Hi John and Others, Just a reminder of another feature of the practice mode area for iOS: if you're using a paired Bluetooth keyboard and have navigated to the VoiceOver Practice area, you've effectively placed your keyboard into keyboard help mode (VO-k) for the purposes of figuring out keys and their combinations, what they do, etc. I came across this in connection with testing the ThinkGeek TK421 Bluetooth Mini keyboard (posted review to this list nearly two years ago). At the time, there were many people trying out new mini keyboards, some of which did not have either a Control or Option key, or even if these keys were present, they didn't know where they were on the keyboard in order to type the Control-Option-K sequence to enter the keyboard help mode. So when some people asked about the keyboard layout of the Boxwave Keyboard Buddy, which did not, at least in the originally released version, include a Control key, I told them they could determine this by navigating (by gestures) to the Settings > General > Accessibility > VoiceOver area for VoiceOver gestures to explore this for themselves, and that they could exit this mode by double tapping the "done" button in the top right corner of the screen.
This piece of information has been around now for nearly two years, and I think that Anna Dresner and Dean Martineau may have put it into their National Braille Press book on using the iPhone and iPad. (I'll have to check my copy.) That's an excellent guide, by the way. The tip may be particularly useful for mini-keyboard that use multiple key combinations for some keys, or for keyboards which may have special, dedicated keys that work for the Home button or spotlight search. VoiceOver's keyboard help or the practice gestures screen will tell you about the function action if you press one of these keys or key combinations. Note that the "Fn" key and it's combinations is not used in iOS, at least at present. I don't, personally, use any of the mini-keyboards, because I can't touch type at the same speed on them and/or use the selection and editing key combinations as easily as with a full keyboard or the as with the older Think Outside folding Stowaway keyboards. HTH. Cheers, Esther On Dec 4, 2012, at 8:03 AM, John Panarese <[email protected]> wrote: > Yes, the practice mode is really inconvenient. It's the one thing that > clients tell me off the bat doesn't make sense. Moving it to the home screen > or, at least, to the top level of settings, would be great. > > Take Care > > John D. Panarese > Director > Mac for the Blind > Tel, (631) 724-4479 > Email, [email protected] > Website, http://www.macfortheblind.com > > APPLE CERTIFIED SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL FOR MAC OSX LION > > AUTHORIZED APPLE STORE BUSINESS AFFILIATE > > MAC and iOS VOICEOVER TRAINING AND SUPPORT > > > > On Dec 4, 2012, at 12:41 PM, "Damashe Thomas" <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> Hi, >> I agree with everything John wrote. When teaching remotely, skype or on the >> phone really seem to be the best way to do it, perhaps I suffer from a lack >> of imagination, but I haven't found any other method. >> Jim, I usually get a client in to the notes app to work on typing both >> standard and touch typing. Since it's already there, they can at least begin >> to get familiar with the on-screen keyboard. >> Some good ideas you sent to apple though. >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Noseworthy" >> <[email protected]> >> To: "Mac OSX & iOS Accessibility" <[email protected]> >> Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2012 10:33 AM >> Subject: Re: to all teachers of assistive technologies. >> >> >>> Hi: >>> >>> Thanks much for hyour post. I do the same thing and, I agree that it >>> works. I was just wondering if there are any other suggestions. >>> >>> I did email [email protected] asking if they could have the >>> "voiceover practice button" moved to the first page when voiceover is >>> activated. I also asked if they could include an option within the >>> practice area for typing practice (both standard and touch typing. >>> >>> We shall see. >>> >>> >>> On 2012-12-04, at 11:03 AM, John Panarese <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> I do Mac and iDevice training via Skype or telephone. It has been >>>> working quite successfully. You have to make sure they have the volume of >>>> their device turned up so you can hear it. Other than that, it is like >>>> teaching them as if they are in the same room as you. You should be able >>>> to hear their progress and from experience, it's often easy to tell if a >>>> gesture is not working and the possibilities as to why it's not. >>>> >>>> On Dec 4, 2012, at 6:37 AM, Jim Noseworthy >>>> <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Hi Folks: >>>>> >>>>> I am interested to know: >>>>> 1. if you are teaching your clients how to use an iPhone using online >>>>> technology such as Skype ETC., >>>>> >>>>> 2. if so, what is your method for accomplishing this task. >>>>> >>>>> Thanks all over the place gang. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> <--- Mac Access At Mac Access Dot Net ---> To reply to this post, please address your message to [email protected] You can find an archive of all messages posted to the Mac-Access forum at either the list's own dedicated web archive: <http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/pipermail/mac-access/index.html> or at the public Mail Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/>. Subscribe to the list's RSS feed from: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.xml> The Mac-Access mailing list is guaranteed malware, spyware, Trojan, virus and worm-free! Please remember to update your membership options periodically by visiting the list website at: <http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/mac-access/options/>
