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Microsoft Teams With Screen Readers

by | Dec 7, 2023 | Internet | 0 comments

Overview

Microsoft Teams is a collaboration platform that combines chat, video conferencing, file sharing, and productivity tools. It is part of the Microsoft 365 suite of applications.

Key Features:

  • Integrated chat and team collaboration.
  • Video conferencing with screen sharing.
  • File sharing and real-time document collaboration.
  • Integration with Microsoft 365 apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
  • Channels for organizing conversations and projects.
  • External guest access.
  • Meeting scheduling through Outlook.

Microsoft Teams is commonly used by businesses and organizations for team collaboration, remote work, project management, and online meetings within a professional setting.

Navigation in Microsoft Teams using Screen Readers:

Microsoft Teams is a collaboration platform that offers a wide range of features for team communication, file sharing, and collaboration. Here’s an overview of the interface, structure, and navigation in Microsoft Teams, which can be accessed using a screen reader or keyboard commands for accessibility:

  1. Home Screen:

    • When you first open Microsoft Teams, you typically land on the “Home” screen.
    • The Home screen provides an overview of your recent activity, including recent chats, meetings, and channels.
    • Use your screen reader to navigate through this feed and interact with chat messages and notifications.

  2. Navigation Bar:

    • At the top-left corner of the Microsoft Teams interface, you’ll find the navigation bar.
    • The navigation bar contains key options:
      • Activity: Shows recent activity and notifications.
      • Chat: Access your individual and group chats.
      • Teams: Browse and access your teams and channels.
      • Calendar: Manage and view your meetings and appointments.
      • Calls: Make audio and video calls.
      • Files: Access your files and shared documents.
    • Use your screen reader to navigate through these options and activate the one you want.

  3. Teams and Channels:

    • Teams are groups created for specific projects, departments, or topics.
    • Each team can have multiple channels for different discussions or topics.
    • Use your screen reader to navigate through teams and channels, read channel names, and join or leave them.

  4. Chat and Messaging:

    • In the “Chat” section, you can initiate and participate in one-on-one or group chats.
    • You can send text messages, emojis, files, and more.
    • Use your screen reader to read and compose messages, send messages, and access chat settings.

  5. Meetings and Calendar:

    • The “Calendar” section lets you schedule and manage meetings.
    • Use your screen reader to create, view, and manage meetings, including setting up recurring meetings and inviting participants.

  6. Calls:

    • The “Calls” section allows you to make audio and video calls.
    • You can also manage your call history and contacts.
    • Use your screen reader to initiate calls, answer incoming calls, and navigate call history.

  7. Files and Sharing:

    • The “Files” section provides access to your files, documents, and shared content.
    • You can upload, download, and collaborate on files within Teams.
    • Use your screen reader to navigate folders, open documents, and perform file-related tasks.

  8. Notifications and Alerts:

    • Microsoft Teams provides notifications for various events, such as new messages, mentions, and meeting reminders.
    • Your screen reader will announce notifications, and you can configure notification settings.

  9. Settings:

    • Access your profile and settings by clicking on your profile picture in the top-right corner.
    • Here, you can customize Teams, configure accessibility settings, and manage your account.

Creating Microsoft Teams Link:

In Microsoft Teams, you don’t create a link for a team itself, but you can create a link to a specific team’s or channel’s conversation. This link allows you to share and invite others to join a conversation or channel in a particular team. Here’s how you can generate a link to a conversation in Microsoft Teams:

For a Team’s General Channel:

  1. Open Microsoft Teams and navigate to the team for which you want to create a link.
  2. In the left sidebar, click on the team name to view the channels within that team.
  3. Click on the “General” channel to enter it.
  4. In the conversation area, locate the message or conversation you want to share. It could be an existing message or a new one you compose.
  5. Hover your mouse cursor over the message, and you should see the “More options” (three dots) icon appear to the right of the message.
  6. Click on the “More options” icon and select “Copy link to message” from the dropdown menu.
  7. The link to the specific message will be copied to your clipboard and can now be shared with others.

For a Custom Channel:

If you want to create a link for a conversation in a custom channel (not the “General” channel):

  1. Open Microsoft Teams and navigate to the team that contains the custom channel.
  2. Click on the custom channel’s name to enter it.
  3. Follow the same steps as outlined above, starting from step 4, to copy a link to a specific message or conversation within the custom channel.

Remember that only members of the team or channel with appropriate permissions will be able to access the content of the link you share. If someone is not a member of the team or channel, they may need to request access or be added by a team administrator.

Shortcut Key Commands in Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams offers several shortcut key commands to help you navigate and perform tasks more efficiently. Here are some commonly used shortcut key commands in Microsoft Teams:

General Shortcuts:

  1. Ctrl + 1: Switch to the Activity feed.
  2. Ctrl + 2: Go to Chat.
  3. Ctrl + 3: Access Teams.
  4. Ctrl + 4: Open Calendar.
  5. Ctrl + 5: Go to Calls.
  6. Ctrl + 6: Navigate to Files.
  7. Ctrl + 7: Access Apps.
  8. Ctrl + E: Move the focus to the search bar.
  9. Ctrl + / (forward slash): Open the command box for quick commands.

Chat Shortcuts:

  1. Ctrl + N: Start a new chat.
  2. Ctrl + Shift + T: Create a new team.
  3. Ctrl + G: Add people to the chat.
  4. Ctrl + Shift + K: Start a new conversation in a channel.
  5. Ctrl + Shift + M: Focus on the compose box to start typing a message.

Meetings and Calls Shortcuts:

  1. Ctrl + Shift + U: Accept an incoming call.
  2. Ctrl + Shift + D: Decline an incoming call.
  3. Ctrl + Shift + C: Start a new meeting.
  4. Ctrl + Shift + M: Mute/unmute your microphone in a call or meeting.
  5. Ctrl + Shift + O: Turn the camera on/off in a call or meeting.
  6. Ctrl + Shift + E: Share your screen in a call or meeting.
  7. Ctrl + Shift + Space: Go to the active speaker in a meeting.
  8. Ctrl + Shift + K: End a call or meeting.

Navigation Shortcuts:

  1. Ctrl + [/]: Move to the next (or previous) section, such as Chat, Teams, or Calls.
  2. Alt + [1-9]: Access the left navigation tabs (e.g., Alt + 1 for Activity, Alt + 2 for Chat).
  3. Ctrl + Shift + N: Move focus to the next section in the current tab (e.g., moving between conversations in Chat).

Formatting Shortcuts (in the message compose box):

  1. Ctrl + B: Bold text.
  2. Ctrl + I: Italicize text.
  3. Ctrl + U: Underline text.
  4. Ctrl + Shift + X: Strikethrough text.
  5. Ctrl + Shift + L: Create a numbered list.
  6. Ctrl + Shift + 8: Create a bulleted list.

Other Shortcuts:

  1. F9: Check for new messages and updates.
  2. Ctrl + , (comma): Access settings.
  3. Alt + Shift + 1: Open the “Activity” section.
  4. Alt + Shift + 2: Open the “Chat” section.
  5. Alt + Shift + 3: Open the “Teams” section.
  6. Alt + Shift + 4: Open the “Calendar” section.
  7. Alt + Shift + 5: Open the “Calls” section.