Pleast boost for reach:
On the subject of Linux phone accessibility, the developer of AT-SPI wrote:
There's a long-standing issue that Joanie filed against at-spi2-core for
touch screen support:
gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/at-spi2…

Ande I haven't taken the time to figure out how best to handle this. I'm
not sure if evdev would do what we need, or we might want to work with the
maintainers of mutter, KWin, etc. to create a protocol for
intercepting/manipulating gestures. We would also need code that can
detect gestures from touch screen presses. NVDA has code that we might be
able to use as a model.

All of this is theoretically on my list of things to do. Of course, help
would be welcome if anyone else was able to take it on.
end quote

For blind people to switch to Linux on phones, we need to use the touch screen. If anyone can help with this, it would allow the blind to take one step closer to being capable of creating our own accessibility, our own environments, in the way that helps us most. See NVDA as a great example of how that goes.
#accessibility #blind #foss #linux #phones #pinephone

Implement support for touch/gestures (#148) · Issues · GNOME / at-spi2-core · GitLab

Orca currently is able to register grabs for, be notified of, and consume keyboard events of interest. It should be able to do the same for touch/gestures.

^GitLab

From the Blinux list, my thoughts below the quote:

"Hello to all.

This is partly a (re)introduction and some good news (news for definitely not all, but some) of you.

This message is actually send to two lists, as I have no clue how big intersection of the member lists there are (I suppose huge, but not complete), so sorry for double receiving, you who are in both lists.

And now, with the disclaimers out of the way... I started to be interested in Linux, say ten or twelve years ago (don't remember exactly). Through a set of happy coincidences, I managed to get a job at Red Hat in the desktop team, and because accessibility was in the times of the reorg an important thing, a tools and accessibility team actually was created. It is quite a small team, and the majority of people on it do not have work time to do anything with accessibility (we're maintaining some of the Gnome apps, we do RHEL packaging, testing etc.).

However, I am working on the accessibility related things every day, so don't be afraid to ask something, mention your issues, and such.

Personally, in terms of distributions, I use GNome on Arch (personal laptop) and Fedora (work laptop), so I have the most experience with these setups, but I definitely used Mate, and tried Kde for some time as well.

And, that's it for now. "

So, a small team, that barely has time to do what the team is about. This is really sad. This is what people with disabilities get from one of the biggest Linux companies there is.

#accessibility #blind #linux #foss #gnu

The World #Blind Union General Assembly and World #Blindness Summit in São Paulo, #Brazil in September was an amazing opportunity not only to talk about NVDA, but to give a presentation on the amazing MOVEMENT behind the world's favourite free #screenreader! We have two videos of the presentation and a full transcript for you, complete with an audience-initiated chant of "#NVDA NVDA NVDA!" at the end!

nvaccess.org/post/world-blind-…

#NVDAsr #Accessibility #Movement #Social

A severe #accessibility issue I've seen very few people talking about is the widespread adoption (in my country at least) of touch-only card payment terminals with no physical number buttons.

Not only do these devices offer no tactile affordances, but the on-screen numbers move around to limit the chances of a customer's PIN number being captured by bad actors. In turn, this makes it impossible to create any kind of physical overlay (which itself would be a hacky solution at best).

When faced with such a terminal, blind people have only a few ways to proceed:

* Switch to cash (if they have it);
* refuse to pay via inaccessible means;
* ask the seller to split the transaction into several to facilitate multiple contactless payments (assuming contactless is available);
* switch to something like Apple Pay (again assuming availability); or
* hand over their PIN to a complete stranger.

Not one of these solutions is without problems.

If you're #blind, have you encountered this situation, and if so how did you deal with it? It's not uncommon for me to run into it several times per day.

why do you think this is not being talked about or made the subject of action by blindness organisations? Is it the case that it disproportionately affects people in countries where alternative payment technology (like paying via a smart watch) is slower to roll out and economically out of reach for residents?

If you have a #Dell laptop whose function keys act normally but whose Home and End keys do not, apparently the fix is the following.

* Restart your machine and at the Dell logo, repeatedly tap the F2 to get into BIOS.

* Look for POST Behaviour.

* FN Lock: Ensure this setting is Enabled.

* Make sure Lock Mode Secondary is selected.

Now I just have to find a sighted person to do this for me, because in 2025, BIOS is still inaccessible.

#blind #accessibility #A11Y

Good morning, all. How is everyone?

Well, I’m officially 34 today. I wound up crashing hard for most of the night, but the good news is that this morning I feel pretty good — aside from the usual arthritis pain in my feet and hands and not being able to find one of my slippers, so I’ve had to walk on the hard floor barefoot. Lol. I’ve looked everywhere, so I’ll probably have to ask my mom for help when she gets up.

I ordered both compression gloves and socks, but my socks won’t be here until December 6th, and my gloves won’t come in until the 12th.

#GoodMorning #Birthday #Turning34 #ChronicIllness #Arthritis #Disability #Blind #Accessibility #PainAwareness #CompressionGloves #CompressionSocks

Reposting. Slots available.

After a short break, I’m returning to accessibility training services.

I provide one-on-one training for blind and visually impaired users across multiple platforms. My teaching is practical and goal-driven: not just commands, but confidence, independence, and efficient workflows that carry into daily life, study, and work.

I cover:
iOS: VoiceOver gestures, rotor navigation, Braille displays, Safari, text editing, Mail and Calendars, Shortcuts, and making the most of iOS apps for productivity, communication, and entertainment.
macOS: VoiceOver from basics to advanced, Trackpad Commander, Safari and Mail, iWork and Microsoft Office, file management, Terminal, audio tools, and system upkeep.
Windows: NVDA and JAWS from beginner to advanced. Training includes Microsoft Office, Outlook, Teams, Zoom, web browsing, customizing screen readers, handling less accessible apps, and scripting basics.
Android: TalkBack gestures, the built-in Braille keyboard and Braille display support, text editing, app accessibility, privacy and security settings, and everyday phone and tablet use.
Linux: Orca and Speakup, console navigation, package management, distro setup, customizing desktops, and accessibility under Wayland.

Concrete goals I can help you achieve:
Set up a new phone, tablet, or computer
Send and manage email independently
Browse the web safely and efficiently
Work with documents, spreadsheets, and presentations
Manage files and cloud storage
Use social media accessibly
Work with Braille displays and keyboards
Install and configure accessible software across platforms
Troubleshoot accessibility issues and build reliable workflows
Make the most of AI in a useful, productive way
Grow from beginner skills to advanced, efficient daily use

I bring years of lived experience as a blind user of these systems. I teach not only what manuals say, but the real-world shortcuts, workarounds, and problem-solving skills that make technology practical and enjoyable.

Remote training is available worldwide.

Pricing: fair and flexible — contact me for a quote. Discounts available for multi-session packages and ongoing weekly training.

Contact:
UK: 07447 931232
US: 772-766-7331
If these don’t work for you, email me at aaron.graham.hewitt@gmail.com

If you, or someone you know, could benefit from personalized accessibility training, I’d be glad to help.

#Accessibility #Blind #VisuallyImpaired #ScreenReaders #JAWS #NVDA #VoiceOver #TalkBack #Braille #AssistiveTechnology #DigitalInclusion #InclusiveTech #LinuxAccessibility #WindowsAccessibility #iOSAccessibility #AndroidAccessibility #MacAccessibility #Orca #ATTraining #TechTraining #AccessibleTech

• Yes (29%, 8 votes)
• No (22%, 6 votes)
• Something else (explain in reply) (48%, 13 votes)

to my #Blind friends, anyone has an experience with Logitech MX keys mini? is the software to customize settings accessible? i have to buy this keyboard because the down arrow on my laptop decided that he does not want to stay with it anymore. sadly, if you're a screen reader user, losing one key means losing all control.

#Keyboard #Logitech

Sooooo... thinking about the possibility and feasibility of big life changes, namely studying opera seriously in Europe. Would love to connect with other #Blind language learners, especially those using #braille as a component of their learning. Currently learning #French. Am particularly interested in chatting with people who have taught themselves grade 2 French Braille as well as those who are either conversational or fluent and/or who have worked in or currently live in a Francophone European country. If this is you or you're in any way adjacent to this world, please reach out. Would love to talk to you. Would also love to chat with people who use #MusicBraille / #BrailleMusic in Europe.

#ClassicalMusic #Opera #LanguageLearning #Languages #Français #LowVision #VisuallyImpaired #BlindMasto #BlindMastodon #BlindFedi @mastoblind

Oh cool. VS Code can work with Github repos directly. I don't actually have to git clone them. Also they've changed some of the Alt Function keys around Linux, so Alt + F2 is changed to Alt + Shift + F4 or so.

#vscode #linux #blind

I live in a house with large open spaces carved up by some alcoves, columns and protrusions. I'm told on occasions that it looks quite attractive.

but as I, a #blind person, miscalculate while bending down to pick something up and yet again catch my head on another bit of pointless wall, I'm reminded how truly subjective design preferences are.

So last night, I tried Fedora 43. Fedora-Workstation-Live-43-1.6.x86_64.iso. The installer is now web based, making it really nice to use, even with just Tab and Shift + Tab. I was able to install it with no problem.

Now, first time setup had just one big issue, the timezone selector. It's keyboard accessible, and works like this: you start typing a city name, like Chicago, and then down arrow through suggestions and press Enter on the one you want. But Orca doesn't speak that there are suggestions available, and does not read which suggestion you select until you press Enter.

Other than that, Gnome desktop looks pretty good these days! The settings are much better, and that's about all I had time to test so far. Orca starts if you hit Alt Windows S at the installer and first setup, then starts after first setup is complete. The overview panel where you type to search doesn't read when it opens, but basically you just hit the Windows key and start typing what you want, and Orca reads what you hand on, and you can arrow through results. Notifications read too, and I'm thankful Gnome supports notifications.

#accessibility #blind #fedora #linux #foss @fedora

This is a real long shot, but does anyone happen to have any documentation for the Papenmeier Notex 40P? I bought one because old gadgets are cool, but even Papenmeier don't have any documentation for it (I emailed them and everything).
Please boost for reach :)

#blind #assistiveTechnology #assistive_technology #braille #brailleDisplay #braileNoteTaker #Papenmeier #notex #madeInWestGermany #retro #vintage #fedihelp