How A Blind Person Uses A Computer

Tommy Edison, who has been blind since birth, shows how he uses the computer to send an email. The MacBookPro has an Accessibility preference called Voice Over which reads the screen to him.

Directed & Edited by Ben Churchill

------

Related Videos:

How Blind People Use Facebook on the iPhone 4S

How Blind People Use Twitter & You Tube on the iPhone 4S

How Blind People Use Instagram

-------

Follow Tommy

#blindness #accessibility #technology

[Illoosion]

I went to middle school with a blind girl. One time, I watched her use an iPad. It was fascinating.

It was modified for blind people. The screen was pitch black. She would hold it in a position close to her ear, with her fingers on the screen.

She tapped the screen really rapidly. I couldn't tell what she was doing, but she knew. Every time she did anything, Siri spoke at lightning speed. Too quickly for me to hear it, but this girl understood.

I watched her go to the App Store and download a history app for Social Studies.

It just looked like she was leaning her ear to it, wiggling her fingers on the black screen, while Siri was like

It was crazy. And she knew what she was doing.

[cominatrix]

you must know so many shortcuts and hotkeys that most of us dont lol

[taylor]

This is amazing! And I love how he's always so happy in cheerful in his videos. :)

[kellys]

Tommy, I'm so happy that you know how to type. There are tons of sighted people (like many newspersons) who never bothered to learn! You are showing them up!!!

[TechPro]

I am using voice over to type this right now
I am blind as well

[XanthsAMV]

My screen reader crashes every program it tries to read, and almost everything is inaccessible. It makes me want to cry sometimes.

[OuterRem]

Tommy, I have learned so much from your channel, and I just wanted to thank you.  You have such a charming personality that I just couldn't help but become a fan.  Keep being you, my man, because you make the world just a little bit better every time you give us that cheesy grin.  Look forward to your next video, and learning something new.  - Rem

[Wildestleaf]

That moment when a blind guy types faster than you do.... :/

[lorenioooooas]

Watching this after binge watching Marvel's Daredevil on Netflix, who else?

[suniyahaleyce]

If you open your eyes and leave them open for a while do your eyes start to get teary?

[Re_Kitty]

haha, imagine using a laptop without a screen! That would work perfectly fine for a blind person :)

[meganshaw]

The people who have disliked this have bo hope in humanity

[progettoyeah]

Tommy, it's great to see your stories and videos getting so much attention. People are eager to listen, set aside prejudices and learn how disability really is like. In most cases, just normal! We are a small association of blind young people, based in Italy, and we do a little bit the same; we try to help sighted people to better understand who we are, just by telling our stories. Also, we collect and share tools and ideas to improve blind people's everyday life. We really enjoy your channel, it really is inspirational for us,  so keep it up! :)

[papillonm]

Thanks Tommy, I am expanding my career as a web developer and your video, from 2013, helped me to understand better how to code for the blind. You are great!

[marcguaschvidal]

He has one organized fucking desktop… 

[thebestric]

i like how in every new video in that part of his house his paintings change and i noticed that the small one is allways a CD cover really nice touch, i like it, by the way keep making videos i really appreciate them

[kayjpjessie]

I was amazed to see how well he knew his way around the keyboard! I make so many mistakes, the following is my attempt to type this same message with my eyes closed (And I'm pretty sure my laptop autocorrects some):

I was amazed to see how well he knew his way aoridn the keyboard, I make so man mistakes, the following is my attejojot ti type this same message with y=my eyes ckised (And ilm oretyu sure my laptop sutocorrecyd some)

[graciet]

He's so sweet! He just seems like the best and loyal friend. I cry when I watch these just seeing how inspirational he is. :)

[YangSing]

I just wonder. How do you know how to get to the voiceover option?

[rappsamson]

2009 macbook pro

Voice Over will read screen to blind people.

There is dock and finder for any apps at the macbook to help blind people search it with just simple click. The VoiceOver would sound the apps and when it said "Mail", he click spacebar to select/open it.

He hit cmand N to write new email. Then he type with confidently and as fast as lightning. The VoiceOver will repeat the word he texted to tell if there were typo or something.

Then.