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Podcast for Vision 73, August/September 2015
1. Insert new RNIB audio logo: RNIB – supporting people with sight loss
2. NICKY: Hello and welcome to the August 2015 podcast for
Vision – the magazine for members of RNIB. My name is
Nicky Barranger and I present the audio version of the
magazine. This is just a taste of Vision which is produced as
a 78 minute long radio-style programme on CD. Vision
includes news, features, competitions and letters from
members of RNIB. In this podcast we hear some people
involved with Online Today, a new project to enable people
with sensory loss get online and we have some other tips
and options to help in case you’re thinking of getting a new
computer and need some help and advice.
We currently have an offer for a free nine month trial of
membership and it’s easy to join, just sign up at
rnib.org.uk/membership or call the membership team on
0303 1234 555. You’ll receive regular copies of Vision
magazine and a range of other member benefits. At the end
of this podcast, you’ll also find an information directory with
all the key contacts for RNIB and a section listing some of
the free guides that are available to help you live
independently and make the most out of life.
RNIB – supporting blind and partially sighted peopleRegistered charity number 226227
3. ALEC IDENT: TECHNOLOGY: GET ONLINE TODAY
4. NICKY: For anyone who feels technology is moving just too fast and
leaving them behind – we’ve got some good news.
There’s a new project called Online Today which is funded by The Big
Lottery to help people with sensory loss - get online and get up to date
with technology.
That means you can get specialist help with all your queries about
mobile phones, laptops, Kindles, and ipad's either one-to-one or in a
group workshop. And best of all, it’s absolutely free.
Vision Managing Editor, Clare Conley, talked to one of the Online
Today trainers - Davinder Kullar [pron Dabinder Kool-ar] who has
retinitis pigmentosa, or RP. His sight has been gradually
deteriorating to the point where he now uses a cane and has a
guide dog. Clare asked Davinder how he coped with learning
technology as he lost his sight.
5. SADIE INSERT 1 Online today
DAVINDER: I’m a big believer that if you do lose something, you
need to add something else that adds value and allows you to
do the things you want to do. So an example of that was –
given technology moves so quickly, I went through a phase
where I had an old touch phone which was physical buttons
which broke and I couldn’t get a hold of something to replace
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it. And when I was looking around for technology, I kept
thinking, ‘Well, what do I want to do? What do I need to do?
And how do I do it?’ So I would call myself the kind of person
who if I see a problem or identify a problem, I’ll look for the
solution. So that’s always been my approach.
CLARE: So which leads me on to ask you about your new role.
Tell us a little bit about your role with Online Today.
DAVINDER: Okay. So Online Today – what we’re looking to do is
we’re looking to enable people who might be beginners or
anxious about technology, and we really want to help guide
them, to say – ‘Okay, you’ve got the following options’ – but
it’s important for me to understand where that particular
individual wants to go, what their objectives are, and then we
take them on a path to explain the ways that they can do that.
So with technology, a lot of people fear that it’s going to be a
very technical, jargonistic thing, and the way that myself and
the team in Online Today – what we do is we make it really
simple. We don’t use technical terms, we use examples to
help people relate, and it’s really a two-way thing. It’s us
helping the individual, them helping us to understand what
they need, and then we work together for the best outcome for
them.
CLARE: So what if one of our members is listening and they’ve
literally never used a smartphone, not used the Internet, and
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they think, ‘This really isn’t for me now’ – what sort of things
could they be missing out on?
DAVINDER: Now all I would say to people is – ‘You’re missing out
on a very big world.’ The opportunities of doing shopping
online, your banking, research, talking to family and friends.
I’ve had people who have said to me – “Davinder, I want to
make a call to family abroad, but I can’t do it anymore,
because technology has gone from a physical button to a
piece of glass that I don’t really understand how I’m going to
use it, because it’s got nothing that I can really understand
and feel.” And in the sessions that myself and my team do,
what we say to people attending, like yourselves in a group,
would be – ‘Actually, let’s all talk about what worries and fears
you have.’ And I’ve taken people and I’ve said, “Right –
here’s what you used to do with a phone, and here’s now what
you can do with a smartphone.”
CLARE: So talk us through the process – what would happen if
someone called the helpline, what would happen from there.
DAVINDER: So they call the helpline and we identify where they
are in terms of region. They’re put through to the relevant
team and we’ll then organise the right approach for them,
whether that be a group session, a one-to-one session –
whichever is best for yourselves. We would then say – ‘Okay,
we’ve got XYZ devices – smartphones, tablets, everything that
people will normally see and hear within the family’ – and we
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will go through how visually impaired people use it differently,
but still get the same outcome.
So I’ll give you an example – the story of somebody who
came in, a chap who’s in his 80s was gifted an iPad by his
family, and he mentioned to me, he said, “Davinder, I’ve got a
little bit anxious, I don’t really want to break it, and I’d like to
understand what I do.” And I said, “Well, okay…” Well, we
took some time and I said, “The first thing is there’s going to
be some pain before the pleasure.” And one of the key things
I always say to people is – ‘You need to have patience.’ And
the other thing I always say – ‘You need to keep an open mind
and know your objectives.’ And that, as a recipe, is what I feel
gives a lot of people success. He told me he wanted to make
a conversation with his grand-daughter in another country.
We then went from about the next month, helping him
practise, and I think in the third month he eventually got to a
point where he made his very first call to his grand-daughter in
another country.
CLARE: So did he do that using Skype?
DAVINDER: He did, and FaceTime.
CLARE: Do you think there’s a danger that people with sight loss
could become even more kind of left out of some things, and
perhaps isolated if they don’t make the move to get Internet
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access?
DAVINDER: One hundred percent. I think, given that we’re living
in a really technological world— Take an example of bills.
We’re all looking for the best deals, and whether you’re sight-
impaired or have a visual impairment or no sight, we all have
costs and we’re all trying to get the best deals. And a lot of
the deals at the moment are online, and therefore you could
be paying more money than potentially you need to be.
CLARE: And I think also finding out what’s going on around you
or even like local societies, different groups, different clubs – I
think that’s becoming increasingly difficult if you don’t have
access to the Internet.
DAVINDER: Absolutely. I mean, a lot of people – whether it be in
organisations or – again, they’re cutting their costs and they’re
trying to do things electronically via email, so it’s become
more the norm that correspondence and events is done on the
Internet rather than through newsletters of flyers through the
post. So I think a lot of people are feeling that the world is
moving in a very fast way, and I think what we’re trying to say
to people is – ‘It’s fine that that’s the case – what we’ll do, we’ll
enable you to catch up, but in a comfortable, safe
environment.’
If I use an example of my phone – for example, my phone, my
device – it has become a best friend. So it does everything
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from wake me up in the morning – I’ll check my train times are
on time, I will check the latest news, weather reports for the
day, I’ll maybe check some emails, and that’s probably just
the first – that’s an example of three or four things in the very
early morning. It could be afternoon – if I ever need to look at
any kind of restaurant menus – I could look at on an Internet
page. And similarly, if I ever need to make a simple phone
call, I can do that – whether it be an emergency service, which
some people need to use, or the doctors. And it’s all in my
pocket. And the difference is – these devices have become
so powerful that they become an asset to you, once you
embrace them.
CLARE: So what sort of devices can people find out more about?
DAVINDER: There’s a range of devices and they cover the
market in terms of laptops, of computers, all the way through
to smartphones and tablets.
CLARE: And can they learn about e-readers as well or Kindles?
DAVINDER: Absolutely, absolutely. There’s options for e-
readers, Kindle. So we’ll cover a range of devices, but make it
digestible, easy to understand, and cater to your needs.
6. NICKY: Thanks to Davinder for telling us about that training
opportunity. “Getting to grips with technology can seem
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daunting, but it’s well worth the effort.” That’s the message from
Kelly Gallahger who won a gold medal for skiing in the 2012
Paralympics. She recently converted to a smart phone herself -
so was very pleased to hear about Online Today helping other
blind and partially sighted people overcome barriers to
technology. She explains what a difference it’s made to her:
7. Sadie: Insert 2 - Kelly
KELLY GALLAGHER: Technology has changed so much in the
last couple of years, that like it took me a long time to figure
out what kind of device I wanted to use, how I would be able
to work with that device, whether it would be a small device
that had smart technology on it, where I could get onto the
Internet and then use the magnifier on top of it, or whether I
was able to then use the zoom technology to be able to use
the smartphone. But now that I’ve kind of become
comfortable with my smartphone, I’m hardly ever without it. I
use it for all types of different things, whether it’s Twitter or
Facebook, which is like communication, or paying for things
and tickets.
I never thought that I would listen to so many news
programmes. I find it really interesting and it opens up the
whole like kind of news and it’s right there in your
headphones, but more importantly in a link to mobility kind of
thing, if I’m going somewhere new, I’m able to look it up on
Google Maps, I’m able to get the directions spoken to me in
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my headphones as I walk somewhere, and it just gives you
that little foundation of – ‘I know what I’m doing, I know where
I’m going’ – and that’s something that sometimes people feel
that they’ve lost when they’ve got eyesight loss – they feel that
they’re not able to know – ‘I don’t know what it looks like,’ or,
‘I’ve never been here before’.
So I think that mobility, kind of an aid, my phone has kind of
become that, and so I really feel it’s pretty exciting – the idea
that so many people can overcome the barriers that they
might feel, whether it’s to do with confidence or whether it’s to
do with just lack of knowledge about the different assistive
technologies that are out there. I think this is a really brilliant
project in the fact that it’s going to be sharing knowledge and
helping people find out the best way for them in a
personalised way.
8. NICKY: Thanks to Davinder Kullar and Paralympic gold
medallist Kelly Gallagher. If you want to find out more about
Online Today – including home visits and group workshops, call
the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or go to
rnib.org.uk/onlinetoday
9. ALEC IDENT: TECHNOLOGY – TIPS AND OPTIONS TO HELP YOU GET ONLINE
10. NICKY: We hope you are feeling inspired to start your online
journey. Here are some options and tips to help you on your
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way:
11. ALEC: If you are thinking about buying a new computer to
get online, we have now launched a new RNIB Talking
computer range.
We are working in partnership with Sight and Sound to offer
you five high specification computer packages. This includes
three desktop and two notebooks which are extremely
lightweight and portable. The new range comes ready with
accessible software installed - either JAWS speech or MAGic
magnification.
You can also buy, separately, 1 or 2 year support packages,
extended warranty and all risk insurance.
To find out more about the new RNIB Talking computer range,
call the Helpline on 0303 123 9999, or visit the online shop at
rnib.org.uk/shop
1. NICKY: And in a separate initiative, RNIB has teamed up
with Computer Recyclers UK to offer recycled desktop and laptop
computers with pre-installed screen reader and Microsoft Office.
The screen reader is NVDA with an Ivona voice, to bring you high
quality human sounding speech. PCs start at £179 and laptops
start at £229 and all include six month warranties and delivery.
Upgrade options are available and £60 of every sale is donated
back to RNIB. Call Computer Recyclers on 01443 434 675 or visit
rnib.org.uk
computerrecyclersuk.com
12. ALEC: If you are looking for financial support to buy
equipment such as computers, RNIB's Helpline should be your
first port of call. They can:
talk about the equipment, items and support you might be
entitled to from your local authority, employer, education
provider or the Government
help you maximise your income and benefits so that you
may be able to afford items you need
search for organisations that might be able to provide a
grant for the items you need. RNIB’s own grants scheme
also supports a limited range of items including computer
software.
Call the Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or email helpline@rnib.org.uk
to find out more.
13. ALEC: RNIB INFORMATION DIRECTORY
14.NICKY: Here is a directory to help you get the information and
services you need from RNIB more easily. You can find out more
about Vision magazine at rnib.org.uk/Visionmagazine or email us
at Visionmagazine@rnib.org.uk Here’s Alec Sabin:
15.ALEC: The membership team is on 0303 1234 555, email
membership@rnib.org.uk or visit rnib.org.uk/membership
16.NICKY: Helpline – get eye health information, emotional
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support, benefits advice and product information. Call 0303 123
9999, email helpline@rnib.org.uk or visit rnib.org.uk/ask Lines are
open Monday to Friday, 8.45am – 5.30pm and calls cost no more
than a standard rate call to an 01 or 02 number.
17.ALEC: Fundraising – find out how you can support our work.
Call 0845 345 0054, email fundraising@rnib.org.uk or visit
rnib.org.uk/donate
18. NICKY: Volunteering – give a little time, make a big difference.
Call 0845 603 0575, email volunteering@rnib.org.uk or visit
rnib.org.uk/volunteering
19.ALEC: Campaigning – campaign on the issues that matter to
you. Call 020 7391 2123, email campaign@rnib.org.uk or visit
rnib.org.uk/campaigning
20.ALEC: FREE GUIDES AVAILABLE FROM RNIB
21.NICKY: We have a range of guides that you can order in your
preferred format free of charge. Call the Helpline on 0303 123
9999 or email helpline@rnib.org.uk
22. ALEC: The “Understanding” series is for people who want to
understand more about their eye condition. Titles in this series
include: cataracts; Charles Bonnet Syndrome; dry eye; eye
conditions related to diabetes; glaucoma; nystagmus; posterior
vitreous detachment; retinal detachment; retinitis pigmentosa.
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23. NICKY: The “Starting Out” series is for people who have
recently been diagnosed with an eye condition. Titles in the series
include: Benefits, concessions and registration; Education;
Emotional support; Help from social services; Housing; Making the
most of your sight.
24. ALEC: The “Confident Living” series is for people who want to
make the most of living with sight loss. Titles in the series include:
Leisure; Living Safely; Managing your money; Reading; Shopping;
Technology; Travel.
25. NICKY: Well that’s it for this edition of the Vision podcast. We
hope you enjoyed this taster of Vision magazine. If you’d like to
join RNIB as a member and get the full 78 minute magazine on CD
or in an another format, six times a year, plus a range of other
benefits, please visit rnib.org.uk/membership or call the
membership team on 0303 1234 555.
Vision magazine is edited by Clare Conley, the audio producer is
Kim Normanton and the sound engineer is Richard Armstrong.
Copyright RNIB August 2015.
Registered charity number 226 227
Insert: RNIB NEW AUDIO LOGO: RNIB – Supporting people with
sight loss
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