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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