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Re: Question about screen readers

for

From: Prof Norm Coombs
Date: Aug 14, 2001 3:55PM

EASI has a captioning service. Check out easi.cc and look for captioning
service.
Norman
At 04:52 PM 8/14/01 -0400, you wrote:
>Dear Joel:
>
>RE: >My company has been working on ways to convert
>multi-media to a format with closed captioning for deaf users so our clients
>have access to accessible content - it's tough but by no means impossible.<
>
>Will you let us know when you are successful? :-)
>
>Thanks
>
>
>>>> <EMAIL REMOVED> 08/14/01 04:46PM >>>
>Michael;
>
>You know, I've never seen a list of HTML tags read by screen readers. I'm
>sure such exist, and I've asked screen reader manufacturers for information
>on them, but haven't got anything.
>
>The rule of thumb, though, that I've discovered is this: if the mark-up
>makes contextual sense to the content then the content is read.
>
>Consider the <li> element. In an <ul> it reads as 'bullet'. In a <ol> the
>actual digit is read. Tables are a bit trickier, and we're still wrestling
>with those issues - particularly with large complext tables that rely upon a
>solid understanding between the x and y axis of the table.
>
>Wow, I guess I'm not surprised you haven't encountered closed captioning but
>it's a little depressing. My company has been working on ways to convert
>multi-media to a format with closed captioning for deaf users so our clients
>have access to accessible content - it's tough but by no means impossible.
>
>Joel
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Michael Goddard [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ]
>Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2001 2:34 PM
>To: WebAIM forum
>Subject: Re: Question about Screen Readers.
>
>
>Joel,
>
>Thank you for shedding some light to this. I believe I am getting an
>understanding of how the screen is being read. Is it just the anchor tags
>and image tags that are read or are there other tags that I should be aware
>of?
>
>I will be extremely honest with you on your question about multi-media
>presentations that I have come across that has text transcripts or
>captioning. The answer is zero! I have yet to come across any multi-media
>oriented material that offers text transcription or captioning.
>
>Thank you for the information
>
>Michael
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Joel Sanda" < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
>To: "'WebAIM forum'" < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
>Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2001 4:29 PM
>Subject: RE: Question about Screen Readers.
>
>
>> Michael;
>>
>> Great question! I'm sighted and have hearing and have used JAWS quite a
>bit
>> to test the accessibility of our products ... so maybe I can shed some
>light
>> on this.
>>
>> Properly coded web pages will have their content, and some mark-up
>necessary
>> for meaning, read aloud by JAWS.
>>
>> Certain elements, like anchor tags, images, list items, and so on will
>have
>> a preface read before them. So the following code:
>>
>> <a href="http://www.home.com"><img src="home.gif" alt=""></a>
>>
>> Will be read aloud as "image, anchor tag: home.com". I may have the exact
>> wording off a little, but that's the crux of it. On the other hand, coding
>> the same feature this way:
>>
>> <a href="http://www.home.com" title="Go to Home.com's Home Page"><img
>> src="home.gif" alt="Picture of a House"></a> can be read as:
>>
>> "link, Go to Home dot com's Home Page". Image: Picture of a House".
>>
>> As for Lynx - you're on the right track. I often use Lynx to test sites
>with
>> style sheets turned off and to "see" what the blind will "hear", since the
>> alt attribute is displayed in Lynx.
>>
>> Let me ask you this, in turn: how often do you encounter multi-media
>> presentations that have text transcripts or closed captioning?
>>
>> As for training, have you hit the resources at: www.w3.org/wai? That's
>free
>> and there are some really good (the best, IMHO) learning resources there.
>>
>> Joel
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Michael Goddard [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ]
>> Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2001 2:01 PM
>> To: WebAIM forum
>> Subject: Question about Screen Readers.
>>
>>
>> I am curious as to exactly what do the screen readers "read and speak". I
>> am deaf so I cannot "first-hand" experiment with something like this.
>>
>> I have downloaded the Lynx browser to see what might a screen reader "read
>> and say" is this a reliable thing? Do the screen readers just speak the
>> text or do the screen readers actually speak the HTML coding as well?
>>
>> I am trying to migrate more into the accessibility field for web design
>and
>> development since I believe it is going to explode in the near future.
>> Currently, I have over 5 years experience working in the field of web
>> development (strictly HTML coding) have learned many more skills
>including,
>> graphics, PHP, MySQL programming.
>>
>> Anyone know of some online training for this? I know that WebAIM has
>> courses but I cannot afford something like that. I am hoping there might
>be
>> free courses anywhere?
>>
>> Thank you,
>>
>> Michael
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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