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Re: screen readers constantly saying "clickable" with onMouseDown Javascript in a table, is there a better design recommendation for this?

for

From: James Nurthen
Date: Dec 5, 2011 1:12PM

Birkir,

Assuming you are using JAWS, you can change what is said in the JAWS
"Speech and Sounds" settings.
On the HTML tab you can change the text that is read for a number of
different attributes, play a sound instead for certain attributes, or turn
off certain attributes individually.

Regards,
James

On Mon, Dec 5, 2011 at 07:25, Birkir R. Gunnarsson <
<EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:

> Hi all
>
> I am working with a library page (in Icelandic admittedly).
> The page is
> http://hbleit.bbi.is/
>
> To get a sample of a table, type in "Auel" (or any other author you
> fancy) in the search field and hit enter (leit = search).
> The resulting interface table is a bit clumsy but it does work.
> There is a lot of "fancy" drag and drop functionality going on, but
> there is sufficient keyboard support to get it done.
> The problem I am having with this, and the users complain about, is
> that the word "clickable" is read for practically every column,
> because there is an onMouseDown event associated with almost every
> column and value.
> When an Icelandic tts voice is used, but the word clickable is not
> translated, you end up with a minor, but irritating user distraction.
> I have looked at accessibility commentary for "onMouseDown" but it
> only suggest implementing appropriate keyboard support, which is not
> the issue, but I can't find anywhere how one could prevent it from
> being "vissible" to the screen readers.
>
> Is it possible to either use a different type of event, use ARIa to
> hide this functionality, or would you simply recommend a more major
> overhaul of how this search result table is implemented?
> (the last 3 columns in the result table have options like "add to wish
> list" "download" and "order on cd").
> We have the vendors attention at the moment, especially for small
> accessibility repairs.
> I know, in the perfect world, this whole set up should be recoded, and
> it is on the agenda for next year, but if there is a quickish type of
> fix that could be implemented to prevent the word "clickable" from
> being read constantly, it would be a feather in my cap and no misatke.
> Thanks all.
> -Birkir
>