Accessibility in Google Apps

At the Accessibility in Google Apps webinar, Google staff discussed the importance of accessibility at Google as well as the challenges.

Naomi Black of the Google Accessibility team shared the accessibility features and functionality in Google Docs, Spreadsheets, Sites and Calendar.

Google is focusing on two areas to advance accessibility for the web:

1. ChromeVox (screen reader for the web). Built into Chromebook, it can also be used as a Chrome extension. Plus it’s open source.
2. Google Chrome improvements including better JAWS support, VoiceOver support.

In addition, Google has entered into advisory relationships with several advocacy groups.

For more accessibility info on Google regarding policies and products, visit Google’s Accessibility page.

Google Doclist

1. Fully keyboard accessible
2. More ARIA tags and element labels

However, the improvements are only available in the the new user interface, which users need to opt in.

Google Docs

1. Full screen reader support for editing, navigating, reading
2. Fully keyboard accessible
3. Tried to ensure there is a shortcut for all actions
4. If collaborator enters a document, screen reader will announce
5. The goal is to ensure user has same functionality, not matter what device is used in Google Docs.

Google Spreadsheets

1. As you navigate to a cell, the screen reader announces the cell location and contents
2. If a comment has been added to a cell, the screen reader will read the comment.
3. In formulas, the screen reader will read out the function as well as the parameters for the function

Video Player

1. Embedded into Google Docs
2. Caption management available via contextual menu (right-click the video file name to bring up menu)
3. Can easily upload transcript, which is sent to speech recognition which checks text and adds it to video.
4. Can handle a lecture (from 60 to 90 minutes) – dependent on quality of video.
5. Working toward making YouTube work a lot better. HTML5 will be used in the future.
6. Search for talks Naomi Black gave at Google IO for audio descriptions.

Google vocalizes everything with an ARIA live region as well as making API calls from the web application to ChromeVox.