WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

Re: Time formatting

for

From: Tim Harshbarger
Date: Apr 17, 2017 1:19PM

Here is something to keep in mind for anyone who tests with a screen reader...

For those of us who depend on screen readers and use them all the time, we tend to become use to how the screen reader reads text. As long as you use common formats for text information, we should be able to pick up that information--even if the way the screen reader speaks it sounds unusual.

In fact, sometimes if you listen very carefully to a screen reader user talking, you can catch that we will pronounce words the same as our screen readers do--and we are not even aware of it.

However, it might also be worthwhile to test the time element to see if it influences how a screen reader reads time information. While using a common time format for the text works--there is nothing wrong with using another method if it produces a better user experience.
-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Mcmanus, Kristian A
Sent: Monday, April 17, 2017 1:51 PM
To: Joy Relton < <EMAIL REMOVED> >; 'WebAIM Discussion List' < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Time formatting

This is just a guess. What if you used the HTML5 Time tag? I will try it here but I don't have access to JAWS. Anybody try this yet?

Kristian McManus
Digital Accessibility Tech. Analyst - ITS-UCSF


On 4/17/17, 7:25 AM, "Joy Relton" < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:

I agree with you.


-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Thompson, Rachel
Sent: Monday, April 17, 2017 10:01 AM
To: <EMAIL REMOVED>
Subject: [WebAIM] Time formating

Hi, all.

I need some advice for a campus group trying to address date formatting:

"My office has decided to use AP style on divisional websites. However, time ranges such as "8 a.m.-12p.m. and 1-5 p.m." can be read choppily and with a "minus" thrown in there when using the iOS screen reader (though a desktop screen reader might handle it better). Something like "8 AM-12PM and 1-5 PM" is actually read much more smoothly and accurately. Is it better to stick with AP style, or to test out other formats to see what is read best by popular screen readers?"

My initial thought is that screen reader users will likely have their verbosity set to meet their preferences already and that either is accessible.

Your ideas would be most welcome,
Rachel


Dr. Rachel S. Thompson
Director, Emerging Technology and Accessibility The Center for Instructional Technology The University of Alabama
110 Russell Hall
Box 870248
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487
Phone 205-348-0216
<EMAIL REMOVED> | http://cit.ua.edu | http://accessibility.ua.edu