[Ncabs] May 2014 Conference Call Minutes

Thu May 15 22:09:20 UTC 2014

I agree that Chromevox isn't the easiest thing to use. Google likes to
tout accessibility of its platforms, but real-world experience from
blind users paints a very different picture, and this is frustrating
for the average user who just needs to do their job or schoolwork. In
any case, the trick to Chromevox is to use the Chromevox modifier keys
in combination with other keys, such as the arrows. The Chromevox keys
are usually Control and Alt keys on windows. Chromevox.com, Google's
help section, arguably makes it all sound simpler than it really is
but it's worth a look. If you spend an hour with it you'll likely get
the hang of it, but I don't know anyone that actually prefers it over
another solution.

On 5/15/14, Cindy Bennett via Ncabs <ncabs at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Thanks Brice!
>
> If you have good tips for ChromeVox, I'd love to hear them! So far,
> for me, it's been a huge pain. :)
>
> Cindy
>
> On 5/15/14, Brice Smith via Ncabs <ncabs at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> Google Hangouts works with VoiceOver on Mac and on Windows with Chrome
>> and
>> Chromevox, Googles screen reader for the Chrome browser. Even if it's
>> usable, its not necessarily intuitive for the average blind student or
>> screen reader user. It should go without saying that you want a call or
>> meeting to be as easy to join as possible for as many users as possible,
>> so
>> I'd recommend using Skype instead.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>> On May 15, 2014, at 4:25 PM, 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
>>>>> wonderful
>>>>> opportunity, let them know that they still have time to register.
>>>>>
>>>>> Maze Day:  Kevin attended a Maze Day and brought a computer game for
>>>>> the
>>>>> visually impaired that he created.  Unfortunately, he was put in a
>>>>> spot
>>>>> where not many people went and played his computer game.  Of the
>>>>> approximately 90 participants at Maze Day, only around 6-7 people went
>>>>> and
>>>>> played Kevin's game.
>>>>>
>>>>> Brochure:  NCABS has decided that we want to create a brochure that we
>>>>> can
>>>>> take with us to different events, whether it be SUP seminars, or other
>>>>> events where we will be interacting with visually impaired students.
>>>>> A
>>>>> draft of the brochure has been sent to Alan and we are going to
>>>>> discuss
>>>>> it
>>>>> on our next conference call.  We need to decide what we want it to
>>>>> look
>>>>> like
>>>>> and what information we want to go in it.
>>>>>
>>>>> Google Hangouts:  It's no secret that the attendance on our monthly
>>>>> conference calls has been in a steady decline this year.  We are
>>>>> looking
>>>>> at
>>>>> different avenues of conducting our conference calls as opposed to
>>>>> using
>>>>> the
>>>>> phone line like we do now.  One thing we are looking at is using
>>>>> Google
>>>>> Hangouts.  Google Hangouts is a video conferencing tool within GMAIL.
>>>>> Hangouts is free and easy to use.  All you need is a Gmail account and
>>>>> to
>>>>> use Hangouts, you will need to install a free plug-in.  The thought
>>>>> process
>>>>> behind it is that for our intended demographic (college students), at
>>>>> 9:30
>>>>> at night, chances of you being on the computer online are extremely
>>>>> high.
>>>>> So, if you are already online, why not participate in our conference
>>>>> call
>>>>> online through the utilization of Google Hangouts?  Also, for anyone
>>>>> who
>>>>> does not get free cell phone minutes after 9 p.m., this would get rid
>>>>> of
>>>>> having to use your valuable cell phone minutes.  We want your feedback
>>>>> on
>>>>> this.  This is something we believe could help our attendance and the
>>>>> more
>>>>> people we have on our monthly conference calls, the better it is.
>>>>> Explore
>>>>> Google Hangouts a little bit and give us your thoughts on the list
>>>>> serve
>>>>> on
>>>>> whether you think this would be a good idea or not.  Don't just say, I
>>>>> think
>>>>> this is a good idea or a bad idea.  Tell us why you think it's a good
>>>>> idea
>>>>> or a bad idea.  We are here for you and we want to do whatever we can
>>>>> to
>>>>> reach as many of you as possible.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>
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>
>
> --
> Cindy Bennett
> Secretary: National Association of Blind Students
>
> B.A. Psychology, UNC Wilmington
> clb5590 at gmail.com
>
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