The Canadian Council of the Blind Podcast

Hosted by CCB Program staff

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100

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Jun 2026

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About the show

All the exciting news from the programs and personalities of the Canadian Council of the Blind

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60 recent

June 9, 2026Episode 20455 min

154. CCB-GTT Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 40

During this course, we have discussed what your iPhone can do for you as a totally blind user. We have also discussed how to use your iPhone effectively, the many available accessible apps, and the many features built into your iPhone. Owning an iPhone is as consequential to one’s life as owning a car or house. In this final lecture, Michael Feir will discuss how to live well as owners of these powerful devices. He will point out some of the pitfalls which have proved damaging to individual users and society as a whole. He will share his best advice on how to minimize your chances of falling into these traps. On the other hand, knowing how to do things with your iPhone at the right time can be very empowering and stand us in good stead. We can use it to help ourselves and those with whom we share meaningful connections. Michael will give some pointers on how to be as ready as possible to use our iPhones well when it really matters. He also discusses how to keep your iPhone ready to serve and avoid doing things which make it less capable without good reason.

May 9, 2026Episode 20341 min

153. CCB-GTT Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 39

In this lecture, the focus will be on the personal economics of owning an iPhone. Having a device which can do so much means that you’re likely to save money which you might have needed to spend on other devices. You can also tap into markets of digital goods such as apps, books, and streaming services, among many others. There are unavoidable costs such as the price of the iPhone, accessories and a cellular data plan. We will examine these costs as well as other optional expenses. I’ll be sharing some advice on how to maximize your enjoyment while spreading out or minimizing costs.

April 2, 2026Episode 20258 min

152. CCB-GTT Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 38

The online world offers blind people many extraordinary benefits. However, owning an iPhone also exposes us to all of the spam calls, scams, fake emails, identity theft attempts, and other malicious activity. In this lecture, I will share what wisdom I’ve gained in avoiding becoming a victim of such activities while still participating in online life. We will also cover how your iPhone can protect you from this activity.

March 6, 2026Episode 20154 min

151. CCB-GTT Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 37

We have come a long way in the Unseen Touchscreen course. The focus of this month’s lecture is on using your iPhone to help you navigate and go places in the real world. There is a wide variety of apps which can help you do this. They typically use the GPS receiver in your iPhone combined with constantly updated map information. Some apps are built for absolutely everyone and made accessible to VoiceOver. Others are built specifically with blind users in mind. In this lecture, we’ll cover examples of both kinds of these apps, plus other apps which help with navigation and transportation.

February 5, 2026Episode 2001 hr 1 min

150. CCB-GTT Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 36

Your iPhone and the right apps can let you participate in social media from wherever you might be. In this lecture, we’ll talk about the dangers and benefits which participating in social media can entail. Rather than attempt to familiarize you with the various apps, we’ll focus more on common elements and the VoiceOver skills you’ll need to get the most out of whatever platform you might choose to explore.

January 14, 2026Episode 1991 hr 1 min

149. CCB-GTT Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 35

Your iPhone makes a very accessible gateway to all sorts of entertainment, including various streaming services. In this session, we’ll talk about some popular ones like Netflix, Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video. We’ll also discuss what makes YouTube and Twitch somewhat different from other platforms. How to explore content and how to activate described audio on the various services will be covered.

November 7, 2025Episode 19833 min

148. CCB-GTT Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 33

In this session, we’ll cover some of the new features and changes that Apple has introduced in iOS 26. Besides less impactful changes for blind users like liquid glass, there are a bunch of new accessibility features. These include Braille Access mode, updates to VoiceOver, changes to numerous apps, and more. While this won’t be an exhaustive exploration of each feature, the hope is to make people aware of the newly added features and provide enough knowledge to start exploring any that interest you for yourselves.

October 3, 2025Episode 19733 min

147. CCB-GTT Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 32

In part two of our discussion about productivity apps on iPhones, we take a whirlwind tour of possibilities. A wide range of apps to help with everything from task management, cooking recipes, scheduling events, recording music, and many more activities will be briefly covered. While I’ll offer some explanations of how to use various apps, the main goal is to make people more aware of the possibilities for getting things done and managing your work using your iPhone. Beyond apps, we’ll also briefly discuss features included in your iPhone which may prove helpful.

September 3, 2025Episode 19643 min

146. CCB-GTT Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 31

Your iPhone can help you get things done and be productive. In the first part of our look at productivity related apps and capabilities, we’ll get an overview of this. A good grasp of aspects of VoiceOver is vital. We’ll explore those aspects and also take a deeper dive into apps related to writing and office work.

June 6, 2025Episode 19545 min

145. CCB-GTT Unseen Touch Screen Course Session 30

One of the most powerful ways an iPhone has changed my life is through making books accessible and portable. This month’s lecture is all about how to acquire and read eBooks and audiobooks using your iPhone. Accessible digital libraries, small publishers, and large outlets such as Apple and Amazon make books available in digital form. Apps on your iPhone like Kindle, Audible, Voice Dream Reader, and others let you take full advantage of these books. While it’s impossible to cover everything, I’ll attempt to give you an idea how things work and give you an idea of the lay of the land. Just in time for a Summer of portable and accessible reading.