VIBUG is the Visually Impaired and Blind User Group, serving blind and visually impaired computer users primarily in Massachusetts. If you'd like to know more about us, you can download our flyer, which is available as a Microsoft Word document, or a braille formatted file. We encourage you to share this flyer with people you think would be interested in our computer users group.
VIBUG membership costs $20 a year. To make a secure online payment with a credit card or your PayPal account, select the following PayPal button.
You may also join VIBUG by coming to a meeting and paying your dues by cash or check. All checks should be made payable to VIBUG. If you have any questions, please contact our treasurer Bob Resnick at rresnick1@comcast.net
The next meeting of VIBUG will be held on March 8, 2014, on the campus of MIT, 77 Mass. Ave., Building 5, Room 134. Prior to our meeting, from 10:00 A.M. to 12:00 noon, we will have the second in our series of classes on using the Mac. Members can enjoy the classes for free and are welcome to receive recordings of the classes. Those who are not members pay $20 per class.
During our regular meeting, The FingerReader team from MIT will present a couple of new features in their work on the printed-text reading device, which they presented two months ago. A new training method was created to help with acclimating to using the device, as well as some new audio feedback.
They would be delighted to get the community’s ideas on how these features may help (or not) with making reading printed text easier. They are also looking for people who would like to come in for a formal study of the usability of the device, which will be held next month.
In addition, we will have a brainstorming session presented by Jerry Berrier, Mani Iyer, Sanjay Shenoy. Jerry writes: "We are a team looking to build software solutions for the blind and visually impaired. We have passion to make an impact and want to use our combined experience in software development and accessibility technologies. A key tenet of our design and engineering methodology is to involve customers from the inception phase as well as through the entire development lifecycle. At the March VIBUG session, our goal is to connect with and get input from this community. After some brief background on the project, we will have a lightning brainstorming session to get your ideas. We will then discuss how we plan to engage with customers and would like to get your thoughts on what might work best for you."
We will also demonstrate the highly configurable and accessible Downcast podcast app for IOS and will discuss our favorite podcasts.
Remember that it is time to renew your membership and/or join for the first time. You can pay via PayPal by going to the VIBUG webpage.
If you are a 2014 member in good standing and would like to join us on line, please send an email to me at president@vibug.org and I will send you the password.
Amy Ruell, VIBUG President
Follow this link for Directions to the VIBUG meeting room at MIT.
Members in good standing are invited to join us for meetings online in real time. All members will be given the password for the online chat room when their dues is received by our treasurer and/or president.
Members are reminded not to share this password with anyone who is not a VIBUG member. Failure to adhere to this rule will result in loss of online participation privileges.
On the day of the meeting, go to the VIBUG Meeting Room, and click on the link to install a small plugin if you are visiting the room for the first time. Once the plugin has been installed, click on the link to enter the room. Enter your name at the Username prompt, and your password when asked for a password.
If you need assistance with logging in online, please contact Amy Ruell, VIBUG president by phoning the VIBUG mailbox at 617-383-9560, or writing to president@vibug.org.
If you'd like to receive VIBUG meeting notices, as well as other announcements of interest to blind and visually impaired computer users, feel free to join the VIBUG mailing list.
-Send questions or comments about VIBUG to Amy Ruell, VIBUG President, or leave a message in the VIBUG mailbox, (617) 383-9560.
Send questions or comments about this site to Tim Cumings, our Webmaster.
last updated: Wednesday, February 5, 2014