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Visual location

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From: ckrugman@sbcglobal.net
Date: Apr 2, 2013 5:03AM

I'm going through old posts as usual. As a screen reader this is a very
valid point. I frequently need to describe or have an understanding of the
layout of pages when working with sighted colleagues. While I can generally
guess to some extent where part of a page is using JAWS it is helpful to
have this information available if I need it.
Chuck
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris Moore" < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
To: "WebAIM Discussion List" < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2012 9:12 AM
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Visual location


>I am just wondering when we will see a change in attitude regarding this.
>Speaking as someone who used to have vision, I find it helpful to know
>where things are on a page. It helps me build a mental picture of the
>layout. Plus this information is of benefit to users of low vision and
>screen mag users. It gives them a visual clue of where to look, which can
>be very useful when you are only seeing a small piece of the web page at a
>time (the size of that piece all depends on what magnification level you
>use).
>
> Granted being told a link or information is on the left is of very little
> use to a desktop screen reader and I am certainly not offended by this. I
> would like to put it to the group that screen readers are changing too.
> For example, let's say I am using a iPad or Windows Surface or even a
> Google Nexus 7. With these devices I can feel where elements are placed
> on the page. So being told something is on the left suddenly becomes very
> useful to the user who is exploring the screen with their finger.
>
> So maybe W3C need to acknowledge that.
>
> Thoughts anyone?
>
> Chris
>
> On 16 Aug 2012, at 15:27, Birkir R. Gunnarsson
> < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>
>> Well, one of the problems I have always had with screen readers, and
>> something I feel is somewhat their responsibility, is to not offer the
>> user some sort of page description or exploration mode consistent with
>> the visual layout.
>> I have not done much programming in this area, but I would imagine the
>> SR could interpret this information and present it to the user, the
>> layout, number of columns etc. Many blind users I meet say they're not
>> interested, and they don't care, but I feel this is important info,
>> because we often have to use the pages with sighted colleagues, or the
>> sighted world in general (customer service etc).
>>
>>
>> On 8/16/12, Ramya Sethuraman < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>>> Do just the words 'left' and 'right' mean non-conformance? Even for a
>>> screen reader user, they understand left and right...isn't the problem
>>> when
>>> instructions are like 'Select the button next to the 3rd heading' etc ?
>>>
>>>
>>> On Thu, Aug 16, 2012 at 5:35 AM, Barry Hill < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>>>
>>>> I thought it failed, but wasn't sure if I was just being pedantic.
>>>> There
>>>> are
>>>> several things wrong with the new local government website that I feel
>>>> I
>>>> should point out to them. Another example of the visual location came
>>>> on
>>>> their 'Accessibility' page:
>>>>
>>>> "In the right-hand columnn of each page of this site are two toggle
>>>> buttons
>>>> which allow the re-sizing of the text on that page. Click on the "A+"
>>>> button
>>>> to increase the text size and the "A-" button to decrease the size."
>>>>
>>>> Instead of such visual location descriptions, what should be used?
>>>> Perhaps
>>>> a
>>>> same page link?
>>>>
>>>> I do think that the reason why it fails is that it used three automated
>>>> accessibility checkers to validate tripple A with W3C 1.0. They don't
>>>> appear to have done any user testing. I also think they should have
>>>> gone
>>>> for 2.0 being a new site.
>>>>
>>>> Cheers
>>>>
>>>> Barry
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> *I also exist @: http://www.ramyasethuraman.com*
>>> >>> >>> >>>
>> >> >> >
> > >