Simple AJAX Test 1
This is an incredibly simple AJAX test case. The link triggers an XMLHttpRequest which fetches a simple line of text from the server and updates this page.
This paragraph will update with the response.
What happens in your screen reader? Does it update and speak the response with no problems, or do you have to do something special to hear the response? When leaving a comment, please tell us which screen reader and browser you are using. Remember to include version numbers.
January 22nd, 2007 at 11:22 pm
I read about your site through a Google alert for the term “assistive technology.” I was interested enough by the short blurb in the email to come here and read more. I then followed the instructions, clicking the link, which then updated to read the response, “Hello World.” It went smoothly with no problems.
I am using JAWS 8.0 and IE7 on a home pc running Win XP Home with SP2.
January 23rd, 2007 at 8:29 am
jfw 8 and ie7, pressing enter on the Link does provoke the intended response however the next problem is that many screenreader users would expect activating a link to cause a transition to a new page, generate an audible click from the browser, cause the screenreader to undertake the default new page actions, in the case of jaws this includes announce introductory info about the new page (number of links etc), and begin to read the page. In The example there is no distinguishable action caused by activating the link until you read beyond the Link. if you have already read beyond the link and know what is there then when revisiting this text you are of course then aware that it has changed. the complexity is that in this example the screenreader does not inform the user that clicking the link has provoked a response, nor does it indicate what or where this change is. What is desirable is that the screenreader recognise the function of the link and report back on the effect of activating it as in the case of ‘mouseover’ actions. when using the activate on mouseover keystroke within jfw (when an item with applicable action is selected) jfw echos ‘page chaged at line xx’. The downside here is that it is yet another keystroke to remember, and the change is not always decernible e.g if it is a colour change then it has no material impact on the screenreader users perception of the content.
January 24th, 2007 at 7:29 am
Adrian wrote:
Links are also commonly used for navigating within a document.
Freedom Scientific have not chosen to implement this functionality for dynamic updates other than those triggered by the mouseover event.
January 28th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
The paragraph updates, but I don’t hear anything.
I’m using the s60 web browser on a Nokia E90.
August 12th, 2010 at 4:22 am
It’s nice. Thank you for posting..