By Megan Dausch, CSP Mentor
Each month the CSP hosts a webinar on a topic of interest to high school and college students who are blind or who have low vision, their parents, and the professionals who work with them. In March of 2022, CSP Mentors Megan Dausch and Emily Vasile had a conversation about common technology issues and how to solve them. This session was moderated by CSP Mentor Glenn Dausch.
In case you missed it, below are the top takeaways from this enlightening discussion. You can also access this webinar in its entirety by visiting the CSP YouTube channel.
Before we dig into the issues, let’s talk about the tech.
To kick off the discussion, the Mentors shared what types of technology they use. Glenn uses multiple screen-readers and occasionally speech-to-text input. Emily uses mostly zoom text and the built-in magnification features on the MacBook products as well as voice over on the iPhone and iPad. Megan uses screen-readers like JAWS and NVDA, as well as braille displays such as the Focus line of products and the Chameleon 20. She uses the Pearl Camera to scan documents. She also mentioned that in college, she used a note-taker.
Tech issues are common, but so are the ways you may work through them.
Megan explained that everyone experiences technical issues, such as devices acting erratically or freezing. She shared that her first step is to always restart her device if it is acting up. For students that might have challenges related to a website not being accessible or a file not reading well, she recommended always having a back-up screen-reader or alternative. If a website isn’t reading well with JAWS, for example, she likes to try NVDA as an alternative.
Emily stressed the importance of knowing how to use the accessibility features on the device you’re on. For example, if their ZoomText is not working well, they will use the Windows commands such as “Control” and “+” to make the screen magnify. Emily finds that they will somtimes use their iPhone to scan the screen, so having multiple devices has been key for them, as well. Emily shares that you may have to work through a progression of devices before you find a solution that works but having a somewhat standardized process by which you do that, and one that gives you a path to think through the situation clearly and not be stressed about it, really helps. Because one thing we know is when we’re stressed, we’re not thinking logically, and we may skip steps.
Develop a process for dealing with accessibility barriers.
While it depends upon the situation, Emily advised always having the user guide on hand for whatever software you’re using. If Emily doesn’t have the user guide, they turn to Google for answers, where they can usually find what they’re looking for. Years ago, they might have called the company’s support line, but they recommend researching first. They also always write down how they solved the problem, so that if it occurs again, they will be able to reference their notes.
When Megan encounters accessibility barriers, she starts by trying another screen-reader. She will also try a different web browser to see if that helps. Some browsers Megan mentioned include Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. She will advocate with the company if the website is not accessible, as well. Additionally, she will try to use the mobile app of a software, if there is one, to see if the app might work better than the desktop experience. If it’s an issue related to college, reaching out to your DSO is important, too, so they can support you and help advocate for change, if needed.
Two heads are better than one! Tap into your BVI networks.
Megan recommended reaching out to BVI networks to see if others have found workarounds for accessibility issues. Glenn reiterated the importance of this as many times students are the only student with a visual impairment on campus. Glenn encouraged attendees to reach out to the webinar panelists as well.
There are also many email lists and social media groups for folks to join. Megan shared that there are assistive technology groups on Facebook, and both major consumer organizations for the blind have blind student email lists. Also, a little plug for the CSP Meetups – they can be a great place to go and get your questions answered and build your BVI network. If you have a CSP Mentor, ask them as well. Emily also shared that TVI groups can be a great place to get resources.
Go straight to the source.
Glenn shared that Google and Microsoft have many guides available on how to use their products with a screen-reader. All of the Mentors shared information about company-specific accessibility support, such as the Google accessibility support team and the Microsoft Disability Answer desk. Both have support through the Be My Eyes app. Megan shared how invaluable support through the Be My Eyes app was when she experienced a frozen computer.
Last minute tech issues don’t have to ruin your day if you plan ahead.
Students may encounter a dreaded scenario – a paper is due the next day and their computer or assistive technology stops working. But there are strategies that can be used to get that assignment done and still make the deadline.
Megan suggests that you make use of your backup devices if you have them. Do you have something that could temporarily get you through this technology glitch? Don’t rely on one device; use all the tools in your toolbox. If your school has a computer you can use in the library, even though it may not have your preferred screen-reader at all, you could use NVDA, which is a free screen-reader. If you can borrow a computer from someone else, that might be an option too. Being comfortable with as many operating systems as you have access to is so important. Even if that is your computer and your phone, even if that’s your computer and your note taker. You might not want to write a whole paper on a phone but maybe you’ll be able to do it in a pinch.
Emily emphasized how critical making backups to cloud services has been for them. That way, if your computer breaks down, yo udo not lost all your hard work. They also recommended that you backup to an external hard drive. if you can, plan out your syllabus, plan out your courses for the semester and say, “okay, well, if I know that this paper is due on March 31st, how long do I need to be able to do it?” Plan out your time in advance or advocate for yourself and say to your professor, “I saw this paper on the syllabus, I’m anticipating this is going to take me a little bit longer than what we’re given time for,” so you have a built-in safety net. Emily stressed the importance of not asking for an extension at the last minute.
Go it alone or ask for help? How do you know?
Megan recommends going through as many trouble shooting steps as you can, including restarting, Googling, reaching out to support networks, etc., before contacting support. However, if you’re not comfortable with this or don’t have time, you might want to contact support right away. You need to determine when to ask for help, and what you’re comfortable with.
If and when you ask for help, it’s important to give as many details as you can about the problem and note any patterns. You can take a screen shot of what’s going on or do a Zoom meeting with yourself and record the screen to demonstrate the issue. If you want to make sure you haven’t shared personal information in a screenshot that you can’t access, try running OCR on the screenshot or get someone sighted to look them over.
There are benefits to having tech issues that have nothing to do with technology.
The Mentors discussed that a side benefit of working with tech support is that you can develop stronger advocacy skills and problem-solving skills. You can work on articulating the steps that you took, which can help with writing and speaking in general. Making phone calls will be a part of life and making tech support calls can be a way to start to ask questions and explain issues to others in a hopefully low-stake situation, as opposed to advocating for accessibility at a job or a doctor’s appointment. Don’t be afraid to explore and get to know different pieces of technology.
It is important to explore and for the most part, computer issues can usually be fixed. If you’re hesitant, don’t be afraid to reach out to VR or others for help.
Like this article? Check out these others:
WEBINAR – Be Your Own Tech Support: Hear How CSP Mentors Tackle Common Tech Issues
Tips for Trouble Shooting Technology Issues
Envision’s College Success Program (CSP) is committed to serving college and transitioning high school students who are blind or low vision. The CSP is a virtual program that provides a holistic support system and engages students through online resources, events, mentorship, and more, all at no cost to them. Contact the CSP at csp@envisionus.com.