[Blind-Gov] The accessibility of soft phones?

amcarr1 at verizon.net amcarr1 at verizon.net
Fri Jun 16 11:15:37 UTC 2023 

Skype for Business and the Skype that is available for free are 2 different products, just like Zoom and Zoom for Government.  I've been pretty successful with using the free version of Skype.  I really think the grabbing JAWS focus was the result of how Skype for Business was configured on our network.  They have decommissioned Skype for Business now that Teams has been rolled out across the agency.

It is my understanding that the third party scripts for JAWS and Teams significantly improve the functionality of the chat and file management, among other things.  For the past 9-months I have been trying to get the scripts approved for installation, and the answer is "No".  I've heard many JAWS users say that they just install them on their own.  That is not going to happen where I am.  We joke and say that if you cannot get a hold of IT support through traditional means, just plug-in a USB device or try to install something, and they will be at your side in a minute.  LOL!

When I was an accommodation analyst at my previous agency, most of our DHH employees liked the instant messenger feature of Skype.  If they needed a soft phone equivalent, they used a software product that gave them access to their Video Phone service provider, or they used internet access to the provider.  

The other battle that is on my list is to be able to use Bluetooth to either use a bone conduction headset with my computer, or to interface my computer with my hearing aids.  For now this is not an issue since I have an office at work, and when teleworking Teams no-longer broadcasts JAWS when I am in a Teams meeting or on a call.  So, the Bluetooth access has moved down pretty low on my list of battles.  Now, when I have to start going to meetings in-person where I have to use my computer, this will need to be dealt with.  

HTH,
Annette



-----Original Message-----
From: Blind-Gov <blind-gov-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of graham via Blind-Gov
Sent: Thursday, June 15, 2023 10:14 PM
To: 'List for blind government employees' <blind-gov at nfbnet.org>
Cc: blind at trailstone.com
Subject: Re: [Blind-Gov] The accessibility of soft phones?

HI  all,
Great conversation. I really can see the benefit of soft phones. One of the major factor in what solution we use is can the DHH (Deaf and Hard of Hearing) can use. May eyes got opened wide when I started working as an accessibility staff officer and had to understand all of the requirements the DHH community have.

I actually fall into that special situation that Ronza mentioned, because of the nature of my work and where I can perform that work.
Ashley - I work for an federal agency that falls under the DoD (Department of Defense).
Like Annette, my federal agency's security organization does not allow us to have or use zoom on our computers. My agency recognizes that  other agencies we partner with or ally with, Particularly industry vendors, do use zoom, so a very small number of conference rooms have zoom installed on it that are segmented off our main and closed network.
Ronza - I appreciate your suggestion regarding zoom, I will have to see what version we use. 
Annette - It would be interesting to find out what  version of skype you used when it would grab the focus. With MS skype 2016 I use, focus would be grabbed in two ways. 1) when skype provided a notification alert.  More specifically when an IM came in an existing and open chat window. The nice thing about this is it would not move me away from the window I was working. Only the audio would be temporarily grabbed. 2) If I received and incoming chat request or video call.  eventually the focus would be moved to the skype window. Hence moving from the window I was working in. Generally I simply ALT + tab back and continue working or switch to the incoming skype call, chat request. 

Ashley - To your point skype in your experience is accessible. I do not doubt you. I have a visual colleague that she has no problem with it. I may agree if I could get to certain parts of the screen. Maybe I do not know the shortcut keys well enough. For example, if I call into a meeting that requires a conference ID or passcode, I cannot seem how to get to the phone pad to enter it without using the mouse.


The features I use the most do seem to be accessible in the client  version of MS Teams. Other than the document viewer in Teams (Teams even informs the user it is not accessible), the only other part that I have seen not very accessible is when I need to drill down in a chat message I received or posted myself. Meaning I cannot get to individual characters or words of the chat message. SO I cannot copy / paste part or the whole message. I cannot click on a hyperlink or grab an email address. These drill down features I cannot do in MD Teams channels as well.  I have found some alternative solutions, but it is multi step or time consuming. One such solution is to use JAWS history to get the info. The odd thing is I have the same drill down problems with skype. The only main difference is in skype I can at least right click and copy the entire message and then later paste it some where so I can get to the drill down parts I want. If anyone does know if Microsoft has an accessible means to do what I described, please share. Perhaps I just have not got enough training. 


Graham
blind at trailstone.com
NFB Central Maryland Chapter, Board Member NFB of Maryland Website and Technology Committee, Member LCB graduate, 2016

-----Original Message-----
From: Blind-Gov <blind-gov-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Othman (She/her), Ronza (CMS/OEOCR) via Blind-Gov
Sent: Thursday, June 15, 2023 9:17 AM
To: List for blind government employees <blind-gov at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Othman (She/her), Ronza (CMS/OEOCR) <Ronza.Othman at cms.hhs.gov>
Subject: Re: [Blind-Gov] The accessibility of soft phones?

So I learned that lots of Federal agencies don't know there is a Fed Ramp authorized version of Zoom called Zoom for Government.  That should get approved on most Federal and state agency systems because it's a high degree of security and many of the concerning features like third-party recording are disabled.  The DOD agencies might have more hoops to jum through, but I've actually seen it on a few of them, so might be worth asking.

Zoom Phone is a part of Zoom for Government, and it's fantastic.  Essentially, we've migrated many of us to this application instead of a physical desktop phone.  I can call out, and my desk number shows up.  I can receive calls to my desk phone that forward to my laptop Zoom client.  I can even use a number pad on my computer to dial people not using Zoom - so I can call to landlines and cell phones and all the rest.  The caller ID function is fabulous, and the missed call log is perfect with Jaws.

I'm hearing that people don't know about Zoom Phone as a soft phone option, but I'd encourage you all to ask for it either as a reasonable accommodation or for an outright switch.  It really is a game-changer.



Ronza M. Othman (she/her/hers), Director, EEO Compliance Group, Office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services – 7500 Security Blvd, N3-22-16, Baltimore, MD 21244 - 410-786-3274 (o); 443-380-5044 (f)

CMS aspires to create: a culture that values and recognizes our employees’ unique identities and perspectives; an environment that provides all employees with equitable access to opportunities for growth and development; and a workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

-----Original Message-----
From: Blind-Gov <blind-gov-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Annette Carr via Blind-Gov
Sent: Thursday, June 15, 2023 9:02 AM
To: 'List for blind government employees' <blind-gov at nfbnet.org>
Cc: amcarr1 at verizon.net
Subject: Re: [Blind-Gov] The accessibility of soft phones?

Hi Graham,

I agree with you, the web-based MS-Teams is difficult to use with JAWS, as is the web-based 365 applications.

Prior to my agencies use of MS-Teams, we used Skype for Business.  I found this to be impossible to use with JAWS.  I finally got help to put a message up on my Skype profile that said "Due to the lack of Section 508 compliance with Skype for Business I am unable to respond to your communication.  Please reach out to me by..."  Eventually, I had to ask for a reasonable accommodation to have it removed from the list of programs that automatically launched because it would grab the JAWS focus constantly.  This might have been an agency setting, and not exactly a function with Skype.

Just for reference, Zoom is not approved for use at my agency, so I resort to either dialing in to Zoom based sessions, or use my personal computer.

HTH,
Annette


-----Original Message-----
From: Blind-Gov <blind-gov-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of graham via Blind-Gov
Sent: Wednesday, June 14, 2023 7:54 PM
To: 'List for blind government employees' <blind-gov at nfbnet.org>
Cc: blind at trailstone.com
Subject: Re: [Blind-Gov] The accessibility of soft phones?

Hi all,
I asked around at my federal agency. A number of people have moved to soft phones.
However, the tool we currently using is Microsoft Lync version 2016. Some also call it skype.
However, many blind employees have found soft phone functionality inaccessible when using JAWS.
My agency is planning to move to M365, so MS Teams will replace skype. I find the client version of MS Teams would be accessible in regards to soft phone calls to use, but there are other MS teams functionality I find inaccessible. Especially the web version. The unfortunate part is M365 will not be deployed to my agency's main computer network until late 2024 if not later.


Graham
blind at trailstone.com
NFB Central Maryland Chapter, Board Member NFB of Maryland Website and Technology Committee, Member LCB graduate, 2016

-----Original Message-----
From: Blind-Gov <blind-gov-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Annette Carr via Blind-Gov
Sent: Saturday, June 10, 2023 5:56 PM
To: 'List for blind government employees' <blind-gov at nfbnet.org>
Cc: amcarr1 at verizon.net
Subject: Re: [Blind-Gov] The accessibility of soft phones?

Interesting, I did not consider Team's calling feature to be a Softphone, but Dave you are right, it is.  I agree, it works fairly well.  I have not tried to call someone other than those on my network.  I have no idea if and/or how to call someone by their phone number.  Once you make the call, it feels pretty much like a meeting.  I do not know what version of Teams we are using, but I am using JAWS 2022 without the scripts.  They will not approve the use of the scripts.

HTH,
Annette

-----Original Message-----
From: Blind-Gov <blind-gov-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of David Andrews via Blind-Gov
Sent: Saturday, June 10, 2023 5:03 PM
To: List for blind government employees <blind-gov at nfbnet.org>
Cc: David Andrews <dandrews920 at comcast.net>
Subject: Re: [Blind-Gov] The accessibility of soft phones?

We use the softphone in Microsoft Teams and I find it to be accessible.  I have had more of a mixed experience with Jabber.

Dave

At 07:58 PM 6/9/2023, you wrote:
>Good evening, I work for the veterans health administration at the 
>Truman VA hospital in Columbia, Missouri, several of our staff are 
>getting prepared to do periodic telework a couple of days a month. And 
>everybody is transitioning to laptops, so that when they either 
>telework or rotate from one station to another they don’t have to 
>reload everything and they just take their computer. There’s also 
>include starting the use of soft phones.
>Does anyone use soft phones and if so, are there any ones that are 
>particularly accessible? Speci Specifically for someone who is an 
>exclusive jaws user? And only navigates using the keyboard? Thanks, 
>Dacia. Sent from my iPhone


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