[the-facts-machine] Re: Overview of Accessibility in IOS 8 from MacStories
- From: Richard McKinley <mcfurbie@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "the-facts-machine@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <the-facts-machine@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2014 09:04:44 -0500
Marcia, I ordered the RIVO keyboard. Not that I need it but there are times
I'd use it. I got it to show Linda there is a way she could use the iPhone.
Touch screens and her arent friends. LOL. The cost for the keyboard is
$129.00 and $15.00 for shipping. I have a podcast if you'd like it.
> On Sep 13, 2014, at 10:17 PM, "Marcia Moses" <mgmoses@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> Maybe I’ll get an I-phone six, who knows.
> Marcia
>
> From: Toni
> Sent: Saturday, September 13, 2014 1:15 PM
> To: the-facts-machine@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [the-facts-machine] Re: Overview of Accessibility in IOS 8 from
> MacStories
>
> Thanks Steve. I am a little overwhelmed but I'm sure I'll get there.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Sep 13, 2014, at 12:24 PM, Steve <pipeguy920@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> An Overview of iOS 8′s New Accessibility Features
>
> By Steven Aquino
>
> Since this year’s WWDC keynote ended, the focus of any analysis on iOS 8 has
> been its features — things like Continuity, Extensions, and iCloud Drive.
> This is, of course, expected: iOS is the operating system that drives Apple’s
> most important (and most profitable) products, so it’s natural that the
> limelight be shone on the new features for the mass market.
>
> As I’ve written, however, the Accessibility features that Apple includes in
> iOS are nonetheless just as important and innovative as the A-list features
> that Craig Federighi demoed on stage at Moscone. Indeed, Apple is to be
> lauded for their year-over-year commitment to improving iOS’s Accessibility
> feature set, and they continue that trend with iOS 8.
>
> Here, I run down what’s new in Accessibility in iOS 8, and explain briefly
> how each feature works.
>
>
> Alex. Apple is bringing Alex, its natural-sounding voice on the Mac, to iOS.
> Alex will work with all of iOS’s spoken audio technologies (Siri excepted),
> including VoiceOver, Speak Selection, and another new Accessibility feature
> to iOS 8, Speak Screen (see below). In essence, Alex is a replacement for the
> robotic-sounding voice that controls VoiceOver, et al, in iOS today.
>
> Speak Screen. With Speak Screen, a simple gesture will prompt the
> aforementioned Alex to read anything on screen, including queries asked of
> Siri. This feature will be a godsend to visually impaired users who may have
> issues reading what is on their iPhone and/or iPad. It should be noted that
> Speak Screen is fundamentally different from Speak Selection, which only
> reads aloud selected text. By contrast, Speak Screen will read aloud
> everything on the screen — text, button labels, etc.
>
> Zoom. Apple has made some welcome tweaks to its Zoom functionality in iOS 8.
> The hallmark feature is users now have the ability to specify which part of
> the screen is zoomed in, as well as adjust the level of the zoom. In
> particular, it’s now possible to have the virtual keyboard on screen at
> normal size underneath a zoomed-in window. What this does is makes it easy to
> both type and see what you’re typing without having to battle the entirety of
> the user interface being zoomed in.
>
> Grayscale. iOS in and of itself doesn’t have “themes” like so many
> third-party apps support — and even like OS X Yosemite’s new “dark mode”. iOS
> does, however, support a pseudo-theme by way of Invert Colors
> (white-on-black). In iOS 8, Apple is adding a second pseudo-theme to the
> system with Grayscale. With this option turned on, the entirety of iOS’s UI
> is turned, as the name would imply, gray. The addition of a Grayscale is
> notable because it gives those users who have issues with colorized display —
> or who simply view darker displays better — another way to alter the contrast
> of their device(s).
>
> Guided Access. The big addition to Guided Access is that Apple is leveraging
> its own new-to-iOS-8 Touch ID developer API to enable users to be able to
> exit Guided Access using their scanned fingerprint. This is a noteworthy
> feature because it effectively guarantees that students (or test-takers or
> museum visitors) can’t leave Guided Access to access the Home screen or other
> parts of iOS.
>
> As well, Apple has added a time limit feature to Guided Access, thereby
> allowing teachers, parents, and the like to specify the length of time Guided
> Access is to be used. Especially in special education classrooms, features
> such as Touch ID to exit and the timer can be extremely powerful in ensuring
> an uninterrupted learning experience, keeping students on task yet still set
> the expectation that a transition (i.e., “You can play games now”, for
> instance) will take place in X minutes. In terms of behavior modification,
> Guided Access’s new features are potentially game-changing, indispensable
> tools for educators.
>
> Enhanced Braille Keyboard. iOS 8 adds support for 6-dot Braille input
> system-wide. This feature involves a dedicated Braille keyboard that will
> translate 6-dot chords into text.
>
> “Made for iPhone” Hearing Aids. Apple in iOS 8 has improved its Made for
> iPhone Hearing Aids software so that now users who use hearing aids and have
> multiple devices now can easily switch between them. Moreover, if a hearing
> aid is paired with more than one device, users will now be able to pick which
> device they’d like to use.
>
> Third Party Keyboard API. This topic (as well as QuickType) is worthy of its
> own standalone article, but the accessibility ramifications of iOS 8’s third
> party keyboard API are potentially huge for those with special needs.
>
>
> A third-party keyboard on iOS 8. (Source: Apple.com)
>
> Anecdotally speaking, I hear from several low vision iOS-using friends who
> lament the default system keyboard, which is essentially the same keyboard
> that shipped with the original iPhone in 2007. The problem, my friends say,
> is that the key caps are too small and the glyphs too hard to read. With the
> new API, though, third party developers such as the team at Fleksy can create
> entirely customized keyboards that users can use instead of the stock one.
> This means developers can control key spacing and size, color, and so forth
> in an effort to create keyboards that accommodate for a wide array of visual
> — and motor — needs.
>
> In fact, at WWDC I had a chance to speak with Fleksy co-founder and COO,
> Ioannis Verdelis, about the keyboard API and his company’s product. While I
> won’t divulge anything that was said at our meeting, suffice it to say that
> Ioannis and his team were stoked at the news of the new API, and are really
> excited for what they have in the works for iOS 8. They really believe the
> new Fleksy will benefit a lot of people with special needs.
>
> Miscellany. iOS 8 brings with it a few housekeeping changes to Settings.app,
> where the Accessibility options are located. For example, the Subtitles &
> Captioning option — which previously was found under Hearing — has been moved
> to a new Media section, right next to a new Video Descriptions toggle.
> Furthermore, the Physical & Motor pane — home to such features as Switch
> Control and AssistiveTouch — has been rechristened Interaction.
>
> As stated above, Apple’s steadfast commitment to improving Accessibility year
> after year deserves the utmost praise, and 2014 is no different. As someone
> who relies on some of iOS’s Accessibility technologies in order to use my
> devices, the breadth and depth of these features never cease to amaze me.
>
> Without any tinge of hyperbole, I often marvel at how truly Accessibility
> reflects Apple’s ethos of designing products for everyone, regardless of
> cognitive or physical impairment. (A sentiment I have expressed numerous
> times elsewhere.) Again, these are signs of real innovation, although they
> (unfortunately) go largely unheralded. It’s my strong opinion that Apple is
> leading the industry in this regard, and iOS 8 takes another step forward in
> extending their lead.
>
> Tags: iOS 8
>
> Steven Aquino
>
> Steven is a freelance tech writer and iOS Accessibility expert, based in the
> San Francisco Bay Area. His work has appeared in The Magazine, Macworld,
> TidBITS, and more.
>
>
> Steve
> Lansing, MI
>
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