Tagged with ' Accessibility'

The Importance of Audiobooks and Accessibility

Access Angle: The Importance of Audiobooks and Accessibility 

By: Gabriel Ryan, School Health Blog Writer and Contributor

 

Audiobooks revolutionize the way we interact with literature. They can be valuable for individuals with learning disabilities, visual impairments, or that have difficulty reading or physically holding printed material.

 

What are Audiobooks?

Audiobooks, sometimes described as a “talking book,” are audio files or recordings of books and other pieces of literature that are read out loud. A reading of the complete text, word-for-word, is called “unabridged,” while an edited version that is shorter is called “abridged.” The recordings are available on records, cassette tapes, CDs, and most popular in digital formats at the present time. Depending on the format, they can be listened to on CD players, Walkmans, computers, tablets, smart phones, home and car entertainment systems, etc.

Spoken word recordings were invented in the late 1800s by Thomas Alva Edison, but the early 1900s is when audiobooks emerged as a result of the creation of a recording studio that supported this purpose. “In 1931, the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) and Library of Congress Books for the Adult Blind Project established the ‘Talking Books Program’ (Books for the Blind), which was intended to provide reading material for veterans injured during World War I and other visually impaired adults,” according to Matthew Rubery, ed. (2011). "Introduction". Audiobooks, Literature, and Sound Studies. Routledge. pp. 1–21. 

You read that right!…Inclusivity and access for people with disabilities was one of the main reasons audiobooks were further established back in the 1900s!

The developments of audiobooks opened the door for Shakespeare’s plays, popular novels, and even the Bible and the Constitution to become available in this audio format many years ago. Audiobooks gained more popularity in the late 1990s and early 2000s when further technology, such as digital media players, became available. By 2017, as technology continued to evolve and expand, consumers were listening more to a digital source rather than physical CDs or audio cassette tapes. Shared by Writer’s Digest in 2022, “…audiobooks are the fastest-growing format in book publishing,” and are, “…predicted to become a $19 billion dollar industry by 2027”.

Originally, audiobooks were read by one narrator and this person was not necessarily the author of the book. It has become popular in more recent times, that Authors narrate their own books or that an entire cast be a part of the recording, instead of just one voice. This has drawn even more people into enjoying and connecting with the material in digital format. Audiobooks provide opportunity and access for people to read more content than ever before since they can read books and “how to” manuals while commuting or multi-tasking.

In education, the use of audio material is invaluable. As an individual with both visual and physical impairments, I was able to take advantage of audio access of printed material back in the late 1990s through early 2000s. I was assigned a cassette player and the books for book reports and class assignments were sent home with me as multiple cassettes. Schools could request to borrow these materials from organizations that support individuals with blindness and visual impairment. At the time, my textbooks were chopped up and scanned into a large digital scanner. There was a program on my assigned laptop that could read the material and highlight the words as they were being spoken. This was certainly a great deal of work for those scanning each page. However, a bit later, the digital copy of the textbooks was available within the teachers’ materials, and we could then use those, instead of having to request the deconstruction of the textbooks. I personally am grateful these materials and access has further developed. I can look up just about anything now on my tablet or smart speaker and listen and learn. I’ve been able to participate in book clubs and discussions about books and related material without having to special order or carry around a cassette or CD player. There are several audiobook platforms that have subscriptions or offer free materials. I am excited to see what the next chapter will unfold in this technology!

Now, with the tap of a screen or the click of a button, a wealth of knowledge and information becomes accessible to all.

Let us know: Did you find this article interesting? Would you like to read more of these types of articles? Do you have a topic you would like to see highlighted? Contact me through email– Gabe Ryan gryan@schoolhealth.com. I’d love to know how you’ve used information from the School Health Access Angle segments.

Posted in Access Angle Segment

Access Angle: AbleNet Quick-Ready Mounting Solutions

By: Gabriel Ryan, School Health Blog Writer and Contributor

 

Access Angle: AbleNet Quick-Ready Mounting Solutions

The AbleNet Quick-Ready Mounting Solutions includes a variety of products that allow the user to control the positioning of assistive technology devices and/or tablet computers. Here is a brief description of four mounts currently available as described by AbleNet.

Quick-Ready One

A single adjustment point on the One mounting arm allows you to control the precise positioning of assistive technology or a tablet computer. The single point of adjustment controls three movable joints. 

Quick-Ready Latitude 360

Three fully articulating joints provide 360-degree movement for precise positioning.

Quick-Ready Flex

A gooseneck arm that allows you to quickly push or pull assistive technology or a tablet computer into position. 

Quick-Ready Cling

Has two suction cups that stick to almost any flat non-porous surface. The suction cups on Cling allow you to quickly mount assistive technology or a tablet computer onto any flat non-porous surface.

All mounts mentioned have a micro adjustment head for precise positioning. They are built to endure bumps and other environmental conditions. The mounting arm is compatible with any AbleNet Quick Ready mounting plates, mounting plates that use a ¼”-20 threaded rod to attach, or mounting plates from RehAdapt that connect with the Spigot Link System (SLS). The One, Latitude 360, and Flex all have a Super Clamp that attaches to almost any flat table edge or a round/square tube on a wheelchair or bed frame.

The Quick Ready Mounting Plate for Assistive Technology is used to mount most assistive technology to an AbleNet Quick Ready Mounting Solutions arm. Included with the mounting plate are Dual Lock strips used to attach the device to the mounting plates.

Also, part of the Quick Ready Mounting Solutions is a Quick Ready Tablet Holder which is used to mount an iPad or tablet computer to a mounting arm. The tablet holder is compatible with most tablets that have a screen size of 7 to 11-in and cases up to 1-in thick.

Recently, I had the opportunity to try the Quick-Ready Flex, Quick Ready Tablet Holder, and Quick Ready Mounting Plate for Assistive Technology. The following are some highlights and some considerations from my trial use. 

Quick-Ready Flex: I found the gooseneck arm to be extremely sturdy. The arm stayed in the position I wanted it to until I repositioned it. Although the Super Clamp is versatile, on my specific wheelchair there were limited locations where the arm could be mounted that would not interfere with reaching the driving controls or having to remove the mounting arm each time my tray was added, or I moved out of my chair. The mounting location that suited me best was toward my knee area, therefore, the length of the gooseneck arm at 19 inches brought the mounting surface within my reach.

Quick Ready Tablet Holder: The tablet I typically use is over 12 inches in size so it was not something I could test. The tablet holder is compatible with 7–11-inch tablets. I did try a tablet that was slightly over 10 inches, which fit securely in the table holder. I noticed the buttons for volume and power were not accessible to me and that when using the tablet in portrait position, if the tablet operating system requires the user to swipe up from the bottom to open the screen, the bottom of the touch screen was not easy to reach past the holder edge. The only solution I found was placing the tablet in landscape position to reach the screen controls. The tablet holder frame and retracting spring seemed strong and durable.

Quick Ready Mounting Plate for Assistive Technology: I attached the mounting plate to the Flex arm and used the Dual Lock strips that come with the plate. I added a Dual Lock strip to my phone case and snapped my phone onto the mounting plate. Using the mounting plate with the Flex arm placed my phone in an ideal position for me to see and use. I could easy reach the buttons and swing away the arm when not in use. The connection of my phone to the mount was solid and I didn’t worry about my phone falling off. When I went to take the phone off the mount, both sides of the Dual Lock came off, this may pose an issue for continued adhesiveness over time.  One solution might be swapping out the Dual Lock for a strong magnet if the item you are mounting will be frequently removed. The Dual Lock added extra thickness to the phone case impeding the use of a magnetic charging phone feature. The mounting plate was easy to add and remove from the Flex arm.

Overall, I enjoyed using the Quick-Ready Flex and Mounting Plate for Assistive Technology. Users will all have varying experiences depending on how and where the Super Clamp can attach to their wheelchair or positioning chair. The good news is the Super Clamp can easily attach to almost any flat table edge or bed frame offering a variety of mounting options. This just may be the perfect mount for your assistive technology or tablet computer mounting needs.

 

To learn more about the AbleNet Quick-Ready Mounting Solutions visit the School Health website.

Posted in Special Education and Access Angle Segment

Do You Know the History of the Bendy Straw?

Gabriel Ryan, School Health Blog Writer and Contributor

 

I was honestly grasping at straws, no pun intended here, to come up with topic for this month’s Access Angle. Then, as I focused on the beverage I was drinking, an idea came to me. Of course…it was right in front of me… the bendy drinking straw! I am frequently using bendy straws and always have some with me in my backpack. Surely, I am not the only one who gets excited when a restaurant happens to have a bendy straw! 

Do you know the history behind the bendy straw? Let’s start with a basic definition. A drinking straw is a paper, plastic, or edible[EP1] [RR2]  tube that people use to bring liquids to the mouth. A variation for the straight plastic straw is the bendy straw, or articulated straw. The bendy straw is designed to be more flexible with a bend at the top.

In 1937 an inventor named Joseph Friedman patented the bendy straw. His reason for inventing a straw like this was to assist his young daughter, but little did he know that this tool would continue to be used for decades by people all over the world.

“One day in the 1930s, while sitting in his brother’s fountain parlor, the Varsity Sweet Shop, in San Francisco, Joseph B. Friedman (1900-1982) watched his young daughter Judith at the counter struggling to drink a milkshake out of a straight paper straw. Friedman, an inventor with a natural curiosity and a creative instinct, took the straw and inserted a screw. He then wrapped dental floss around the paper into the screw threads, creating corrugations. After he removed the screw, the altered paper straw would bend conveniently over the edge of the glass, allowing a small child to better reach the beverage. U.S. patent number 2,094,268 was issued for this new invention, under the title Drinking Tube, on September 28, 1937.”  --- Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, The Straight Truth About the Flexible Drinking Straw, 6/1/2002 Broda-Bahm.

A few more interesting facts that were part of this research: 

  • “In 1939, Friedman formed the Flexible Straw Corporation, later named Flex-Straw Company, and by the late 1940s he began producing the straws with machinery he created.”
  • “The Flex-Straw was well-received by hospitals, whose patients could easily position the straw for drinking while lying down, without compromising the flow of liquids. Friedman’s first sale was made to a hospital in 1947.”

According to the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, one of their archivists had the opportunity to meet the inventor’s daughter, Judith, in 2000. Judith had held onto several boxes in her garage which contained detailed documentation of the inventions of her father, including the bendy straw. She gave these to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History to preserve the process and thinking behind the inventions.

My love for bendy straw goes far beyond the sometimes-bright colors or creating fun loops if using the extra length style. Without the use of a straw, I have to rely on someone else to physically bring a drink to my mouth. Don’t get me wrong, I can use a regular straight straw, however, using bendy straws allows me even more independence when drinking a beverage. I can more easily reach the straw to my mouth at the angle that works best for my arms, hands, and neck, which have limited range of motion. I consider it a basic necessity.

Over the last several years there has been a global conversation about not having plastic straws altogether due to the environmental impact and the effect plastics have on the oceans and animals. Some major U.S. cities and restaurants are looking to implement bans on plastic straw use. Many businesses have transitioned to using paper straws or eliminated providing straws to consumers. Many consumers have started using silicone and metal reusable straws as an alternative. The high priority on the environmental concerns and reducing plastic pollution is extremely important. Finding the balance of reducing waste, while still making strides in universal supports is challenging.

The paper, silicone, and metal straws are great alternatives for some people, however for me and those I know with limited upper body flexibility, the paper straws break down before I can finish my drink. Using paper, hard silicone, or metal can often be too rigid, or at the wrong angle for a fixed bend. Sometimes the texture can affect successful lip closure and ability to suck through the straw. In my research for this article, I came across a National Public Radio (NPR) segment which aired on 7/11/18, “Why people with disabilities want bans on plastic straws to be more flexible”, NPR Morning Edition, Danovich/Godoy.

This audio clip/article provides a perspective for consideration related to disability and bans on straws. Aside from drinking beverages, the bendy straw is used by Speech Language Pathologists and Occupational Therapists. They are often working with clients on vocal fatigue, lip closure, sucking and swallowing, respiratory strengthening, and much more. Many examples and videos can be found online for strategies that involve a straw. Products like Whistling Straws look similar to bendy straws and were designed to serve as a tool to strengthen lips and cheeks by encouraging the user to blow air through the straw for breath support. This tool can also be used to work on other oral therapy related goals.

The bendy straw has been around for almost a century, such a small tool with an enormous impact. At this rate I don’t think we will see the… last straw… any time soon. 

 

Posted in Access Angle Segment