Accessibility

Spry is committed to creating an excellent and equal experience for all student-athletes. Learn about the features and technologies that help student-athletes with disabilities, such as vision loss and deafness, get the most out of Spry. If you have any questions, please contact Spry customer support at support@spry.so.

Screen Reader Activation 

Screen reader should be turned on before you open the Spry app. Please see the instructions on how to turn on screen reader for iOS and Android devices below. 

iOS (iPhone and iPad):

• VoiceOver: VoiceOver is the built-in screen reader for iOS devices.
  • Go to "Settings" on your iOS device.
  • Tap on "Accessibility."
  • Under the "Vision" section, select "VoiceOver."
  • Toggle the switch to turn on VoiceOver.
• Siri: You can also enable VoiceOver through Siri.
  • Activate Siri (either by holding the Home button or saying "Hey Siri" if supported).
  • Say, "Turn on VoiceOver."

Android:

• TalkBack: TalkBack is the built-in screen reader for Android devices.
  • Go to "Settings" on your Android device.
  • Tap on "Accessibility."
  • Look for "Screen reader" or "TalkBack" and turn it on.
• Google Assistant: If your device has Google Assistant, you can use it to enable TalkBack.
  • Activate Google Assistant (usually by saying "Hey Google" or "OK Google").
  • Say, "Turn on TalkBack."

Uploading Documents into Spry and your Accessibility Responsibility

When you upload a PPT or DOC file into Spry, you must be aware that you are responsible for ensuring that the content within the file is accessible. Spry does not automatically make your documents accessible; it is up to you to take the necessary steps to ensure accessibility. 

How do I ensure the PDF or DOC file is accessible by screen readers? 

• Add text alternatives: Provide alternative text (alt text) for images, charts, graphs, and any non-text content. Alt text should be descriptive and convey the same meaning as the visual content.
• Use proper headings and structure: Use heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.) to structure the document logically. Screen readers rely on headings to navigate and understand the document's organization.
• Create descriptive links: Use meaningful and descriptive link text that provides information about the destination. Avoid using generic phrases like "click here" or URLs as link text.
• Ensure color contrast: Use color combinations that provide sufficient contrast between text and background. This helps individuals with visual impairments read the content more easily. The WCAG provides specific color contrast ratio guidelines.
• Avoid using tables for layout: Do not use tables for layout purposes. Instead, use CSS for layout design. If tables are necessary, provide appropriate table headers and ensure the reading order is logical.
• Use accessible fonts and formatting: Choose fonts that are easy to read and understand. Avoid using overly decorative or complex fonts. Use appropriate font sizes, ensuring they can be adjusted without loss of content or functionality.
• Check reading order: Ensure that the reading order of the document follows a logical flow, from top to bottom and left to right. Screen readers follow this order to present content to users.
• Use accessible PDF features: If creating a PDF, utilize accessibility features available in PDF authoring tools. These features include adding tags, setting language properties, and defining reading order.
• Ensure form fields are accessible: If your document contains forms, make sure form fields have clear labels and are properly tagged for accessibility. Users should be able to navigate, interact with, and understand form elements using screen readers.
• Perform accessibility testing: Use accessibility validation tools, such as the Adobe Acrobat Pro accessibility checker or third-party tools like PAC (PDF Accessibility Checker), to assess the accessibility of your PDF files. These tools can help identify and fix accessibility issues.

How do I upload transcripts for videos on Spry? 

• Use your admin account to login to app.spry.so
• Click on Education tab on the navigation bar and choose Education Portal
• Click on Create Video
• Select a topic that you want the video to be associated with
• Upload the video by uploading the file or using a link and Click Next
• Upload the PDF that contains the transcripts under [Upload Video Transcript] 
• Confirm

Software tools that can help you generate transcripts automatically: 

• Otter.ai: Otter.ai is an AI-powered transcription service that can automatically generate transcripts for videos and audio recordings. It offers real-time transcription, speaker identification, and collaboration features.
• Youtube: YouTube offers an automatic transcription feature called "Automatic Captions" or "YouTube Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR)". This feature automatically generates captions for videos uploaded to the platform.
• Trint: Trint is a platform that uses ASR technology to automatically transcribe videos and audio files. It provides a user-friendly interface for reviewing and editing the transcripts. It also offers features like collaboration, time-stamping, and keyword search.

Keyboard Access

The majority of the Spry application can be reached with a bluetooth keyboard however in the following situations a user will need to enable the screen reader on their mobile phone to access these places:

• Edit buttons on Profile screen
• Instead of long press, users will need to double tap on the keyboard to access such functionalities.

Text Size and Contrast

How do I adjust color contrast on Spry? 

• To adjust the text contrast of Spry on an iOS device:
• Go to your device's home screen and tap Settings.
• Tap General, then tap Accessibility.
• Tap Increase Contrast.
• Tap next to Reduce Transparency or Darken Colors to increase contrast on your device.
• To adjust the text contrast of Spry on an Android device:
• Go to your device's home screen and tap Settings.
• Tap Accessibility.
• Tap Vision.
• Tap next to High Contrast Fonts to turn it on or off.

How can I adjust Spry’s display and text size on my screen? 

• To adjust the text size of Spry on an iOS device:
• Go to your device's home screen and tap Settings.
• Tap General, then tap Accessibility.
• Adjust any of the following:
• Bold Text: Display the text in boldface characters.
• Larger Text: Turn on Larger Accessibility Sizes, then adjust the text size using the Font Size slider.
• To adjust the text size of Spry on an Android device:
• Go to your device's home screen and tap Settings.
• Tap Accessibility.
• Tap Font Size.
• Use the slider to choose your font size.

Screen Readers and Assistive Technology

How do I report a problem with Spry and the assistive technology I’m using? 

• If you're experiencing a problem using assistive technology settings like screen readers, magnification tools or alternate input methods with Spry, please email us at support@spry.so. 
• If you’re using a mobile device, make sure the operating system and Spry app are current. Updating the app and operating system may solve the problem. You can check the versions in the Settings app for your device.

What to include in your report

• Information about your device and app: Brand, Model, Operating system, Name, Version number, The feature you're using
• Information about what you were doing on Facebook: Spry product or feature, Steps you took when the problem occurred

How do I enable voice assistant on Spry?

• To enable VoiceOver on an iOS device:
• Summon Siri and say “Turn on VoiceOver” or “Turn off VoiceOver.”
• Triple-click the side button (on an iPhone with Face ID).
• Triple-click the Home button (on an iPhone with a Home button).
• Use Control Center.
• Go to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver, then turn the setting on or off.
• To enable the voice assistant on an Android device:
• Step 1: Check your device version to make sure it is newer than Android 5.0
• Step 2: Download Voice Access on your Android mobile device
• Step 3: 
• Open Settings > Accessibility > Voice Access.
• Tap Voice Access.
• Start Voice Access in one of these ways: 
• If "Hey Google" detection is on, you can say "Hey Google, Voice Access."
• Open your notification shade and tap Touch to start.
• On your Home screen, tap the Voice Access app
• Tap the Voice Access activation button. (You can set up the activation button in Settings > Accessibility >Voice Access >Settings >Activation button.)

How to Sign Your Signature with Screen Reader

1. Identify the Signature Box: When you reach the screen with the signature box, your screen reader should identify it for you. It might say something like "Signature Box, double-tap and hold to draw."
2. Double Tap and Hold: Once you have identified the signature box, double-tap on it but do not lift your finger on the second tap. This will initiate the drawing process.
3. Drawing the Signature: After the second tap, keep your finger on the screen and start dragging it around to draw your signature. Move your finger slowly, as fast movement can sometimes not be registered.
4. End the Signature: Once you're finished with your signature, lift your finger off the screen. The drawing process will stop.
5. Review the Signature: After lifting your finger, your screen reader should announce that you have finished drawing. If there is a "Review Signature" button or something similar, you may double-tap this to have your screen reader describe your signature.
6. Submitting the Signature: If you are satisfied with your signature, locate and double-tap the "Submit" or "Save" button to finalize the process. If you are not happy with the signature, look for a "Clear" or "Reset" button, and double-tap it to erase the current signature and start over.

Swipe to Submit Adjustment when Screen Reader is ON

In order to improve the accessibility of our interface for visually impaired users who rely on screen readers, we have implemented an important update. Instead of the previous "swipe to submit" button, which may be challenging to interact with via screen reader, we have now changed it to a straightforward "submit" button. This change enables users to navigate and complete actions more easily, as the command will be clearly announced by the screen reader. The "submit" button operates in a manner that's fully compatible with assistive technology, reducing potential confusion and offering a smoother, more intuitive user experience. 

Double Swipe Left to Access Bottom Nav Bar when Screen Reader is ON

• Screen Reader Activation: First, the user must have the screen reader function enabled on their device. This function translates visual information into spoken text or Braille output, describing what's happening on the screen.
• Gesture Introduction: Double Swipe Left is a specific gesture that is activated on Spry when the screen reader is on.. It often involves using two fingers to swipe left twice quickly.
• Accessing the Bottom Navigation Bar: Once the Double Swipe Left gesture is performed, the focus of the screen reader may shift to the bottom navigation bar. This could be a fixed part of the user interface where common actions or navigational elements are found.