Category: Podcast Episodes

AT Banter Episode 143 – Richard Harlow

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This week we’re visited by local visually impaired artist, advocate, motivational speaker and self-proclaimed Renaissance Man, Richard Harlow. Richard tells us how he was first diagnosed with the rare condition LHON, how it impacted his life, and how it eventually saw him begin a life of advocacy that resulted in the city of Nanaimo adopting a new Accessibility icon.

Show Notes

Delta Air Lines bans young puppies and kittens as support animals
https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/12/us/delta-airlines-bans-support-animals-trnd/index.html
A look at TTC accessibility through the eyes of a rider who uses two canes
https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2019/03/10/a-look-at-ttc-accessibility-through-the-eyes-of-a-rider-who-uses-two-canes.html
Richard Harlow Interview from Times Colonist
https://www.timescolonist.com/how-artist-richard-harlow-changed-his-style-after-going-blind-1.22756732

Episode 142 - Shawn Marsolais and Blind Beginnings

AT Banter Episode 142 – Shawn Marsolais and Blind Beginnings

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This week we’re excited to welcome back Shawn Marsolais, Founder and Executive Director of Blind Beginnings to the Guitar Dungeon. We catch up with what Blind Beginnings has been up to for the past year and discuss some of the issues that visually impaired people face on a day to day basis and what solutions and programs Blind Beginnings is actively working on.

Show Notes

Walmart Is Phasing Out ‘Greeters’ In U.S.
https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2019/02/28/walmart-greeters_a_23680761/
Dentists No Longer Permitted To Turn Away Patients Due To Disabilities
https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2019/02/28/dentists-turn-away-disabilities/26093/
The writing of this AI is so human that its creators are scared to release it
https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/ai-writer-disinformation-1.5030305
Blind Beginnings
https://www.blindbeginnings.ca/

For those in the Lower Mainland who want to help support Blind Beginnings and the work they do, get your tickets to the 9th Annual Gala Dinner and Online Auction, April 6th 6 – 10:30pm. Purchase tickets here: https://www.blindbeginnings.ca/donations/2019-gala-dinner-auction/

AT Banter Episode 141 – Rebecca Blaevoet and Tactile Vision Graphics

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Recently, a small Braille and Tactile Graphics company in Windsor, Ontario was awarded a licensing deal that allows them to produce a series of Braille and Tactile Graphic activity books for children. This week we’re joined by Rebecca Blaevoet, accountant and marketer for Tactile Vision Graphics, who gives us some insight on what it was like to be awarded this huge licensing deal, its implications for visually impaired children, and the importance of Braille Literacy.

Show Notes

Woman with disability banned from No Frills store after failing to pack groceries fast enough
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/disabled-woman-banned-from-no-frills-1.5028056
Okanagan Parents Voice Concern Over New School District App Accessibility
https://globalnews.ca/news/4996759/accessibility-digital-age-okanagan-parent-voices-concern/
Tactile Vision Graphics
https://tactilevisiongraphics.com/

AT Banter Episode 140 – Accessibility Within Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality

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Will there be Braille in the Matrix? Jonathan Avila, Chief Accessibility Officer of Level Access joins the Banter Boys this week to discuss accessibility within Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality platforms. We discuss the efforts to encourage developers of these platforms to ensure these new spaces are accessible as well as some of the potential these platforms hold for people with disabilities.

Show Notes

Gene therapy first to ‘halt’ most common cause of blindness
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-47226987
Galleries From A to Z Sued Over Websites the Blind Can’t Use
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/18/arts/design/blind-lawsuits-art-galleries.html
Level Access
https://www.levelaccess.com/

AT Banter Episode 138 – Louise Gillis and White Cane Week

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It’s White Cane Week and to help kick off celebrations, we welcome Louise Gillis, President of The Canadian Council of the Blind to talk to us about the organization, its history, mandate, and the support that it provides to the visually impaired community.

Show Notes

Bus Riders With Disabilities Should Have Access to Reserved Spaces
https://www.therecord.com/opinion-story/9138967-bus-riders-with-disabilities-should-have-access-to-reserved-spaces/
Haptic Baton Helps Visually Impaired Musicians
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/stories-46994209/magic-baton-helps-blind-musicians-feel-conductor
Canadian Council of the Blind
http://ccbnational.net

AT Banter Episode 137 – Ted Drake and Intuit Software

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This week in the Guitar Dungeon, Rob, Ryan, and Steve cover a few pieces of news before they welcome Ted Drake, Accessibility Leader for Intuit Software where they discuss the accessibility efforts of the company and the state of assistive technology and how it’s evolved over the last 15 years.

Show Notes

92 Year Old Beaten On Transit
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/92-year-old-beaten-using-public-transit-for-elderly-1.4971728
Windsor Company Contracted by Disney to Produce Activity Books for the Visually Impaired
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/blind-visually-impaired-disney-blaevoet-tactile-vision-graphics-windsor-1.4974183
Intuit Software
https://www.intuit.com/ca/

AT Banter Episode 136 – Dr. Chad Andrews

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This week in the Guitar Dungeon, Rob, Ryan, and Steve welcome Dr. Chad Andrews, Manager of Research and Education from the Foundation Fighting Blindness  to give them an update of some of the more recent advancements in the research surrounding the battle against visual impairments. But first they lose a few brain cells talking about a recent bird-brained online challenge and some of the more significant announcements from the recent Consumer Electronics Show.

Show Notes

BirdBox Challenge is Stupid
CES 2019 Annoucements
Foundation Fighting Blindness
www.ffb.ca

AT Banter Episode 134 – TAP With Sabrina Kemeny

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It’s the first show of 2019 as Rob and Ryan return to the Guitar Dungeon for the first time since the break. The boys briefly catch up with some news about a Kickstarted Brailler label maker and printer called Vrailler before getting their banter on with Sabrina Kemeny, CEO and Co-Founder of Tap Systems, makers of the Tap wearable Bluetooth Keyboard.

Show Notes

Vrailler Kickstarter

Tap Wearable Bluetooth Keyboard

AT Banter Episode 133 – It’s Christmas Again!

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year … and time for us to take an hour and crack the seal on some Christmas cheer reflect on the year that has passed. Rob, Rick, Steve, and Ryan pass around the Pumpkin Spice Bailey’s as they discuss a few of the AT trends of the past year before exchanging some presents and sharing some Christmas cheer. Merry Christmas to all!

Show Notes

Amazon Echo Silver Edition (SNL Parody)