Question for #blind and partially sighted folk on the fediverse:
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@DarkSheepArts Linking to an accessible companion guide on a site might be a better shout than braille. That would be easier to produce, easier to update, definitely cheaper to maintain and most importantly, it places the choice of how to consume that with each person who wants to read it. EG, I'm totally blind here, learned braille so young that I can't even remember not knowing it, but there are boatloads of blind/VI folk who lose sight later in life and never get that opportunity. IMO audio is a really nice to have extra if you can get it done within budget, but deafblind folk get the soggy end of the stick so often, I reckon I'd try to offset that a bit by commissioning a good writer over a sound designer if I were in your shoes.
BTW I live in London and my partner bloody loves a museum/exhibit. Would be happy to come and poke around ideas in progress. Holler whenever you've got something if that might help.
OOoh, thank you for the offer. I'll bookmark this and might reach out.
Also, the context is good to know. I'd love audio, but it's so much more money than I've got at the moment (not forever, though, I've got quotes and a workable plan, I just can't get the money this year).
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@DarkSheepArts Yeah, where funds are tight it can be trying to be as flexible as you can and getting best bang for your buck.
I've run grassroots stuff where I read out audio myself in addition to critical web text content to ensure no one had an excuse for not trying to engage with our event's code of conduct (which was a bit long but necessarily so).
I don't know what the legal licencing text-to-speech audio options are for a 'commercial' albeit small org.
@DarkSheepArts And again, if someone has the raw text in an easy to access way, then they can use their own device with whatever tech they prefer.
But I know not everyone does have/use tech but it is increasingly common and sometimes a cheap device can be a thing the museum hands out, like those audio tours (an area I'm deafishly ignorant of for obv reasons).
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@DarkSheepArts @sbourne I like the audio component when it’s available. Biltmore was cool, because they had this receiver into which you entered the number accompanying each exhibit and would hear an explanation about it. Braille is neat when they have it, but it takes longer to read and ou can sometimes have folk start to stack up behind you
That's my next step after this - it's out of my price range at the moment, but we're going for some grants that might help.
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@DarkSheepArts Yeah, often museums don't have much building control or it's not cheaply/easily fixable. Also most people seem hideously clueless about lighting, especially architects (not my fave species of professional).
Another issue can be that exhibits can't be lit for conservation reasons, although I know some museums will do bookable out-of-hours tours for blind/low vision people with temporary brighter lighting or touch-options under supervision (or a replica for touching).
We've got decent touch options coming in, and some that already exist, but yeah - our lighting is awful. It was designed by cool 90s designers, and as such is absolutely terrible.
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@DarkSheepArts And again, if someone has the raw text in an easy to access way, then they can use their own device with whatever tech they prefer.
But I know not everyone does have/use tech but it is increasingly common and sometimes a cheap device can be a thing the museum hands out, like those audio tours (an area I'm deafishly ignorant of for obv reasons).
Interesting. That gives me an idea for some repurposing of old tech which we might be able to do.
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We've got decent touch options coming in, and some that already exist, but yeah - our lighting is awful. It was designed by cool 90s designers, and as such is absolutely terrible.
@DarkSheepArts Yeah 1990s buildings in many ways are nicer than mid2000s onwards ones, except the sodding spotlights!
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Interesting. That gives me an idea for some repurposing of old tech which we might be able to do.
@DarkSheepArts I think that's what it's about is trying things and considering cheap/affordable options.
Often 'assistive tech' people/companies can scare everyone into thinking anything less than £1000+ tech is not disability-accessible, but in the last 15 years especially there is more and more ubiquitous accessibility in mainstream tech and a lot of usable old tech for cheap/free if you know where to find it and can bash it into use.
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That's my next step after this - it's out of my price range at the moment, but we're going for some grants that might help.
@DarkSheepArts @sbourne Understandable. Speaking strictly for myself, any real efforts museums can make at inclusion are appreciated. I once worked with a grad student on a paper on the accessibility of a major U.S. museum. We had a mix of things I could feel and someone who walked with us and explained more to me.
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@DarkSheepArts My phone. I already have it with me. Maybe scan a QR, it opens up to an accessible web page with info on, whether that be audio files the user presses play on, or written text which then is spoken via the screen-reader. If you go the latter route, then anyone who does use Braille and happens to have a display with them, such as deafblind can use that.
@jakobrosin thoughts on this? I know you've done similar things.@Onj It also comes down to budget. Creating a QR code and an accessible website behind it is quite low cost. However, not everyone is confortable in using their smartphone in such settings, especially for example elderly people or people with less digital skills. In that case, an audio guide, in a form of a separate device handed out from the ticket desk, could be an easier solution. Its also possible to set up more interactive experiences with tactile representations and mockups of some exhibits. Using a solution like NaviLens could combine both, the description and also guidance around the exhibit area. NaviLens uses their own QR codes, which their app can detect from quite far (tens of meters if necessary). The app is aware of users location so it can tell you things like "exhibit hall exit is 25 meters at 2 oclock" or "Mona lisa is 10 metres ahead" and upon reaching said exhibit, it can proceed with a description for example. But we've also had QR codes at exhibits, which point to youtube videos with descriptions. @DarkSheepArts @jakobrosin@hear-me.social
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Question for #blind and partially sighted folk on the fediverse:
If you go to a museum or gallery, do you prefer braille or do you instead use a text to speech app?
(Or both, or something else)
I've got a bit of money to refurbish a small UK museum space with better provisions for Deaf and Blind folk, so I'm keen to know what will be the most useful.
Please Note: This is a question specifically for blind and partially sighted Fedi users, rather than fully sighted folk.
@DarkSheepArts If you can only afford one, I'd say a text to speech ap, even something a guest can use their own device to access, QR codes are common, or text available on a website; that's the most universally accessible option, FYI I'm Blind, not DeafBlind, so only my perspective.
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Question for #blind and partially sighted folk on the fediverse:
If you go to a museum or gallery, do you prefer braille or do you instead use a text to speech app?
(Or both, or something else)
I've got a bit of money to refurbish a small UK museum space with better provisions for Deaf and Blind folk, so I'm keen to know what will be the most useful.
Please Note: This is a question specifically for blind and partially sighted Fedi users, rather than fully sighted folk.
@DarkSheepArts I am not visually impaired, but my wife was handicapped. I would not focus on one solution but rather do all that you can to make it compatible for all impaired people who attend. Not everyone can use braille. Not everyone can use those apps. You cannot predict which solutions a customer will need, so try to make it compatible for all of them.
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