Your Tech Vision - Thursday, February 19, 2026, Complete iPhone Access Guide for Blind and Low Vision
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Colin Howard
4:01 AM (10 hours ago) 4:01 AM
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Greetings,
Passing this on no further comments from me as I am not an IPhone user.
Complete iphone guideComplete iPhone Access Guide
The iPhone is the most powerful accessibility tool available to blind and
low-vision students today. With the right skills, it becomes a map, a
magnifier, a reader, a communication device, a travel tool, and a pathway to
independence.
This guide gives students, parents, teachers, and O&M instructors everything
needed to build real-world iPhone skills from basic Siri commands and
VoiceOver gestures to advanced navigation and daily-living tools. Use it as
a curriculum, a quick reference, or a step-by-step learning path.
A TechVision Core Resource
The iPhone gives blind and low-vision students real independence. With the
right skills, it becomes a map, a reader, a magnifier, a travel tool, and a
partner for daily life. This guide helps students, parents, and teachers
build strong iPhone skills one clear step at a time.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lessons- follow these steps
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Getting Started
The guide begins with simple setup steps that build confidence fast.
Accessibility Shortcut-You can press home button at any time and just say:
"Siri open Accessibility" or wherever you need to go for what you need to do
Where to find it:
Settings ? Accessibility ? Accessibility Shortcut
Students turn features on and off with a quick triple-click.
Key tasks:
Set VoiceOver, Zoom, or Magnifier
Set up Siri for hands-free support
Add emergency contacts
Customize Control Center
Organize the Home Screen
Core Access Features
VoiceOver
Zoom
Magnifier
Display and text adjustments
First Skills to Teach
Turn VoiceOver on or off
Learn basic gestures
Use Siri for fast tasks
Adjust speech rate
Open and close apps
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. VoiceOver Skills
Students grow from simple gestures to full digital literacy.
Beginner
Where to find it:
Settings ? Accessibility ? VoiceOver
Explore the screen
Activate items
Use basic Rotor options
Start typing with VoiceOver
Intermediate
Edit text
Use the App Switcher
Navigate long pages
Move by headings or links
Use dictation
Advanced
Where to find it:
Settings ? Accessibility ? VoiceOver ? Activities / Braille / Rotor Actions
Customize the Rotor
Use Activity profiles
Use Braille Screen Input
Work in complex apps
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Navigation & O&M with iPhone
Orientation Tools
Look Around-outside navigation
Compass
Landmarks
Spatial audio
Seeing AI
Clew-inside navigation
Where to find them: Maps and Compass apps
Dropping Pins
Drop a pin with VoiceOver:
Maps ? Current Location ? Rotor ? Drop Pin
Drop a pin with Siri: "Drop a pin."
Label and save locations
Add Favorites
Create walking routes
Real-World Travel Skills
Walking directions
Bus stop navigation
Checking surroundings
Soundscape-style apps
Safe campus routines
Safety Tools
Where to find them:
Settings ? Emergency SOS, Find My, Messages
Emergency SOS
Location sharing
Device tracking
Safe communication practices
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Apps for Daily Living
Vision Support Apps
Where to find them: App Store
Seeing AI
Be My Eyes
Envision
Magnifier
Productivity Tools
Reminders
Calendar
Notes
Shortcuts
Timer and alarms
School & Work
Files
Email
Safari
Reading apps
Document scanning
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Visual Settings
Where to find them:
Settings ? Accessibility ? Display & Text Size
Contrast
Bold text
Reduce transparency
Color filters
Invert colors
Magnification Tools
Where to find them:
Settings ? Accessibility ? Zoom
Control Center ? Magnifier
Zoom
Magnifier
Camera zoom
Flashlight for clarity
Reduce Fatigue
When to switch from Zoom to VoiceOver
When audio improves endurance
How stands and holders help
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. Parent Guide
Parents help skills grow through simple routines.
Focus areas:
What to teach at each age
How to practice safely
How to reduce frustration
When to add new apps
How to build daily habits
Where to find key tools:
Settings ? Screen Time, Settings ? Emergency SOS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. Teacher Guide
Teachers integrate iPhone skills into daily instruction.
Teach VoiceOver
Skill progression
Gesture modeling
Rotor instruction
Text-editing practice
Then Navigation
Classroom ? hallway ? campus
Pinning school locations
Safe movement routines
Teach Organization
Where to find it:
Press and hold any app ? Edit Home Screen
Folder creation
Notifications
Calendar and reminders
Assessment
Define mastery
Measure progress
Write goals and objectives
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8. Learning Paths
Beginner Path
Activate Accessibility Shortcut
Learn basic gestures
Practice the Rotor
Use Siri for quick tasks
Drop a first pin
Intermediate Path
Edit text
Navigate long pages
Use Maps
Use Seeing AI
Organize the Home Screen
Advanced Path
Braille Screen Input
Custom Rotor
Advanced Maps skills
Shortcuts automation
Real-world travel practice
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. Lesson Index
This section lists all iPhone lessons.
Each item includes:
A clear title
A short description
A consistent layout
This turns the page into a complete curriculum hub.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10. What to Learn Next
Advanced VoiceOver
Tech-supported O&M
JAWS and PC access
Accessible STEM tools
Low-vision strategies
iPhone Lessons
https://yourtechvision.com/2026/02/19/complete-iphone-access-guide/
David Goldfield,
Blindness Assistive Technology Specialist
http://www.DavidGoldfield.com
Director of Marketing,
Blazie Technologies
http://www.BlazieTech.com
JAWS Certified, 2022
NVDA Certified Expert
Subscribe to the Tech-VI announcement list to receive blindness technology
news, events and information.
Email: tech-vi+...@groups.io
http://www.DavidGoldfield.com
Colin Howard, living in Southern England.
Passing this on no further comments from me as I am not an IPhone user.
Complete iphone guideComplete iPhone Access Guide
The iPhone is the most powerful accessibility tool available to blind and
low-vision students today. With the right skills, it becomes a map, a
magnifier, a reader, a communication device, a travel tool, and a pathway to
independence.
This guide gives students, parents, teachers, and O&M instructors everything
needed to build real-world iPhone skills from basic Siri commands and
VoiceOver gestures to advanced navigation and daily-living tools. Use it as
a curriculum, a quick reference, or a step-by-step learning path.
A TechVision Core Resource
The iPhone gives blind and low-vision students real independence. With the
right skills, it becomes a map, a reader, a magnifier, a travel tool, and a
partner for daily life. This guide helps students, parents, and teachers
build strong iPhone skills one clear step at a time.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lessons- follow these steps
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Getting Started
The guide begins with simple setup steps that build confidence fast.
Accessibility Shortcut-You can press home button at any time and just say:
"Siri open Accessibility" or wherever you need to go for what you need to do
Where to find it:
Settings ? Accessibility ? Accessibility Shortcut
Students turn features on and off with a quick triple-click.
Key tasks:
Set VoiceOver, Zoom, or Magnifier
Set up Siri for hands-free support
Add emergency contacts
Customize Control Center
Organize the Home Screen
Core Access Features
VoiceOver
Zoom
Magnifier
Display and text adjustments
First Skills to Teach
Turn VoiceOver on or off
Learn basic gestures
Use Siri for fast tasks
Adjust speech rate
Open and close apps
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. VoiceOver Skills
Students grow from simple gestures to full digital literacy.
Beginner
Where to find it:
Settings ? Accessibility ? VoiceOver
Explore the screen
Activate items
Use basic Rotor options
Start typing with VoiceOver
Intermediate
Edit text
Use the App Switcher
Navigate long pages
Move by headings or links
Use dictation
Advanced
Where to find it:
Settings ? Accessibility ? VoiceOver ? Activities / Braille / Rotor Actions
Customize the Rotor
Use Activity profiles
Use Braille Screen Input
Work in complex apps
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Navigation & O&M with iPhone
Orientation Tools
Look Around-outside navigation
Compass
Landmarks
Spatial audio
Seeing AI
Clew-inside navigation
Where to find them: Maps and Compass apps
Dropping Pins
Drop a pin with VoiceOver:
Maps ? Current Location ? Rotor ? Drop Pin
Drop a pin with Siri: "Drop a pin."
Label and save locations
Add Favorites
Create walking routes
Real-World Travel Skills
Walking directions
Bus stop navigation
Checking surroundings
Soundscape-style apps
Safe campus routines
Safety Tools
Where to find them:
Settings ? Emergency SOS, Find My, Messages
Emergency SOS
Location sharing
Device tracking
Safe communication practices
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Apps for Daily Living
Vision Support Apps
Where to find them: App Store
Seeing AI
Be My Eyes
Envision
Magnifier
Productivity Tools
Reminders
Calendar
Notes
Shortcuts
Timer and alarms
School & Work
Files
Safari
Reading apps
Document scanning
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Visual Settings
Where to find them:
Settings ? Accessibility ? Display & Text Size
Contrast
Bold text
Reduce transparency
Color filters
Invert colors
Magnification Tools
Where to find them:
Settings ? Accessibility ? Zoom
Control Center ? Magnifier
Zoom
Magnifier
Camera zoom
Flashlight for clarity
Reduce Fatigue
When to switch from Zoom to VoiceOver
When audio improves endurance
How stands and holders help
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. Parent Guide
Parents help skills grow through simple routines.
Focus areas:
What to teach at each age
How to practice safely
How to reduce frustration
When to add new apps
How to build daily habits
Where to find key tools:
Settings ? Screen Time, Settings ? Emergency SOS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. Teacher Guide
Teachers integrate iPhone skills into daily instruction.
Teach VoiceOver
Skill progression
Gesture modeling
Rotor instruction
Text-editing practice
Then Navigation
Classroom ? hallway ? campus
Pinning school locations
Safe movement routines
Teach Organization
Where to find it:
Press and hold any app ? Edit Home Screen
Folder creation
Notifications
Calendar and reminders
Assessment
Define mastery
Measure progress
Write goals and objectives
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8. Learning Paths
Beginner Path
Activate Accessibility Shortcut
Learn basic gestures
Practice the Rotor
Use Siri for quick tasks
Drop a first pin
Intermediate Path
Edit text
Navigate long pages
Use Maps
Use Seeing AI
Organize the Home Screen
Advanced Path
Braille Screen Input
Custom Rotor
Advanced Maps skills
Shortcuts automation
Real-world travel practice
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. Lesson Index
This section lists all iPhone lessons.
Each item includes:
A clear title
A short description
A consistent layout
This turns the page into a complete curriculum hub.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10. What to Learn Next
Advanced VoiceOver
Tech-supported O&M
JAWS and PC access
Accessible STEM tools
Low-vision strategies
iPhone Lessons
https://yourtechvision.com/2026/02/19/complete-iphone-access-guide/
David Goldfield,
Blindness Assistive Technology Specialist
http://www.DavidGoldfield.com
Director of Marketing,
Blazie Technologies
http://www.BlazieTech.com
JAWS Certified, 2022
NVDA Certified Expert
Subscribe to the Tech-VI announcement list to receive blindness technology
news, events and information.
Email: tech-vi+...@groups.io
http://www.DavidGoldfield.com
Colin Howard, living in Southern England.
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