Sponsored by: Google

Overview

Google Docs and Sheets are powerful tools and they offer a variety of accessibility features. We will explore features built into Google Docs and Sheets that make it possible to access using keyboard commands and screen readers to edit, format, and collaborate on an equal playing field with their peers.

This session will teach participants how to use Google Docs and Sheets with screen readers, including:

• How to turn on screen reader support
• How to navigate the Docs and Sheets interface
• How to create and edit documents and spreadsheets
• How to use formatting tools and other features
• How to collaborate with others

Content Disclosure: This presentation will focus exclusively on accessibility features of Google Docs and Google Sheets and will not include information on other similar editors or products.

Learning Objectives

1. Describe at least three basic keyboard navigation commands used in Google Docs and Google Sheets.
2. Describe three key elements of an accessible document.
3. Identify three ways in which Google Docs and Sheets can improve productivity for keyboard and screen reader users.

Strand(s)

Mainstream Accessible Technologies; Education & Learning: Early Intervention - 12/Higher Education

Target Audience

Accessibility Professional; AT Specialists; Consumers/Individuals with Disabilities; Consultants/Trainers; Curriculum and Instruction; Disability Services; Educators; Instructional Technologist; Occupational Therapists; Special Education Educators; Teachers of the Visually Impaired; Visual Impairment Specialists; Vocational Rehabilitation

Experience Level

Introductory

Primary Life Cycle Addressed

Elementary - Secondary (K-12); Higher Education; Adult/Senior

Session Delivery Format

In-person presentation with recording

Course Schedule

This course was given at the ATIA 2024 Conference on Thursday, January 25 from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM (EST)

Continuing Education Credits

For Satisfactory Completion and Continuing Education information, please visit: ATIA Online Education CEUs

This course is offered for the following CE Provider Credits:
ACVREP; AOTA; ASHA; CRC; IACET
For: 0.10 CEU Units or 1.0 CEU Hours

Speaker/s:

David Sexton

Google, Accessibility Analyst - Chrome and ChromeOS

Biography

David Sexton is an Accessibility Analyst on Google's ChromeOS and Chrome Browser Accessibility team. He specializes in screen reader and braille features on Chromebooks. Blind himself, he knows first-hand the importance of ensuring that Google's features are accessible for everyone.

Relevant Financial Relationship: Yes
Salary from employment at Google.

Relevant Non-Financial Relationship: No

Rachael Sessler Trinkowsky, PhD, CRC, CATIS, CPACC

UMass Boston, AT Program Coordinator

Biography

Rachael Sessler Trinkowsky, PhD, CRC, CATIS, CPACC is the Assistive Technology Program Coordinator for the Vision Studies department at the University of Massachusetts Boston (UMass Boston). Additionally, she is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) in their Assistive Technology Certificate Program. Dr. Sessler Trinkowsky holds a BA degree in Special Education and a Masters of Health Science in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Florida. She has also earned an Educational Specialist and a PhD from Nova Southeastern University’s College of Engineering and Computing in Computing Technology in Education. Her dissertation topic focused on accessibility awareness and practices in online learning environments. Rachael is serving as the member-at-large Rehabilitation for Florida AER since 2018 and she also serves as the Accessibility Committee Chair for the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired. She is a Google Chromebook Accessibility Ambassador.
Dr. Sessler Trinkowsky has been a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) since 1999. She was the recipient of the Florida Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (Florida FAER) award for Outstanding Rehabilitation Professional for the Blind Award (2017), as well as the FAER Innovator of the Year Award (2021). She was honored to be a member of the Subject Matter Expert (SME) Committee for the development of the much-needed specialization, called Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialist for People with Visual Impairments (CATIS) through the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation & Education Professionals (ACVREP). She is also a Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) from the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP).

Relevant Financial Relationship: Yes
Dr. Rachael Sessler Trinkowsky is the Strand Advisor for the Vision & Hearing Strand for ATIA 2024. For this role, the ATIA Conference registration fee has been waived for participation in ATIA. As a pre-conference speaker, the presenters earn a revenue share. Rachael receives a salary from the University of Massachusetts Boston as AT Program Coordinator. Additionally, she receives compensation for work as an adjunct faculty member with the University of Illinois, Chicago. Rachael is also a contractor with Mississippi State University on research related to Access Technology in the Workplace.

Relevant Non-Financial Relationship: Yes
Dr. Rachael Sessler Trinkowsky is on the Subject Matter Expert (SME) Committee for the CATIS certification, and was also on the Study Guide Committee for CATIS through ACVREP. These are volunteer positions. Rachael is a Chromebook Accessibility Ambassador with Google. This is a volunteer position.

Sean Tikkun

North Carolina Central University, Assistant Professor

Biography

Sean Tikkun holds the position of assistant professor in the School of Education at NCCU. Tikkun was awarded a PhD in Educational Psychology with an emphasis in visual disabilities; has a MS Ed. In Educational Media Design and Technology, a MS Ed. in Special Education with an emphasis in visual disabilities, and a B.A. in mathematics. While at NIU he was an NLCSD Fellow. Tikkun is a Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialist with ACVREP and is licensed to teach in Illinois and North Carolina with endorsement in the area of blindness and visual impairments.
He is recognized as an Apple Distinguished Educator, Intel Essentials Master Instructor, and Google Chromebook Accessibility Ambassador. Tikkun was awarded the distinguished service award by the Illinois chapter of AERBVI and was a fellow with the American Foundation for the Blind Delta Gamma Foundation and the National Leadership Consortium in Sensory Disabilities. He has taught Mathematics at the high school and junior college level for seven years, served three years as an itinerant O&M specialist and TSVI in a rural area, and taught as a TSVI for another three years in a resource setting. Tikkun has made over 50 conference and workshop presentations as an Apple Distinguished Educator and professional in the field of visual impairments. Tikkun’s presentations range in topics but most frequently are focused on consumer technology and AT for individuals who are visually impaired. He has served as the president of AER in the state of Iowa, president elect of AER in Wisconsin, and treasurer of AER in North Carolina. Sean Tikkun serves as a subject matter expert for ACVREP in the area of Assistive Technology and has contributed in the development of AT programs at NIU and NCCU. He teaches the CATIS Core Domain workshops training at NCCU.

Relevant Financial Relationship: Yes
Sean Tikkun is a full-time employee at NCCU.

Relevant Non-Financial Relationship: Yes
Sean Tikkun serves on the ACVREP CATIS SME