NEWSLETTER No. 367

Dolphin Computer Access is pleased to announce that the Accessible Book Consortium’s Global Book Service has become the 50th library partner available in the Dolphin EasyReader app. With this partnership, Dolphin EasyReader users around the world will have access to even more accessible books, in formats that support independent reading.

ABC’s extensive catalogue of around half a million accessible books is now available in the Dolphin EasyReader app. This opens the door to even more reading opportunities for people who are blind, partially sighted, dyslexic, or who have other print disabilities.

“Reaching 50 library partners is a proud moment for everyone at Dolphin,” says James Green, CEO of Dolphin Computer Access. “Welcoming ABC into EasyReader is especially meaningful, as their global reach and commitment to accessibility align perfectly with our mission to remove barriers and bring the joy of reading to more people worldwide.”

ABC—an initiative led by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)—is known for its global focus and dedication to increasing the number of books available in accessible formats, especially in countries where resources are limited. Accessible formats include DAISY, MP3, ePUB, PDF, and large print.

Dolphin EasyReader empowers people with vision impairments, dyslexia, and other print disabilities to read independently in ways that suit their individual needs and preferences. The Dolphin EasyReader app is free to download and use, and can be accessed on a wide range of devices. With the introduction of ABC, 50 library and newspaper services are now available in EasyReader. These cover everything from fact and fiction to children’s stories and academic texts—connecting readers to a world of accessible reading.

We believe reading should be inclusive, enjoyable and accessible to everyone,” adds James Green. “This partnership with ABC enables us to help more people discover the magic of books – whether they read to learn, for work, or simply for the pleasure a good book brings.

Read the full piece here: http://yourdolphin.com/news?id=558

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has responded to the second report from the official UK Covid Inquiry saying blind and partially sighted people were put at serious risk by the official government response.

The report by Baroness Hallett released on 20th November examines core UK decisionmaking and political governance and suggests all four nations’ governments were too slow, too late and too muddled in their actions to contain the spread of the virus. It starkly highlights the disproportionate deaths experienced by disabled people, and notes that it took many months for data to be collected and analysed to build understanding of this disparity. The report says vulnerable and disadvantaged groups were affected by the restrictions introduced to control the virus but despite harm being foreseeable, the impact on them was not adequately considered in pandemic planning or when decisions were taken to respond to the virus.

Read the full story here: https://www.rnib.org.uk/news/rnib-says-official-response-to-covidpandemic-put-blind-and-partially-sighted-people-at-risk/

Blind comedian Chris McCausland took part in a BBC2 documentary, Seeing Into The Future, broadcast on Saturday 22nd November. The Strictly Come Dancing winner talked about AI, driverless cars and other aspects of being blind in the 50-minute programme.

The Chris McCausland: Seeing Into The Future programme is on iPlayer at this link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002ms0q/chris-mccausland-seeing-into-the-future

A new drug treatment could help protect people with diabetes from sight loss, a study has suggested. The research, led by Queen’s University Belfast and funded by Diabetes UK, found that by targeting early damage to the eye before it becomes irreversible, the treatment offers a potential new way to slow or prevent vision loss in people living with diabetes. Targeting early damage to the eye before it becomes irreversible, the treatment offers a potential new way to slow or even prevent vision loss in people living with diabetes.

The study was led by Professor Tim Curtis and Dr Josy Augustine from the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine at Queen’s University Belfast and involved a team of researchers from King’s College London, the Medway School of Pharmacy, and the Medical University of South Carolina.

Diabetic retinal disease is a common cause of vision loss in adults of working age. It happens when high blood sugar damages the blood vessels and nerve cells in the retina, the part of the eye that detects light. Without treatment, this can lead to serious sight problems and, in some cases, blindness.

Read the full story here: https://www.qub.ac.uk/News/Allnews/featured-research/newdrug-help-prevent-sight-loss-diabetes.html

The “Keep Britain Working” review has reported to the UK Government, setting out recommendations on what is needed to build inclusive workplaces, and to tackle ill health and disability in the workplace. Over the past nine months, the review – led by the ex-chair of the John Lewis Partnership, Sir Charlie Mayfield – held over 150 meetings across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The team met with people with disabilities, including people with sight loss, employers, including at our roundtable event, and decision makers. They also received over 500 written submissions.

Reacting to the review, RNIB’s Chief Strategy and Public Affairs Officer, Vivienne Francis, said: “We cannot continue with a situation where people with sight loss are unnecessarily falling out of the workplace, whether that’s because employers don’t know how to support them or because of systems not working. Too many blind and partially sighted people remain locked out of work – with around 11,000 people with sight loss currently looking for employment.”

Read the full story here: https://www.rnib.org.uk/news/what-the-keep-britain-workingreview-recommended/

Liverpool City Region Mayor, Steve Rotheram, joined RNIB staff for a ‘guided’ train journey to get an insight into the experience of blind and partially sighted train users. The group took the train from James Street, near his office headquarters, to Moorfields in the city centre, showcasing the accessibility features of Merseyrail. This is the rail network which serves Liverpool city and surrounding areas across Merseyside. The route highlighted the challenges blind and partially sighted people face when travelling by train, as well as accessibility features that can help make travelling easier and more inclusive.

As a publicly owned and operated network under the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA), Merseyrail is setting a standard for accessible transport. Whilst the majority of their stations are accessible, work is underway to make all stations step-free, ensuring that all passengers – including those with sight loss or mobility challenges – can travel independently and confidently.

Read the full story here: https://www.rnib.org.uk/news/liverpool-mayor-steve-rotherhamjoins-rnib-for-guided-train-journey/