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Re: Using a Mouse with a Screen Reader - further Questions

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From: Tim Harshbarger
Date: Aug 31, 2017 6:46AM

Sarah,

1. Why is this happening?
You are seeing a difference between explore by touch and swiping because they work differently. When you use a swiping gesture to explore the user interface, screen readers (like Voiceover on iOS or Talkback on Android) work more like a desktop screen reader in document/browse mode. The screen reader navigates the user interface according to how elements appear in the DOM tree. With explore by touch, the screen reader reads elements based on their spatial relationships.

2. What can be done about it?
If spatial relationships convey information, that same information should be conveyed in a manner that is presented when someone navigates the user interface by swiping or using the document/browse mode.

3. Is swiping between elements on a mobile device analogous to the tab order, and touching and moving without lifting one's finger equivalent to using a mouse?
Yes, you could say that. However, while I think Joel presents some good information for why you might also test using a mouse and screen reader, I personally would not bother testing that way--unless I was responding to direct user feedback. Basically, any information that is conveyed visually through spatial relationships should also be conveyed in a non-visual manner as well. While I think you could make a case that explore by touch provides a non-visual way to convey spatial information, I tend to think that it still relies on an understanding of visual spatial relationships and how they work--and I am not sure that is something I would want to assume the user always understands. Instead I would likely stick to presenting that same information either programmatically or via text. On the accessibility of user interfaces every day. I would not consider myself a typical user.

I hope this helps some.

Thanks,
Tim