WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

Re: Government subsidies, was The cost of accessibility

for

From: Andrew Kirkpatrick
Date: Oct 7, 2010 5:57AM

> As a screen reader I can only say don't get too excited yet as NVDA
> while being able to perform basic functions cannot do all the complex
> functions that advanced computer users need from a screen reader. I'm not
> sure how effective it is when dealing with inaccessible flash content that
> is all in an image format.
> Chuck

Chuck,
Flash might be offered as an image, but so might content be delivered via an image in HTML. Most Flash content doesn't do this, and instead exposes the text in the Flash content via he MSAA accessibility API. This is limited to Windows, but for Windows screen readers such as JAW, Window-Eyes, HAL, and NVDA, the text is there to be read.

The difference between "accessible Flash" and "inaccessible flash" is whether the author pays attention to labeling form controls, controls the tab order, controls the reading order, adds image equivalents, considers color contrast, provide captions/subtitles, and other items that are necessary for the content to work well with assistive technologies and meet other user needs.

AWK


> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Denis Boudreau" < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
> To: "WebAIM Discussion List" < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
> Sent: Tuesday, October 05, 2010 9:08 PM
> Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Government subsidies, was The cost of accessibility
>
>
> > Hi Everett,
> >
> > On 2010-10-05, at 11:47 PM, E.J. Zufelt wrote:
> >
> >> Better yet. Why not send those subsidies to opensource AT developers so
> >> that people around the world can have Free access to quality assistive
> >> technology?
> >
> > This is exactly what I thought. It's hard to upgrade and maintain some of
> > the tools made available like Jaws, but others are free and are becoming
> > increasingly usable as versions come out. Yes, I'm pointing at you NVDA!
> > <grin>
> >
> > That being said, I work closely with people who have visual disabilities
> > and as it turns out, most of them are reluctant to go from Jaws to NVDA
> > because old habits die hard.
> >
> > /Denis
> >