[nabs-l] Accessibility work arounds for Google Docs, When is Good, etc.

Fri Aug 22 21:40:28 UTC 2014

Hi Kaiti,

I assume WhenISGood is some type of meeting-scheduling web service? If
so, I second Minh's suggestion of trying Doodle - It is completely
accessible for both entering your availability as well as setting up a
"pool" with possible meeting times for people to fill out.

Katie

On 8/22/14, minh ha via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> If you are talking about the surveys created on google forms, I've
> never had a problem with missing or hiddeninformation. Another option
> that your group can look into when it comes to finding people's
> availability is doodle. It's extremely intuitive and all you have to
> do once someone creates the Doodle is to go in and check the boxes of
> the days/times that you are available.
>
> Minh
>
> On 8/21/14, Kaiti Shelton via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> Hi all,
>>
>> Thanks for the suggestions, and I'll particularly check out the
>> article Katie Wang just posted for ideas.
>>
>> I think most of the time we use the spreadsheet feature on Google
>> apps.  I tried to use this last year, along with the accessibility
>> tips in Google help files, and had significant problems with it.  It
>> was much easier to use Windows magnifier to read the screen visually,
>> which in itself didn't make the task very easy and strained my eyes
>> after a few minutes.  We also use the calendar, and this has worked a
>> little better for me once I manage to get the events to display in
>> list format rather than in calendar view.  using Jaws 13 I had issues
>> getting to the button to make this view change, but I have always used
>> IE, which could have been the issue there.
>>
>> Like I said, google forms for surveys, and of course gmail, have
>> worked fine for me.  I can't really use the dropbox idea, which is
>> unfortunate because as easy as it would make life for me, it wouldn't
>> be easy for the file to be continuously updated by various chapter
>> members, and I would also be subject to missing information due to not
>> having access to those updates if the person in charge of updating the
>> dropbox file forgot.  Like I said the 20 something other girls in the
>> chapter already have their system, so we're trying to find ways to
>> make it accessible for me with the existing platforms we have rather
>> than to change platforms entirely for the chapter.  I would love to
>> use dropbox though rather than Google drive, and will probably see if
>> it can be managed for a committee, or projects I may undertake with a
>> small group of people.
>>
>> When is Good is still going to be problematic.  Does anyone know of
>> work arounds for that?  I've been sending my schedule and availability
>> to people who send out the surveys, but I always feel a little awkward
>> about it because I know sometimes there is other information listed in
>> the survey that I am not privy to.  E.G, only certain meeting times
>> will be shown as possible options, or the survey creator will put a
>> note in the survey for people to read that I miss out on.  I'll keep
>> sending my availability via email if I have to, but if anyone has
>> happened to find a way to make When is Good work, or has found a
>> comparable service that is accessible I can tell my chapter about, I
>> would really appreciate it.
>>
>> On 8/21/14, Katie Wang via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>> Hi Kaiti,
>>>
>>> I recently came across the following blog post about the accessibility
>>> of Google apps. According to the author (and a number of other blind
>>> people I know), most features of Google apps are actually now
>>> relatively accessible. I haven't personally had a chance to test out
>>> the tips/suggestions mentioned here but hope you will find them
>>> helpful. Good luck!
>>> http://www.marcozehe.de/2014/07/08/accessibility-in-google-apps-an-overview/
>>>
>>> Best,
>>> Katie
>>>
>>>
>>> On 8/21/14, minh ha via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>> Kaiti,
>>>>
>>>> Can you give a little bit more information about which features of
>>>> google drive you are having problems with? I've been figuring out the
>>>> functions of google drive bit by bit and have found that although a
>>>> little challenging at times, most of the apps are accessible. From my
>>>> experience, firefox seems to work best with the suite of apps; I'm
>>>> using Jaws 13 but have also used it with Jaws 14.
>>>>
>>>> Minh
>>>>
>>>> On 8/21/14, Sofia Gallo via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>>> Hi Kaity
>>>>>
>>>>> This isn't a work around, but what about dropbox? I use Exel
>>>>> worksheets
>>>>> with
>>>>> the desktop app?
>>>>>
>>>>> Sofia
>>>>>
>>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>>
>>>>>> On Aug 21, 2014, at 2:22 PM, Kaiti Shelton via nabs-l
>>>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi NABS,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I'm in a fraternity which relies heavily on Google Apps to organize
>>>>>> events, set up calendars for the chapter, make sign up sheets for
>>>>>> bake
>>>>>> sales and other table activities, etc.  We also frequently use the
>>>>>> site When is Good to find times for committee meetings and other
>>>>>> small
>>>>>> groups to get together to work on projects.  As you all know, this
>>>>>> creates an accessibility nightmare for me, since I can't access any
>>>>>> of
>>>>>> the information easily.  While I didn't have much success in working
>>>>>> with last year's exec board to work around these issues, the
>>>>>> president
>>>>>> for this year and I have met and discussed these problems.  Though
>>>>>> she
>>>>>> has no prior experience with these issues and is just another
>>>>>> student,
>>>>>> she is willing to help me look into other options which might make it
>>>>>> easier for me to have access to the chapter information.  She has
>>>>>> expressed interest in reaching out to the Office of Learning
>>>>>> Resources
>>>>>> where our disability staff works, and seems to be making a good
>>>>>> effort, for which I am really appreciative.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> However, the president and I agreed that one of the issues we might
>>>>>> face if alternative ways of accessing the existing systems aren't
>>>>>> available to me, might be getting the chapter to make changes.  Last
>>>>>> year the big issue was, "We've been using google docs for years, and
>>>>>> that's the system we've already set up, so just do the best you can
>>>>>> with it."  I had a job in the fraternity which required me to use a
>>>>>> Google Docs spreadsheet to monitor sign ups for events, and it was
>>>>>> very difficult for me to give back to the fraternity to the best of
>>>>>> my
>>>>>> ability because of that technical problem and the accessibility
>>>>>> issues.  The president knows I am completely capable of being a
>>>>>> valuable asset to the fraternity, and that if given the proper access
>>>>>> to the tools we use I could do a fine job of organizing and/or
>>>>>> leading
>>>>>> projects alongside my sisters.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Though I will be living in the house with her and several other exec
>>>>>> board members this year, I do not want to have to rely upon them to
>>>>>> complete when is good forms and to check the calendar.  I think that
>>>>>> I
>>>>>> could use my living situation to closely work with these board
>>>>>> members
>>>>>> to educate them about the accessibility issues I have with Google and
>>>>>> to work for a positive solution to the problem.  I am asking if
>>>>>> anyone
>>>>>> on this list has found work arounds for using Google docs and When is
>>>>>> Good forms in these situations.  So far the only thing I've managed
>>>>>> to
>>>>>> work out is the google forms app we use to take surveys for the
>>>>>> chapter, but not having access to things like sign up sheets and the
>>>>>> calendar are really big problems I hope to solve this year.  Any
>>>>>> suggestions would be great.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> Kaiti
>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> nabs-l mailing list
>>>>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>>>> nabs-l:
>>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/sofiagallo13%40gmail.com
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> nabs-l mailing list
>>>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>>> nabs-l:
>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/minh.ha927%40gmail.com
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> "All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty
>>>> recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity:
>>>> but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on
>>>> their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible." T. E. Lawrence
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> nabs-l mailing list
>>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>> nabs-l:
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/bunnykatie6%40gmail.com
>>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nabs-l mailing list
>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> nabs-l:
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/crazy4clarinet104%40gmail.com
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Kaiti
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nabs-l mailing list
>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nabs-l:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/minh.ha927%40gmail.com
>>
>
>
> --
> "All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty
> recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity:
> but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on
> their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible." T. E. Lawrence
>
> _______________________________________________
> nabs-l mailing list
> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nabs-l:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/bunnykatie6%40gmail.com
>