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The Secrets of Screen Readers Revealed

The Secrets of Screen Readers Revealed. Sean Keegan February 28, 2008 For audio call Toll Free 1 - 888-886-3951 and use PIN/code 136154. Housekeeping. Maximize your CCC Confer window. Mute your phone (*6) if you have visitors or noise in your office.

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The Secrets of Screen Readers Revealed

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  1. The Secrets of Screen Readers Revealed Sean Keegan February 28, 2008 For audio call Toll Free 1-888-886-3951 and use PIN/code 136154

  2. Housekeeping • Maximize your CCC Confer window. • Mute your phone (*6) if you have visitors or noise in your office. • Please note phone audio may be in presenter-only mode. • Ask questions over the phone when the presenter prompts. • Ask questions throughout presentation via the chat window. • Turn on or off Closed Captioning by clicking on the icon. • Save the presentation or chat by clicking on the icon.

  3. Overview • What is a screen-reader? • Who uses these programs? • How do screen-readers work? • Features of screen-readers • Technology challenges for screen-readers • Authoring content to support access

  4. Screen-Readers Defined • Screen-readers are a type of assistive computer technology that allow a blind or visually impaired user interact with a computer • Screen-readers are software applications that • Read content on the screen • Allow users to perform various actions (such as copy/paste, edit text, etc.) • Allow for computer interaction without the use of the mouse

  5. Screen-Readers Defined • Three major screen-readers for the Windows platform • JAWS, Window-Eyes, and Supernova • Supernova is a combination screen-reader/screen-magnification application • All must be purchased separately from the Windows OS • Only one system currently available on OS X • VoiceOver is built into the OS X operating system and does not require separate purchase • Not currently as robust in terms of application support as MS Windows

  6. Screen-Reader Users • Screen-reader applications are designed for blind or visually-impaired individuals • Individuals typically use the keyboard or refreshable braille display to interact with on-screen information • A major challenge for individuals using screen-readers is that you only "see" a small part of the screen at any time

  7. Analogy of the Day Imagine that you are looking at your computer screen through a soda straw

  8. Question of the Day How is Google like a screen-reader?

  9. How do they work? • Screen-readers communicate the text information to the individual • Graphics and icons are okay provided there is a text label associated with that graphic • Toolbars in applications • System tray icons • Images on a Web page • Problems begin to arise when an application has an image of text…but there is no actual text content!

  10. Screen-Reader Features • Screen-readers "collect" information from various off-screen models • This allows the individual to re-organize and access discrete pieces of information based on their need • Two Issues • Knowing how to access discrete pieces of information with the screen-reader • Having that information actually being available in the various off-screen models

  11. Challenges • Screen-readers work best when information can be textually discerned and accessed from the keyboard • Content that is mouse dependent and/or image-based limits access and functionality for all users • Fly-out menus • Drag-and-drop interfaces • AJAX Events • User interfaces that do not conform to programming standards or do not provide functional alternatives

  12. Authoring Suggestions • Create the rich interfaces, but also provide fall-back options for those using assistive technology, older Web browsers, handheld devices, etc. • Provide structure for documents using headings • Add text descriptions for images or icons • Use symbols as well as color to differentiate content • Provide accurate names for hyperlinks • Avoid the "Click here for more information" lingo

  13. Discussion Lists • Designing Accessible Web Pageshttp://htclistserv.htctu.fhda.edu/read/all_forums/ • WebAIM Discussion Listhttp://www.webaim.org/discussion/

  14. Simulations • WebAIM Screen-Reader Simulationhttp://www.webaim.org/simulations/screenreader.php • HTCTU Text Transcoderhttp://www.htctu.net/divisions/webaccess/transcoder/transcodermain.htm

  15. Screen-Reader Sites • JAWShttp://www.freedomscientific.com/jaws-hq.asp • Supernovahttp://www.yourdolphin.com/productdetail.asp?id=1 • Window-Eyeshttp://www.gwmicro.com/Window-Eyes/

  16. Q & A

  17. Evaluation Survey Link http://tinyurl.com/256l98

  18. Upcoming/Archived Seminars For upcoming desktop seminars and links to recently archived seminars, check the @ONE Web site at: http://www.cccone.org/seminars/index.php

  19. Thanks for AttendingFor information on @ONE’s trainings go to:http://www.cccone.org/index.php

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