Smart speaker sales such as the Google Assistant and Amazon Echo have exploded in recent years - along with voice-powered services such as Alexa and Siri are used many millions of people. This includes many people with disabilities for whom this is an accessible and convenient way to access all sorts of useful services. This session explores how anyone can make of these services during these difficult times. In particular it will consider the needs of: people with vision impairment, or low vision people with other cognitive needs, such as dyslexia people who feel lonely or isolated people who are not confident about their tech skills Hosts: Robin Christopherson, AbilityNet Luke Hoare, Amazon

1. How disabled people can get the most from their smart speaker
How disabled people can get the
most from their smart speaker
Robin Christopherson, AbilityNet
Luke Hoare, Amazon
19 May 2020
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2. How disabled people can get the most from their smart speaker
Contents
• Robin Christopherson, AbilityNet
• Luke Hoare, Amazon
What is a smart speaker?
Accessibility features
What are they used for

3. How disabled people can get the most from their smart speaker
What is a smart speaker?
• Apple Home Pod, Google Home, Amazon Echo
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4. How disabled people can get the most from their smart speaker
Poll
• Do you have a smart speaker?
• If so which brand?
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5. How disabled people can get the most from their smart speaker
What are they used for?
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6. How disabled people can get the most from their smart speaker
Who are they for?
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7. How disabled people can get the most from their smart speaker
Speaking and Hearing
• Closed captioning
• Alexa captioning
• Tap to Alexa
• Calling and messaging
without speech
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8. How disabled people can get the most from their smart speaker
Vision
• Colour inversion
• Colour correction
• Screen magnifier
• VoiceView
• Show and tell
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9. How disabled people can get the most from their smart speaker
Show and tell
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10. How disabled people can get the most from their smart speaker
Staying entertained
• Music
• Radio
• Audible Books
• Kindle
• Games
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11. How disabled people can get the most from their smart speaker
Staying in touch
• Voice messaging
• Echo to Echo audio/video
calling and drop in
• Landline and mobile calls
• Video calls using Skype
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12. How disabled people can get the most from their smart speaker
Staying organised
• Calendars
• Reminders, alarms and timers
• Skills like 'Don't Waste Food'
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13. How disabled people can get the most from their smart speaker
Staying informed
Ask Alexa anything
• Wikipedia
• Recipedia
• RNIB
• NHS
• and many more
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14. How disabled people can get the most from their smart speaker
Staying in shape
• Food and cooking
• Fitness from yoga to HIIT
• Meditation and relaxation
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15. How disabled people can get the most from their smart speaker
Staying in control
• Smart home options:
• Smart Plugs
• Lighting
• Thermostat
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16. How disabled people can get the most from their smart speaker
Questions and answers
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17. How disabled people can get the most from their smart speaker
What next?
• AbilityNet Live!
• Donate
• Dot to dot podcast
• "Alexa, open the daily five-minute skills demo show"
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