NVDA – Simplified

NVDA from NV Access is a free text to speech tool Microsoft Windows machines. It stands for Non-Visual Desktop Access. It will not work on iOS machines. Many use this tool to listen to content. Here are some simple commands to get you started using NV Access: Note: documentation refers to the NVDA key. The default NVDA key is the insert key. It can be changed to Caps lock when installing NVDA the first time Control + Alt + n to run NVDA NVDA + q to close NVDA Numpad + +to start reading at the top of the page NVDA + down … Continue reading NVDA – Simplified

VoiceOver Simplified

VoiceOver is the screen-reader or text to speech tool that is built into Apple’s operating system. It will not work on the Windows operating system. Many use this tool to listen to email messages, content on websites, etc. Note: when these resources reference the “VO” key, they mean command + option Here are some simple commands to help you get started in using VoiceOver: command + F5 turns VoiceOver on/off tab navigates to an interactive element ctrl + option + right arrow (repeatedly) navigates to the next element ctrl + option + command + h (repeatedly) navigates by headings explore … Continue reading VoiceOver Simplified

The Makerspace Springs Forward

It has been quite a year for Swarthmore’s Makerspace. This past Fall, a new manager was hired, and over the winter break we moved from Beardsley Hall to Whittier Hall rooms 109-113, giving us an opportunity to expand our workspace and storage, with higher ceilings and great natural light. Our Open House was a big success, and concerns about drawing enough traffic have been put at ease with the new location buzzing with activity. The move also opened up space in Beardsley for a new Idea Lab, a temporary prototyping space complete with a flight simulator, green screen, VR equipment, … Continue reading The Makerspace Springs Forward

Free APIs you can use to generate fake data

This post is more for the developers out there, but those working with data in general may find it useful or interesting. There are often times in development where you simply need to generate some data. Well, that’s where fake data APIs come in! Here are some of my favorites: The Dog API The Dog API can be used to retrieve images of dogs. One of the cool things about this API is that you can specify what breed of dog you are looking for. The project maintainers are also accepting requests for new dogs! Cat as a service (CATAAS) … Continue reading Free APIs you can use to generate fake data