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From: Sinead Hogan
Date: Mon, Nov 07 2005 12:29PM
Subject: Accessible Flash content feedback request
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Hello All,

I have posted some samples of e learning assessments built with Flash to the urls listed below. I would greatly appreciate any feedback you may have on these regarding their accessibility. Each url leads to an assessment of a different type with optional hints and explanations - there are multiple choice, multiple selection and matching list questions - some with images. Each question should take only a couple of minutes.

I have tested these thoroughly using Window Eyes. My preliminary testing with Jaws seems to indicate they are not performing as well with Jaws - this may be due to my relative inexperience with that reader. I'm working to improve the experience for Jaws users, but perhaps some patient Jaws expert could check it out in the meantime too.

Access the assessments via the following links:
http://www.officecompetition.com/feedback/MultipleChoiceText.html
http://www.officecompetition.com/feedback/MultipleChoiceImages.html
http://www.officecompetition.com/feedback/MultipleSelectionText.html
http://www.officecompetition.com/feedback/MultipleSelectionImages.html
http://www.officecompetition.com/feedback/MatchListsText.html
http://www.officecompetition.com/feedback/MatchListsImages.html <http://www.officecomp>;


These last two examples - Match Lists Text and Match List Images, are a bit more complex. I haven't included any detailed instructions on how to interact with them using the keyboard. I'm not sure if this is necessary, if the keyboard interactions I assume are really the default / universal.

Any feedback much appreciated.

Sinead.

From: Andrew Kirkpatrick
Date: Mon, Nov 07 2005 12:29PM
Subject: RE: Accessible Flash content feedback request
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I have tested these thoroughly using Window Eyes. My preliminary testing
with Jaws seems to indicate they are not performing as well with Jaws -
this may be due to my relative inexperience with that reader. I'm
working to improve the experience for Jaws users, but perhaps some
patient Jaws expert could check it out in the meantime too.

They are accessible with JAWS. If you are using JAWS 5.x you may have
trouble.

The matching questions are difficult to use with a screen reader. I had
a little difficulty figuring out what was going on visully at first!

The examples where you select more than one option would benefit from
additional state info for selected items. Add "selected" or "checked"
for iterms that have been selected so that users can successfully review
before submitting.

Regarding making a separate tab order, I generally discourage it since
screen magnifier users won't be following the real focus, but the 'fake'
one you created as a fallback.

AWK

Access the assessments via the following links:

http://www.officecompetition.com/feedback/MultipleChoiceText.html

http://www.officecompetition.com/feedback/MultipleChoiceImages.html

http://www.officecompetition.com/feedback/MultipleSelectionText.html

http://www.officecompetition.com/feedback/MultipleSelectionImages.html
http://www.officecompetition.com/feedback/MatchListsText.html
http://www.officecompetition.com/feedback/MatchListsImages.html
<http://www.officecomp>;


These last two examples - Match Lists Text and Match List
Images, are a bit more complex. I haven't included any detailed
instructions on how to interact with them using the keyboard. I'm not
sure if this is necessary, if the keyboard interactions I assume are
really the default / universal.

Any feedback much appreciated.

Sinead.

From: Sinead Hogan
Date: Mon, Nov 07 2005 12:30PM
Subject: RE: Accessible Flash content feedback request
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Thank you for your feedback. When selecting more than one option, the objects' state should read 'Selected'. I thought this worked with both Jaws and WindowEyes. Hmm...

From: Austin, Darrel
Date: Mon, Nov 07 2005 1:00PM
Subject: RE: Accessible Flash content feedback request
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> I have posted some samples of e learning assessments built
> with Flash to the urls listed below. I would greatly
> appreciate any feedback you may have on these regarding their
> accessibility. Each url leads to an assessment of a different
> type with optional hints and explanations - there are
> multiple choice, multiple selection and matching list
> questions - some with images. Each question should take only
> a couple of minutes.

Out of curiosity, what are you gaining by using Flash for all of this?

-Darrel

From: Austin, Darrel
Date: Mon, Nov 07 2005 2:20PM
Subject: RE: Accessible Flash content feedback request
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> Have I left anything out? What do you think I could/should
> have used? Why?

At first glance, I would have thought of making the test portion in HTML
+ server side logic and any of the demos in Flash, embedded on the same
page. But, if you are already using Flash for parts of the product, I
understand the argument to just go ahead and use Flash for it all.

-Darrel

From: Sinead Hogan
Date: Mon, Nov 07 2005 3:00PM
Subject: RE: Accessible Flash content feedback request
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The decision to use Flash for this project was based mostly on the requirement for production of a second type of assessment that's part of the same project; performance-based simulations. For building simulations of desktop software Flash I believe provides for the richest, most interactive simulations for the development effort and time invested. It is cross browser and platform compatible. Penetration of the Flash player is in the high nineties. Although I'm not a DHTML or AJAX expert, I understand that ensuring accessibility with these is not a piece of cake either. I was actually pretty surprised to find, once I started into it that the accessibility tools and default accessibility settings in Flash, make developing for keyboard & screen reader access not that difficult after all. My main obstacles were firstly getting my head around the issues (such as figuring out how to use a screen reader!), and that I was retro-fitting accessibility in this case. It would have been far more straightforward if the initial development of the assessment rendering application had been built with accessibility in mind.
Have I left anything out? What do you think I could/should have used? Why?

Sinead.