[NFBCS] Creating Desktop Shortcuts For Apps Acquired From The Microsoft Store

[Rasmussen, Lloyd]

I assume that you also tried using the Send To: menu that is near the bottom of the context menu for many programs?
________________________________________Lloyd Rasmussen
From: NFBCS <nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org> on behalf of Curtis Chong via NFBCS <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, May 7, 2020 1:38 PM
To: 'NFB in Computer Science Mailing List'
Cc: Curtis Chong
Subject: [NFBCS] Creating Desktop Shortcuts For Apps Acquired From The Microsoft Store

Greetings everyone:



I have encountered what I believe to be a Microsoft accessibility issue.
This has to do with creating Windows Desktop shortcuts for programs that one
purchases from the Microsoft Store. One such program is the KNFB Reader.
Another example is Microsoft Office. While I myself am subscribing to Office
365, I work with a number of blind people who, for whatever reason, have
purchased Office directly from the Microsoft Store.



Consider the Microsoft Word program-the version that has not been purchased
from the Microsoft Store. Once installed, you can locate the shortcut to
Microsoft Word by opening the Start Menu and typing "word". Once focused on
the shortcut, you can press SHIFT+F10 and arrow down to "Open file location"
and pressing Enter. Once there, you are focused on the Shortcut to Word. You
can copy and paste this to the Desktop in the usual way.



Consider the KNFB Reader app. You can find KNFB Reader in the Start Menu.
But, when you open the Context Menu for this, you will find that the Open
Containing Folder option is not available. I did a bit of research online. I
learned that the only way to get a Microsoft Store app to the Windows
Desktop was to perform a "drag and drop" operation. The JAWS screen reader
has a drag and drop function, but when I tried using it, I kept getting a
"drag object not found" message. Ultimately, the only way I could create a
shortcut to KNFB Reader on my Desktop was to call the Microsoft Disability
Answer Desk (1-800-936-5900).



I am well aware that Microsoft has an accessibility team which is deeply
committed to ensuring that accessibility is available whenever and wherever
possible. Many things Microsoft are working for the blind today because of
the good work of this team. I hope that this accessibility issue, for which
there is a work-around through the Disability Answer Desk, can be fixed in a
future update to Windows.



Cordially,



Curtis Chong





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