Google has announced 2 new improvements to its Google+ Hangouts Program that should pique the interest of the deaf and hard of hearing. First, for users who prefer to use sign language, there is the launch of the Sign Language Interpreter app. Users can now invite an interpreter to speak/interpret for them by signing along with them while the user is ""inside"" the hangout area.
Second, Google has launched new keyboard shortcuts for users who don’t like using a mouse during video chats. These shortcuts will be rolled out gradually and will appeal to those people who want to “chat” without sound. Keyboard shortcuts will assist in facilitating the ease of these kinds of sessions.
These 2 new additions come a month after Google launched improvements for those who have a slow Internet connection, launching a bandwidth slider, so users can adjust their bandwidth preferences real-time, and the audio-only mode that gives users ability to send/receive only audio data, cutting down on the amount of bandwidth needed.
Google is once again proving why it’s a trailblazer in the realm of Internet Accessibility.