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Screen reader output for disabled form element?

for

From: Shawn Lawler
Date: Aug 11, 2006 2:00PM


Here's the situation-
We're putting a poll on our homepage which requires that you log in to
answer the poll.
We'd like the poll question and options to be viewable (but not
submittable) when a user is not logged in.

So the question becomes, do we still use a form for the not-logged-in
version? or perhaps a list instead?

The main goal is to give visual users the look of a form(radio buttons,
etc)(disabled - so greyed out and whatnot) and give screen readers the
'feel' of a form - so that both groups grasp that the form is there for
the using once they log in (we'll also have text which says as much
above the form).

We're aware that disabled form elements are not read by most(all?)
screen readers when in forms mode.

I'd like to know what exactly a screen reader outputs when encountering
a disabled form element while not in forms mode (such as does it
actually read out 'disabled' and then read the label).

Thanks much - hope this is clear.
Shawn