Author: Matthew Horspool

Sound Without Sight are excited to announce their next Monthly Meet-up and Q&A, featuring the radio producer and musician, Kevin Satizabal.

Kevin is an Assistant Producer at BBC Radio 3. His debut radio feature, Joining the dots – 200 years of Braille Music, aired on 28 September. The documentary explored the impact that braille music has had over the last 200 years.

Kevin himself is a composer and pianist, and also a trustee at Paraorchestra.

During the meeting, Kevin will share:

• The process of producing the documentary.
• The initial inspiration for the documentary.
• How he went about the research process, and selecting people to interview.
• The impact of using sound design to engage the listener, and technical aspects such as methods used to record and edit material.

The session will last 60 to 90 minutes, including Q&A. This will be a relaxed, informal event and audience participation is encouraged. We really want to make sure that everyone gets a chance to ask a question if they would like to. Submitting questions in advance enables us to ensure that they get answered.

Please note that this session will be recorded and published on podcasting platforms, so if you contribute during the session, you are consenting to appearing in the recording.

Register for the Meet-Up

We hope to see you there!

Plymouth Central Library
Saturday 11 October, 11am to 3pm

Join us for a special event in partnership with Plymouth Advisory Team for Sensory Support (PATSS).

We mark 200 years since the invention of Braille – a revolutionary system that continues to empower and connect people with visual impairments.

Take part in hands-on demonstrations of tactile resources and assistive technology, including a Lego Braille kit, braille books and games.

Whether you’re curious about braille or supporting someone with a visual impairment, everyone is welcome.

Coventry Vision Hub, the new name for Coventry Resource Centre for the Blind, will be holding an open day in recognition of World Sight Day. HumanWare and other assistive technology companies will be part of a small exhibition, and we are promised that there will be a Monarch!

Entry is free on Thursday 9 October between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. No registration required.

Coventry Vision Hub, 33-35 Earlsdon Avenue South, Coventry, CV5 6Th
024 7671 7522
[email protected]

Apple recently released the latest versions of its flagship operating systems, including iOS and iPad 26 for the popular iPhone and iPad product lines. Amongst the many new features are a significant number of improvements to VoiceOver, the built-in screen reader, including a new notataker-like feature called Braille Access.

In the second part of this two-part series on iOS 26, Matthew Horspool will talk about:

• Launching apps and items
• Taking, reading and managing braille notes
• Reading and transferring BRF files
• The braille clock and calculator
• Live braille captions
• Braille Access settings
• Configuring braille keyboard commands for Braille Access

Register for the Masterclass here.

To join by phone, please use these details:

• Phone number: 0131 460 1196
• Meeting ID: 890 9440 0482
• Passcode: 123456

In October, we celebrate National braille week, so naturally, this month’s Webinar Wednesday has a braille theme.

We’re thrilled to welcome back Matthew Horspool, a long-time friend of Sight and Sound Technology. Matthew wears many hats—he’s the Code Maintenance Officer for the International Council on English Braille (ICEB) and General Manager at the Braillists Foundation.

Matthew will be talking us through a relatively new and powerful feature in JAWS called split braille. Split Braille allows your braille display to show content from two different locations or views at the same time, by splitting the display into two regions. For example, you can read the main document text on one side and see attributes like bold or italics, comments, or speech history on the other. This helps you review more information at once without switching views. While split Braille works on any size braille display, it is most useful on larger displays, where splitting the braille line would still afford ample space for accessing information.

Please register here to attend what will undoubtedly be a hugely informative and worthwhile session.

The topic for the Tuesday, September 30, 2025, That All May eRead online program will be NLS eReader Searching: Tips and Tricks. We will open the program with a brief presentation and demonstration and then we will answer your questions about the Zoomax and HumanWare Braille eReaders for the remainder of the hour.

The program will begin at 7 p.m. eastern time and last for one hour. To access the program, go to https://loc.zoomgov.com/j/1600222400?pwd=4laeaft2Upzed3CbsPRUKq8xGdTXMC.1.

Remember that the program is recorded. Do not speak if you do not wish to be on the recording.

If you choose to dial in to the call, use the telephone numbers provided below. The Zoom.gov ID will not work with standard Zoom.us.

You can find recordings and transcripts of previous That All May eRead programs on the NLS website at www.loc.gov/nls/news-and-updates/that-all-may-eread.

Join by Telephone

• +1 669 254 5252 US (San Jose)
• +1 646 828 7666 US (New York)
• +1 646 964 1167 US (US Spanish Line)
• +1 669 216 1590 US (San Jose)
• +1 415 449 4000 US (US Spanish Line)
• +1 551 285 1373 US (New Jersey)

Meeting ID: 160 402 1014

Passcode: 555132

For more information, please contact: [email protected]

Introducing the Canute Console from Bristol Braille. A 360 cell, 9-line refreshable braille display synced to a high contrast 13″ monitor.

Read literary, math or music Braille a nine-line page at a time; Use the Console to access math, financial and chart information in a more intuitive way; Study; Use the Console for  Linux system administration; programming; exploring maps and much, much more.

Presented by Ed Rogers from Bristol Braille.

Join the Zoom meeting Meeting ID 890 8536 4510 000764

Selvas BLV are very excited to announce this much-anticipated version 3.0 update for the BrailleSense 6 and BrailleSense 6 mini.

This update adds several advanced formatting functions to the Word Processor, including creation of tables, footnotes, and bullets and numbering, as well as improving stability, and allowing you to define default settings for the purpose of creating default document templates.

They have also added a new Braille Practice application, and Compressed Mode for braille documents in the Notepad. The Web Radio and Podcast defaults have been updated, and these applications have improved interfaces.

In addition, they have updated all apps in the App Installer in the Android Apps menu, and have uploaded new versions of all of the Optional Add-on applications to update for various issues. You may simply redownload the apps you have already installed from either of these areas, and they will be automatically updated to the latest versions.

Finally, this update includes the long-awaited new Web Browser. As this is a transition, and they cannot account for every type of website a user may encounter, they are including both browsers for this first release. In addition to stream-lining the interface, the new browser should allow you to fill out forms, play embedded media, and perform tasks like logging in to hotel and airport wi-fi that have been problematic with the older browser.

Read the full announcement

A new KeySoft update is now available for BrailleNote Touch Plus. This release focuses on making daily tasks smoother: math can now be created and edited directly in KeyWord, and KeyRecorder makes recording and playback easier than ever.

New in KeyWord — Math Made Easy

Previously, creating math content meant switching to another application, and bringing prepared math content into KeyWord just wasn’t possible.

With this update, you can now create, edit, and read math content directly in KeyWord, keeping your work in one place and your workflow uninterrupted.

KeyMath becomes KeyGraph

With this update, you can now create and read math content directly in KeyWord, making it easy to present your own work and read materials prepared by your teacher. As a result, KeyMath is no longer needed for math editing, but the graphing tools remain essential. That’s why KeyMath has been renamed to KeyGraph, perfectly reflecting its purpose.

Meet KeyRecorder — Capture Every Word, Anytime

KeySoft is proud to introduce KeyRecorder, the new, easy-to-use app that puts audio recording right at your fingertips. Start recording instantly from anywhere with a global command, perfect for capturing ideas, lectures, meetings, or personal notes on the go. You can also use KeyRecorder as a media player, letting you listen to supported audio and video formats, including MP3, MP4, 3GP, M4A, and OGG files. Whether you’re making a quick audio note or playing back your favourite media, KeyRecorder keeps it simple, fast, and accessible.

EasyReader update

A wide range of improvements, including new libraries.

Read the full newsletter

Monarch’s terminal mode app bridges the gap between screen readers and multi-line braille displays. The program allows for the two device types to work in tandem, providing a comprehensive reading and navigation tool for all users. Thanks to the newest updates from NVDA and Vispero’s JAWS, the two screen readers are officially ready for terminal mode use with Monarch.

Terminal mode relies on screen reader support to transfer information from the screen onto Monarch. The application became available with the 1.3 Monarch update and now has support from the recent JAWS and NVDA updates to be used through USB connection. The expansion to Bluetooth connection is expected to come soon. Continued expansion of terminal mode to other screen readers is also on the way.

Using terminal mode with the NVDA screen reader allows users to experience wrapped mode, which intelligently adjusts the text to fit the multiline display for a more natural reading experience.  When using the JAWS program, Monarch users have even more options for personalization in how they interact with text in terminal mode. The first is cropped mode, an innovative way to detect and display table content, such as tables found on the web or Excel spreadsheets. Cropped mode spatially aligns tables and sets of data to help users explore information in its correct formatting. Within cropped mode, users can ‘zoom’ into specific columns, rows, and even individual cells of data. This allows for granular exploration of data without compromising on formatting.

JAWS also supports split display, a new way to split the Monarch’s display into two independent sections, like having two monitors on one device. Users can choose specifically how much of the screen they’d like to split, and between which tabs. Students could complete assignments with date sets and tactile graphics appearing in tandem alongside their questions. Split display creates a world of new possibilities for individualized displays to support each user.

With Monarch’s innovative braille cell design, it is the only multi-line display with touch capabilities in terminal mode. Users can read, write, and edit all at the same time. Monarch’s touch capabilities allow for the option to “point and click.” Touching a specific dot, followed by the action button, moves users to that exact spot for editing, reviewing, and careful review of materials.

“Terminal mode on Monarch is a fully input and output experience,” said APH’s Head of Global Technology and Innovation, Greg Stilson. To begin using, ensure both Monarch and JAWS or NVDA programs are updated to the newest version. Terminal mode is live now!