MAKE THE iOS DEVICE ACCESSIBLE

By: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com

iOS devices are wonderful tools for allowing students to access information, music, videos, books and more. For universal accessibility in the iPod, iPod Touch (32GB & 64GB); iPhone 4S (16GB, 32GB, 64GB); iPad2 (3G service 16GB, 32GB, 64GB) turn on the following features by going to "Settings", then selecting "General", and "Accessibility":

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Basic Multitasking Gestures

• Press the home button once when an app is open in order to return to the home screen. This will not close the app, but will "minimize" it.
• Swipe up to reveal the multitasking bar. This is also known as the App Switcher.
• Swipe left or right to move between open apps.

Voice Over

When the iPhone is used with the VoiceOver, it will operate differently than without. 

• To turn the iPhone on, hold the power button in the top right of the phone for 2 seconds and then release. In about 15 seconds, the unlock screen will appear. VoiceOver will announce the time. If you do not touch the screen within 10 seconds, the screen will lock again. 
• To unlock the screen after the time is announced, drag 1 finger up from the Home button in the bottom middle of the device. VoiceOver will announce "slide to unlock" and "slide or double tap". Use 1 finger to double tap on the screen to unlock it. When the screen is unlocked, you will be at the Home screen.
• To navigate the main home screen, drag 1 finger around the screen to hear what is under your finger . To activate the item you wish to use, double tap on it with one finger.
• To adjust the volume in VoiceOver, use the volume up and down buttons on the left side of the iPhone when the VoiceOver is talking. You can silence VoiceOver any time by using two finger touch on the screen. 
• To silence the iPhone, switch the silence switch on the top left edge of the iPhonetoward the back of the phone, allowing you to still feel the vibration if the phone rings. 
• To answer a call, double tap with two fingers on the screen. This action will also end a call. 
• To place a call, activate the phone app. VoiceOver will announce "blank phone number." Drag 1 finger on the screen until you find the number and then double tap on the number. If the phone has Siri, you can also use Siri to dial a phone number or a contact.
• To use Siri, hold down the Home button until you hear an ascending double beep. Speak an instruction and Siri will give you a response. To dismiss Siri, press the home button. 
• To move between screens of apps, use three fingers to flick left or right. You can also return to the home screen at any time by pressing the home button. 
• To activate an app, use 1 finger to drag around the screen to locate the app. When the desired app is located, double tap on the screen to activate the app. Once in the app, drag 1 finger around the screen to explore the app. To exit the app, press the home button. 
• To allow a non VoiceOver user to use the iPhone, you will need to enable VoiceOver in  Triple Click. When Triple click is activated, press the home button three times to turn VoiceOver on or off. Activate Triple click by going to settings, general, accessibility, Accessibility Shortcut and then selecting VoiceOver. 
• To mute VoiceOver for privacy, use a 3 finger tap twice on the screen. This will turn VoiceOver speech on or off. This also creates a blank screen so other people will not be able to read or see what is on the screen. ​

Siri

Siri is Apple’s intelligent assistant. It helps you complete everyday tasks. Hold the home button and when prompted ask a question or request help. Siri can send messages, place phone calls, schedule meetings, and even turn on and off VoiceOver, Guided Access and Invert Colors. And because Siri is integrated with VoiceOver, you can ask where the nearest gas station, restaurant, or other location is and hear the answer read out loud.

Speak Screen

If you have a hard time reading the text on your iOS device, use Speak Screen to read your email, iMessages, web pages, and books to you. Turn on Speak Screen and swipe down from the top with two fingers, or just tell Siri to Speak Screen and have all the content of the page read back to you. You can adjust the voice’s dialect and speaking rate, and have words highlighted as they’re being read.

Dictation

Dictation lets you talk where you would type. Tap the microphone button on the keyboard, say what you want to write, and your iOS device converts your words (and numbers and characters) into text making it easy to type an email, note, or URL — without typing at all.

Zoom

Zoom is a built-in magnifier that works wherever you are in iOS, from Mail and Safari to the Home and Lock screens. It also works with all apps from the App Store. Turn Zoom on for full screen or picture in picture mode, allowing you to see the zoomed area in a separate window while keeping the rest of the screen at its native size. You can adjust the magnification between 100 and 1,500 percent and access multiple filter options in either mode. Double tapping with three fingers zooms in 200%, and you can adjust the magnification between 100% and 500%. This creates 20pt to 56pt text. While you’re zoomed in, you can still use all of the familiar gestures to navigate your device. Additionally, Zoom works with VoiceOver, allowing the user to see and hear what’s happening on the screen.

Font Adjustments

When you activate Larger Dynamic Type, the text inside a range of apps in iOS 8 including Calendar, Contacts, Mail, Messages, Music, Notes and Settings, and even some third party apps, is converted to a larger, easier‑to‑read size. And you can choose bold text to make the text heavier across a range of built‑in applications.

Invert Colors and Grayscale

If a higher contrast or a lack of color helps you better see what’s on your display, iOS lets you invert the colors or enable grayscale onscreen. Once you set your filter, the settings apply system wide, even to video, so you get the same view no matter what you’re seeing.

AssistiveTouch

iOS devices are remarkably intuitive and easy to use. And AssistiveTouch lets you adapt the Multi-Touch screen of your iOS device to your unique physical needs. So if you have difficulty with some gestures, like pinch, you can make them accessible with just a tap of a finger. Or create a custom gesture. And if you have trouble pressing the Home button, you can activate it with an onscreen tap. Gestures like rotate and shake are available even when your iOS device is mounted on a wheelchair. And iOS devices also support a number of third‑party assistive devices that help you interact with your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

Guided Access

Guided Access helps people with autism or other attention and sensory challenges stay focused on the task (or app) at hand. With Guided Access, a parent, teacher, or therapist can limit an iOS device to stay on one app by disabling the Home button, and limit the amount of time spent in an app. You can even restrict access to the keyboard or touch input on certain areas of the screen. So wandering taps and gestures won’t distract from learning.

Speak Screen

We all learn in different ways. Some of us learn better when more than one sense is engaged simultaneously. If you have a learning disability like dyslexia, Speak Screen can help with reading. Turn on Speak Screen and swipe down from the top with two fingers, or just tell Siri to Speak Screen and have all the content of the page read back to you. You can also have words highlighted as they’re being read, so you can follow along. Even the voice’s dialect and speaking rate can be adjusted to suit your needs.

Dictionary

Say you’re reading an article on astronomy and are stuck on some terminology. Just look it up — dictionary definitions are integrated into iOS. Get quick access to definitions and commonly used phrases to help with spelling, pronunciation, and grammar.

Safari Reader

For some students, navigating the web can be a sensory overload. Safari Reader reduces the visual clutter on a web page by removing distractions. It strips away ads, buttons, and navigation bars, allowing you to focus on just the content you want. And Safari Reader works with Speak Selection and VoiceOver, to provide auditory reinforcement for what you're seeing.

Braille Display & Braille Commands

​Braille display can be used with the iOS device. Many bluetooth wireless braille displays work right out of the box with iphone, ipad, and ipod touch. I have created a two page printable list of common braille commands for VoiceOver navigation. You are welcome to print it for easy reference.

Product Suggestions

Although I'm not sure you could completely replace an electronic magnifier (CCTV) for a student, the SHARKK Apple iPad Keyboard is an AWESOME device with great potential to act as a portable CCTV! If features a Bluetooth Keyboard Case with a stand that rotates 360 degrees. It can be positioned to lay flat above a page or tilted. The case is a ClamShell which provides some protection. With a magnification app, this has great potential!

TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC

NEW!
TVI's Guide to Teaching the ECC: An Activities Based Curriculum for Teaching Students who are Blind and Visually Impaired. 32 Thematic Units and over 450 age neutral ECC activities in one book! Available as a pdf digital download.

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FREE VI Program Templates

Become a member for FREE to access the Printable VI Program Templates  to support your district's vision program. Includes VI Program resources, FVE/LMA templates and NEW Sample FVE Reports ebook. Simply click on Log In|Register in the navigation bar at the top of the page and follow the directions to register and create your password. ​

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Post a Job 

Due to the nationwide shortage of vision professionals, it can be challenging to locate personnel. Announce a job vacancy on the Job Exchange of Teaching Students with Visual Impairments, an online listing of jobs specific to the visual impairment field.

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Apple Accessibility offers information on the accessibility features built into Apple products. Areas include vision, hearing, physical & motor skills, and learning & literacy.

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