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Re: Jaws and Window Eyes info needed

for

From: Birkir Gunnarsson
Date: Nov 14, 2009 9:45AM

Is anyone actively testing web pages with Apple and VoiceOver?
I know it is a pretty different concept and I do wonder how accessibility
stacks up using Apple's browser.
I do understand the point about it being best to test with the software most
users use and I certainly agree with it, as well as the fact FS does not
really encourage or allow it.
As for a screen reader comment I hope that Apple as well as the improvement
of the aforementioned screen readers will change the playing field a bit.
I found the experience of browsing fairly similar with Jaws and System
Access, for instance, but very different with Window Eyes. We just did a
side by side testing of Jaws, Window Eyes, Hal, NVDA and System Access with
a few apps, nothing overly scientific or anything (I'll post a link to the
official report once it is up on the web site), and what struck me most was
how different I found it to work with Window Eyes from Jaws on the web.
I really like the advent of the Aria tags and screen reader users definitely
need to test and argue for them being supported (we are already beginning to
see them being supported in NVDA, Jaws, and Window Eyes, Hal to an extent).
I have pretty limited time (full time job and two boys under 3) but if
someone wants a Jaws user perspective on a page I'll definitely do my best
to take a look and give feedback.
Happy hacking everyone, so to speak. ;)
-B

-----Original Message-----
From: <EMAIL REMOVED>
[mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Randi
Sent: Saturday, November 14, 2009 11:07 AM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Jaws and Window Eyes info needed

I'll be testing with Jaws, for sure. I get the argument that testing
with something else not as good will prove that Jaws can do it, but I
want the entire feel of a site, from the way people "out there" will
experience it. If there's graphically something in the middle of the
page that the free reader doesn't pick up, that Jaws picks up, it
might be something really cool, and it would be something I'd miss if
I wasn't using Jaws.

Now that I know there aren't really any alternatives other than buying
the monster, my questions are answered. Thanks everyone for your
imput. And sam, I hope I didn't imply that you're looking for less
expensive alternatives, or anything, I certainly never wanted anyone
to think that.

Thanks again everyone!
~Randi

One Day at a Time