At Banter Podcast

If you have ever been wondering just what an Accessible Web Overlay is and whether or not it’s a good thing or a bad thing, boy do we have the show for you. This week Rob, Ryan, and Steve welcome Accessibility Advocate Samantha Evans and independent Accessibility Consultant Nick Steenhout to fill us in on what they are, how they work, and how they are currently impacting the world of digital accessibility.   Show Transcript: https://atbanter.files.wordpress.com/2021/06/at-banter-podcast-episode-241-accessible-overlays.pdf Show Notes Overlay Fact Sheet https://overlayfactsheet.com Accessibility Rules Podcast www.a11yrules.com Accessibyebye https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/accessibyebye/ikcamkknjfdplkdjjncobgmpciklohjg AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324. Need repairs on your devic

Yes, dear listeners, it’s that time of the year again! This week marks our 5th year of shows, and no one is more surprised at our longevity than we are! Join us for this special episode to hoist a few to ourselves, look back at the year that was, and generally be our silly selves. Thank you to all that have continued to listen to us and support the show – this one’s for you! Show Transcript: https://atbanter.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/at-banter-podcast-episode-240-another-damn-anniversary-show.pdf AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324. Need repairs on your device? Chaos Technical Services offers service and support on almost any piece of Assistive Technology, while also providing parts and batteries. Visit them online at www.chaostechnicalservices.com or call 778-847-6840.

Rob, Ryan and Steve band together once again, celebrate Ryan’s victory over his ant problem and ponder the term “Parastronaut” before welcoming Matthew Horspool from the Braillists Foundation to the show. They discuss the state of braille in the blindness community in the UK and some of the challenges faced for organizations that work to advocate for braille literacy and teach braille. Show Transcript: https://atbanter.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/at-banter-podcast-episode-239-matthew-horspool.pdf Show Notes The Braillists Foundation https://www.braillists.org/ Astronauts with disabilities can apply to Europe's space agency for 1st time https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/astronauts-physical-disabilities-esa-1.6013038 AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324. Need repairs on your device? Chaos Techni

This week Rob and Ryan reflect on the wonders of ant life before welcoming Stephanie Debisschop, Director of Plan Institute (Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network) to the show to discuss the organization, its origins, and its mandate to help build stronger financial futures and support networks for people with disabilities through a variety of educational programs, supports, and outreach.     Show Transcript: https://atbanter.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/at-banter-podcast-episode-238-plan-institute.pdf Show Notes Plan Institute https://planinstitute.ca/ PLAN https://plan.ca/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324. Need repairs on your device? Chaos Technical Services offers service and support on almost any piece of Assistive Technology, while also providing parts and batteries. Visit them online

Networks and studios these days are experimenting with text-to-speech technology to create synthetic speech that can then be used as Audio Description for different shows and movies. Today we talk with Valerie Hunter from Valerie H Productions and Melissa Hope from Descriptive Video Works and discuss this new technology and how it’s being used, the controversy it’s caused in the Blind and Partially Sighted communities, and some of the pros and cons of using it. Show Transcript: https://atbanter.files.wordpress.com/2021/04/at-banter-podcast-episode-237-audio-description_-human-or-synthetic_.pdf Show Notes Valerie H Productions http://www.valerie-h.com/ Descriptive Video Works https://www.descriptivevideoworks.com/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324. Need repairs on your device? Chaos Techn

Rob and Ryan fly the show solo this week without Steve as they welcome on Laura Hayden from the Canadian Helen Keller Centre to discuss the organization and give them some insight on the types of programs and services that they offer Canadians all over the country who are deafblind. Show Transcript: https://atbanter.files.wordpress.com/2021/04/at-banter-podcast-episode-236-canadian-helen-keller-centre.pdf Show Notes Canadian Helen Keller Centre https://www.chkc.org/ Jonathan Mosen Podcast https://mosenatlarge.pinecast.co/episode/de792ca5/widespread-concern-about-accessibility-overlays-leads-to-a-new-chrome-extension-to-block-them-dating-when-blind-braille-comments-and-more HBO Max Rolls Out Audio Descriptions https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/26/22352839/hbo-max-audio-description-warner-media AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech

This week, Rob, Ryan and Steve welcome Paralympic Athlete and motivational speaker Tanner Gers to the show where they learn about his involvement in the bid to bring five-a-side Blind Soccer to the Paralympics as well as several other projects he has in the pipeline. Show Transcript: https://atbanter.files.wordpress.com/2021/04/at-banter-podcast-episode-235-tanner-gers.pdf Show Notes Find Tanner Online https://tannergers.com AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324. Need repairs on your device? Chaos Technical Services offers service and support on almost any piece of Assistive Technology, while also providing parts and batteries. Visit them online at www.chaostechnicalservices.com or call 778-847-6840.

When it comes to this week’s show, we’ve got some good news, and we have some bad news. First the good news … THERE IS NO BAD NEWS (unless your name is Pepe and you're a skunk)! That’s right, it’s been about a year since we had our last “Good News Show”, so we decided to do it again this year since we are still in desperate need of plenty of sunshine, lollipops, puppy dogs, and kittens in our lives! Maria Johnson from the Girl Gone Blind Blog joins Rob, Ryan and Steve for an hour of fun, laughter, and GOOD NEWS!  Show Notes Girl Gone Blind Blog https://girlgoneblind.com/ She Beat Cancer at 10. Now She’s Set to Be the Youngest American in Space https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/22/science/spacex-hayley-arceneaux.html ‘Life-saving’ nose spray that kills 99.9% of viruses begins production in Israel https://www.timesofisrael.com/life-saving-nose-spray-that-kills-99-9-of-viruses-begins-production-in-israel/ Woman Finds Husband's ‘Secret Instagram Account' Full of Recipes He Makes for Her https://www.nbcnewyork.c

April is World Autism Awareness Month and to help celebrate and spread awareness, Rob, Ryan and Steve welcome Dominique Chabot from Autism Canada to the show. We discuss the details of what Autism is and how it manifests, the challenges that many families face when it comes to being diagnosed, and what services and programs Autism Canada provides. Show Transcript: https://atbanter.files.wordpress.com/2021/03/at-banter-podcast-episode-233-dominique-chabot-and-autism-canada.pdf Show Notes Autism Canada https://autismcanada.org/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324. Need repairs on your device? Chaos Technical Services offers service and support on almost any piece of Assistive Technology, while also providing parts and batteries. Visit them online at www.chaostechnicalservices.com or call 778

Rob, Steve and Ryan welcome Alanna Hendren from the Developmental Disabilities Association to the show this week to talk about the organization, its long history and the work it does throughout the Lower Mainland. The Developmental Disabilities Association is a community living agency that provides over 50 community-based programs and services to children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families in Vancouver. Show Transcript: https://atbanter.files.wordpress.com/2021/03/at-banter-podcast-episode-232-alanna-hendren.pdf Show Notes Developmental Disabilities Association https://www.develop.bc.ca/ CELA https://celalibrary.ca/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324. Need repairs on your device? Chaos Technical Services offers service and support on almost any piece of Assistiv

When the federal government released their 2020 Fall Economic Statement in December of 2020, it revealed its plans to withdraw the $4 million in funding that it provides to CELA (Centre for Equitable Library Access) and NNELS (National Network for Equitable Library Service) in order to provide books in alternate formats. This week we welcome Karen Mckay from CELA and Daniella Levy-Pinto from NNELS to discuss these funding cuts and the implications for Canadians who rely on the alternative book formats their organizations produce. Find out how you can help as well by visiting the CELA and NNELS websites in the show notes! Show Transcript: https://atbanter.files.wordpress.com/2021/03/at-banter-podcast-episode-231-restorethefunding.pdf Show Notes Centre for Equitable Library Access https://celalibrary.ca https://celalibrary.ca/advocacy#whatyoucando National Network for Equitable Library Service https://nnels.ca/ https://nnels.ca/advocate-nnels-services AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Techno

Things get off to a rocky start this episode with a cowbell malfunction, and things don’t get much better as the boys rant about accessibility problems with the US vaccine websites. Luckily, long time listener, Accessibility Specialist, and Senior Strategist at Civic Actions Mike Gifford saves the day and infuses the show with some much needed positivity about the work he’s involved in around digital accessibility and what the future may hold. Show Transcript: https://atbanter.files.wordpress.com/2021/03/at-banter-podcast-episode-230-mike-gifford.pdf Show Notes Civic Actions https://civicactions.com/ Covid Vaccine Websites Violate Disability Laws https://khn.org/news/article/covid-vaccine-websites-violate-disability-laws-create-inequity-for-the-blind AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324. Nee

Talk Description to Me is an exciting new podcast from Christine Malec and JJ Hunt where they discuss and audio describe current events and topical issues and this week they join Rob and Ryan for a spirited conversation about the show, the state of audio description and how we can innovate and expand its reach. Show Transcript: https://atbanter.files.wordpress.com/2021/03/at-banter-podcast-episode-229-talk-description-to-me.pdf Show Notes Talk Description to Me https://talkdescriptiontome.buzzsprout.com/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324. Need repairs on your device? Chaos Technical Services offers service and support on almost any piece of Assistive Technology, while also providing parts and batteries. Visit them online at www.chaostechnicalservices.com or call 778-847-6840.

Great Scott! Drop your linen and start your grinning but whatever you do, don’t back Baby into a corner! This week we welcome Guest Host Shawn Marsolais from the Blind Beginnings Limitless Podcast to help us do something a little different in celebration of Retro Day next week (February 27th). Join Rob, Ryan, Steve, and Shawn as they don their headbands, leg warmers, and fluorescent colored shirts and they dive into a discussion about everything 80s related. Movies, world events, music, tv, and even a little about the Assistive Technology of the time – we are talking about it all! You don’t want to miss this totally tubular and gnarly episode! Show Transcript: https://atbanter.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/at-banter-podcast-episode-228-back-to-the-80s.pdf Show Notes Retro Day https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-retro-day-february-27 AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and expe

The boys are all together again as Steve returns to the show after a bit of an absence, just in time to get geeky with a rousing discussion about the used Assistive Technology market before welcoming Matt Campbell and Pneuma Solutions CEO Mike Calvo to the Anti-Gloom Zoom Room to talk about some exciting new features of Scribe, their digital document remediation product. And if that isn’t enough for one show, we also announce an exciting new idea for a show later in the month! You don’t want to miss this show! Show Transcript: https://atbanter.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/at-banter-podcast-episode-227-calvo-returns.pdf Show Notes Pneuma Solutions https://pneumasolutions.com Scribe For Meetings https://scribeformeetings.com/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324. Need repairs on your device?

Rob and Ryan are thrilled this week to be joined by local author Jessica Wegrzynowski and her care aid and friend Misty into the Anti-Gloom Zoom Room to talk about her new book, My Spring Fling: Young Love and Living Life to the Fullest. Jessica discusses how the book came about, some of the challenges she faced writing it, and what she hopes readers will take away from it. Show Transcript: https://atbanter.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/at-banter-podcast-episode-226-jessica-wegrzynowski.pdf Show Notes My Spring Fling: Young Love and Living Life to the Fullest on Amazon https://www.amazon.ca/My-Spring-Fling-Living-Fullest/dp/B08PJ1LKW2/ref=sr_1_1 AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324. Need repairs on your device? Chaos Technical Services offers service and support on almost any piece of Assistiv

White Cane Week happens every year during the first week of February and this week we welcome Canadian Council of the Blind’s President, Louise Gillis, to discuss what White Cane Week is, fill us in on all the events happening, and the CCB’s year round mandate to help support and advocate for blind and partially sighted Canadians. Show Transcript: https://atbanter.files.wordpress.com/2021/01/at-banter-podcast-episode-225-ccb-white-cane-week.pdf Show Notes Canadian Council of the Blind https://ccbnational.net/ Sensible Innovations https://www.sensible-innovations.com AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324. Need repairs on your device? Chaos Technical Services offers service and support on almost any piece of Assistive Technology, while also providing parts and batteries. Visit them online at w

These days it might seem like no news is good news, but Rob and Ryan do their best to drum up some of the latest Assistive Technology news that 2021 has to offer so far, including discussing an article about the problem of the cost of AT devices and some news about accessibility that is being built into new TVs. Show Transcript: https://atbanter.files.wordpress.com/2021/01/at-banter-podcast-episode-224-no-news-is-good-news.pdf Show Notes ADA Lawsuit Rates Rising https://blog.usablenet.com/a-record-breaking-year-for-ada-digital-accessibility-lawsuits Disability advocates call for easier access to 'life-changing' technology https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/essential-worker-pandemic-disabilities-vision-impaired-assitive-technology-1.5852002 Samsung Makes Its 2021 TVs More Accessible https://www.cnet.com/news/samsung-makes-its-2021-tvs-more-accessible-for-people-with-vision-or-hearing-disabilities/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assis

It’s the first episode of 2021 and Rob and Ryan are not only well rested from the Holidays, but optimistic that 2021 is going to be a great year! After a mini- discussion about Braille in celebration of World Braille Day, the boys welcome Pramit Bhargava as the first guest of 2021 to talk about his new app, Louie, which add voice control functionality to Android based smartphones. Show Transcript: https://atbanter.files.wordpress.com/2021/01/podcast-episode-223_otter.ai_.pdf Show Notes Louie Voice Control https://louievoice.com/ Seeing a Slice of Southern Africa My Way: An Enlightening Journey https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08RWLRC2F/ AT Banter is brought to you by Canadian Assistive Technology, providing sales and training in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Visit them online at www.canasstech.com or call toll-free 1-844-795-8324. Need repairs on your device? Chaos Technical Services offers service and support on almost any piece of Assistive Technolo

It's that time of year again, and time for our annual episode where we discuss all things Christmas and the Holidays! It's a little bit different this year and a departure from our originally planned Christmas episode (thanks a lot 2020), but we pushed through technical difficulties to bring you a little Yuletide audio cheer. Thank you to all our listeners and guests for your support over the year and we will see you in 2021!