Maybe you heard of this blog from Red River Ready, maybe a friend told you about it, maybe you found a poster or table card somewhere around campus, or maybe you’re a returning student who is a long-time follower of the blog… However you heard about us, and whatever brought you here, we are glad to have you!

What to Expect

Tech Tips: Work Smarter, Not Harder is a blog dedicated to highlighting different technologies, or ways to use those technologies, whether they be apps, built-in features, or even strategies, all with the goal of making your academic (or work) life easier.

Stay tuned!
This is just a welcome post! In the weeks to come we’ll be posting some recap posts where we identify (what we call) a “support area” such as reading, and then outline the different posts we’ve done with resources to help you in that support area.

Stay Connected

Take a quick moment now and sign up for email notifications when new blog posts are added. This way during the busy parts of school, when you may need the supports the most, but have less time, you’ll get a reminder when new posts are added!

Red River College Polytechnic – Newsletter Subscriptions
*Tech Tips: Work Smarter, Not Harder is listed as “Accessibility Tech Tips”

If you caught one of our previous posts on Android Accessibility Features, you’ll remember that we talked about captions. But, we didn’t talk about one really amazing captions feature (yet) – live captions for phone calls!

We held off on talking about this feature in past posts as it’s unfortunately only available on the Pixel line of phones. But now is the time! This post will be dedicated to exploring some of the utterly amazing Accessibility features specific to the Pixel line of Google phones!

Live Captions for Phone Calls

With Live Captions on a Pixel phone, you can get captions of what the other person is saying, and type your responses to be read aloud to them!

Android Accessibility Article, Live Captions for Phone Calls

Magnification App

Need something magnified that isn’t on your screen? Perhaps you need to read some fine print, or can’t read the bus numbers on a bus stop sign? Maybe a sign is too far away to read, but you can’t get any closer (e.g., store hours for a store across the street). Or perhaps font size isn’t what it making something hard to read, but color contrast is the issue.

Google’s Magnifier App allows users to magnify text, apply color filters, and search, listen or copy text (through Google Lens).

Download the Magnifier App from the PlayStore

Quick Phrases

Do you love using your Google Assistant, but, sometimes get a little tired of, or sometimes forget to start by saying “Hey Google”? Well on the Pixel line of phones, you can set up Quick Phrases that allow you to complete tasks without having to first prompt Google.

Android Accessibility Article, Google Assistant Help

While there are still more Android Accessibility Features we could talk (or write) about, let’s take a break and look at some of the Accessibility Features of iPhones!

Vision Related Accessibility Settings

Vision related Accessibility settings covers options to meet each individuals users’ vision needs, and preferences. Options such as adjusting colors, using dark mode, adjusting text size, zoom, and hearing text read aloud are included in this category.

• If you find the color of items on screen difficult to see, try adjusting some of the
  Color Settings or use Dark Mode
• If reading text on your iPhone is difficult, you can use Zoom, or adjust settings to make text easier to see
• If you would like to “zoom in” on objects in the real-world, use the Magnifier app! On certain iPhone models, there is even a “detection mode” that can detect people and identify door, describe images, and read text aloud!
• To reduce the visual motion, say from animations or screen transitions, you can choose to stop or reduce onscreen motion on your iPhone
• You can also hear audio descriptions for video content!
• and change sounds and vibrations (including haptics)

For a full list, please visit this Apple’s Support Article on Vision Related Accessibility Features

Mobility Related Accessibility Settings

Mobility related Accessibility settings covers options for how you use and interact with your iPhone. This covers voice control and voice dictation (which were covered in previous blog posts), predictive text and switch control (among others).

• Connect switches to your iPhone and assign actions
• Use head tracking and facial expressions to interact with your phone

For a full list, please visit Apple’s Support Article on Mobility Related Accessibility Settings

Hearing Related Accessibility Settings

Hearing related Accessibility settings covers customizations and features to best suit your individual hearing needs.

• Use Live Captions to turn speech and sounds into text displayed on your iPhone
• Use Sound Recognition to alert you to certain sounds in your environment

For a full list, please visit Apple’s Support Article on Hearing Related Accessibility Settings

Speech Related Accessibility Settings

Speech related Accessibility Settings covers customizations to best support your communication needs and preferences.

• Live Speech is a feature that allows you to type a message, and have your phone read it aloud
• You can even record your personal voice to use with Live Speech!

For a full list, please visit Apple’s Support Article on Speech Related Accessibility Settings

We’re back again, with even more Android Accessibility Features!

If you missed the previous posts on Android Accessibility, here they are:

• Android Accessibility Features, Tech Tips Blog Post
• (More) Android Accessibility Features, Tech Tips Blog Posts

Captions

You can turn captions on through the settings on your device, in the Accessibility section, or by tapping the live caption icon on your screen, after pressing the volume button. You can move the caption box, hide profanity, indicate sounds such as laughter and applause, you can even adjust the size and style of captions!

Android Accessibility Article, Translate Speech to Text with Live Captions

Android Accessibility Article, Caption Preferences

Live Transcribe

Live Transcribe is a feature that takes speech and sound, and displays it as text on your Android device. Pixel phones come with the Live Transcribe feature already installed on their device, but other Android devices can still use this feature by downloading the “Live Transcribe & Sound Notifications” app from the PlayStore.

Live Transcribe & Notification, App from Google Play

There are also some really cool settings like having your phone vibrate when your name is spoken, being able to type a response while Live Transcribe is still running, or search in Live Transcribe!

Android Accessibility Article, Use Live Transcribe

Sound Amplifier

Sound Amplifier is an app you can download and use with headphones to filter, augment, and amplify sounds both in your environment, and on your Android device. What’s really cool is that you can adjust what is being amplified to reduce unwanted sounds or boost quiet sounds, you can even make adjustments specific to each ear!

Sound Amplifier, App from Google Play

Android Accessibility Article, Sound Amplifier

Connecting Hearing Aids to your Android Device

If you have an Android device with Android 14 or later, you may even be able to connect your hearing aids directly to your device!

Android Accessibility Article, Connect Hearing Aids to your Device

As promised, here are some more Android Accessibility features!

Changing Text and Display Settings

This section covers how to adjust the look of your screen like changing the font size, color themes, display size, as well as removing animations.

• Do you find small text hard to read? Try increasing the font size.
• Do you find certain color contrasts hard to read? Try using the high contrast text setting.
• Are certain colors hard to distinguish from one another? Try using the color correction or color inversion settings.
• Do animations distract you? Turn them off.

For more information, including other settings and examples of how to use them, check out the Android Accessibility Article on Changing Text & Display Setting

Screen Magnification

Screen magnification allows a user to zoom in (and then out) on items on their screen. You can choose to magnify the entire screen, or just a specific section of the screen. You can even set the magnification settings to magnify your text, and follow along as you type!

Android Accessibility Article, Magnification Settings

Select to Speak

Think of Select to Speak like a selective screen reader, allowing you to select certain items on your screen and have them read aloud or hear an audible description of the item. You can even use your phone’s camera and have text read aloud or descriptions given something off screen (e.g., you can hear a description of a flyer and have its text read aloud).

Android Accessibility Article, Select to Speak

Interpreter Mode

Interpreter Mode is amazing (and works with your Android phone, Google home speakers, and other devices!). This feature allows you to speak in one language, have it translated, and read aloud, in another language. Allowing you to have a conversation with someone who does not speak the same language as you, or allowing you to understand instructions that are given in a language you don’t speak!

Android Accessibility Article, Translate Conversations with Interpreter Mode

Do you ever read an email and think to yourself, “I’ll respond to that later”, and then, forget? Do you sometimes read emails and realize that the time it would take to respond is more than you have at the moment, but again, forget to come back to that email?

You are not alone! In fact, if this was a vlog (or video blog) instead of a blog, you’d see me, the writer, pointing at myself as this, was, a problem I used to face. … Yes, was, past tense.

I’ve adjusted my Outlook so that emails are not automatically marked as read just because I clicked on them. All emails in my Outlook stay as unread until I respond to them, or mark them as unread. This way, if I just quickly read an email, but don’t respond to it, it stays as unread as a sign to myself that I need to come back to this email. This strategy, of leaving your emails marked as unread, can be used by you too, with only a few simple adjustments!

Changing How & When Emails are Marked as Read

The default is that Outlook marks a message as read as soon as you click on it. In order to change that, follow these steps:

1. In Outlook, select file, then options, and then advanced
2. Look for the section on “outlook panes”, and select “reading pane”
3. uncheck both of the following:
   • “mark items as read when viewed in the reading pane”
   • “mark item as read when the selection changes”

That’s it! Now when you go to read emails in Outlook, they will stay marked as unread until you reply to them, or manually mark it as read (which you can do by right clicking on the email and selecting “mark as read”).

Microsoft Support Article, Mark a Message as Read or Unread

Bonus Tip!

Filter your emails by “unread” instead of “all” to display unread emails at the top of your inbox!

Microsoft Support Article, View Only Unread Messages in Outlook

Availability Notice

The features outlined in this blog are available in the following Outlook versions: Outlook for Microsoft 365, Outlook 2021, Outlook 2019, Outlook 2016, and Outlook 2013.

You may have noticed a theme over the last couple of posts, and maybe, just maybe, can guess where we are going to go with this blog post (I mean, other than the massive hint of a title…).

That’s right, we’ve talked about Voice Typing and Voice Access for Windows computers, as well as Voice Dictation and Voice Control on Apple devices, now it’s time to bring Android devices into the conversation! But, we’re not just going to talk voice dictation and voice access, let’s explore some of the many accessibility features built into your Android device!

Voice Dictation

To use voice dictation on an Android device, you need to have Google’s keyboard, GBoard, installed. Odds are if you’re using an Android phone, this was already installed on your phone, but just in case it’s not, you can download GBoard from the Play Store.

Now the steps to using voice dictation on an Android device are a little complex, but I’ll break it down for you…

1. On your GBoard keyboard, touch and hold the microphone icon until the words “speak now” show up on your phone
2. Say what you want typed

…that’s it. It’s that simple. We were joking about how complex it is to use voice dictation on an Android phone. 😛

Type with your voice – Android

Voice Access

You guessed it, Voice Access allows you to access and control your Android device using your voice! Newer Android cell phones have this feature built-in and it can be found in the Accessibility Settings on your device, or, if you have “Hey Google” detection on, you can simply say “Hey Google, Voice Access”!

Don’t have Voice Access? Download Voice Access from the Play Store!

The first time you open Voice Access, you will be guided through a tutorial on how to use it. You can even access this tutorial again if you forget some of the commands!

Android Accessibility Article, Getting Started with Voice Access

Switch Access

A switch is an alternate version of a mouse, allowing a user to perform tasks typically completed with a mouse, through a switch. Switches come in a variety of types, from foot pedals, to buttons, to ones that can be activated with breath or blinks!

Did you know that you can control your Android device with a switch?! You sure can!

Android Accessibility Article, Control your Android device with Switch Access

Camera Switches on Android Devices

But wait, what if you don’t have a switch, and don’t want to buy one? No worries, your Android device has a built-in switch, one you probably use every day… your camera! That’s right, you can control your Android device using your camera as a switch!

If you are interested in using your Android device with your camera as a switch, please check out this Android Accessibility Article on Camera Switches.

TalkBack

TalkBack is a feature that not only acts as a screen reader (audibly describing what is on your screen), but it can also describe your actions and tell you about alerts and notifications! You can even use TalkBack with a braille keyboard! Wow.

Learn more about TalkBack – Android Accessibility Article.

Lookout

Through the use of your camera, Lookout provides information to users about their surroundings. This can be very helpful if you can’t see the text on a street sign (maybe it has some poor contrast, or the sun is in your eyes), or need help reading a menu. Lookout can even give audible cues to help an individual scan a barcode and find out information about that food item, or provide information about the type of currency you are holding.

Learn more about Lookout and how it can be used! Android Accessibility Article, Lookout.

To be continued…

There are too many Android Accessibility features to be covered in a single blog post, so stay tuned! We’ll continue discussing Android Accessibility features in a future blog post.

Voice Control is Apple’s version of Voice Access (or Voice Access is Windows’ version of Voice Control)… either way, Voice Control is a feature specific to Apple products that allows you to interact with, and control your device, using your voice.

Turning Voice Control On

If you’ve never used Voice Control on your Mac before, you will need to turn this feature on. Voice Control can be found through your system settings, and is located in the Accessibility section. If you have Siri set up on your device, you can also say “turn on voice control”.
Turn Voice Control on or off on Mac – Apple Support (CA)

What Can Voice Control do?

• Open applications
• Scroll through documents or web pages
• Select buttons (such as to close a window)

What if you don’t know the name of an item?

For example, you want to select an item on screen, but you don’t know the name of that item? Don’t worry! There are two built-in ways to help:

• Label onscreen items, either with names or numbers – use the voice control command “show names” to get onscreen items labelled by name, or “show numbers” to have them labelled with different numbers
• Show a numbered grid – use the voice control command “show grid” and a numbered grid will be displayed on your screen. You can then interact with a location on the grid by saying “click on #”, or say just a grid number to have a smaller grid added just in that location.

For more information, please visit Apple’s Support Article on Using Voice Control on Mac.

Voice Control on iPad and iPhone

As long as your iPad or iPhone has iOS 13 or later, you can use Voice Control on your device!

For more information, please visit Apple’s Support Article on Using Voice Control on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

Patiently waiting Mac users, it is your turn! Let’s talk voice dictation on Mac products!

Now all of the same reasons why to use voice dictation still apply (such as saving time, supporting thought transfer, and helping you get started with writing, and potentially write more), so we won’t go into details on those in this post.

*If you want more information on these voice dictation supports, please see our previous post – Voice Typing (Windows 11)

Dictating on Mac (desktop or Macbook)

Please visit Apple’s Support Article, Dictate Messages and Documents on Mac for information on:

• How to turn on dictation
• How to use dictation
• How to set a keyboard shortcut for dictation
• How to change the microphone used for dictation
• How to turn off dictation

Running into problems using dictation on your Mac? Check out Apple’s Support Article on Dictation not Working as Expected.

Dictating on iPad

Please visit Apple’s Support Article on Dictation on iPad.

Dictating on iPhone

Please visit Apple’s Support Article on Dictation on an iPhone.

Hopefully you caught the last post on Voice Typing in Windows 11! This post goes (yet another) step farther, and introduces the wonderful world of “Voice Access”!

What is Voice Access?

Voice Access is a feature available on Windows computers running Windows Version 11. It allows users to interact with, and control their computer, using their voice.

Launching Voice Access

You can launch Voice Access in a couple of different ways:

• From the start menu, select settings, then accessibility, then speech. Turn on Voice Access.
• In the Windows Search bar, search for “voice access”, then open the application.

Hint: With Voice Access open, right click on the Voice Access icon on your toolbar, and then select either “Pin to Start” or “Pin to Taskbar”

Getting Started with Voice Access

Voice Access has an amazing “Voice Access Guide” that is built right in. The first time you launch Voice Access, we’d highly encourage you to go through this guide. You can access the Voice Access Guide in the following ways:

• from the Voice Access UI (user interface, or window), select the help button, and then select the option to “Start Interactive Guide”
• say “Open Voice Access Guide” while Voice Access is on and listening

“States” of Voice Access

We like to think of the states of Voice Access like different phases of being awake.

If Voice Access is in the Sleep State, it’s not really listening to you, but, if you say the magic words (a voice command) it will turn on and listen (just like if someone is asleep and you yell loud enough, you’d probably wake them up).

Once you’ve “woken” Voice Access up, it’s in the Listening State, which is when it is fully awake and listening to anything you are dictating or any voice commands you are using.

The last state of Voice Access is the Microphone off State which means Voice Access isn’t hearing a thing you’re saying, not even voice commands. The only way to “wake” Voice Access (or to turn it on from this state) is to click on the Microphone button.

There are also keyboard shortcuts and mouse click sequences that you can use to move Voice Access between states.
Switch Between States with your Keyboard or Mouse, Microsoft Support

Using Voice Access

Using Voice Access may take some time, but it is helpful to think of how you might want to use Voice Access, and then stick to learning how to use it piece by piece. Given this is a lot of information to cover, rather than type it all out in this blog, we are going to categorize a few major ways to use Voice Access, and then reference Microsoft Support Articles.

Working with Windows (of Programs and Applications) with your Voice

Working with Windows of programs and applications covers actions such as opening or closing windows, switching between windows, scrolling through windows, etc…
Use voice to work with windows and apps – Microsoft Support

Using the Mouse with your Voice

You can move the mouse either using a grid overlay, or with motion commands, as well as perform mouse clicks all using your voice!
Use the mouse with voice – Microsoft Support

Interacting with Items on your Screen with your Voice

Interacting with items on your screen would account for actions such as selecting or focusing on an item.
Use voice to interact with items on the screen – Microsoft Support

Using the Keyboard with your Voice

Sounds similar to Voice Typing (or Voice Dictation), but adds in how to replicate common keyboard presses (e.g., pressing the “esc” key to close a window), with voice commands.
Use the keyboard with voice – Microsoft Support

Resources:

Set up voice access – Microsoft Support