DB Openhand Magazine_June2017

Digital Update
Our digital inclusion service introduces people to the possibilities
of digital technology. Here’s a glimpse of just some of the things
we’ve been up to over the past few months…
Ruth’s Amazon Echo
Digital Support Ambassador,
Ruth told us about her new
‘Echo Dot’; the new voice
enabled, hands free speaker
from Amazon’s Alexa range.
Ruth explains…
“I thought it would be a bit
of a gimmick but the Echo
has proven to have wonderful
dimensions. I always start the
day by asking it what is going
on in the news today. The Echo
then responds with the morning
headlines – it’s great, there is
no way I could read all this!”
As the day unfolds, Ruth finds
herself calling on Alexa’s
services frequently: “I use the
Echo to tell me what’s in my
diary for the day, to write my
shopping list and even to set
cooking timers.”
When it is time to relax, the
Echo seems equally obliging.
Radio, music and audio books
are all easily within Ruth’s grasp
and she has mastered all the
necessary commands. “It’s so
easy, listening to my favourite
murder mystery is as simple as
saying ‘Play my next book’
“It feels like there is somebody
else to talk to, it’s like having
another companion in the
house, I think it’s absolutely
marvellous!” Concluded Ruth.
Ruth and her Amazon Echo
Learning together
Deafblind UK members in
North Wales have been
learning how to make the
most of tablets and other
technology at the Wrexham
Digital Inclusion group. The
group meets regularly and has
been working through a series
of eight structured sessions to
learn how to do everyday tasks
on tablets using the Synapptic
software for low vision.
Group member Tony began the
sessions as a digital novice but
he now uses his tablet to check
the weather, set calendar entries
to remind himself of those all
important household tasks and
effortlessly dictates emails to
friends and family. Learning
how to adapt the devices to
support low vision prompted one
member to tell us “it’s the first
time I have been able to read
in four years!”
The sessions are led by
Deafblind UK’s Tim Locke
and supported by six Digital
Support Ambassadors
(DDSA’s); Deafblind UK
members who have got to
grips with the latest technology
and who are now helping
others to benefit from it.
Deafblind UK members at
the Wrexham DI group
Thanks to funding from Awards
for All Wales from the Big
Lottery Fund, we are also able
to loan devices out to members
who are thinking of investing in
a tablet so they can ‘try before
you buy’.
Big Lottery Fund logo
Get involved
Our digital inclusion group
sessions are currently
running in Wrexham,
Colchester and Bradford.
For more information or
to join a group, please
contact us.
12 Open Hand
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