This information page is provided for blind
and vision impaired members (both within Taranaki and New
Zealand wide),
to advise them about a variety of options that may be useful
to them.
Are you aware of the new access card for the
vision impaired?
It is being marketed as “Proof of identity that
gives you freedom” and replaces the 18+ card.
The new Kiwi Access Card has been designed with
the blind, vision impaired, deafblind and disabled
communities in New Zealand in mind. Kiwi Access Card has
been designed to give you the freedom you need. It has been
created to give you better and easier access to goods and
services, and is readily accepted throughout New Zealand.
NVDA screen reader now also available in
Christchurch city public libraries
Are you aware that the NVDA screen reader has
been installed on 390 public terminals at 19 libraries in
the Christchurch city area? As this has just been done at
the end of 2018, some librarians may not be aware of its
installation. If you need help signing in etcetera, they
will be glad to help.
Are
you aware that when you go to buy a new smart phone which is
a touch only device, being blind or visually impaired will
not stop you using it. When you go to buy either a new Apple
I phone or a new Android phone, they may come with built in
screen readers. For the I phone, the screen reader is called
VoiceOver and for the Android phone the screen reader is
called Talkback. They can be turned on under the
accessibility section in the phone. While you are there you
might as well check out some of the other sections that are
there. You can also buy apps or get free apps for your smart
phone that can help you in everyday life. Some examples are
colour identifier software, money readers, GPS software,
magnification software and so on.
This
will also apply to tablets for Android and Apple devices.
If
you are also considering buying a tablet with Android on it
go for the latest version of the operating system. The
tablet should also have Talkback installed. The Apple I pad
also comes with the VoiceOver screen reader. Windows tablets
only come with the Narrator screen reader which is a very
basic screen reader. For a more comprehensive screen reader
(that will not break your budget) you can install the NVDA
screen reader from http://www.nvaccess.org
Please
note:
NVDA will work on an x86/x64 device, or a laptop tablet with
touch input but will not run on a Windows tablet running the
Windows RT operating system which is also found on Windows
phones.
Not
all touch enabled devices have accessibility built into them
(for example a screen reader or magnification etcetera).
Not all Android devices have TalkBack installed. This may be
something that may need to be downloaded to your device. If
you are purchasing the device from a shop, ask the shop
assistant to demonstrate the accessibility features to you
before purchasing, or ask them which devices might already
have the features that you are looking for. Remember not all
shop assistants have experience in this field and it may be a
learning curve for them as well.
If you find it hard to use a
touch screen device, you may also use a bluetooth keyboard.
Netflix
features both audio description and subtitles
Were
you aware when Netflix (an online streaming service) came to
New Zealand in April 2015, they also introduced extra
services. One service was audio description (for the
visually impaired and blind) and the other service was
subtitles (for the hearing impaired). These services will
have to be turned on in Netflix. For more information on how
to enable these features on your device please go to https://help.netflix.com/en/node/25079?ba=GSButtonClick&q=
Hopefully these two services will come to our on demand
services (streaming) here in New Zealand as well!
Audio description
listing information for TV 1 and TV 2 (from
able.co.nz)
Have you ever wondered which
programmes are being audio described on channels 1, 2, or
Duke (or an hour later on channel 1 + 1 or channel 2 + 1)?
Able.co.nz provide information on the shows that are audio
described (in a 2 day listing) giving such information as
the title, channel it appears on, and the duration of the
programme.
You can also sign up to
receive this information via email. To sign up to receive
this audio description information please click on the
following link http://mail.pitch.net.nz/h/r/EEC4300E5FEC192D
You will need to enter your name and email address and click
on submit.
Once you have signed up, you
will receive regular weekly updates via email.
Assistance
when shopping
Some supermarkets offer assistance to blind
and visually impaired people who wish to go shopping in their
stores. You will need to contact your local supermarket - to
see if this assistance is available in your store. The staff
will usually book in a time when they can send a personal
shopper with you to help you get your shopping. If these
assistants are not booked in, the supermarket may not have
anyone available at that time to help you (especially during
peak hour).
They may also provide a drop off service for a fee. Some may
even provide an online facility so you can shop from home
using your computer, and also provide a delivery service as
well. Please check at your local supermarket to see if this
service is available in your area.
Health Passport
Have you got your health
passport yet? A health passport is available for those people
who need to visit a hospital, or other provider of health and
disability services. It allows you to alert others as to how
to communicate with and support you. For more information
please visit the following link http://www.hdc.org.nz/about-us/disability/health-passport
or phone 0800 11 22 33.
PVINZ...also
known as the Parents of vision impaired (NZ) Inc.
PVI is a nationwide support network for the
parents of children and youth who are blind, vision impaired
and/or deaf blind. To find out more about PVI (NZ) please
visit the following link http://www.pvi.org.nz/
BLENNZ
BLENNZ stands for
Blind and Low vision Education Network NZ. It is an
education provider around Aotearoa New Zealand which caters
for children and young people who are blind, deafblind or have
low vision. It encompasses a national network of educational
and social resources and its vision is "Equity through access:
Opening doors so all may learn". To find out more about Blennz
please visit the following link http://blennzonline.edublogs.org/
Financial
assistance from the Blind foundation
Are you aware that you may be able
to get financial assistance from the Blind foundation for
certain things? As with all trusts/funds certain criteria
apply. To find out more information about the trusts/funds
that the RNZFB administer, please go to http://blindfoundation.org.nz/about/member-services/financial-assistance
Disability
Funding
This website provides
information about Ministry of Health funding
for environmental support services for disabled people.
The website can be found at http://disabilityfunding.co.nz/
HANZ
18+ evidence of age document (also known as a proof
of age card)
HANZ (Hospitality Assocation
of New Zealand) 18+ cards are great for:
Anyone 18 years of age or older who
wants a proof of age verification.
Photo identification if you don’t have
a drivers licence or passport.
An alternative form of photo ID.
Hanz website and a
downloadable application form can be found at http://www.hanz18plus.org.nz/
Alternately, you can visit your local NZ Post Shop for more
information and a form. Click on the following link to see
what you need to take in with you when you apply in person. http://www.nzpost.co.nz/products-services/travel-id/hanz-18-card
All applications must be taken to an NZ Post Shop.
Telecom Directory
Assistance exemption for your landline (for Telecom
customers)
Are you aware that if you are with Telecom, you
can apply for an 018 Residential Directory Assistance Per Call
Charge Exemption. For a set monthly fee of $1.28, you can ring
directory assistance to get a phone number that you want to
ring. Whether you ring it once or 20 times in a month, it
will still only cost you $1.28 for the service. It does not cover
the connection to that number (that is, if you wish to connect to
the number directly which is known as the Direct Connect service,
there will be an extra cost of 50 cents per connection). You will
need to contact Telecom (for example from your phone you can call
123). You will need to ask for an Application for Residential
Directory Assistance Per Call Charge Exemption form and have it
mailed out to you. The other option is, it can be emailed to you
and printed out. Once you have it, you will need to see a General
Practitioner or Field Officer to get it signed. Once done, it will
have to be sent back to Telecom to be activated on your home line.
This does not cover directory assistance from a mobile phone or
business line. You can also apply for it even if you are not the
Telecom landline account holder, as long as you permanently reside
at that address.
Telecom Directory
Assistance via TIS
Are you aware, that if you are not a Telecom
customer, you can still use this service through the telephone
information service also known as TIS?! You will need to contact
library services and acquire a 7 digit number as well as a 5 digit
password to access this service. Once done, it is a matter of
ringing 0800 36 33 44, then option 8 for commercial services, then
8 again for Telecom, then either 8 for transfer to directory
assistance international, or 9 for transfer to directory
assistance national.
Nationwide access
via TIS (the Telephone Information Service)
Did you know that if you are travelling around
New Zealand you can still dial into the telephone information
service?! For the national number call 0800 36 33 44 or
from different parts of our country, you can call any of the
following local numbers:
Auckland: 302 3344
Hamilton: 834 2288
Napier-Hastings: 835 9136
Palmerston North: 354 8316
Wellington: 389 3858
Christchurch: 355 8381
Timaru: 688 6921
Oamaru: 433 1026
Dunedin: 455 8833
Balclutha: 418 3332
Gore: 203 3001
Invercargill: 218 6470
New local free phone TIS numbers are as follows:
Whangarei: 09 929 9099
Tauranga: 07 929 6199
Gisborne: 06 929 1033
Wanganui: 06 348 4403
New Plymouth: 06 929 3088
Nelson: 03 929 5033
For locations outside of these areas, please use the 0800 36 33 44
national number. Please note, that not all options will be
available on the 0800 nationwide number. Please also note that as
information becomes updated, numbers for various options may be
added or removed.
Mobility Parking
information
Are you aware that you may be eligible for a
mobility parking permit if you are visually impaired, blind or
disabled? This will allow the vehicle you travel in to park in
mobility parking spaces assigned by council throughout NZ.
For more information about obtaining a mobility parking permit,
please contact your local CCS branch on 0800 227 2255 or via their
website at http://mobilityparking.org.nz/
RNZFB Email lists
Are you aware that the RNZFB has its own email
lists that you can join? This may be to keep up with announcements
from the RNZFB, or to join some of their other email lists that
may interest you . For example, you may wish to join the ATIG list
(also known as the adaptive technology interest group) or another
list to find out about the latest in daisy or braille books. For
more information, please visit the following link. http://www.rnzfb.org.nz/members/member-news/email-lists
Total Mobility
Scheme
Have you heard about the Total Mobility Scheme?
Under the Total Mobility scheme, the Council provides transport
assistance for people with disabilities by providing discounted
taxi fares. You can find out more about this scheme by emailing
totalmobility@trc.govt.nz or by phoning 0800 TOTMOB (0800 868 662)
or by going to their website at http://www.trc.govt.nz/total-mobility/
RNZFB Member
Identification card
Did you know that you can get a member
identification card from the Foundation? The card will cost $15
and will last for 10 years. You will be required to supply a
passport sized photo for the card. This identification may be used
elsewhere, but may not be accepted in some places as a legal
document. It will entitle you to a variety of discounts in
different locations throughout NZ. For example, in the New
Plymouth area Transit NZ Coach Lines offer members a $1-50 ticket
to anywhere within New Plymouth, and trips to and from Waitara for
just $3. For more information on the members identification card
or other discounts available, please contact your local community
committee or call the R.N.Z.F.B. on 0800 24 33 33. A form will be
sent out to you. You will then need to return your application,
along with your passport sized photo and the $15 fee. It will then
be processed and sent out to you.
Information about
bus travel in New Plymouth for Gold card holders
Although not related to the RNZFB membership
card, the following is something that the Tranzit NZ Coach Lines
in New Plymouth offer. Gold card holders in the New Plymouth
district can use the buses for free between the hours of 9am and
3pm.
CCTV magnifiers
available to all members of the public in four
Taranaki libraries
Were you aware that Taranaki has four CCTV's
(also known as video magnifiers) available for use by the public?
These four video magnifiers are situated in the following local
(Taranaki) libraries: Eltham, Stratford, Inglewood and Waitara. In
each library, there is a colour Aladdin Genie Pro. These are
designed for use by the visually impaired, but can also be used by
the general public. Contact one of these libraries for more
information, or to be shown how to use them.
Talking books on CD
and large print books at your local library
Are you also aware, that at your local
libraries, you can borrow talking books on CD or tape? They even
have large print books as well!
Taranaki now has
its own section on the telephone information service
(TIS)
Are you aware that the Taranaki region has its
own spot up on TIS now. TIS is also known as the telephone
information service. To access the new TIS option, you will need
to call the 0800 36 33 44 nationwide number by using a home phone.
Once connected and you hear the different options, it will be
option 4 (for Foundation services), then option 5 (for news for
community committees), then option 1 (for the Taranaki region).
Once you are there, press 1 for what is happening at the RNZFB
rooms in New Plymouth; 2 for contact details (these are local,
national and international); 3 for events (both RNZFB run events
and events coming up in the Taranaki region); 4 for audio
description (both how to enable it on devices as well as which TV
programmes are currently airing with this feature); and 5 for
blindness related tips and tricks. Please let other members know
about this service for the Taranaki area by passing on these
details. Remember, you can dial in at any time of the day or
night. Remember to check back with TIS to keep up to date with
events, TV shows for the current week and news from the RNZFB.
Taranaki
Trust for the Blind
Established in 1993, the Taranaki Trust for the
Blind is an independent charity organisation whose aim is to
assist blind and partially sighted people. They assist with
promoting well being, raising funds, investigating employment
opportunities and assisting those in genuine need when no
alternative is available from other sources. For more information
and/or assistance please write to: Taranaki Trust for the Blind
P.O. BOX 178 New Plymouth.
TALVA
email group
TALVA stands for TaranakiAtig
(and) Low Vision Assistance. This group is here to
assist those who are blind or vision impaired, as well as those
who are not yet legally blind but who have steadily
deteriorating vision. Topics may cover anything eyesight related
from using a certain piece of adaptive technology, through to
other general eyesight related topics such as where to get a
talking watch or clock from, or how to adapt something in your
daily life. Hopefully somebody on this list may be able to help
you!
Accessible speech
and magnification software on APN library computers
nationwide
Did you know that on the APN network (also known
as the Aotearoa People's Network - which is the network of
computers at libraries nationwide), that on every computer on
their network is a copy of the NVDA screen reader. There are also
two magnification programmes called the magnifier (which is a
partial screen magnifier) and qzoom (which is a full screen
magnifier). So, no matter which computer you go up to on their
network, there is a copy of these programmes available for use. To
see which locations the Aotearoa People's Network computers are
based at, please visit http://www.aotearoapeoplesnetwork.org/content/partner-libraries
to find out if there is a location near you. If you need help to
use any of the programmes, the librarians are happy to assist.
If you would like to download a copy of the free open source NVDA
screen reader (which is the one found on their network
nationwide), please visit www.nvaccess.org
for a copy of it.
VIP assistance on
flights
Are you aware that when you fly by plane to
various locations (both within New Zealand and abroad), that when
you go to book your airline tickets, you can get VIP assistance?
You will need to ask for it when booking your tickets, so they
know you require help when travelling via plane. This means that
if they know - they can help you when boarding and disembarking,
or when going from airport to airport. If you don't ask for it,
you will not get it!
Daisy Digital
Talking Book machines
Are you aware that if you are visually impaired
or blind, you can get one of the new digital daisy talking book
machines if you enjoy listening to audio books. If you have not
got one and would like one, you must contact the Blind Foundation
and get a form sent out to you ( which must be filled in and sent
back). Once your application has been approved, a new digital
daisy talking book machine will be sent to you. Once you have one
of these new digital daisy talking book machines, in order to get
new books, you must send the old ones back. There is an email list
you can join from library services, that will let you know what
new braille, electronic or daisy books are being produced each
week. The email list can be found at the following web page link http://www.rnzfb.org.nz/members/member-news/email-lists
If you want any of the books from this list, you can reply to the
email with the books you are interested in. For example you might
request book A Hot summer and book C Cold nights by emailing your
details. The address is libraryenquiries@rnzfb.org.nz
You can contact them by phone as well. The number is 0800 24 33
33. Ask for library services and relay the information that way.
When you first sign up for a new digital daisy talking book
machine, you can fill out the form and specify what types of
books, authors etcetera that you are interested in and those type
of books will be sent out to you. You can also ring up the Blind
Foundation at a later date, and have them add other types of books
and authors to your list of preferences that you would like to
listen to.
Equipment days and
purchasing equipment
Are you aware that your local RNZFB community
committee may have equipment days once or twice a year? These are
where you can look at some blindness related gadgets and ask
questions. If there is no community committee near you, your local
Blind Foundation will be able to advise you when the next one is
on. You can also ring the telephone information service and it
will be option 3..2..4 from the main TIS menu. Then, either
press 1 for the North Island or 2 for the South island. If you
would like to buy some of the blindness related products before
the equipment days, you can also ring the Blind Foundation on 0800
24 33 33 and ask for equipment services. It is option 4. You can
also shop online if you have a computer. You will need to go to
the following webpage found at http://www.rnzfb.org.nz/product
Contact your orientation and mobility instructor for more
information, as some items may have to be assessed correctly
before you can purchase them. (For example, magnifiers will need
to be tailored to each member as lighting conditions and eyesight
conditions can vary greatly). Payment for the products and postage
must be made upfront. Remember if you are ordering online, tick
the box if you are a member to receive any relevant subsidies
available on various products as not all products are subsidised.
For those in the New Plymouth region, New Plymouth has its own
mini equipment display in the office available to view between 9am
and 12pm Monday to Friday. Please call Gaylene on 759 1169 to
arrange to view these items.
Work and Income
assistance through the Disability Allowance
Are you aware that you may be able to get
assistance from WINZ (also known as Work and Income) if you have a
disability such as blindness or even multiple disabilities? This
could mean you may get assistance with payment for your guide dogs
vet bills; paying a lawnmower person to mow your lawns; or renting
a CCTV (a video magnifier) through the Pearson Fund. If you wish
to seek assistance, you will need to make an appointment and take
along documents relating to your specific situation. These may
include things such as your bank account statement, identification
and any other documents necessary (such as a spouses pay slip or
your rates notice). Verifying these documents means that your
personal situation can be correctly assessed and any available
assistance can be offered (as long as you meet WINZ criteria).
There may be other options available to you depending on your
circumstances and/or financial situation. For up to date
information you can ring 0800 559 009 or visit the following web
page about extra help available for a variety of benefit types.
The link is https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/map/income-support/extra-help/
You can also drop into your local WINZ office to discuss how they
may be able to help you, however phoning ahead for an appointment
is advised. Applications for assistance should be made after you
have exhausted all other avenues of funding (for example local
trusts, local hospital boards, Workbridge or ACC etcetera). Each
application will be assessed on its merits and you will be advised
whether or not your application is successful.
Audio description
available on Freeview (and now also on) SKY TV
Are you aware that you can get audio description
on your Freeview approved devices as well as your SKY decoder? For
example TV's, PVR's (that is personal video recorders), set top
boxes and satellite receivers. Audio described TV programmes are
played on TV One, TV Two, TV One plus one and TV Two plus one.
This feature also now includes SKY TV customers for all of their
units. For more information on how to set it on your TV,
SKY, IGLOO or other freeview approved device please visit
the following website http://able.co.nz/audio-description/how-to-access-audio-descriptions
Click on the following link to see the current list of audio
described programme content http://able.co.nz/audio-description/audio-described-programme-listings
You may also need to consult your product's user manual for how to
enable it on your device (if this has not already been enabled).