More screen reader tests
Aw, gime a break… more screen reader tests? Yes, but this is the last batch for a while, and they are definitely more interesting than the first set.
This time, we are testing newer techniques. Some are refined versions of things we have used for the past year or two. Others are brand new, such as Malarky’s negative letter-spacing. Who would have thought to try that?
We also need to test more than just what we hear in screen readers. Let’s take a close look at what these techniques do to the visual display. Do they produce unwanted side effects (such as the sidebars in Safari when we use EM units)? Run the tests in as many screen readers and browsers as you can.
I’ll compile the results and we’ll move on to more interesting questions. The results from the first six tests are now up on the Screen Reader Test Results page.
So, scroll down and try out tests 7 through 12.
April 25th, 2005 at 8:34 am
Wow, thanks for doing all this great work! Unfortunately I’m more discouraged than ever. lol.
April 25th, 2005 at 12:12 pm
I’m really interested in whether some of the new technologies for voice, such as Mac OS X Tiger VoiceOver or the Opera 8 voice tools change the rules that say accessible sites must work with JavaScript turned off. Are all or most screen readers still unable to work with JavaScript?
May 9th, 2005 at 5:08 pm
The rule that sites must work when JavaScript is turned off does not necessarily relate to screen readers. It allows for the fact that someone may have turned JavaScript off for any accessibility or other reason. Also, the Lynx text-only browser does not support JavaScript.
May 9th, 2005 at 5:12 pm
Also, it allows for the fact that browsers may not consistently support JavaScript. I received a report that the Blazer 3.0 browser, used on certain cell phones, does not properly support the JavaScript on one of our pages. Someone who surfs on a cell phone may not be able to choose another browser, and do you really want to test your JavaScript on all the different cell phones? (Of course, I’m not sure whether they would even have the option to turn JavaScript off; I don’t believe WebTV has that capability.)
May 10th, 2005 at 6:59 am
To back up what Charles said, I tried to find cinema listings on a Blackberry over the weekend and was confounded by the use of JavaScript to submit the only form that would let me get access to listings for my local Vue/Warner. I went elsewhere… It’s worth remembering that sensible use of JS makes good commercial sense as well.