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Posted by Chaddy2222 on 08/09/07 06:41
On Aug 8, 11:36 pm, Karl Groves <k...@NOSPAMkarlcore.com> wrote:
> Dylan Parry <use...@dylanparry.com> wrote innews:46b972bd$0$648$bed64819@news.gradwell.net:
>
> > Karl Groves wrote:
>
> >> Having observed disabled people actually using sites
> > [...]
>
> > That statement makes it all the more valid. IMHO, the only way you can
> > say for sure which is best is by observing /real-life/ users and how
> > they cope (or not) with each technique. Obviously, in your case you
> > have done! No amount of theorising can ever make up for proper
> > observation in something as practical as accessibility.
>
> > Cheers, Karl - you've been v. helpful in clearing my thoughts
>
> Thanks for the kind words.
>
> Watching people interact with sites is a major eye opener for me. I
> enjoy every opportunity to go into the lab and act as an observer during
> usability studies.
>
> Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to go into the Technology
> Center at the NFB headquarters in Baltimore MD and watched blind users
> interact with web sites. They have this incredible room, probably 25
> feet wide and 100 feet long filled with an amazing array of different
> assistive devices.
>
> One of the things you hear a lot in discussions of usability is how
> people will "scan" a page looking for important phrases and keywords
> rather than reading it word for word. Amazingly, I noticed this
> happening with blind users as well. They would land on a page and
> immediately begin tabbing, listening for link text to take them where
> they wanted to go. Trouble was, as the screenreader was in the middle
> of reading one link, they'd be tabbing to another. It was not unlike
> someone holding the remote control's "channel-up" button down and was
> kind of unsettling (because I could see them repeatedly skipping past
> the link they were seeking).
>
> Most users of screen readers will be able to go into summary mode and
> also be able to generate a list of links. It is vitally important (even
> more than a skip link, IMO) to create pages with an effective use of
> headings and also with intelligently labelled links. No two links
> should be labelled the same unless they go to the same destination and
> for &diety; sake don't use "click here" or "more" or things like that.
>
I agree with this.
In fact Jaws has a function where by you press insert+F7 and you get a
list of links on the page.
You can also download demo software of Jaws and other products from
the Freedom Scientific website (which would be good for testing).
Oh yeah and while I think of it the mith about products such as Jaws
reading off the screen is wrong!. They read the HTML and the aural CSS
(although I have not really played with that as much) but you can turn
off the monitor and later versions of JFW (well probly from about
version 4 at least read the source code.
--
Regards Chad. http://freewebdesign.awardspace.biz
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