Blind Abilities Podcast

Mastering a new screen reader can be a daunting task: with a plethora of screen readers to choose from, and the learning curve of new commands it’s easy to become overwhelmed. Thankfully, there’s a new website to help you along your screen-reader journey!   Blind Abilities podcast host Simon Bonenfant joined Assistive Technology Specialists Allison Mello and Max Avendano in the virtual studio to discuss everything you need to know about the new SRT Screen Reader training website.   You can access the site by visiting this link. The site offers full-length tutorials of some of the most popular Screen Readers such as Voiceover, Jaws, Kromevox, and NVDA.   Interested in practicing the information you learned? Take a look at the Game Portal, where you can find fun ways to develop your skills.   In addition to discussing the features of the website, Allison and Max give an overview of their work at the California School for the Blind, and how they used their lived experiences to compile the site. Don’t forget to c

In this 23rd  episode of Wellness Wednesday, Beth Gustin, LPC, Robin Ennis, LCSW, CPC, and Jeff Thompson of Blind Abilities,  address the intersection of gratitude and grieving during the holiday season.   Check out all the Wellness Wednesday episodes.   Show Hosts:             Robin Ennis on the web at www.robinennislcsw.com             Beth Gustin, LPC, NCC, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, CAGCS, PLGS             Www.transitioningthroughchange.com   You can message Beth and Robin by calling 612-367-6093 or by email. They are looking forward to hearing from you! Contact: You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email and give us a call at 612-367-6093, we would love to hear from you! Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Storeand Google Play Store. Give us a call and leave us some feedback at 612-367-6093 we would love to hear from you! Check out the Blind Abilities Community on Facebook, the Blind Abilities Page, and the Career Resources for the Blin

While attending the 2023 NFB Convention Banquet in Houston Texas, Blind Abilities podcast host Simon Bonenfant had the opportunity to connect with Gilles Pepin, Chairman of the Board at Humanware. During the Banquet, Mr. Pepin received the prestigious Kenneth Jernigan award. Mr. Pepin joined Simon in the virtual studio to discuss his incredible tenure as Former CEO of Humanware for 35 years.   From the Humanware Website: “Founded in 1988, HumanWare is a Canadian-based company part of the EssilorLuxottica group since 2013. Recognized as an industry leader, our mission is to develop solutions enabling people living with visual impairment and vision loss to develop their potential and maintain their autonomy. Through the dedication of our employees and partners in North America, the United Kingdom, Australia and a worldwide distribution network, we improve the quality of life for our customers by promoting literacy, inclusion, and accessibility.”   During the interview, Mr. Pepin discusses his personal story of

In this 22nd  episode of Wellness Wednesday, Beth Gustin, LPC and Robin Ennis, LCSW, CPC, have a general discussion about blindness awareness. October has a variety of Blindness related awareness campaigns bringing about awareness to the public with White Cane Day, Disability Employment and Blindness Awareness Month all happening in the month of October. Beth and robin talk about the exhaustion of constantly feeling the need to advocate, prove and being the perfect ambassador for the entire community all the time. How the battle of grieving and rebuilding can play out on one's journey and why asking for help can be  a form of independence.   Check out all the Wellness Wednesday episodes.   Show Hosts:             Robin Ennis on the web at www.robinennislcsw.com             Beth Gustin, LPC, NCC, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, CAGCS, PLGS             Www.transitioningthroughchange.com   You can message Beth and Robin by calling 612-367-6093 or by email. They are looking forward to hearing from you!   Read More

In our spotlight across the Nation during blindness equality achievement month, we once again head over to Pennsylvania and the Keystone Chapter.   Since 2020, the Philadelphia based Keystone Chapter of the NFB of PA has been hosting Believe You Can, a virtual talent show held every year in October. in conjunction with blindness equality achievement month, the show aims to educate the sighted public on the capabilities of the blind and visually impaired, while enjoying some wonderful entertainment in the process.  Blind Abilities podcast host Simon Bonenfant sat down with fellow committee members David Goldstein, Lisa Bryant, and Harriet Go to discuss everything you need to know about this year’s event.  Interested in hearing from a past performer? Believe You Can 2022 winner Julia LaGrand stopped by to share her performance experience and discuss her accomplished career as a classical violinist as well.  Listen as they unpack changes to this year’s format, some of the performances you’ll hear, and even the o

In this 21st  episode of Wellness Wednesday, Beth Gustin, LPC and Robin Ennis, LCSW, CPC, take a deep look into Self-Doubt. the lack of belief in yourself can be a repetitive loop that constantly lessens confidence in yourself. They examine where self-doubt may derive from and how you can take a look at the signs that bring about the negative view of your abilities and begin to understand what you can do to do when self-doubt keeps you from moving forward.   Book Mentioned in the podcast: Failing Up by  Leslie Odom Jr.    Check out all the Wellness Wednesday episodes.   Show Hosts:             Robin Ennis on the web at www.robinennislcsw.com             Beth Gustin, LPC, NCC, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, CAGCS, PLGS             Www.transitioningthroughchange.com   You can message Beth and Robin by calling 612-367-6093 or by email. They are looking forward to hearing from you!

Justin Ng is part of a two-person team that made Timecrest, an iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch game that has won AppleVis accessibility awards for Best Game and Developer of the Year, inducted into the AppleVis Hall of Fame, featured on Apple's App Store Best Of list, and was recommended by the New York Times.    Timecrest was designed to be accessible from the ground up. the Sneaky Crab Team are sighted, but learned how to use their phones with screen curtain on and using only VoiceOver, and their personal experience and a significant amount of user feedback led to them creating many features for their game that were specific to VoiceOver that sighted users would never even know about. Jesse Anderson from the Illegally Sighted YouTube Channel and Jeff Thompson from Blind abilities, talk to Justin about developing accessible games as sighted people, to their process of writing the story for Timecrest. Timecrest is an epic fantasy with over 640,000 words and interesting choices and mysteries, and they also have

In this 20th  episode of Wellness Wednesday, Beth Gustin, LPC and Robin Ennis, LCSW, CPC, navigate the anxiety and panic that one may experience when out and about and getting lost. How being prepared and using grounding techniques may help one better handle the frustrating experience of losing ones way.   Check out all the Wellness Wednesday episodes.   Show Hosts:             Robin Ennis on the web at www.robinennislcsw.com             Beth Gustin, LPC, NCC, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, CAGCS, PLGS             Www.transitioningthroughchange.com   You can message Beth and Robin by calling 612-367-6093 or by email. They are looking forward to hearing from you! Read More

Are you a student or educator looking for free accessible academic content? Join me in the virtual studio, as I interview Cindy Camp, Communications and Marketing director of Described and Captioned Media.   Described and Captioned Media offers a wide variety of diverse academic video content for parents, students, and teachers throughout the United States. With a catalog of over 13,000 videos, there’s sure to be something for everyone! Whether you have an interest in math, science, or anything in between, Described and Captioned Media is here to facilitate a fully inclusive learning experience with high-quality audio description, captioning services, and ASL Interpretation. Read More

Carrie, from the YouTube Channel, "Carrie On Accessibility" and Cindy from the YouTube Channel, "Seeing Blind" are back in the studio for their 3rd podcast episode, ""C and C Insights". In this episode, they let us in on  how Home Schooling and Public Schooling both have similar and unique challenges for parents who are Blind or Visually Impaired. Carrie brings another perspective as her child is BVI as well. Learn how they overcome the challenges and what they suggests for others as they take charge of their families educational journey’s.   You can contact Carrie and Cindy by email at CCInsightsPodcast@GMail.com   Be sure to check out their YouTube Channels and all their social presence below:   ·      ·      Carrie On Accessibility on YouTube ·      ·      Find all Carrie's Socials  at  Carrie On Accessibility on the web ·      ·      Seeing Blind on YouTube ·      ·      Follow Cindy on all her Socials  

Returning to the Blind Abilities Studio is USA Today Best Selling Author, Barbara Hinske. Barbara is excited to announce that Hallmark has brought her book to the big screen. She talks about the journey, the process and the feelings she experienced while on-set with the cast, directors and puppies. September 8th, 2023 is the launch date on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries at 8 PM Central and 9 PM Eastern and Pacific. Be Sure to check out all the dates Guiding Emily is playing on your Hallmark channel. Join the Release Party with Barbra and fans of her books. Guiding Emily is the tale of a young woman who loses her sight in an accident and a guide-dog-in-training who becomes her guide. It’s the heartwarming, heartbreaking, inspirational tale of their journey to find each other as Emily strives to come to terms with her new reality.  Read More

In this 19th  episode of Wellness Wednesday, Beth Gustin, LPC and Robin Ennis, LCSW, CPC, open up a conversation about Intrusive Thoughts. What one can do to help gain control of these thoughts, how to be in the "right now" space, and how recognizing the present moment can sometimes reduce one's anxiety.   Check out all the Wellness Wednesday episodes.   Show Hosts:             Robin Ennis on the web at www.robinennislcsw.com             Beth Gustin, LPC, NCC, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, CAGCS, PLGS             Www.transitioningthroughchange.com   You can message Beth and Robin by calling 612-367-6093 or by email. They are looking forward to hearing from you! Contact: You can follow us on Twitter @BlindAbilities On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com Send us an email and give us a call at 612-367-6093, we would love to hear from you! Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Storeand Google Play Store. Give us a call and leave us some feedback at 612-367-6093 we would love to hear from you! Check out the 

Blind Abilities podcast host Simon Bonenfant opened the door to the virtual studio, and picked up the microphone to chat with Molly Brockman, art curator at Beyond Vision Art. Beyond Vision Art is an organization dedicated to providing art that engages the 5 senses, taste, touch, smell, hearing, and vision. Molly tells her inspiring story of how her frustration with the inadequacies of her local art museum empowered her to create art that everyone could enjoy! To contact Beyond Vision Art, including where you can find more information about there upcoming art shows, visit their Website or like their Facebook Page You can send Molly an email at molly@beyondvisionart.com We hope you have enjoyed this interview. If you would like to learn more and contact us, you can follow us on Twitter @Blind Abilities On the web at www.blindabilities.com Send us an email at info@blindabilities.com Get the Free Blind Abilities App on the App Store and Google Play Store Give us a call and leave us some feedback at 612-367-609

From the 2023 NFB Convention in Houston Texas, Blind Abilities podcast host Simon Bonenfant welcomes back Garrett Carder, CEO & Chief Engineer, and Caroline Karbowski, Chief Community Officer of A Cubed Design, a technology company with the goal of making braille displays more accessible and affordable for all!   Garret and Caroline give details about their developing product called the Enigma Reader. From the A Cubed Design website: “The Enigma Braille Reader is our signature device, which aims to be affordable and provide an expandable ecosystem for people who are blind to be able to plug and play new functionality into their braille device. We value accessibility first and foremost. We aim to provide a product, which will be easily usable and well documented. Our braille display is slated to become the most easily obtainable product on the market. We aim to accelerate the way blind individuals interface with their environment by adding plug and play features to our device”. Read More

In this 18th  episode of Wellness Wednesday, Beth Gustin, LPC and Robin Ennis, LCSW, CPC, dive into boundaries, setting and establishing healthy boundaries and the respecting of your boundaries by others.   Check out all the Wellness Wednesday episodes.   Show Hosts:             Robin Ennis on the web at www.robinennislcsw.com             Beth Gustin, LPC, NCC, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, CAGCS, PLGS             Www.transitioningthroughchange.com   You can message Beth and Robin by calling 612-367-6093 or by email. They are looking forward to hearing from you!

While attending the 2023 NFB Convention in Houston Texas, Blind Abilities podcast host Simon Bonenfant sat down with Jeff Gardener, team leader at Irie-at. Founded in 2011, Irie-at offers a wide range of products such as braille displays, braille embossers with tactile graphics, and low-vision aids such as portable magnification systems.   Jeff gives listeners an overview of their braille display offerings, sold in conjunction with the Eurobraille corporation, and describes the B.note 20 and 40 cell braille displays, as well as the B.book Windows Notetaker. Jeff also gives listeners an overview of their magnification offerings. Contracted with a company called Sight Care, Irie-AT is proud to offer the CloverBook Pro. Read More

While attending the 2023 NFB Convention in Houston Texas, Blind Abilities podcast host Simon Bonenfant sat down with Dave Williams. Dave works on the Inclusive Design Team at RNIB, Royal National Institute for Blind People. Dave also serves as chair of the Braillists Foundation, a United Kingdom based charity with the mission of promoting the advancement of Braille.   Dave speaks with Simon about his journey of his denial to acceptance of blindness. He discusses how technology, Braille, and mobility skills have not only empowered him but helped him to empower others to make their dreams come true. As a member of the Inclusive Design team, Dave works with existing technology companies to make sure their emerging products are inclusive for all, regardless of disability. Read More

At the 2023 NFB Convention in Houston, Texas, Blind Abilities podcast host Simon Bonenfant sat down with Nimer Jaber, Accessibility Analyst at Google, Inc. Nimer discusses his love for, and advocacy of, the Android operating system. He recounts his own path of blindness and his views about technology. We hear Nimer’s journey from resisting a smartphone, to becoming a tech trainer, to his current work helping the blind community through the Google corporation. Our topics include:   ·      Improvements to the Talkback program, a built-in screen reader for all Android devices, including improvements when using a Braille display. Will be released in July 2023 ·      The new Bard application, Google’s AI chatbot ·      The Lookout application, an OCR (Optical Character Recognition) service helping blind people with everyday tasks such as reading documents, currencies, bar codes, etc. Updates released in later half of 2023 ·      Android 14 operating system, scheduled to be released later in 2023 ·      U

In this 17th  episode of Wellness Wednesday, Beth Gustin, LPC and Robin Ennis, LCSW, CPC, take us into the Relationship Rifts, the Red Flags, Safe Places and using the "I" statement. Beth and Robin respond to feedback about Integrity and being loss with no support.   Check out all the Wellness Wednesday episodes.   Show Hosts:             Robin Ennis on the web at www.robinennislcsw.com             Beth Gustin, LPC, NCC, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, CAGCS, PLGS             Www.transitioningthroughchange.com   You can message Beth and Robin by calling 612-367-6093 or by email. They are looking forward to hearing from you! Thanks for Listening!

Away from the bustling crowds of the exhibit hall at the 2023 NFB Convention, Blind Abilities podcast host Simon Bonenfant met with Klaus-Peter Hars, Founder and CEO of Inventivio. Inventivio’s newest products is the Tactonom Reader, a new device designed to help blind and visually impaired people have greater access to tactile graphics. Klaus demonstrates this incredible device in action by showing how accurate the camera and tactile technology is when studying tactile maps, floor plans of buildings, large open spaces such as Churches, mathematical concepts, etc. Klaus even demonstrates Tactonom’s capability for seamless descriptions of 3D printed models. Read More