Hello,
If Brian gets upset, we'll tell him to get over himself,
but this topic is very dear to me, so we can make an
exception, I am sure, for discussing non-NVDA topics on this
list, although I will do my best to make it relate to NVDA.
Trainers are behind the curve on teaching people how to use
web apps. Web app developers are creating these wonderful new
accessible web apps, and blind people are still stuck with the
old, non-web apps. This is a shame, a complete shame.
First, I recommend using Gmail on the web instead of
Outlook as it does not require an office subscription. It does
not require configuring and setting up of email clients. It
can be used on any machine with a web browser. It is not
necessarily screen reader specific, so for the most part, what
works with JAWS will work with NVDA, will work with Narrator,
will work with Orca, will work with Voiceover. About the only
thing you must know is how to switch between browse and focus
mode, or your particular screen reader's name for that
command.
Why do I say that using Gmail with the standard interface
is better than even the basic HTML mode? Because it is much
more efficient to traverse through the email list, as long as
keyboard shortcuts are turned on and learned. Press up/down
arrow to move up and down the list. Press x to select
messages. Press e or y to archive messages. Press # to delete
them. Press enter to open a thread. Press n to read the next
message in the thread, press p to read the prior message in
the thread. Press r to reply, a to reply all, f to forward, b
to snooze a message and act on it later. Press / to search the
messages, and easily type the label name where that message
can be found, such as in:sent or in:trash. Easily move
messages and sort them into labels and bundles. Easily create
events and tasks from emails. Easily chat with, and create
meetings with people you wish to interact with, and do so
right from Gmail if you wish. Press c to compose, press
ctrl+shift+c to 'cc' and press ctrl+shift+b to BCC. Press
ctrl+enter to send, ctrl+shift+d to discard. Press lots of
commands to format text, create bulleted and numbered lists,
adjust blockquote indentations, move to misspelled words, etc.
Press tab to look through spelling and grammar suggestions,
etc., etc. You can easily find a list of these keyboard
shortcuts by pressing ? when logged into Gmail. If you don't
like the shortcuts, you can create your own in the Gmail
settings. And, much of what you learn can be applied to other
sites, too. For instance, on Facebook and on Twitter, keyboard
shortcuts exist to accomplish many tasks and to navigate to
where you want to go, on YouTube Music and spottify, shortcuts
exist to control music playback, and so on. Basic HTML mode
doesn't have or allow for these shortcuts.
I wish trainers would touch more on web apps, but many
still believe that the best way for people to access Gmail is
through basic HTML, the best way to check email is with
Outlook, and the best thing since sliced bread is a
BrailleNote. Technology trainers can be some of the most
difficult people to work with because many, not all, are so
entrenched in what they know how to teach, how they learned to
teach it, and what they themselves are using, that they refuse
to open their minds to the possibility that there is a
different way of teaching, a new standard out, new types of
devices that may benefit people more than what they have been
accustomed to. It's the same attitude that won't even show
blind people an Android device, instead choosing that iOS is
superior and should work best for everyone, never mind the
needs and desires of the person they are working with.
So, if I can accomplish anything by sending this off-topic
thread, and this babble, it is to get people to at least try
to step out of the box, try something you may not be
comfortable with, and accept that there may be tools and
methods out there which will enhance your productivity and
make your life easier that don't require struggling with
Outlook and Thunderbird. By the way, I don't know if it is
because checking email is so popular or what, but I tend to
see more email-related qupestions across the varying tech
lists with people struggling with Outlook and Thunderbird than
pretty much anything else, and very few are using webmail,
have given it a fair shot, and still fewer are using webmail
through the standard interfaces. Google Docs is accessible,
Gmail standard is accessible, Office 365 online web version is
accessible, they may require a bit of a learning curve, but
they are accessible and usable, and those tools tend to see
the most work put into them these days in terms of
accessibility and usability across many companies, simply
because those tools can be used on Chromebooks, Macs, Linux,
Windows, etc., without requiring separate desktop apps. All
that is required is a browser and an Internet connection (not
even a very fast one.)
