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Re: US v USA

for

From: Birkir R. Gunnarsson
Date: May 9, 2017 6:07AM

You can approach this in a few dfferent ways.
I think it is important to minimize the special coding of acronyms
just for screen readers, because the screen reader user travels all
over the web and builds certain expctations for how words are
pronounced by the sreen reader.
Here are a few interesting things you can do though:
1. Use the <abbr> tag for all acronyms. For common ones like ATM or
US, I don't think you need to provide a title explaining it, but the
abbreviation tag should be sufficient hint to screen readers that they
should spell out the word inside it (I haven't tested this, I will
today if I get a chance, if not, file a bug with the vendors).
so <abbr>US</abbr> should be pronounced U S.
You can also instruct screen reader users about acronyms you use
frequently and suggest they add them to their screen reader
dictionaries. USAA actually does this on their accessibility
nformation page:
https://www.usaa.com/inet/pages/accessibility_at_usaa_main?wa_ref=pub_subglobal_footer_accessibility
(you may have to expand the desktop section to see it).

3. This is a hac and t is not consistent, but you could use aria-label
to override the text in a span element:
<span aria-label="U S">US</span>
I am not a fan of ths approach except in very rare circumstances, and
it is not fully supported across all browserscreen reader
combinations, but it is something that could be done.
-B

On 5/9/17, Alon Fridman Waisbard < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
> I just listened to this mail with NVDA on Windows, and heard "us" both when
> it was written in upper or lower case.
> And heard U.S.A. when you wrote USA in the subject.
> So USA seems better.
> Though I think that you can also define US as abbreviation of USA or United
> States of America and it'll be read like that.
>
> On Tue, May 9, 2017 at 2:44 PM, McGarvey, Paul < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
> wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> Given that screenreaders will often try and read out acronymns and
>> abbreviations with vowels as words, is it best to avoid using US when
>> referring to the United States of America? Would US dollars be read out as
>> us dollars?
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Paul McGarvey
>> Senior Content Editor/Golygydd Cynnwys Uwch
>> Digital Publishing Division | Is-adran Cyhoeddi Digidol
>> Room 1.101 | Ystafell 1.101
>> Office for National Statistics | Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol
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>> Telephone | Ffôn: 01633 45 6019
>>
>>
>> For the latest data on the economy and society, consult National
>> Statistics at http://www.ons.gov.uk
>>
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>
>
>
> --
> <EMAIL REMOVED>
> > > > >


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