Company ACCESSIBILITY Support Resources:  Rita’s iDevice Advice for February 6, 2023

Note:  This list is by no means, inclusive.  There are so many resources for persons with visual impairment.  These are just a sample of helpful resources.

With a welcomed emphasis on accessibility and inclusion, numerous companies now offer specialized support services for customers with vision loss. They are there to help you get the most out of their products and to ensure your devices are set up right, to accommodate your needs.

Amazon’s Accessibility Customer Service:  888-283-1678
Call to speak with an accessibility specialist who can help you buy books and other products, or get you directly to tech support for Amazon devices and services including Alexa, Kindle & Fire Tablet.

AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR THE BLIND (AFB):  1-800-232-5463
WWW.AFB.org

AMERICAN PRINTING HOUSE (APH):  1-800-223-1839
https://www.aph.org

Apple Accessibility Support Line:  877-204-3930
For users of Apple’s iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Apple Watch, or Mac – this is a gift. It is a special support line reserved for customers with vision, hearing, motor, and learning impairments. Senior AppleCare specialists are available 24/7 to help you get your Accessibility Settings right, answer your questions, and resolve your technical issues.

AT&T National Center for Citizens with Disabilities (NCCD):  866-241-6568
This is where wireless customers with vision loss get answers to questions about accessibility features and services available from AT&T.

Audible Support:  888-283-5051.

Blind Abilities:
On the web at www.BlindAbilities.com
Download the Free Blind Abilities App from the App Store or the Google Play Store
e-mail:  [log in to unmask]

Comcast Accessibility:  866-668-6703
Direct line to a dedicated team, specially trained to support customers who rely on accessibility services including voice guidance and video description.

GE Appliance Support:  1-800-626-2000

Google
:To request a call back, from a Google Disability support specialist, complete this online form.
Call an accessibility specialist at Google through the BeMyEyes app on a smartphone or tablet. Click the ‘Specialized Help’ button on the app’s home page, select Google in the Technical tab.
Google Technical Support:  855-971-9121.
may (or may not) be able to help with accessibility questions, depends on the specialist you connect with.

Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired:
“iFocus” Instructional Videos Hadley.edu.Videos <https://www.hadley.edu/InstructionalVideos.asp> 

HALO Tactile Icons:
HALOS tactile icons are shapes that represent common features on home appliances.  We sell the tactile icons as stickers that can be applied directly to a touch surface control panel.  These stickers identify both the location and the function of an appliance feature.  They are like bump dots but smarter!  We offer five tactile icon packages - microwave, oven, washer, keypad and home.  The microwave, oven and washer packages contain two sets of 9 commonly used appliance features.  For example the microwave package includes tactile icon stickers for start, stop, power level, add time, popcorn, pizza, potato, defrost and timer.  The home package has over 60 icons to identify a variety of home appliance features.  Finally our keypad package is used to label keypads commonly found on microwaves and ovens.  We also offer custom labeling - just send us a picture of the appliance, plus the make and model and we will create a custom set of tactile icons for all the buttons on your appliance.  For more information go to http://tangibleSurfaceResearch.com/halos or contact Anne at [log in to unmask]

HP Accessibility Support:  888-259-5707
Technical support for customers with accessibility needs, pertaining to HP (Hewlett Packard) products, available from 6am to 9pm Mountain Time.

"iDevices" e-mail list serv:
Here you can ask questions about iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and related apps and accessories. People also bring their Apple TV, Apple Watch, and HomePod questions.
subscription address is, [log in to unmask].

LinkedIn Disability Answer DeskCall on Be My Eyes app
Contact an accessibility spec

Menus4All iOS App:

Go to the Apple App Store to download the Accessible Menus app.  There is a subscription of $2.99 per month, after a 14 day free trial.

Menus4ALL has accessible restaurant menus.

Microsoft Disability Answer Desk:  800-936-5900 or the Be My Eyes app
The features you need to make your PC ‘vision friendly’ are built right into Windows – unfortunately, many people don’t know that. Microsoft recognized this as a significant problem and put in place a support team specialized in accessibility. So dial them up and get your computer set up to work for you (not against you). And, to make it even easier on yourself — allow them remote access to your PC and they can make the adjustments.

MindsEye:  (618) 394-6449
Web  <http://mindseyeradio.org <http://mindseyeradio.org/>
Translating Vision into Audio. MindsEye connects people with a visual disability, through information, rewarding recreation, and
artistic and cultural experiences.
We provide a broad range of ever evolving programming designed with our listeners in mind, delivered by volunteers and staff who exemplify our culture of
excellence.
The Free MindsEyeRadio app can be downloaded by searching “MindsEye Radio” in the Apple store or visiting https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mindseye-radio/id1567627250.

National Braille Press:
(http://www.nbp.org)

NLS Talking Books:
http://www.loc.gov/nls/tbt/index.html 
NLSLOC.gov
There is a "BARD" app to download NLS talking Books on to your Apple iOS device

Peloton
The Accessibility Team at Peloton will answer your questions and give you a call, if you request it by email to: [log in to unmask].

Spectrum Accessibility Support:  844-762-1301
Call this support line to learn about and take advantage of Spectrum cable accessibility accommodations.

Spotify:  Call on Be My Eyes app
Get help from your smartphone or tablet with any questions you may have about Spotify, music streaming service. Speak to a trained customer service specialist on BME; go to Specialized Help, Technical, then Spotify.

T-Mobile Accessibility833-428-1785
T-Mobile has an Accessibility Support web page. It says, “T-Mobile will provide accessible support for wireless network service and billing inquiries. Please contact our Accessibility Customer Care at 1-833-428-1785 if you have any questions or need special assistance. For additional support, please contact Customer Care.”

Verizon Center for Customers with Disabilities:  800-974-6006
verizon.com/disabilities <http://verizon.com/disabilities>.
Verizon Wireless National Accessibility Center888-262-1999
It can sometimes be challenging to get information about accessibility features that make your mobile phone, or tablet, work for you. Questions about enlarging text, using voice commands effectively, or using the screen reader:  now there is a customer service and technical support center dedicated to helping people maximize the accessibility features built into all of Verizon’s mobile devices. Let them help you get your device set just right for you, from 8am – 9pm EST, Monday – Friday.

David Goldfield,

Blindness Assistive Technology Specialist

NVDA Certified Expert

Subscribe to the Tech-VI announcement list to receive news, events and information regarding the blindness assistive technology field.

Email: [log in to unmask]

www.DavidGoldfield.com

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