[ND-Talk] Google introduces braille keyboard as part of accessibility suite upgrade

[Sherry Shirek]

Android in recent years has added a number of accessibility features,
including
<https://9to5google.com/2019/02/04/google-live-transcribe-sound-amplifier-an
droid/> Live Transcribe and Sound Amplifier. Google is now
<https://blog.google/products/android/braille-keyboard/> rolling out a
virtual braille keyboard to most modern Android devices.

Physical braille keyboards help the blind and visually impaired type on
phones, tablets, and computer. However, Google notes that it "can be
time-consuming to connect an external device each time you want to type
something quickly" when mobile.

The company's solution is a virtual TalkBack braille keyboard that's
integrated into the OS as part of the Android Accessibility Suite. Available
in landscape orientation - where your right hand holds the side of the phone
with the USB charging port, a 6-key layout that represents the standard
braille dots is overlaid:

*	Tap dot 1 to type the letter "A."
*	Tap dots 1 and 2 to type the letter "B."
*	Tap dots 1 and 4 to type the letter "C."
*	Tap dots 1, 4, and 5 to type the letter "D."



Note: You can type in grade 1 and grade 2 braille. Grade 1 braille can be
useful if you're new to braille. Grade 2 can be useful if you're a more
advanced user or if you want to use abbreviations.

Some gestures are available for editing, but the other common TalkBack
shortcuts are not:

*	Delete letter: Swipe left
*	Delete word: 2-finger swipe left
*	Add space: Swipe right
*	New line: 2-finger swipe right
*	Submit text: 2-finger swipe up

Google developed this feature in conjunction with braille developers and
users. Accessing this new input method is as simple as switching
international keyboards. It can be "used anywhere you would normally type
and allows you to delete letters and words, add lines, and submit text."

This virtual braille keyboard is rolling out today as part of an
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.marvin.tal
kback> Android Accessibility Suite update, and available to Android 5.0
devices and newer. More details and setup instructions are available on this
<https://support.google.com/accessibility/android/answer/9728765> support
document.

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nd-talk_nfbnet.org/attachments/20200410/2c946b76/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.gif
Type: image/gif
Size: 199200 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nd-talk_nfbnet.org/attachments/20200410/2c946b76/attachment.gif>