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Re: Web based screen readers

for

From: GF Mueden
Date: Jun 19, 2013 1:18PM


Have had trouble at all three web based screen readers (WBSRs) web
sites, most recently with

iWebReader, which is unfriendly at my magnification. I would like to visit sites using each of them, but don't know where to find them in use.

From this users point of view, a site may be accessible for some disabilities but not others. If WBSRs will extend the list of disabilities aided, I am all for it. Meeting guidelines doesn't always do the trick.

George





On 6/19/2013 10:57 AM, Birkir R. Gunnarsson wrote:
> I have been working a bit with iWebReader from Ivona
> http://www.iwebreader.com/
>
> It is pretty decent actually.
> I am in very two minds about these solutions.
> On the one hand they are great in that they serve a large group of
> users that fall in-between assistive technology user and the "regular"
> users, i.e. people who are older, get tired reading long texts,
> dyslexic users etc. who cannot or will not use A.T. This group has
> often been a bit ignored and is on the fringes of the internet user
> community.
>
> On the other hand I am worried that some people see this is as
> satisfying web a11y requirements, and by setting it up, they do not
> have to deal with all the complexities of implementing an accessible
> website.
> So I make absolutely sure that any recommendation for implementing one
> of these solutions includes the fact that this is a nice enhnacement
> but in no way replaces the basica accessibility requirements, or
> reduces them in any way.
> finally, I am not affiliated with iWebReader, or any other
> server-based solution, so do not take this as an advertisement of any
> kind. I believe it is a pretty decent product based on my experience
> helping implement it with a few companies, but that's all.
> Cheers
> -B
>
> On 6/18/13, Bronwyn Lapham < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>> I'm also aware of an offering in this area called ReadSpeaker (link to
>> readspeaker.com <http://www.readspeaker.com/>;). I'm not entirely sure how
>> it works, but I believe it uses server-side text-to-speech. The
>> controller, which I'm pretty sure used to be Flash and not keyboard
>> accessible, now seems to work really well.
>>
>> hope that helps
>>
>> Bronwyn Lapham
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: <EMAIL REMOVED> [mailto:
>> <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Dave Merrill
>> Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2013 12:10 PM
>> To: WebAIM Discussion List
>> Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Web based screen readers
>>
>> Don't know. I wasn't aware that there was anything a site could do short of
>> providing actual recordings that would provide this functionality, so when
>> it was mentioned I wondered how it was done. (I'm a web programmer
>> interested in accessibilty, but not really an expert on it.)
>>
>> It does look like BrowseAloud can do something like this. Are there other
>> similar solutions?
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 11:20 AM, Angela French < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>>
>>>> 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?
>>>>
>>>>
>>> Are you referring to products like BrowseAloud?
>>> http://www.browsealoud.com/page.asp?pg_id€094
>>> I think there are others on the market like this too.
>> >> >> >>
> > > >