Ali demonstrated the complete process of scheduling a Zoom meeting using the iPhone app

Ali demonstrated various meeting controls and features available during a Zoom meeting

Discussion about Zoom’s AI Companion feature and its capabilities

Discussion about when to use personal meeting ID versus scheduling a meeting

Brief discussion about meeting duration limits

Brief side question about Mac email functionality

Today’s was the last workshop for 2025. Workshops will resume again on Wednesday, Jan 7, 2026. Please stay tuned to the newsletters, as the schedule of topics for January and February will be posted within the next day or 2.

Wishing all of you the happiest of Holidays, and all the best for 2026!

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Siena and Ali demonstrated the basic navigation of the Gmail app interface.

The presenters demonstrated how to read individual emails in the Gmail app.

A significant portion of the session focused on navigating conversation threads (email chains) in the Gmail app.

Ali demonstrated how to reply to specific messages within conversation threads.

Ali demonstrated how to compose new emails in the Gmail app.

The presenters explored various settings and customization options in the Gmail app.

Throughout the session, several advantages of the Gmail app over the native Mail app were highlighted.

Next week is our annual Zoom tutorial, on Wednesday, Dec 17. Depending on what time allows, there will possibly be a follow up on the evening of Dec 18, more information nearer to the day.

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Siena demonstrated the process of adding email accounts to the Mail app on an iPad, focusing on VoiceOver accessibility.

Siena demonstrated how to add Gmail and custom domain accounts to the Mail app.

Siena demonstrated different methods for viewing and switching between email accounts.

Discussion about different email apps and their features.

A side discussion about calendar applications and subscriptions.

Join us tomorrow evening from 7:00 to 9:00 PM Eastern for Techstravaganza 2.0, where the Gmail app on iPhone and iPad will be explored. Next Wednesday, we will have the annual Zoom tutorial, which, depending on time on Wednesday, might have a followup on Thursday, Dec, 18, from 8:00 to 10:00 PM Eastern.

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Siena and Sherry demonstrated how to change pronunciation settings in VoiceOver on iOS devices.

Drew (Jeroo) asked about deleting pronunciations, leading to a discussion about the process.

Siena demonstrated how to change pronunciation settings in VoiceOver on macOS.

Siena demonstrated how to change pronunciation settings in the JAWS screen reader.

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Siena demonstrated how to access and use keyboard shortcuts in Gmail on the web.

Siena explained the importance of toggling the virtual PC cursor when using JAWS with Gmail.

Siena demonstrated how to navigate through email threads and perform actions on messages.

Siena demonstrated how to compose new emails and use various composition features.

Discussion about the differences between using Gmail on Mac and Windows.

Discussion about issues with the Apple Mail app.

Join us for changing Voiceover pronounciations on Dec, 3. Also, check out the rest of the December lineup at the following link.

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Siena demonstrated the new Phone app in macOS, explaining its functionality as a secondary phone interface that works across iPhone, iPad, and Mac when devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi and iCloud account. The app allows users to make calls, send messages, and access call history, with Liz inquiring about its availability on iPad, which Siena confirmed. The discussion included practical uses of the app, such as making calls when the phone is charging or left in another room, and participants shared personal experiences about where they keep their phones at home.

Siena and Ali demonstrated how to make and end phone calls on a Mac using the phone app and Notification Center, including navigating call history and ending calls. They discussed the differences between full screen and banner modes for notifications, and Ali mentioned exploring the option to change the notification style on the Mac. John joined the conversation briefly to clarify that the notification banner on the Mac looks similar to iOS’s floating window.

Siena and Ali explored how to manage and interact with phone notifications on a Mac, including changing alert styles to persistent banners and adjusting notification settings for specific applications. They tested answering a FaceTime call through the Mac’s Notification Center, noting some initial confusion with the labeling but successfully completing the task. Both participants acknowledged this as a learning experience, as Siena had never used a Mac to make or answer calls before.

Siena demonstrated how to answer phone calls on a Mac using macOS 2026’s new notification center feature, which treats phone calls as FaceTime calls. She showed that calls can be answered through the notification center even when the phone app is closed, though the phone app must be open to end calls. Siena also briefly mentioned a new feature in macOS 2026 that provides message and email summaries, though she didn’t demonstrate this functionality.

Siena demonstrated the new Mail app features on Mac, including how to navigate between mailboxes and messages using VoiceOver commands, and showed the AI summary button that provides a concise summary of email content. She noted that while there weren’t many new VoiceOver features in the update, the summary button was particularly useful for quickly understanding email content without reading the full message. Liz inquired about the VO left/right commands and learned that these gestures are equivalent to flicking left/right on iPads that support the feature, with Siena suggesting that the iPad Mini 7 and up, as well as the Air 3 and up, support this functionality.

The team discussed issues with email excerpts not displaying properly in some cases, with Ali confirming that the full newsletter content is actually visible when scrolling down in the email. They identified that the problem might be related to how the email is displayed on different devices or email clients, as some team members were able to see the full content while others saw only an excerpt with a “continue reading” link. Ali agreed to investigate further and potentially make adjustments to ensure consistent display of the full content across all devices.

The team discussed issues with email formatting and accessibility, particularly regarding heading blocks and their impact on mobile readability. They explored mail settings and default email app configurations, with Ali demonstrating how to adjust settings on both iPhone and Mac. The group agreed to investigate whether different account types (iCloud vs Gmail) might be affecting the display issues, and Siena confirmed she would try adding heading blocks to improve navigation while being mindful of potential formatting complications.

The team discussed issues with email headers and navigation in Gmail, particularly regarding Techstravaganza reminders. Liz suggested adding a sentence to the existing header rather than creating new blocks, which would help maintain consistency. They explored potential causes for scrolling and link-finding difficulties, including the use of threaded views and calendar integration. The group agreed to investigate further before making changes to their email templates.

The team discussed issues with email calendar invites and decided to simplify the process by creating a block pattern or template with essential meeting details. They agreed to remove unnecessary information like Find Your Local Number and the calendar view to make it easier for participants. Siena suggested using Google Calendar directly and copying the link with the required information once, rather than doing it weekly. The team also discussed how switching from direct email to a newsletter format allows for larger, unlimited subscriber lists.

The team discussed streamlining the newsletter format by removing extraneous embedded content and focusing on essential information like Zoom meeting links. They identified that the current format was cluttered and made it difficult to see key details. Siena and Ali agreed to simplify the newsletter by using excerpts and removing unnecessary information like location tags. They also addressed an issue with the iPad status bar disappearing in Mac OS 26, finding that it was still present but harder to access due to smaller icons. The team decided to encourage participants to use the Zoom app for easier access to meeting details, noting that it was free.

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The meeting began with a discussion about new technology, including a new device with reading capabilities and various voice options. Siena then introduced a tutorial on Facebook, covering topics such as writing posts, interacting with timelines, managing notifications, and exploring the Facebook menu. She requested participants to mute their microphones during the tutorial and to use specific commands for raising hands or unmuting. Despite some technical difficulties with screen sharing, the session continued, and Siena encouraged participants to let her know if they could hear the audio.

Siena conducted a tutorial on Facebook’s interface, explaining various features like creating posts, stories, reels, and live streaming. She mentioned the risks associated with Facebook Marketplace, similar to Kijiji. Ali distractedly shared information about a daily deal on Audible for a book on self-talk. Siena expressed interest and decided to purchase it. The tutorial concluded with a brief explanation of the search and Messenger functions, noting that the search button labeling issue on the iPad had not been fully resolved.

Siena demonstrated how to create and edit a post on Facebook using an iPhone, including typing with braille screen input and using AI features to rewrite text and add backgrounds. She composed a post about doing a tutorial for Techstravaganza 2.0, showing how to use the Facebook app on an iPhone. Ali offered to help Siena get used to typing on the touchscreen, and Siena mentioned she could mention Ali and Jackie in the post.

Siena demonstrated how to use the mention and tag features in the Facebook app on iPhone, explaining the differences between the two and showing how to manually add tags. She encountered some issues with VoiceOver reading characters properly while using mentions, so she switched to using the tag feature instead. Siena also showed how to add emotions to a post, choose a background color, and adjust privacy settings for the post.

Siena demonstrated how to create and post content on Facebook, explaining the tagging feature which sends notifications to tagged individuals. She clarified that tagged users receive notifications both on their phones and when they open Facebook, though the timeline now shows posts in random rather than chronological order. When asked about the home timeline’s randomness, Siena recommended using the notifications tab or following public pages for more organized content.

The group discussed issues with Facebook’s image and video description capabilities, noting that while Facebook has built-in image description tools, they are often inaccurate and unreliable. They explored the possibility of using Be My Eyes or Seeing AI to improve video description functionality, as these tools might provide better results. The conversation then shifted to notification problems on both iOS and Android devices, where participants discovered that while push notifications were enabled, many users were still not receiving notifications, with the notification count often being out of sync with the actual number of unread messages.

The group discussed issues with the latest iOS update affecting Notification Center and screen locking behavior. They explored potential solutions and shared experiences with different screen readers across operating systems, with Ali and Siena agreeing that VoiceOver remains more stable than TalkBack. The conversation concluded with a brief mention of Facebook app usage.

Siena led a tutorial on Facebook for Techstravaganza 2.0, demonstrating features like double-tapping to open full posts. She addressed concerns about Facebook’s recent update that requires users to tap to read full posts, noting this change affects both sighted and visually impaired users. The group discussed the pros and cons of this new feature, with Jackie suggesting it could be beneficial by allowing users to preview content before deciding whether to read the full post. They also touched on the differences between using Facebook on iPhone versus Android devices, with Siena sharing her experience of using an Android tablet and finding it sluggish compared to iPhone.

The meeting focused on discussing Facebook features and functionality, particularly around notifications and user interactions. Siena demonstrated how to engage with Facebook posts, including liking, commenting, and replying, while also explaining notification settings and birthday reminders. The group discussed the limitations of deleting posts versus comments, with Siena clarifying that only post owners can delete their own content. The conversation ended with a brief discussion about creating a public Facebook group for assistive technology questions. 

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Siena demonstrated the sleep timer feature in the Eye Catcher app, showing how users can set the timer for 5 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes during podcast playback. She also showcased other player controls including bookmarks, continuous playback options, and show notes. Ali shared a link to a Facebook tutorial from October 9th during the meeting.

The group discussed the functionality of the Victor Stream 3, with Roueida confirming she has the latest model and sharing her experience that it works well but can be slow with fast button presses. Siena demonstrated iCatcher’s features, including how to set up a sleep timer, access bookmarks, and adjust playback settings, though she encountered some difficulty accessing the bookmarks menu. Ali and Siena worked through various menus and options to resolve the bookmark access issue, eventually finding that the bookmarks could be accessed through the Now Playing Actions menu.

Ali and Siena discussed navigating a media player interface, focusing on finding and using bookmarks. They also explored the process of connecting Audible and TuneIn to streaming devices, noting that Audible Sync only works on Windows, which limits its utility for Mac users. Ali read through the steps for configuring TuneIn on a stream device, highlighting the need for an account and the process of pairing devices, which Siena found to be a complex procedure.

Ali and Siena discussed the challenges and preferences of using different braille displays, including the Braille BI40X and the Mantis Q40, with Ali recommending the BI40X due to its features and ADP funding eligibility. They also explored the functionality of the voiceover rotor, demonstrating how to customize and use it for navigation and accessing various options on an iPhone.

Palmer and Siena discussed the customization options available for VoiceOver, including rotor settings, sounds, and hints. Siena explained the use of containers, which she finds more useful on the iPad, and mentioned the availability of screen search and text selection in VoiceOver. Liz raised a question about copying and pasting phone numbers, and Siena provided guidance on using the rotor for text selection and editing. They agreed to schedule a one-on-one session for further assistance, and Siena mentioned an upcoming session on copying and pasting in the new year.

Siena demonstrated how to customize the VoiceOver rotor settings on iOS, explaining the functions of various options like text selection, speaking rate, and braille input. She recommended keeping flat navigation for iPhone and iPad, as it allows seamless movement between items. Siena also clarified the differences between standard typing and touch typing for on-screen keyboards. The group discussed the Zoom option in VoiceOver, with Siena suggesting it might relate to magnification features rather than the Zoom app.

The team discussed upcoming sessions, confirming that Facebook Part 2 would be held tomorrow, while “What’s New in iOS” would be presented on December 11th as part of Techstravaganza 2.0. Siena demonstrated text selection functionality and addressed questions about hand control in virtual meetings, noting that Google Meet had technical issues including unreliable audio and difficult access. The group also shared experiences with various email clients, with Ashlyn and others expressing frustration with Outlook’s multi-factor authentication requirements and signing-in processes, particularly after iOS updates.

The group discussed Zoom subscription details, with Ali explaining their need for the paid version for longer meetings and advanced features. Siena demonstrated text selection and copying functionality in Zoom, showing how to copy and paste links using VoiceOver. The meeting experienced technical difficulties with audio quality issues on Ali’s end, and Siena and Liz agreed to follow up with a separate session the next day at 10 or 11 AM to continue the training.

The group discussed various tools for scheduling and calendar management, with Ali explaining his use of Zoom Scheduler and Fantastical for booking meetings and managing calendar events. Ali noted that while Fantastical offers rich calendar features, it lacks automated email reminders, which Zoom Scheduler provides. Palmer shared his preference for using Outlook’s calendar feature, while Siena emphasized the importance of having a backup tool in case primary services experience issues. The discussion highlighted the need for balancing functionality, accessibility, and redundancy in scheduling tools.

The group discussed various assistive devices and their costs, with Ali expressing reluctance to pay for certain items like the Victor Reader Stream and the Sense Player due to budget considerations. They explored the availability of the Sense Player in Canada, noting that Terry Scott’s website offers it as a final sale with Canadian shipping only. Palmer shared her experience with independent living, including challenges with cooking and travel, while Ali and Siena discussed their different experiences with social interactions and education. The conversation touched on the limitations and opportunities faced by individuals with disabilities in various aspects of life.

Join us next week, as we discuss what’s new in MacOS26. Also, stay tuned to the newsletters for the information for tomorrow’s Techstravaganza 2.0.

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Siena led a tutorial on the iCatcher app, demonstrating its features and functionality. She showed how to add podcasts, search for content, and customize the layout of the app. Siena also announced that Techstravaganza is now available as a podcast, and she added it to her list as an example. The session included technical instructions for participants, including how to mute/unmute and raise hands during the meeting.

Siena demonstrated how to use the iCatcher podcast player, including following podcasts, searching for shows, and filtering the podcast library. She explained that iCatcher offers features like bookmarks, external media importing, and customizable playback options, which are not available in the default podcast app. The group discussed the differences between iCatcher and Voice Dream Reader for audiobooks. Ali suggested that iCatcher is cleaner and more customizable than the default podcast app. Siena showed how to access episode show notes and options within iCatcher.

Siena demonstrated how to use a podcast player, showing various options like downloading, streaming, queuing, and marking episodes as played. She discussed the features of the player interface, including bookmarks and show notes. Ali and Macara clarified the difference between the download and queue functions in the menu, explaining that queueing means downloading episodes in a specific order. They encouraged listeners to join their social media groups and newsletter to stay updated and engage with the community.

The team discussed technical issues with Google Meet and compared it to Zoom, agreeing that Zoom is superior for podcasting due to its more robust features. They explored various menu options and buttons in a podcasting interface, including download, stream, and queue functions, with Ali explaining how the queue feature works by pausing downloads. The conversation concluded with Macara and Ali expressing appreciation for Siena’s clarification on the queue option, which she had previously been unsure about.

The team discussed issues with the podcast mini player, particularly the inability to find a back/rewind button when using the mini player in the podcast app. Siena demonstrated that by double-tapping on the episode title in the mini player, users can expand it to access full playback controls including rewind functionality. Ivy shared her workaround of accessing the full player controls through the lock screen, which led to a discussion about how the mini player is a scaled-down version of the full player interface.

Siena demonstrated how to use the Eye Catcher app to manage podcasts, including downloading episodes, creating playlists, and accessing various playback options. She showed how to protect downloads, rename episodes, and convert them to streaming format. Ali clarified some features of the app, such as the Q menu and built-in playlists. Siena created a new playlist called “Nighttime Listening” and discussed the app’s settings for managing playlists.

Siena demonstrated how to create and manage playlists in an audio application, including adding episodes from different podcasts, reordering them, and using various navigation gestures. Ali provided tips on accessing show notes and dismissing them, while Macara joined in with suggestions. The group worked together to create a nighttime listening playlist containing episodes from Techstravaganza, Books Panel, and another podcast, and discussed how to reorder the episodes using drag and drop functionality.

The meeting focused on demonstrating and discussing features of a media player application, particularly around playlist management and episode organization. Siena and Ali explored drag-and-drop functionality, with Ali explaining how to enable or disable the feature in settings. They agreed to cover additional topics including autofill playlists, disabling built-in playlists, and features like bookmarks and sleep timer, pending time availability.

Ali demonstrated how to disable built-in playlists and create autofill playlists in iCatcher, encountering and resolving an issue with a connected braille device that was causing audio input problems. They successfully filtered and customized a playlist by selecting specific podcasts and episodes, including “Locked on” series and other sports-related content, while ensuring continuous playback was enabled.

The team discussed playlist settings and episode selection criteria, including filters for downloaded, streaming, and newer-than-x-days content. They agreed to start their next meeting 30 minutes earlier, from 12:30 to 3:30, to cover the topic of “eye-catcher” in more detail. 

We will start by finishing up with iCatcher. The rest of next week’s workshop will focus on the Voiceover rotor.

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The team discussed and showed how to work around Google Meet problems experienced.