Is tech more accessible due to COVID-19 and what do you use?

Lucy411

Morning, Interested to hear what tech people are using and how it improves your life. I’m writing an article for Disability Horizons

on how assistive technology for the disabled community is growing due to COVID-19

janer1967

Hi there 

There are a few posts about accessibility tech in our sight and vision impairment section 

Hope this helps I am visually impaired but mainly just use the accessibility features on my devices 

Cher_Scope

Hi @Lucy411

Good luck with the article!  A browse through our posts tagged as about 'technology' might help you with your research   

Lucy411

janer1967 said:

Hi there 

There are a few posts about accessibility tech in our sight and vision impairment section 

Hope this helps I am visually impaired but mainly just use the accessibility features on my devices 

Thanks @janer1967

Lucy411

Cher_Scope said:

Hi @Lucy411

Good luck with the article!  A browse through our posts tagged as about 'technology' might help you with your research   

Thanks @Cher_Scope I'll have an explore.

Ross_Scope

Good luck with the article @Lucy411, sounds fascinating  

Firstly, what the pandemic has done is forced technology companies to make their products more accessible, even if it's something as simple as just an online offering whereas previously they may have only operated in person. 

Platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams have become more accessible, particularly as a visually impaired individual, and the range of keyboard short cuts on each application are super useful. Given that most people have been at home and communicating by video call this past year, these sorts of apps have had to become more usable and accessible  for everyone. 

Lucy411

Ross_Scope said:

Good luck with the article @Lucy411, sounds fascinating  

Firstly, what the pandemic has done is forced technology companies to make their products more accessible, even if it's something as simple as just an online offering whereas previously they may have only operated in person. 

Platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams have become more accessible, particularly as a visually impaired individual, and the range of keyboard short cuts on each application are super useful. Given that most people have been at home and communicating by video call this past year, these sorts of apps have had to become more usable and accessible  for everyone. 

Hi @Ross_Scope, just finishing off my article. Are the shortcuts you refer to new since covid? Found lots of access info re video about what is available just not what was there before. I've always just used platforms as standard.

Ross_Scope

I never noticed them before Covid @Lucy411 so possibly? They've certainly been made clearer and more visible since Covid, whereas before if they did exist I had no idea about it. Now you see the shortcuts when you hover over the keys like mute and toggle video