by Connor Courtien, RDPFS Intern
Whether or not you’re a fan of basketball’s seasonal “madness,” consider joining in the “March Madness” online game to vote for the ultimate champion of keyboard shortcuts. The tournament takes place over six rounds, with Round 1 currently still in progress, ending on March 19, 2023, and gives you the opportunity to see your favorite keyboard shortcut for your screen reader claim victory in a series of head-to-head battles. This activity is being offered through Perkins School for the Blind by Jennifer Soltis, who first implemented this idea last year with five of her students, and is now looking to expand the tournament into a global, online format via a website, which will be updated periodically as the tournament progresses. Currently, this online tournament is intended for intermediate screen reader users, but Soltis also outlined ways that the tournament could be adapted offline for students of all skill levels, such as only using the commands that students suggest, or ones outlined in their IEP (Individualized Education Program) goals. See the links above for more information on the backstory of the tournament, additional ideas for adapting in the classroom, and the schedule for each round of the online tournament, as well as the website to vote in Round 1.
