iOS Training Resources

Below you will find resources I hope will prove helpful as you embrace the learning curve with your iOS device or work with a client on this.

Quick Help

Apple Accessibility 877-204-3930

If you or your client/patient is using any one of the accessibility features on the iOS device, Apple’s Accessibility support number is the place to go. The customer service is excellent, and there is no charge. You do not need to be the owner of the device you are calling about.

Curriculum

iPad Curriculum, including VoiceOver lessons from Tech Vision. These were originally created by the VA Hines and updated by Tech Vision. This is a good start and offers specific lessons with objectives, however, it was written prior the release of iPad 3.

iOS Curriculum from VoiceOver-Easy.net is updated and comprehensive.

Books

Shelly Brisbin’s iOS Access for All is the most comprehensive book out there on VoiceOver and iOS accessibility. In addition, Brisbin continues to update her book with each new version of the iOS operating system.  The book is a great value for anyone wanting to go beyond the very basics of iOS and offers much more information on operating an iOS Device and using the accessibility features than you will find in the Apple User Guide! iOS Access for All is available from her website as an ebook for $20.

Jonathan Mosen and his company Mosen Consulting are good resources for iOS training materials. His recent ebook, iOS 9 Without the Eye is a great resource for getting up and going quickly with iOS 9. This book is not as comprehensive as Brisbin’s but it is also a faster read.

Apple iPad User Guide for iOS 8.4 from support.apple.com. Other guides are available at this site for all iOS devices.

Anna Dresner’s book Getting Started with the iPhone and iOS 8 from National Braille Press in ebook format for $24.95

Websites

AppleVis.com is a website that provides probably the greatest depth of information for all things Apple, including iOS. Here you will quickly find guides and updated material. AppleVis also produces podcasts you ca n subscribe to.

iFocus Series from Hadley.edu presented by Douglas Walker. Hadley iFocus video series are available from http://www.hadley.edu/InstructionalVideos.asp or Hadley iFocus audio podcasts at http://www.hadley.edu/SeminarListing.asp?tid=1

Luis Perez iOS Accessibility on YouTube

Keyboards

Keyboard commands from AxS Labs covers gestures, keyboard commands and braille. Updated through iOS5.

AppleVis podcast with David Woodbridge on iOS Keyboard commands

AxS Labs keyboard commands is updated through iOS 5, however it remains a well formatted resource

Apps

Five Reading Apps for Booklovers Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired from VisionAware.com

LookTel VoiceOver tutorial is an app that may be downloaded free and could be the one of the first downloads to use as practice with the App Store, and will provide  practice for the very basic gestures.

Tips

  1. Gesture for turning the screen curtain off or on. Three finger triple tap (if Zoom is not enabled)
  2. Gesture for turning off speech three finger double tap (if Zoom is not enabled)
  3. Select a bluetooth keyboard that has Apple keys instead of Windows keys.

Siri

Just a reminder that Siri and VoiceOver are two completely different application. Siri works with or without VoiceOver being on. If VoiceOver is on, then portions of what Siri returns for results will be read by VoiceOver. If VoiceOver is not on then the results are placed on the screen in text.

List of Siri commands is not exhaustive but a good start

Hey Siri What’s New With You in iOS 9 AppleVis podcast by David Woodbridge

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