Teaching the iPhone with ers with a method for teaching introductory VoiceOver Accessibility to People skills for using the iPhone with VoiceOver. with Visual Impairments Brian M. Celusnak STRATEGIES FOR COMFORT AND BUILDING FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS Moving from a conventional telephone key- pad to a cellular telephone with a touch- Before delving into the Phone app, some screen can seem quite challenging for some primary building blocks have to be laid to people. When one is visually impaired, there make learning the iPhone less tedious. is always the option of using VoiceOver, the Comfort is key for conducive learning iPhone’s built-in access technology that is environments, so the learner needs to feel designed to allow individuals with visual im- comfortable touching the screen and lis- pairments the ability to access the visual in- tening to VoiceOver’s feedback. This formation on the device’s screen (see, for comfort level will increase with training. example, Apple, n.d.). This accessibility fea- When introduced to the idea of Voice- ture also allows items on the screen to be Over, learners tend to want to press their spoken aloud when touched. With the use of fingers down in different areas of the additional finger gestures (taps and flicks or screen. One way to counteract this re- swipes of one or multiple fingers on the sponse is to have a student slowly glide a screen), VoiceOver is designed to provide finger over the surface of the screen. As users with visual impairments the same amount of information as is accessible to visual items or icons on the telephone’s sighted users using the device. touchscreen are announced by Voice- The learning curve can seem steep and Over, teachers can explain briefly what daunting, but the right teaching strategies can each item is. Lest learners begin to think make the process of adjusting to a cellular that the slow-glide gesture is the primary telephone with a touchscreen easier for peo- way to navigate an iPhone with Voice- ple with visual impairments. Teaching stu- Over, teachers should next introduce the dents to identify the similarities that exist in idea of using distinct finger gestures to applications or “apps” (the location of buttons operate the device. Have the learner per- or icons, for example) can increase compre- form a four-finger double tap to enter hension for individuals who have experienced Help mode and experiment with the other challenges in exploring unfamiliar apps. Con- finger gestures recognized by the iPhone. necting the dots can begin with establishing In Help mode, learners will receive audi- basic comfort with receiving voice feedback tory messages describing the correct fin- from the device, learning basic orientation ger gesture and its function. skills, and beginning training with the Phone Once learners feel comfortable with app, which allows individuals to dial numbers finger gestures, introduce them to the lay- and manage contacts. Individuals who teach the use of the iPhone out of the home screen, which is the pri- with VoiceOver may not realize the impor- mary screen of the device. Show learners tance of orientation skills when interacting how to navigate to the major areas of the with apps. Being mindful of the location of screen (Status Bar, Dock, and the array of items within an app can enhance the ability of apps) by placing a finger in the area, then learners to develop basic problem-solving having them perform finger gestures to strategies. This report intends to provide read- navigate to the same location. Explain

©2016 AFB, All Rights Reserved Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, September-October 2016 369 that whenever VoiceOver speaks an item, a Text Box, they will be able to hear what a little black box is drawn around that they have typed. Text Boxes can be found item. When the item is spoken, the focus above the Keypad, either immediately is placed on that item. If the learner per- above or near the Status Bar. forms a double tap, the focused item is Adding a family member or friend as a opened. The focus can be on an icon at the contact in the Phone app is an excellent bottom of the home screen, but the learner foundational activity that incorporates can double tap anywhere and still open many of the required skills for the use of the icon because of where the focus is the iPhone with VoiceOver. Learners can placed. navigate to the Contacts page by search- Once the learner finds the desired item, ing along the bottom bar and selecting the he or she can perform a double tap or Contacts tab. In the Contacts tab, learners keep a finger on the item and tap any- will encounter a list of all their contacts, where on the screen with an additional and they can check the four corners of the finger to interact with the item. This two- screen for an Add button. Once the button finger gesture is called a split tap. Learners is selected, they can begin to fill out the need to be taught that they cannot move the New Contact form. finger that is touching the original item, and Within the New Contact form, learners it is only a single tap of an additional finger can either move their fingers from item to that activates the selected item. The split tap item or flick left or right to move from works the same as a double tap, but may be field to field. To be able to manipulate the a more desirable choice for learners with current field, learners need to double tap greater amounts of usable vision, those who on it as if to say, “Yes, I want that one.” have trouble performing the double-tap ges- Keyboards, keypads, and “picker” or list ture, or people who want a quicker way to items appear at the bottom of the screen, type with on-screen keyboards or keypads. depending on which field of the form has INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES FOR BASIC been selected. Once the information is APP ORIENTATION entered in the bottom half of the screen, Have the learner open the Phone app and the learner must position the focus back explore the screen layout. If the app has on the form by touching the top half of the numerous sections or pages, explain that screen with one finger. Learners can then page tabs can usually be found in a row continue flicking to the next item within along the bottom of the screen. Have the the form. After the form is completed, learner select the Keypad tab by double learners can check the four corners of the tapping on the item along the bottom row screen for the Done button. Comprehen- of tabs. A new screen will appear that sion of these skills can be measured by looks like an actual telephone keypad. having the learner demonstrate the way to Learners can run a finger over the screen independently enter five contacts into and, based on their knowledge of a tele- their Contacts list. If this task is com- phone keypad, orient themselves to the pleted, the learner is ready to approach position of the number keys with little other aspects of the iPhone. If the task is difficulty. If learners place their focus on not completed in a timely manner, teach-

370 Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, September-October 2016 ©2016 AFB, All Rights Reserved ers may have to explore different avenues corner that opens a new page on which with the learner to accomplish set goals. contact information can be updated. From If the learner already has set skills for the edit page, the Edit button location navigating around the Keypad, there is changes to a Done button, which can be always the option of building upon Phone selected to save new content. Dialing to add a contact into the Phone In the Phone app, learners look to find app. The learner would dial a telephone different buttons along the bottom bar in number and, instead of selecting the Call order to locate different tabs to navigate button, he or she would select a Save as the app. This bottom bar scenario is the Contact button in the upper-left corner of same when using the Safari web browser the screen. A notification will appear and app. Learners can look at the bottom of a Create New Contact button will need to the screen when navigating in Safari or be selected. Next, learners enter a first manipulating a webpage. Along the top name for their contact with the on-screen bar of an app screen, just below the Status keyboard, and select the Done button in the Bar, learners can typically find a heading upper-right corner. Foundational skills can that tells them about what is on the cur- be taught through a variety of different rent screen. Navigation buttons are found apps, but the Phone app in particular can on either side of the heading. Just as when assist learners in forming a great foundation creating a new contact, the heading is in in only a single application for working the middle with a Cancel and Done button with other aspects of the device. on either side. The Notes app is slightly different, with a New button in the bottom- SIMILARITIES BETWEEN APPS right corner, but the concept of checking One instance of the similarities between the four corners of the screen remains the apps that are designed to be used with the same for primary navigation items. iPhone is the location of the Back button in the Mail app and the Contacts tab of the ALTERNATIVE TEACHING METHODS Phone app. Back buttons are usually found Since every learner has a slightly differ- in the upper-left corner of the screen, just ent way of taking in new skills and infor- like on some computer applications. This mation, alternative teaching methods may location is also used for a Cancel button. need to be considered. If finding similar- The Cancel button is in the same location ities between apps is challenging to a as the Back button because it directs learner, teachers may try to relate con- learners away from the current function cepts to topics that the learners know and and back to the previous page. The upper- use. For example, the concept of the split right corner of the screen is usually re- tap VoiceOver finger gesture cannot al- served for the Next or Done buttons. In ways be learned easily. To learners who the Contacts tab of the Phone app, learn- find enjoyment in basketball, the gesture ers can find that they can save contacts by can be related to the “travel rule.” One selecting the Done button in the upper- finger must always be touching the screen, right corner, which navigates learners to and a pivot point or focus on the device the next screen. When a contact is selected, must be maintained. an Edit button appears in the upper-right When learners are first developing their

©2016 AFB, All Rights Reserved Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, September-October 2016 371 use of VoiceOver finger gestures, the Help method for my last 20 students. By the mode can be compared to the bull pen in end of their first week of training, over baseball. Learners are just practicing. When half were utilizing this method to problem not in Help mode, learners are in the game solve and increase their comprehension of and can put their gestures to use. Help mode app orientation on the iPhone while using is essentially a transparent screen that is VoiceOver. Learning these similarities pulled over the device. Learners can prac- can help learners feel more comfortable tice their finger gestures, but they will not with exploring new apps. Instead of ex- be able to interact with what is shown on the ploring the whole page and trying to make screen. If Help mode is turned on in the sense of what relates to what, learners can home screen, learners will see the app icons briefly scan the top and bottom bars, or displayed. If the learner has a lot of usable four corners, for basic items in an app. They will feel at ease using these land- vision and tends to be focused on what they marks. Simple introductory skills can be see on the screen, take away this sensory overlooked without the use of teaching distraction by enabling the screen curtain, basic app orientation. Even if the item is blacking out the screen completely. The not directly in one of the corners, students screen curtain can enable learners to work can be taught to reorient themselves to the with complete auditory feedback. frame of the device and find the location With all teaching methods, repetition is on the screen for quick navigation. Sim- key for establishing a basis of whether or ple shortcuts and the ability to identify not the learner grasps the material. No mat- similarities among the telephone’s func- ter the teaching methods or how quickly the tions will make it easier to learn to use the learner seems to grasp the information, it is iPhone with VoiceOver. always beneficial to provide him or her with notes on the material covered. Learners can Reference refer back to audio or large print notes if Apple. (n.d.). Introducing VoiceOver. In Voice- future issues arise. Notes in a preferred me- Over getting started. Retrieved from https:// dium can offer comfort and support, rein- www.apple.com/voiceover/info/guide/_1121. forcing taught problem-solving strategies. html

CONCLUSION Brian M. Celusnak, M.A., CVRT, blind rehabil- itation specialist, Louis Stokes VA Blind Rehabil- In my experience as a blind rehabilitation itation Center, 10701 East Boulevard, Cleveland, specialist, I have utilized this orientation OH 44106; e-mail: Ͻ[email protected]Ͼ.

372 Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, September-October 2016 ©2016 AFB, All Rights Reserved