[Ncabs] May 2014 Conference Call Minutes

Thu May 15 21:04:24 UTC 2014

I do not think hang out works. I used it a while back and had the worse
time. I had to get another ap call google plus, but still was hard to use.
My group had to add me to the conversation. I must make clear that I did
all of this using my IPad and iPhone. I have no idea if it works with jaws.

On Thursday, May 15, 2014, Cindy Bennett via Ncabs <ncabs at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I was going to ask the same question, because I am personally
> interested in the accessibility as well. I was at a Q&A with Google
> during CSUN and a woman asked about usability improvements for the iOS
> app. I was curious, so I began the registration process for Google
> Hangouts by downloading the app and attempting to sign in. it took me
> 30 minutes. Elements are not reported to VoiceOver, therefore, I could
> not swipe on the screen. It was incredibly taxing having to repeatedly
> touch the screen in hope that one of the times, I would tap the part
> of the screen with whatever element like a text box or next button
> that I needed to interact with. I don't recall seeing an update since
> that experience in March, but would love to hear about others'
> experiences. I think my friend who has an Android uses Hangout just
> fine.
>
> In my experiences with other Google apps, JAWS and Google do not work
> well together. This has a lot to do with how JAWS receives information
> from the web and is something that Google is not particularly
> interested in working on, because JAWS actually works quite
> archaically. Alas, it is still the monopoly screen reader, so in the
> interest of membership, it would be my opinion that if JAWS does not
> work well with Google Hangouts, to try another platform like Skype.
>
> I have appreciated reading the minutes. I thought the gift card ideas
> given a while back were good. Has this been tried?
>
> Also, maybe you could try having other activities besides conference
> calls like on a chat service such as Facebook, or something else
> accessible. I personally do not love conference calls. It is always
> hard though, because some people are not productive over email which
> is the way I prefer to work because decisions are on paper. But there
> is something to be said about everyone being at a meeting at the same
> time. I would be curious to know how a call every other month and how
> a few local activities in the off months would work. It would take
> away the consistency; it is easy to remember something like the second
> Monday of each month, but it could provide better opportunities for
> students to get to know each other. I am curious to know more about
> how the regional seminars worked out as their success would indicate
> the potential success of more frequent and less formal regional
> gatherings.
>
> But I digress. If anyone has insight in to Google Hangout or
> comparable services that offer adequate accessibility, please share!
> This also could be a good question for the NABS list or for the list
> of blind computer scientists or something like that.
>
> Cindy
>
>
> On 5/15/14, Ashley Coleman via Ncabs <ncabs at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> > Hi All,   Do we know if Google Hang Outs is accessible?
> >
> > Ashley Coleman,
> >
> >
> >
> >> On May 15, 2014, at 13:56, Shickeytha Chandler via Ncabs
> >> <ncabs at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> >>
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> I read the note in the minutes about trying to increase participation
> >> in the conference calls. I have been on this email list for several
> >> months now as I have been preparing for graduate school, but have not
> >> yet participated in any of the calls. However, I do hope to get
> >> involved with those beginning sometime in the next couple of months.
> >> You mentioned Google Hangouts and asked for opinions. For me
> >> personally, phone is fine and I would probably prefer phone as opposed
> >> to Google Hangouts. As a student, I will be on my computer a lot and
> >> would appreciate the breather from my computer. But that's just me
> >> personally. I am certainly OK with Google Hangouts if it would benefit
> >> others.
> >>
> >> Look forward to talking with you all more in the future!
> >>
> >> Shickeytha
> >>
> >>
> >>> On 5/13/14, Travis Sherrill <tssherrill at windstream.net> wrote:
> >>> Hello all:
> >>>
> >>> Below you will find the minutes from our May conference call.  These
> >>> minutes
> >>> contain some extremely important information so read them carefully
> >>> please.
> >>> I hope you all had a wonderful ending to the semester and I hope your
> >>> exams
> >>> and grades turned out the way you hoped they would.  A reminder: our
> >>> next
> >>> NCABS conference call will be held on Monday, June 9, 2014 at 9:30 p.m.
> >>> That will be an extremely important call as we will have lots of
> >>> business
> >>> to
> >>> discuss so we need you all to attend because your opinion is extremely
> >>> valuable.
> >>>
> >>> Travis Sherrill
> >>>
> >>> Attendance:
> >>>
> >>> Travis Sherrill
> >>>
> >>> Alan Chase
> >>>
> >>> Bobbi Pompey
> >>>
> >>> Kevin Curren
> >>>
> >>> On Monday, May 12, 2014, the North Carolina Association of Blind
> >>> Students
> >>> (NCABS) held the monthly conference call.
> >>>
> >>> Alan Chase, the North Carolina Association of Blind Students president
> >>> won
> >>> one of the 30 scholarships awarded by the National Federation for the
> >>> Blind
> >>> (NFB).  Alan will travel to Orlando, Florida July 1-6 to the national
> >>> convention and receive his scholarship.  Congratulations to Alan!
> >>>
> >>> National Convention:  Speaking of the NFB national convention, it is
> >>> rapidly
> >>> approaching.  If you plan on going to national convention (July 1-6 in
> >>> Orlando, Florida,), your hotel reservations must be made by Sunday,
> June
> >>> 1st, 2014.  If reservations are made after June 1, 2014, there is no
> >>> guarantee that you will get a room.  Slots are quickly filling up so
> >>> make
> >>> those reservations today.  You have just under two weeks to get it
> done.
> >>>
> >>> Also concerning National Convention:  If you plan on going and you are
> >>> wanting some financial assistance from NCABS, you need to get in
> contact
> >>> with Alan Chase absolutely no later than June 1st.  Note that the
> >>> financial
> >>> assistances you receive from NCABS will not cover your entire trip, but
> >>> it
> >>> will help some.  You can contact Alan via email at aachase1 at gmail.com
> >>> <mailto:aachase1 at gmail.com> .
> >>>
> >>> EYE Retreat:  A limited number of spots still remain for the upcoming
> >>> EYE
> >>> Retreat.  If you know someone who would be interested in this
> wonderfu>
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ncabs_nfbnet.org/clb5590%40gmail.com
> >
>
>
> --
> Cindy Bennett
> Secretary: National Association of Blind Students
>
> B.A. Psychology, UNC Wilmington
> clb5590 at gmail.com <javascript:;>
>
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-- 
Veronica Puente

"God allows us to experience the low points of life in order to teach us
lessons that we could learn in no other way." ~ C.S. Lewis