[nabs-l] Accessibility work arounds for Google Docs, When is Good, etc.

Fri Aug 22 02:05:10 UTC 2014

Hi all,

Thanks for the suggestions, and I'll particularly check out the
article Katie Wang just posted for ideas.

I think most of the time we use the spreadsheet feature on Google
apps.  I tried to use this last year, along with the accessibility
tips in Google help files, and had significant problems with it.  It
was much easier to use Windows magnifier to read the screen visually,
which in itself didn't make the task very easy and strained my eyes
after a few minutes.  We also use the calendar, and this has worked a
little better for me once I manage to get the events to display in
list format rather than in calendar view.  using Jaws 13 I had issues
getting to the button to make this view change, but I have always used
IE, which could have been the issue there.

Like I said, google forms for surveys, and of course gmail, have
worked fine for me.  I can't really use the dropbox idea, which is
unfortunate because as easy as it would make life for me, it wouldn't
be easy for the file to be continuously updated by various chapter
members, and I would also be subject to missing information due to not
having access to those updates if the person in charge of updating the
dropbox file forgot.  Like I said the 20 something other girls in the
chapter already have their system, so we're trying to find ways to
make it accessible for me with the existing platforms we have rather
than to change platforms entirely for the chapter.  I would love to
use dropbox though rather than Google drive, and will probably see if
it can be managed for a committee, or projects I may undertake with a
small group of people.

When is Good is still going to be problematic.  Does anyone know of
work arounds for that?  I've been sending my schedule and availability
to people who send out the surveys, but I always feel a little awkward
about it because I know sometimes there is other information listed in
the survey that I am not privy to.  E.G, only certain meeting times
will be shown as possible options, or the survey creator will put a
note in the survey for people to read that I miss out on.  I'll keep
sending my availability via email if I have to, but if anyone has
happened to find a way to make When is Good work, or has found a
comparable service that is accessible I can tell my chapter about, I
would really appreciate it.

On 8/21/14, Katie Wang via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hi Kaiti,
>
> I recently came across the following blog post about the accessibility
> of Google apps. According to the author (and a number of other blind
> people I know), most features of Google apps are actually now
> relatively accessible. I haven't personally had a chance to test out
> the tips/suggestions mentioned here but hope you will find them
> helpful. Good luck!
> http://www.marcozehe.de/2014/07/08/accessibility-in-google-apps-an-overview/
>
> Best,
> Katie
>
>
> On 8/21/14, minh ha via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> Kaiti,
>>
>> Can you give a little bit more information about which features of
>> google drive you are having problems with? I've been figuring out the
>> functions of google drive bit by bit and have found that although a
>> little challenging at times, most of the apps are accessible. From my
>> experience, firefox seems to work best with the suite of apps; I'm
>> using Jaws 13 but have also used it with Jaws 14.
>>
>> Minh
>>
>> On 8/21/14, Sofia Gallo via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>> Hi Kaity
>>>
>>> This isn't a work around, but what about dropbox? I use Exel worksheets
>>> with
>>> the desktop app?
>>>
>>> Sofia
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>
>>>> On Aug 21, 2014, at 2:22 PM, Kaiti Shelton via nabs-l
>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Hi NABS,
>>>>
>>>> I'm in a fraternity which relies heavily on Google Apps to organize
>>>> events, set up calendars for the chapter, make sign up sheets for bake
>>>> sales and other table activities, etc.  We also frequently use the
>>>> site When is Good to find times for committee meetings and other small
>>>> groups to get together to work on projects.  As you all know, this
>>>> creates an accessibility nightmare for me, since I can't access any of
>>>> the information easily.  While I didn't have much success in working
>>>> with last year's exec board to work around these issues, the president
>>>> for this year and I have met and discussed these problems.  Though she
>>>> has no prior experience with these issues and is just another student,
>>>> she is willing to help me look into other options which might make it
>>>> easier for me to have access to the chapter information.  She has
>>>> expressed interest in reaching out to the Office of Learning Resources
>>>> where our disability staff works, and seems to be making a good
>>>> effort, for which I am really appreciative.
>>>>
>>>> However, the president and I agreed that one of the issues we might
>>>> face if alternative ways of accessing the existing systems aren't
>>>> available to me, might be getting the chapter to make changes.  Last
>>>> year the big issue was, "We've been using google docs for years, and
>>>> that's the system we've already set up, so just do the best you can
>>>> with it."  I had a job in the fraternity which required me to use a
>>>> Google Docs spreadsheet to monitor sign ups for events, and it was
>>>> very difficult for me to give back to the fraternity to the best of my
>>>> ability because of that technical problem and the accessibility
>>>> issues.  The president knows I am completely capable of being a
>>>> valuable asset to the fraternity, and that if given the proper access
>>>> to the tools we use I could do a fine job of organizing and/or leading
>>>> projects alongside my sisters.
>>>>
>>>> Though I will be living in the house with her and several other exec
>>>> board members this year, I do not want to have to rely upon them to
>>>> complete when is good forms and to check the calendar.  I think that I
>>>> could use my living situation to closely work with these board members
>>>> to educate them about the accessibility issues I have with Google and
>>>> to work for a positive solution to the problem.  I am asking if anyone
>>>> on this list has found work arounds for using Google docs and When is
>>>> Good forms in these situations.  So far the only thing I've managed to
>>>> work out is the google forms app we use to take surveys for the
>>>> chapter, but not having access to things like sign up sheets and the
>>>> calendar are really big problems I hope to solve this year.  Any
>>>> suggestions would be great.
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Kaiti
>>>>
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>>
>>
>> --
>> "All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty
>> recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity:
>> but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on
>> their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible." T. E. Lawrence
>>
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-- 
Kaiti