ACB Tuesday Topics

Paul Edwards, American Council of the Blind
ACB Tuesday Topics Podcast

Tuesday Topics is a weekly exploration of a single topic from a blindness perspective brought to you by the American Council of the Blind. Co-hosted by Paul Edwards and Rick Morin, this two-hour podcast features panelists and live questions and comments from the zoom audience. We hope to fully explore any topic we cover! Divergent opinions are encouraged!

  1. 11 SEPT

    20240910 - Tuesday Topics - How do you do with Technology.

    We encourage folks to suggest ideas for Tuesday Topics and have, in the past, used some of those that we have received. This week we are once again availing ourselves of a suggestion made by two ladies who both happen to have similar names. Both Debbie (Hazelton) and debbee (Armstrong) have suggested we take up a topic that we think is very important. Both of them will be a part of our panel either the deb duo or the double Debby or the larger than little Debby program. Their suggestion and our topic involves technology. They ask why many people who are blind seem to be technologically challenged? Are they technophobic? What can we do about it? There are other people who are blind who seem amazingly tech-savvy! Is there a reason? Clearly there are people with no disabilities who are technologically incompetent but there is more at stake for people who are also. If folks who are blind want to work, they must be technologically effective! If they want to avail themselves of the range of options in terms of mobility, literacy or social interaction, technology is just as crucial! The Blind Information Technology Specialists are trying to do some exciting things with technology and we hope that Jeff Bishop will be here to talk about some of them. Whether he is with us or not, we want to explore with you what creates technophobia for people who are blind and what we can and should do about it! Though I have not actually previewed what these ladies will say, I suspect their view is that this "affliction" is treatable and maybe even curable and they will help us explore some of the steps all of us can take to help those who feel challenged by the time we are trying to survive! Ms. Armstrong works at a community college where her job involves making technology available to students with disabilities. Ms. Hazelton is currently teaching sociology at a college in Alabama and has a background in psychology and technology. Jeff, if he can join us, works to make computer technology accessible at a college in Phoenix. Within ACB all three of these folks work in areas where technology is crucial. I think they bring to this issue both experience and insights that I am looking forward to having as a part of our Tuesday Topic. You, our listeners, will have insights as well! Share your tech comfort levels with us! What approaches have you used to become techpetitive?

    1h 60m
  2. 4 SEPT

    20240903 - Tuesday Topics - Job Research and Unemployment

    It is Tuesday Topics' plan to see if members of the employment committee want to join us! In fact I can now confirm that at least one member of that committee will be with us! There was a lot of debate in early resolutions committee meetings this year about a proposal put together by the Employment Committee. A resolution was passed and Tuesday Topics will be asking the committee what it says and how it may affect how ACB opera'tes in the employment area! In addition to their input, we want to explore some elements of employment. The level of joblessness is lower than it has ever been. Less than four percent of our working age population is "unemployed". Yet data demonstrates that at least forty percent of people who are blind do not have jobs. We have looked at some of the reasons and we will do that again! However, we want to explore what we think ought to be done about unemployment for people who are blind! Whether you are working or not, you have ideas! Call us and tell us what we need to do! Vocational Rehabilitation thinks they know what to do! Organizations for the blind and perhaps even organizations of the blind think they know! But we are asking you! Why do you think folks aren't working? What do you think should be done about it? How much is unemployment of people who are blind our fault as blind people? How much of a role does prejudice and discrimination play? How will artificial intelligence affect our chances of work?

    1h 59m

About

Tuesday Topics is a weekly exploration of a single topic from a blindness perspective brought to you by the American Council of the Blind. Co-hosted by Paul Edwards and Rick Morin, this two-hour podcast features panelists and live questions and comments from the zoom audience. We hope to fully explore any topic we cover! Divergent opinions are encouraged!

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