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Re: Web based screen readers

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From: Dave Merrill
Date: Jun 18, 2013 4:48AM

Can someone tell ignorant me how this is typically implemented? Do they
have one or more recordings of the part and/or its sections pre-done? Or
are they suing some sort of server-side text-to-speech technology?


On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 6:22 AM, Tim Harshbarger <
<EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:

> Mary,
>
> I think it can be useful as long as the people implementing it understand
> what it can't and can do.
>
> You can create an accessible site without using this feature. This
> feature alone won't make a site accessible or conformant to Section 508 or
> WCAG 2.0.
>
> It won't benefit people using screen readers, because they will already be
> using their screen readers to read the page. In fact, I would go as far as
> to state that anyone that requires some kind of audio output to read web
> content will likely already be using a tool that provides that
> functionality--since users can't depend on most sites implementing that
> feature.
>
> However, to use a web metaphor, disability isn't a checkbox, but more like
> a slider. Somewhere in the middle, people transition from not using any AT
> to using AT to assist them as they use the web. So, there always will be
> at least a few people, who could really benefit from using AT, but don't
> have it so that the feature is extremely useful to them. Also, it
> surprises me how many people I know that actually prefer listening to
> content rather than reading it--particularly lengthy passages of text.
> Some of those people may have disabilities, but not all of them by any
> means.
>
> My own opinion is that you look at it as an enhancement. It might have
> some place in your site that will enhance its accessibility, but it
> probably won't be all that useful if core elements of accessibility aren't
> addressed first.
>
> Thanks!
> Tim
>
>