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RE: Use of Audio Interferes with Screenreaders?

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From: Thomas Walczyk
Date: Feb 6, 2004 10:37AM

Thanks to you both for your thoughtful replies! Its clear we will have to
do some thinking about the auto-start issue. Perhaps the most elegant
solution would be to allow the user to globally turn the audio on or off in
the courseware, but that is rather difficult to achieve with the audio
embedded in separate Flash files.

I mentioned the "user experienced with JAWS" because several people I asked
about this issue said they thought that JAWS could be configured to wait for
a specific event (such as an audio file playing) before beginning to read
the page. After doing some research, I think they may be referring to the
option to press the CTRL key and stop the screenreader while the audio is
playing.

--Tom--

-----Original Message-----
From: John Foliot - WATS.ca [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ]
Sent: Friday, February 06, 2004 10:41 AM
To: <EMAIL REMOVED>
Subject: RE: Use of Audio Interferes with Screenreaders?


Richard,

Half right, half wrong...

I agree, having the flash file with a "start" button is the better way, not
only for the visually impaired, but as you pointed out, all users.

However, the other two suggestions you offered still exhibit the basic
problem... both the screen reader and the flash file start reading
automatically once the page has loaded. Have "hidden" text for the screen
reader which suggests that they hit "escape" or "mute" will start reading at
the same time as Mr. Flash Narration starts talking. Boom! No good...

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying don't have Flash narration... I'm all
for it if it is done properly (text alternative, alt/longdesc if so
required, etc., etc.). Where I personally take issue is with the
auto-start, and as I have outlined previously, while there is no direct
guideline or checkpoint which forbids the use of auto-start in multi-media
presentations, I believe it to be contrary to the "spirit" of universal
accessibility.

Cheers!

JF
--
John Foliot <EMAIL REMOVED>
Web Accessibility Specialist / Co-founder of WATS.ca
Web Accessibility Testing and Services
http://www.wats.ca 1.866.932.4878 (North America)



-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Sweet [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ]
Sent: Friday, February 06, 2004 8:23 AM
To: <EMAIL REMOVED>
Subject: RE: Use of Audio Interferes with Screenreaders?


I'm not an expert on Flash, so excuse that my ignorance on technical issues!

I would encourage you to use the audio narration from an accessiblity point
of view. Many users have disabilites (other than visual impairment) that
make an audio track beneficial. But addressing this particular issue, why
does the narrator have to speak 'automatically'? Could you not have a button
(or similar) to start it? Might not be ideal from a usability point of view,
but could have the advantage of allowing all users to 'repeat' the page's
commentary. Screen-reader users could then choose whether to read the
alternate text or listen to the narration. I suspect many would choose the
latter, as a pleasant break from the electronic voice!

A better alternative might be to provide an option right at the start of the
presentation to 'mute' the voiceover, indicating that this is recommended
for screenreaders.

A last resort: at the start, suggest that screenreader users hit 'Escape' on
loading a new page to cancel the reading. (They can still navigate around
either during or after the narration if required).

Richard

-----Original Message-----
From: Thomas Walczyk [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ]
Sent: 05 February 2004 21:53
To: ' <EMAIL REMOVED> '
Subject: Use of Audio Interferes with Screenreaders?


Hello!

Are there any guidelines or best practices concerning how audio may be
incorporated without hindering the use of a screenreader (such as JAWS)? I
am working on a web-based training course that includes audio narration. In
certain instances involving Flash animation with embedded audio, the
narrator automatically begins to speak when the user enters the page.
(Unfortunately, technical specifications limit the course to Flash 5 rather
than Flash MX.)

Although we provide audio transcripts and alternate text description of the
animation, there is still a problem in that both JAWS and the narrator are
speaking at the same time.
Could a user experienced with JAWS adequately deal with this situation?
Would this situation (a screenreader and an audio file speaking at the same
time) be a violation of any of the WAI conformance levels? I could not find
anything in the standards that directly addresses this issue.
Many thanks!

--Tom--

--Tom Walczyk--
Senior Instructional Designer
Carley Corporation
3203 Lawton Road, Suite 251
Orlando, FL 32803-2935
Phone: (407) 894-5575 x 260
Fax: (407) 895-3865
<EMAIL REMOVED>


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