[NFB-Science] [NFBCS] Questions about using MS Teams

[John]

Hello, thank you Christopher and Charles for your answers. Very best, John

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jul 13, 2022, at 12:52 PM, charles.vanek--- via NFBCS <nfbcs at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Agree, JAWS has good features.  The physical control for me, being a heavy
> meeting user, is second to none for meetings where I may need to shift focus
> from the meeting to Slack or other multi-tasking and back again.  Or to
> raise the volume of the meeting without the JAWS speech because someone has
> a bad microphone.
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Christopher Chaltain <chaltain at outlook.com> 
> Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2022 9:40 PM
> To: charles.vanek at gmail.com; 'NFB in Computer Science Mailing List'
> <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>; 'Nfb-science' <nfb-science at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: RE: [NFBCS] Questions about using MS Teams
> 
> I'm not questioning the value of a Sound Blaster, but just to make sure
> you're using all of the features in JAWS you can, the following page will
> tell you about directing JAWS to a particular sound card, which could be
> different than the sound card your system is using, and how to send JAWS
> audio to one ear and your system audio to another.
> https://blog.freedomscientific.com/increase-productivity-with-new-sound-feat
> ures-in-jaws-and-fusion-2022/#:~:text=Press%20INSERT%2BSPACEBAR%20to%20activ
> ate%20the%20command%20layer.%20Press,pressing%20your%20UP%20ARROW%20or%20DOW
> N%20ARROW%20keys.
> 
> For me, I use a headset for both JAWS and system audio and use the JAWS
> shortcuts to adjust the volume of each separately. To change the JAWS and
> system volumes using JAWS, do the following:
> 1. Hit JAWS-key+space-bar
> 2. Press 'j' for JAWS or 's' for system
> 3. Use the arrow keys to adjust your volumes Once I get everything adjusted
> right, I can comfortably use my headset and listen to both JAWS and the
> audio on the Teams call.
> 
> --
> Christopher (AKA CJ)
> Chaltain at Outlook
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: charles.vanek at gmail.com <charles.vanek at gmail.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2022 8:54 PM
> To: 'NFB in Computer Science Mailing List' <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>; 'Nfb-science'
> <nfb-science at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: 'Christopher Chaltain' <chaltain at outlook.com>
> Subject: RE: [NFBCS] Questions about using MS Teams
> 
> Good day all.  I can not remember if I've posted this tidbit before.
> Nonetheless I am in a lot of meetings per day, 4 to 12 is a typical day.
> Thus efficiency in meetings is a must for me.  The following won't help with
> all 6 of your questions, but will help with the chat messages problem by
> allowing you to lower JAWS volume.  Furthermore it'll help your ability to
> navigate with JAWS and not be distracted by people when in a pinch
> navigating any application during a meeting.  Before I go into all that,
> Ctrl+Shift+M for Mic or Ctrl+Shift+O for Video are the two Teams hot keys.
> To tell if Mute is on the fast way is to press the M hotkey twice as JAWS
> tells you what it's changed to and nobody is likely to notice a quick on/off
> of your Mic.  Video, they might notice but quick at the beginning of the
> call you'll be fine.
> 
> Now for my sound card tip.  One of the best things I've ever purchased to
> use with JAWS is the Sound Blaster XG6.  Any additional sound card with
> volume control directly on it I think will be a delightful solution for many
> as the XG6 is over one hundred bucks.  The benefit of a separate sound card
> with volume control is now you can split the JAWS and meeting audio to two
> places with individual volume control with physical control of each.
> 
> Here's the setup in a nutshell.
> 1. Sound Blaster plugs into a USB port.
> 2. Plug a 3.5mm set of speakers into the back left port of the SoundBlaster.
> NOTE: Back left if you are looking at the front.  The port closest to the
> USB connection that is.
> 4. Use Insert+J to access the JAWS menu, go to Utilities, Sound Card and
> select Sound Blaster XG6 as your output device
> 
> You'll now have JAWS on your Sound Blaster and unless Windows shifted the
> Default audio to the Sound Blaster you'll have everything else coming from
> your laptop or desktop speakers.
> 
> Step 5. Optionally if you put a 3.5mm headset into the front left port on
> the Sound Blaster the audio physically shifts from the speakers on the Sound
> Blaster to the headphones, the Computer doesn't even recognize the change as
> it is managed in the Sound Blaster hardware.  If you unplug the headphones
> it'll automatically go back to speakers.
> 6. Optionally, Now in MS Team or Zoom Meetings you'll be able to select the
> audio output device.  In Zoom this is really easy, tab to the Mute/Unmute
> and then tap 1 more time to the audio options.  Press space bar and you can
> arrow down to where you want the meeting Microphone and Speakers.  NOTE:
> Microphone and speakers are separate in this list as you arrow down first
> you'll select microphone and 2nd you'll select speakers.  Assuming again if
> Windows has not changed your default you don't need to do this step in
> either Teams or Zoom.
> 
> Once you've done all this just 1 time, Zoom and Teams remember the Speakers
> and Mic you want.  JAWS remembers the sound card you want for it.  This
> makes it nice because if like me you are in a lot of meetings some back to
> back you don't want to have to listen to JAWS to find settings every time
> you join.  Instead you want to contribute to and focus on your meeting.
> 
> So why do I like the XG6?  It's sound quality is 2nd to none, but that's not
> the main driver.  It is actually a couple things.  First as mentioned above
> I can go from speakers to headset physically.  I can also adjust volume
> physically and the size of it is stable.  It's about 4 inches deep, 3 inches
> wide and an inch and half high.  The volume knob is large and right on the
> front plus the bottom is grippy making it easy to adjust up and down
> quickly.  With an ear bud in I also never need to worry about the microphone
> picking up JAWS messages like a Slack message from an employee complaining
> about the current speaker which would be embarrassing for all involved if
> anyone would understand my JAWS.  
> 
> There's also one other great thing about the XG6 as a bonus, it has
> microphone and line in ports.  So I've plugged in a 3.5mm cardioid
> microphone that's better than the laptop's.  
> 
> Again, any sound card will work if it has external physical volume control
> which most do.  I find this works way better, easier and faster in a meeting
> than the JAWS feature to shift audio to one ear and JAWS to the other
> because volume focus is much easier and uses the physical controls.
> 
> Hope that helps out everyone.  I think it's very important for blind people
> like ourselves to be as efficient and effective as possible.  I'm always
> seeking out the best gear and tips on saving even a small amount of time or
> easing the little annoyances in the day even if only by a fraction.
> 
> 
> Here's a link to the Sound Blaster.  And No, I get no commission at all from
> amazon or anywhere for this suggestion.
> https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon
> .com%2FCREATIVE-173295-Sound-BlasterX-Grey%2Fdp%2FB07NLRC3PN&data=05%7C0
> 1%7C%7Ccec14f30229e45eaacbf08da6472823a%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7
> C1%7C0%7C637932740226775503%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQ
> IjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=sGmiUJ1
> bsUvkzmyTFd%2B9uceYq1SWRNCQM%2F8GU8CE10Y%3D&reserved=0
> 
> All the best,
> Charles Vanek
> Sr. Director | Software Engineering, Global Distribution
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NFBCS <nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Christopher Chaltain via
> NFBCS
> Sent: Monday, July 11, 2022 8:52 PM
> To: NFB in Computer Science Mailing List <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>; Nfb-science
> <nfb-science at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Christopher Chaltain <chaltain at outlook.com>
> Subject: Re: [NFBCS] Questions about using MS Teams
> 
> Here are just a few tips.
> 
> After you hit control+4 to go to the calendar, you should be placed on the
> current event. You can use the tab key to jump from event to event just like
> you can in the Outlook calendar. I have a join meeting button after each
> event that I can hit enter on. Once I hit enter on the join meeting button,
> I get a dialog where I can select whether my video and mike are on or not. I
> usually just back tab once and press enter to take the defaults.
> 
> Depending on how many people are in the meeting your mike will be muted. To
> toggle the mute, I usually just hit control+shift+mute. Alternatively I can
> tab around to the action bar and arrow over to the mute button to find out
> the mute status and toggle it between on and off. This always works for me,
> as long as the meeting is in focus.
> 
> To mute the chat, you might try closing the conversation panel. This will be
> in your action bar, which you can get to if you hit the tab key enough
> times.
> 
> You might also want to try checking out the settings to change things a bit
> for you, but I'll warn you that the number of settings can be kind of
> daunting, like with most Microsoft products.
> 
> --
> Christopher (AKA CJ)
> Chaltain at Outlook
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NFBCS <nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of John via NFBCS
> Sent: Monday, July 11, 2022 5:13 PM
> To: Nfb-science <nfb-science at nfbnet.org>; nfbcs at nfbnet.org
> Cc: John <johnmillerphd at hotmail.com>
> Subject: [NFBCS] Questions about using MS Teams
> 
> Hello, Many companies and organizations are using Microsoft Teams for
> meetings.
> 
> I use Microsoft Teams on a Windows PC at work.
> 
> Microsoft and others offer YouTube tutorials.  On google I used keywords
> "microsoft teams accessibility blind tutorials YouTube shortcuts" and found
> https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2
> FQ0gO8BjKl2Y&data=05%7C01%7C%7C4bea9f5671a242b01c8a08da638ad4ce%7C84df9e
> 7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637931745173119852%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZs
> b3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C300
> 0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=IPJJ5ol7%2FAMiEnGv%2Fuy1xgjXmSW8BGOb91H1mV7P06g%3D&
> reserved=0 .
> 
> If you have suggestions on how to perform the following 6 actions, please
> email NFB-Science at nfbnet.org or email me personallyjohnmillerphd at hotmail.com
> 
> Built into Teams is the shortcut Ctrl-4 to go to the calendar. I do not have
> any questions about how to go to calendar, I just want to share how useful
> this shortcut is. It is important to have the discussion among blind users
> about effective methods to join a Teams meetings with proper settings. To go
> to calendar, press Ctrl-4, then you can down arrow to move time by the half
> hour.  You can press enter on an event and press tab to navigate to the join
> meeting button, then press enter on the join meeting button.  You can check
> and uncheck dialog box options such as video off, mic on, and select
> connect. You will now be placed in a meeting. You can give the command
> Alt-F4 to leave a meeting, there are other ways to leave a meeting as well.
> When Microsoft Teams went down, the IT department suggested a remedy of
> logging out and logging back into Teams. I got sighted assistance to do
> these actions but have not succeeded in doing them without sighted
> assistance.
> This is a piece of advice about changing windows credentials in Teams.
> I have noticed that when I change my Windows credentials, Teams is no longer
> working for me. IT steps in and does something to fix the situation. I have
> learned to change my Windows credentials early in the business day and to
> setup a test meeting with a colleague after my credentials have been changed
> to make sure that Teams will connect me to a meeting properly.
> When I join a meeting using JAWS for Windows, I feel there are lots of steps
> to verify that video is off, and microphone is on.  It seems to me that,
> depending on who created the meeting, sometimes mic is on by default and
> sometimes it is off. I have encountered the experience that if the mic is
> off before I connect, that I often cannot toggle the mic on during the
> meeting. Instead, I need to leave the meeting, check the mic on checkbox and
> the enter the meeting.  This allows my colleagues to hear my audio just
> fine.
> My sighted colleagues can see the visual indicator for background noise for
> a particular participant.  This allows them to suggest that a participant
> unmute themselves when they are speaking, and the group does not hear their
> audio. I would like to know the blindness technique for observing this
> indicator.
> In some meetings, there is a high level of traffic in chat. The screen
> reader notifications from chat can interrupt the speech of participants.
> There is an ellipsis symbol under conversation with a choice for mute
> conversation.  Without sighted assistance, I have not learned how to access
> this feature. I would like to learn how to do so.  Multiple blind people
> have asked how to do this solution.  It is quite disruptive when the mute
> feature is not applied.
> Very Best,
> 
> John Miller
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
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