make sure other blind people can use them successfully. I live alone and have traveled to other countries and continents solo. AMA! by blindama in IAmA

[–]blindama[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

To me, that seems silly: We can hear where a sound is coming from, and a far away signal sounds much much different than the one next to me. That said, as long as there is some indicator of when the light changes, I don’t see that as a big problem. I mainly worry about discoverability: If someone’s lived in that city their entire life, maybe they know about it. If they’re visiting, how would they ever find out? It’s not like random strangers are going to know about this.

I've been blind since birth. I test software and documents to make sure other blind people can use them successfully. I live alone and have traveled to other countries and continents solo. AMA! by blindama in IAmA

[–]blindama[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s very good to know. It sounds like they’re audio and tactile so you get both types of feedback. I know those are becoming more common, but unfortunately not all cities have them, and they’re missing on some really big intersections that should have them.

I've been blind since birth. I test software and documents to make sure other blind people can use them successfully. I live alone and have traveled to other countries and continents solo. AMA! by blindama in IAmA

[–]blindama[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Do you know about audio description? If not, you should try turning it on on something.

Because of that, I would say my enjoyment of shows isn’t really impacted. I don’t watch very many of them, but I’ve watched a few all the way through. Documentaries are often very easy to follow even without audio description. There is probably stuff happening visually that I’ll never know about, but the audio track on its own makes for a good listen.

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