2017 – Canadialog

Podcast about exploring voice profiles settings available with JAWS

For this last podcast of the year 2017, Alexandre and Olivier show you the different options available in JAWS's Voice ajustment settings. At the end of this podcast, you should be able to know and understand what is a voice profile, be able to create one, as well as setup a specific voice profile for a specific application. You will also be able to set your voice profiles separately for each language you wish to use.

In addition, please note that the Canadialog team can offer private or group training on request on the use of assistive technologies. Do not hesitate to contact our support team to learn more about training we can offer.

Visit our website regularly to be informed when new Podcast becomes available or subscribe to our Youtube channel. Also, please note that our podcasts are now available on iTunes as well as on Victor Reader.

Enjoy and we wish you a happy holiday season!

Having issues with Firefox and your screen reader, we explain you what’s going on and how to fix this bug

In this podcast, Alexandre tells you about Mozilla Firefox version 57. This version was released at the middle of the month of November. Alexandre explains you why this version causes issues for screen reader users. He then shows you how to uninstall this version and how to install the ESR version, which will reinstall Firefox as it was before version 57.

Canadialog team remains available to provide you answers to your questions.

Visit our website regularly to be informed when new Podcast becomes available or subscribe to our Youtube channel.

Enjoy!

Alexandre Bellemare presents the new generation of Focus 40 braille display designed by Freedom Scientific

Do you know the brand-new Focus 40 5th generation? Silent, versatile more than ever, robust and easy to carry, you’ll bring this new Braille display with you everywhere! Come and learn more about this new product and it new features in a podcast specially concocted for this!

In this episode, Alexandre presents the Focus 40 Blue fifth generation, product recently available at Canadialog. First, he’ll do a detailed physical description. Then, he will compare it with the Focus Blue previous generation and other Braille refresher available on the market in terms of noise level, design, comfort as well as new features. Finally, Alexandre will demonstrate the new function allowing to easily and quickly control several Bluetooth devices simultaneously connected to this new generation of Focus.

To learn more about this product after listening to this podcast you can visit the Focus Blue 40 5th generation product page or contact a Canadialog team member at any time.

Visit our website regularly to be informed when new Podcast becomes available or subscribe to our Youtube channel.

Enjoy!

Podcast introducing the Google Home mini

In this podcast, Olivier will tell you about his experience with the Google Home mini. He will show you what you can do with this connected speaker. Don't hesitate to contact us if you have questions or comments regarding this device.

Visit our website regularly to be informed when new Podcast becomes available or subscribe to our Youtube channel.

Enjoy!

Podcast about installing Vocalizer voices with JAWS

In this podcast, Olivier will show you how to install Nuance Vocalizer voices available to use free of charge with your Freedom Scientific product. Please note that Vocalizer voices do work with JAWS and Magic. However, they won't work with Openbook. If you want to use Nuance voices with this product, you should install RealSpeak Solo voices.

In addition, please note that the Canadialog team can offer private or group training on request on the use of JAWS or any other assistive technologies. Do not hesitate to contact our support team to learn more about training we can offer.

Visit our website regularly to be informed when new Podcast becomes available or subscribe to our Youtube channel.

Enjoy!

Podcast introducing NVDA

In this podcast, Olivier will introduce you to NVDA, a free screen reader available for Windows. At the end of this podcast, you will be able to setup NVDA for a better work. Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any suggestions or comments regarding future podcasts on NVDA.

In addition, please note that the Canadialog team can offer private or group training on request on the use of NVDA or any other assistive technologies. Do not hesitate to contact our support team to learn more about training we can offer.

Visit our website regularly to be informed when new Podcast becomes available or subscribe to our Youtube channel.

Enjoy!

What Causes Blindness?

Blindness is the inability to see anything, even light. If you’re partially blind, you have limited vision. For example, you may have blurry vision or the inability to distinguish the shapes of objects. Complete blindness means that you can’t see at all and are in total darkness. Legal blindness refers to vision that’s highly compromised. What a person with healthy eyes can see from 200 feet away a legally blind person can see only from 20 feet away. Seek medical attention right away if you suddenly lose the ability to see. Have someone bring you to the emergency room for treatment. Don’t wait for your vision to return. Depending on the cause of your blindness, immediate treatment may increase your chances of restoring your vision. Treatment may involve surgery or medication.

What Are the Symptoms of Blindness?

If you’re completely blind, you can see nothing. If you’re partially blind, you might experience the following symptoms:

cloudy vision
an inability to see shapes
seeing only shadows
poor night vision
tunnel vision

Symptoms of Blindness in Infants

Your child’s visual system begins to develop in the womb, but it won’t be fully formed until about 2 years of age. By 6 to 8 weeks of age, your baby should be able to fix their gaze on an object and follow its movement. By 4 months of age, their eyes should be properly aligned and not turned inward or outward. The symptoms of visual impairment in young children can include:

constant eye rubbing
an extreme sensitivity to light
poor focusing
chronic eye redness
chronic tearing from their eyes
a white instead of a black pupil
poor visual tracking, or trouble following an object with their eyes
abnormal eye alignment or movement after 6 months of age

What Causes Blindness?

The following eye diseases and conditions can cause blindness:

Glaucoma refers to four different eye conditions that can damage your optic nerve, which carries visual information from your eyes to your brain.
Macular degeneration destroys the part of your eye that enables you to see details. It usually affects older adults.
Cataracts cause cloudy vision. They’re more common in older people.
A lazy eye can make it difficult to see details. It may lead to vision loss.
Optic neuritis is inflammation that can cause temporary or permanent vision loss.
Retinitis pigmentosa refers to damage of the retina. It leads to blindness only in rare cases.
Tumors that affect your retina or optic nerve can also cause blindness.

Blindness is a potential complication if you have diabetes or have a stroke. Birth defects, eye injuries, and complications from eye surgery are other common causes of blindness.

Who Is at Risk of Blindness?

The following categories of people are at risk of blindness:

people with eye diseases, such as macular degeneration and glaucoma
people with diabetes
people who have a stroke
eye surgery patients
people who work with or near sharp objects or toxic chemicals
premature babies