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2 questions regarding VoiceOver usage

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From: Robert Fentress
Date: Aug 5, 2015 7:26AM

Hello, all.

I have a couple of questions regarding how VoiceOver on OS X with Safari is
typically used by people with disabilities (as opposed to people who just
use it for testing):

1. I've always assumed that most users enable the Advanced setting in
Safari "Press Tab to highlight each item on a web page." Is this generally
a safe assumption?
2. Do VoiceOver users often navigate using Up/Down Arrow keys *without
the VO keys* with QuickNav off?

I ask because I'm trying to nail down how the event model (such as when
focus and keyboard events are triggered on form controls) works in
VoiceOver and when things are and are not read.

Using the VO keys with QuickNav mode off, or using VoiceOver with QuickNav
mode on, results in behavior that is fairly predictable. However,
navigating by Arrow keys with QuickNav mode off *without* the VO keys
depressed results in inconsistent behavior, when form fields are
encountered. Focus and blur events seem to be triggered randomly and
sometimes when you arrow to a field, the field is completely ignored,
sometimes only the text it contains is read, and sometimes the text it
contains is read along with the fact that you are on an "edit text"
element. Sometimes, which of these happens seems to depend on whether you
are navigating using the Up key versus the Down key. It is very
frustrating.

Anybody else experienced this or is this just user error on my part, e.g,.
some pattern I'm missing because I don't use it on a daily basis? Can
anybody point me in the direction of data (or even anecdotal
evidence/personal experience) on how VoiceOver is typically used, perhaps
with breakdowns for different kinds of users, since, of course, there is
great diversity among people who need to use VoiceOver.

Best,
Rob

--
Robert Fentress
Senior Accessibility Solutions Designer
540.231.1255

Technology-enhanced Learning & Online Strategies
Assistive Technologies
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