Here’s a brief roundup of recent technology highlights from Google’s Accessibility Team. We are excited to be working with Google to bring innovative accessible technology to our community. Google continues to be a leader in the accessibility space with a number of products and services helping people with disabilities live with greater independence. See something useful for you or a friend in the community? Help spread the word using the links provided below.
Google Maps: Accessible Places
Read the full announcement: Find wheelchair accessible places with Google Maps
Imagine being able to “know before you go” whether a destination is wheelchair accessible, just as effortlessly as looking up the address. Google announced a new Google Maps feature that does just that. You can now turn on an “Accessible Places” feature to have wheelchair accessibility information more prominently displayed in Google Maps. When Accessible Places is switched on, a wheelchair icon will indicate an accessible entrance and you’ll be able to see if a place has accessible seating, restrooms or parking. If it’s confirmed that a place does not have an accessible entrance, we’ll show that information on Maps as well. The feature is available on both Android and iOS.
Action Blocks: One-tap Actions on Android
Read the full announcement: Accessibility updates that help tech work for everyone
Create an Action Block for any action that the Google Assistant can perform, like making calls, sending texts, playing videos, and using smart devices in your home (changing the temperature with compatible thermostats and more). Then pick an image for the Action Block from your camera or photo gallery, and place it on your home screen for one-touch access. It can be particularly helpful for people who have limited mobility in their hands or who might want more seamless non-verbal access to Google Assistant. Action Blocks is part of Google’s ongoing effort to make technology more helpful for people with cognitive disabilities and their caregivers. The app is available on Play Store and works on Android devices on Android 5.0 and above.
Live Transcribe: Real-time Transcriptions for Everyday Conversations
Read the full announcement: Accessibility updates that help tech work for everyone
In 2019, we launched Live Transcribe , an app that provides real-time, speech-to-text transcriptions of everyday conversations for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Based on feedback we’ve received from people using the product, we’re rolling out new features including the ability to search past conversations. Simply use the search bar to look through past transcriptions. To use the feature, turn on ‘ Saving Transcriptions ’ in Settings. Once turned on, transcriptions will be saved locally on your device for three days. Live Transcribe is pre-installed on Pixel devices and is available on Google Play for devices Android 5.0 and up.
Android Accessibility Documentary
Watch: Android presents: Paul + Voice Access
Paul Amadeus Lane, a member of the United Spinal Tech Access Group (TAG) , was featured on an Android Accessibility Documentary. In 1993, Paul was an EMT with his whole life planned out. But at age 22, he was in a multi-car collision that left him fighting for his life and in recovery for eight months. After the crash, Paul became quadriplegic. He soon realized that his voice was one of his most powerful assets—professionally and personally. He went back to school to study broadcasting and became a radio producer and morning show host. Along the way, Paul discovered how he could use technology as an everyday tool to help himself and others. Today, he uses accessibility features, like Android Voice Access, to produce his own radio show and share his passion for technology.
Accessibility Curated Collections Page
About.google provides a central hub for Google-related stories and announcements. Google’s Brand Studio team and their Head of Brand for Accessibility, KR Liu , launched an Accessibility curated collections page featuring Google Accessibility stories.
Help Spread the Word
● Android accessibility documentary
● Google Maps Accessible Places
● Google for Education: accessibility for educators
● Google for Education: guide for Parents & Guardians
Google Accessibility Resources
● Contact the Google Disability Support team for 1:1 support: g.co/disabilitysupport
● Get help from the Google Accessibility Help Center: g.co/help/accessibility
● Learn more about Google Accessibility products: google.com/accessibility
● Watch Google Accessibility videos on YouTube: g.co/A11yVideos
● Stay updated by following the Google Accessibility team on Twitter: @googleaccess