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Google Chrome accessibility developer tools

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From: deborah.kaplan@suberic.net
Date: Apr 25, 2014 8:37AM

Do people have opinions about the Google Chrome accessibility
developer tools?

I have a developer who very specifically wants to build some
tests using the Google Chrome accessibility developer tools. I
haven't used any of the developer tools built into Google Chrome
because -- surprise! Like many disabled devs, I can't use Chrome
at all. Oh the irony. But the accessibility developer toolset
Google has put up is a library which doesn't require the browser
to run its audit rules, so we could possibly build it into our
automated tests, which would be fabulous.

My concern is that, given Google's history, it will be screen
reader focused (e.g. ignoring the need to have keyboard actions
on non-native elements), or worse, be written around the needs of
Chromevox rather than around the needs of technologies people
actually use. I'm looking through the code now but if anyone has
actually used it I would love to hear your opinions.

(Note I am not asking if people have opinions about Chrome,
Chromevox, or the accessibility courses Google teaches. All of
our opinions on those topics are archived in the WebAIM list
archives. ;) )

Thanks so much,

Deborah Kaplan