Last week we looked at some of the accessibility features that are supported within the G-suite, Google’s free, online, suite of productivity apps. In last week’s e-bulletin we looked briefly at Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs, and Google Drive. This week we will continue to explore the G-suite, and we’ll look at Google Sheets, Slides, Drawings Forms, Sites, Hangouts, and Classroom.

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Today we’re going look at the wide variety of accessibility features that are available for Google’s G-Suite. The G-suite is a free, online collection of productivity apps that gives users access to E-mail, video conferencing, spreadsheets, and much more. These free apps are absolutely packed with built-in accessibility features that are constantly being modified and refined, making them a great choice for AT users who want a no-cost and highly accessible solution to everyday online tasks.

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Grant Hardy from Accessible Media Inc. checks out our Technology@Work program and meets two recipients whose lives have been changed for the better by. Watch the video here:

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The summer has passed, and September is here! Now that school is back in session, we thought we’d create a list of noteworthy “Back to School” apps for 2018. The apps have either been newly created in 2018, have just come to our attention, or have simply never been reviewed by us…after all, with so many apps on the market, it’s easy to miss a couple! And while these apps are diverse in their functions, and cover a wide range of categories, they are united by their potential in the classroom, as well as their ability to serve students, teachers, and even parents!

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Encourage Employees to Move and Take Breaks

• The 20-20-20 Rule helps reduce eye strain: Look 20 feet away from the computer for 20 seconds every 20 minutes.
• Alternating between sitting and standing or incorporating stretch breaks helps employees be healthy at work.
• Changing positions doesn’t take away from valuable working time, but rather can make for a more healthy and efficient employee.

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Right now on the iOS app store there are countless talking calculators available for purchase and even some for free. We’ve looked at Talking Calculator in the past, and it does a great job of calculating complex formulas hands-free with full VoiceOver support. For users who are blind, have low-vision, or have learning disabilities that make it difficult to visually process numbers, talking calculators can help level the playing field by giving users the ability to engage in math problems independently.

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The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) is hosting its annual conference in Vancouver this year, from June 20th to 23rd. Makers Making Change‘s Zee Kesler will be hosting a pre-conference workshop introducing maker skills to occupational therapists.

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Move and Take Breaks

• Alternate between sitting and standing or incorporate stretch breaks every half-hour/hour.
• Use the 20-20-20 Rule: Look 20 feet away from your computer for 20 seconds every 20 minutes.

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There’s an app on the market right now that’s changing how blind, low-vision, dyslexic, and other print-disabled users are able to interact with text. KNFB Reader uses Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology to instantly capture and convert virtually any type of text into audio or Braille which can then be played back, shared, or printed from a Braille embosser.

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Most of us have experienced eye strain and discomfort as a result of reading text on a computer screen. Now, imagine how much that discomfort would be magnified for an AT user who struggles with reading comprehension or vision. Students, professionals, AT users, and casual technology users have all experienced symptoms associated with prolonged exposure to a screen, and who knows what kind of consequences there will be for a generation of technology users who are constantly straining their eyes?

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