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Screen reader Forms Mode as Only Interaction Method?

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From: Tim Harshbarger
Date: Mar 2, 2017 2:43PM

Here is another way to look at this.

If a form is designed in a way that allows a screen reader to remain in forms mode when they are filling it out, they actually can complete the form a lot faster. If they have to switch back and forth, that is going to slow them down. I cannot think of any reason that would lead me to believe that people using screen readers want to spend any more time completing form fields than any other user or some reason that would make them less likely to abandon forms that make them do extra work to complete.

So if you can design your forms to enable screen reader users to remain in forms mode, that is probably best.

If you can't do that, then try to create forms that minimize the need to switch back and forth in order to complete the form successfully.

Sure, there are extremes where this approach might not work, but it probably is a decent approach if used wisely.