Thread Subject: Re: General Issues: Speech interfacesandequivalent facilitation

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From: Fratkin, Mike
Date: Wed, Jan 10 2007 6:20 AM

I concur that speech interfaces can be acceptable if they provide
equivalent functionality to the basic functions that screen readers
provide. However, in the instances where embedded speech engines have
been proposed, I have not seen this equivalency. Besides many of the
basic capabilities being excluded, typically refreshable Braille
functionality is not incorporated. Additionally, speech is usually not
available for all activities within an application so screen readers
have to kick in when needed which causes additional confusion.

Mike Fratkin
SSA

[Andi wrote:]

Speech interfaces are being incorporated into some applications
seemingly replacing the need for screen readers. This typically is not
equivalent to the functionality of screen readers and normally does not
interface with refreshable Braille displays. It does, however, meet the
functional performance criteria (31(a)) to provide at least one mode of
operation and information retrieval that does not require user vision
(assuming other necessary features such as keyboard operation, etc.).

Thoughts on this topic?

Andi

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