[Athen] Online discussion tools -- which is most accessible

[foreigntype at gmail.com]

Debee

FWIW, It's impossible for a dictation software user to interact on these
platforms either, especially in a synchronous environment. The "chat"
windows are not compatible with the dictation software so one must use a
separate dictation window (speaking out loud while others are speaking
aloud online? What could go wrong?) and do a copy/cut/paste from the
dictation box to the chat window. By the time all that's done, the
conversation's moved on. I haven't played around with the screen readers in
online chat windows, but the multi-tasking involved must be even more
challenging while trying to follow the train of the meetings,
conversation(s) etc. What I have done (as a dictation software user) is
request to "raise" my hand to speak aloud instead of trying to interact on
an inaccessible chat box.

I hope our "hive" comes up with some viable solutions for this. You and I
are certainly not alone in the challenges these platforms throw up (not
literally!) in front of us.

Wink Harner
Accessibility Consultant/Alternative Text Production
The Foreign Type

Portland OR
foreigntype at gmail.com
480-984-0034

This email was dictated using Dragon NaturallySpeaking. Please forgive
quirks, misrecognitions, or errata .


On Wed, Jun 30, 2021 at 11:01 AM Deborah Armstrong <
armstrongdeborah at fhda.edu> wrote:


> As a screen reader user, I’m noticing more and more of these online

> discussion tools are being used for real-time communication when workers

> remotely collaborate. I’m on several committees that like, during their

> meetings to use Discord, FlipGrid, Padlet, yammer, Slack … here’s an

> overview: Online Discussion Tools - Center for Teaching and Learning

> (wustl.edu) <https://ctl.wustl.edu/resources/tools-for-online-discussion/>

>

>

>

> And though it’s a great way for everyone to post ideas together, it’s a

> nightmare for me. I can either listen to the discussion or listen to my

> synthesizer attempting to catch up with what everyone is typing. I do have

> a Braille display, but it only shows 20 characters, so it’s not a lot of

> help. Some displays show 40 or 80, but it’s still like reading the screen

> through a soda straw. The issue is similar for people who depend on

> magnification.

>

>

>

> In meetings, committees also use zoom chat a lot for real-time

> collaboration.

>

>

>

> Though so far I’ve been able to read everything posted in either of these

> spaces, I find the multitasking stressful. I don’t want to tell people it’s

> inaccessible exactly, because that’s untrue. I can read everything and I

> don’t want my committees to feel they have to completely change what they

> do to accommodate me.

>

>

>

> but I do wish there was one discussion platform that would easily read

> what’s relevant to the current discussion vs what’s not. And of course

> that’s impossible.

>

>

>

> What’s more possible is finding a platform that at least would let me

> rapidly read the first sentence of each post in reverse chronological

> order, most recent to least recent. Then a way to single keystroke jump to

> the edit field where my response is expected. So if someone says “How would

> you expand on Katie’s idea” or “Post your three favorite ideas from the

> Padlet discussion in to the chat” or “I want everyone to contribute to the

> question I just posed” I could more efficiently keep up.

>

>

>

> And if I, an  experience screen reader user am struggling, what about

> these discussion tools in classrooms? How can we keep print-impaired folks

> from feeling left out when the collaboration is synchronous?

>

>

>

> I can see using some combination of screen reader quick key navigation and

> with JAWS its ability to summarize a document; I’ll play around with that a

> bit. But usually I don’t have time to set up summary rules for JAWS or

> figure out which quick keys will rapidly move me to where I need to be on

> these pages. Often the link to these things is posted in a zoom chat, and

> it takes me forever to even find it among all the chatter and get a press

> of Enter to actually activate that link.

>

>

>

> Maybe someone could set up a screen reader practice board on these

> platforms, post a public link and let it be a place for screen reader users

> to actually post tips (as they explore and play around with it) on how to

> use that platform. It would also be great to hear how people who use other

> tools, K300, Natural Reader, etc.  have successfully worked with these

> boards.

>

>

>

>

>

> Any tips or thoughts would be appreciated.

>

> --Debee

>

>

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