In Touch Folgen

Technological change within the workplace is often rapid with frequent system updates. More companies are adopting software that operates via a web page browser - or what is known as the cloud. Listener Matt Johnson, a data protection and privacy lawyer, contacted In Touch to say he feels the move to cloud-based software in the workplace is causing serious access problems for people who are blind or partially sighted. He puts his concerns to Microsoft's director of Accessibility Evangelism Hector Minto, asking what the company is doing to help. Peter also talks to Kelvin Duncan, Technical Consultant at accessibility consultancy firm Blazie, and to The RNIB's Robin Spinks about whether the UK's leading visual impairment charity should be lobbying harder for law changes to improve access to technology.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz PooleWebsite image description: pictured is a man in a grey shirt and glasses working at his computer desk. His back is toward the camera. Surrounding him are three computer screens, keyboards and office desk items (pens, bits of paper etc). In the background are a series of large windows that reach from floor to ceiling. In one of them, there is a reflection of another man working in another part of the office.Below are some helpful accessibility resources from Microsoft: Accessibility insights. These help developers create accessible products: https://accessibilityinsights.io/ Accessibility fundamentals. Where they offer training and support on accessibility within Microsoft tools: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/paths/accessibility-fundamentals/

Georgie Morrell is a visually impaired actress and stand-up comedian. She recently appeared in an episode of BBC One's hit hospital drama, Casualty; where she was cast to play a visually impaired woman and guide dog owner. Georgie wrote an article about her experience in the Metro, where she spoke about how refreshing it was to have a visually impaired person play a visually impaired character on television. We speak to her about this and hear her thoughts on our other items...Love! With the world becoming increasingly more digital, we discuss access to online dating platforms when you are blind or partially sighted. And American deaf-blind writer Cristina Hartman sparked a lively debate on Twitter recently, about whether or not it is helpful for people to describe what they look like. Do you think it is helpful? Does it allow you to visualize the person speaking to you, or is it just a load of unhelpful information? We delve into this. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Fern Lulham Production Coordinator: Liz PooleWebsite image description: in the spirit of Valentine's Day, the image is of two people holding hands. The person on the left has a blue and white polka dot shirt on, with the sleeves rolled up. The person on the right has a large embellished silver bracelet and is wearing a matching blue and white polka dot shirt. In the background is a large pool of water, seemingly a river or a lake, with the sunset reflecting off of the water. Casualty clips and theme tune used by permission of the BBC One Casualty Production team.

Amendments to the Elections Bill are making their way through Parliament at the moment. They are not yet set in stone, but they include some significant changes to our rights to a fully independent and secret vote at polling stations. The RNIB have raised their concerns surrounding the wording of these proposed amendments; they think it will water down our protections and assurances to a secret vote and they have issued an online petition. We speak to the Chair of the RNIB, Anna Tylor and also to Rachael Andrews, who initiated (and won) a high court ruling that the current accessibility provisions for blind and partially sighted people at polling stations is unlawful.A new educational astronomy project, called Audio Universe, has been launched by the universities of Newcastle and Portsmouth. It's a guided tour of our galaxy, and its aim is to allow people full access to the wonders of the universe, and to encourage visually impaired people to become keen amateur astronomers, or even contemplate a career in astronomy. They've done this by turning the light from objects in space into sounds so that blind and partially sighted people can hear, spatially, where different planets and stars are located within our galaxy. We hear some of the project, we speak to two youngsters who have experienced the Audio Universe and also to blind astronomer Dr Nic Bonne, who is also the expert tour guide in the project. We also speak to Rachel Lambert, a teacher for visually impaired children and the space ship's captain.The music in the project is by Dr Leigh Harrison, the sound design is by Dr Chris Harrison of Newcastle University and Dr James Trayford of the University of Portsmouth.Presenter: Peter White Producer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: Liz PooleWebsite image description: pictured is planet Earth and other distant stars in our galaxy. The image shows these from outer space. In the top left is a series of bright blue stars, surrounded by smaller stars that are less bright and more distant. In the foreground is Earth, with half of it in darkness. In the top right is a series of bright red stars, which perhaps represent other planets or large stars.