Date: November 18, 2020
Time: 9:00AM – 3:45PM EST
Join representatives from Vispero’s hardware, software, and consulting teams for a free webinar, developed exclusively for federal government employees. We’ll cover the latest and greatest from each brand: Freedom Scientific, Enhanced Vision, Optelec, and TPG. Topics include, what’s new in our software line, training tips and resources, product options across government agencies, accessibility testing, and self-service kiosk accessibility.
Registration for this event has ended.
Most sessions are 45 minutes–join us for any or all sessions during the day using the same link.
Full Schedule and Session Information:
Who is Vispero? A Breakdown of Freedom Scientific, Optelec, Enhanced Vision, and TPG
Time: 9:00-9:45AM EST
Description: Have you ever wondered who Vispero is? What are the brands, products, and services of Vispero? This session will provide an overview of the Vispero brands and their different offerings. Additionally, it will lay out the day’s agenda and discuss how federal agencies can purchase or contract with Vispero companies.
About the presenter: Matt Ater is a subject matter expert on the user experience for people with disabilities and brings over 25 years of experience in developing solutions for people with disabilities. As a person who is blind himself, Matt brings a unique understanding of the barriers faced by people with disabilities. Matt has been supporting organizations in the design of accessible customer-facing technology. Matt is the Vice President of Business Development and Software Engineering for Vispero, the world’s leading assistive technology provider for the visually impaired.
What’s New in JAWS, ZoomText, and Fusion 2021 and Enterprise Licensing Options
Time: 10:00-10:45AM EST
Description: Review of the most recent features and enhancements for users over the past year. Focusing on Windows 10, Office 365, Teams, and current modern browsers.
About the presenter: Eric Damery is the Vice President for Software Product Management at Vispero. He began in the assistive technology industry in 1994, the year before the first release of JAWS for Windows. Damery served in the role of Business Development and Software Product Management for Henter-Joyce and Freedom Scientific.
Where do I Find Training Materials?
Time: 11:00-11:45AM EST
Description: This session will acknowledge the obstacles inherent to learning and teaching assistive technology and detail our strategy for providing user education to anyone interested in Fusion, JAWS, or ZoomText. We will detail Freedom Scientific’s current and upcoming online learning options available to users for Fusion, JAWS, and ZoomText. We will highlight our new Training Center pages, social media platforms and allow participants to contribute suggestions to our future training offerings. Freedom Scientific’s training department has provided customers with various free training formats for both live-streaming and download. This library of resources presently includes tutorials on JAWS, ZoomText, and Fusion; available as short YouTube videos, archived webinars, and downloadable audio files, including MP3’s and Daisy books. All downloaded currently available webinars do have a companion HTML with the text of the relevant lesson.
About the presenter: Rachel Buchanan has been with Vispero for almost three years; she currently leads the User Education and Outreach team at Freedom Scientific, responsible for creating and maintaining the training and documentation for Vispero products. With over 15 years’ experience in working directly with individuals who are blind or low vision, in both public and private agencies, Rachel has experience in teaching a variety of assistive technologies, vocational program development, and strategic project implementation. Rachel has managed and taught at the Carroll Center for the Blind, World Services for the Blind, and now Freedom Scientific. Rachel holds a Master of Education in blind and visually impaired Studies from Hunter College CUNY and is a Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist.
Ask Vispero Panel
Time: 12:00AM -1PM EST
Description: Ask the Vispero team your questions in this open session with panel members including Matt Ater, Eric Damery, Rachel Buchanan, Jerry Marindin, Larry Lewis, and Rachael Bradley.
Reasonable Accommodations Solutions from Vispero: Which Products Are Right for Your Agency?
Time: 1:00-1:45PM EST
Description: Learn about the existing Optelec, Enhanced Vision, and Freedom Scientific product usage within the Federal Government. We’ll provide an overview of approved product options and their various functions, uses, and user type.
About the presenter: Jerry Marindin is originally from Washington, DC. He holds a Master of Marketing from the University of Maryland University College. He joined Freedom Scientific in April of 2004 as the Government Territory Manager. His focus is on Low Vision & Blindness accommodations with the Federal sector. It should be noted that he is “NOT into yoga; he is into champagne… and red wine.” He currently resides in Charleston, SC, with his wife, Debby. They have 3 cats- Louie, Kimchi, and Caisey.
How to Test for Accessibility with Assistive Technology
Time: 2:00-2:45PM EST
Description: This session will review current automated and manual accessibility testing best practices. We’ll introduce TPGi’s approach for providing a comprehensive accessibility testing experience and demonstrate TPGi’s ARC testing services as a collaborative solution for managing an organization’s accessibility risk proactively and responsively. Attendees will also be treated to a demonstration of JAWS Inspect, TPGi’s testing tool that captures, shares, and remediates usability defects.
About the presenter: Congenitally blind from cataracts that developed into a juvenile form of glaucoma, Larry Lewis was fortunate to have been mainstreamed into the public school system. As a result of the excellent instruction that he received as a child, he is a fluent Braille reader and writer and a strong advocate for Braille literacy for students who cannot effectively access large print. Thanks to his acquired Braille reading and writing skills, he attained a comprehensive formal education: a Master of Arts in English and a Master of Science in Special Education (Blind Rehabilitation). The latter has broadened his once myopic perspective of persons who are blind and visually impaired as well as persons who have secondary disabilities that may or may not be associated with their visual impairment. Larry currently serves as Director of Government Sales and Strategic partnerships for TPGi; a Digital Accessibility Firm committed to ensuring that electronic desktop and mobile content conforms to today’s accessibility guidelines.
Can Self-Service Solutions Like Kiosks be Accessible?
Time: 3:00 – 3:45PM EST
Description: Interactive self-service solutions such as kiosks can be made accessible using screen reader technology, an accessible hardware solution, and a kiosk application that is both accessible and usable by people who are blind or who have low vision. Learn some of the considerations and accommodations that should be made when planning an accessible kiosk deployment that is Section 508 and ADA compliant.
About the presenter: Rachael Bradley Montgomery, Ph.D. has 20 years of experience in accessibility, human computer interaction, and disability-related education. She currently consults on web and kiosk accessibility and leads Accessible Community, a charity dedicated to helping small organizations that cannot afford conventional accessibility assistance to become more inclusive of people with disabilities. Rachael has a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, College Park, and an MS from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. She teaches accessibility and usability engineering in various settings, chairs the W3C Accessibility Guidelines Working Group and co-facilitates the COGA task force.