[Athen] Screen Reader/Browser Combination

[Bourne, Sarah (MASSIT)]

This basic matrix from PowerMapper may help, both for identifying testing combinations and for advising students.  Note that no combination has 100% “Reliability,” so students may need to switch browsers if they run into problems with specific sites or services.
Screen reader reliability HTML, CSS and ARIA<https://www.powermapper.com/tests/screen-readers/>

For testing purposes, they also have additional results that go into more detail:

·        Techniques for WCAG 2.0 Screen reader compatibility<https://www.powermapper.com/tests/screen-readers/wcag/>

·        WAI-ARIA Screen reader compatibility<https://www.powermapper.com/tests/screen-readers/aria/>

·        HTML attributes Screen reader compatibility<https://www.powermapper.com/tests/screen-readers/attributes/>

·        HTML elements Screen reader compatibility<https://www.powermapper.com/tests/screen-readers/elements/>
This level of detail is helpful in figuring out whether the problem is with the code or with the screen reader and/or browser.

Hope this helps!
sb
Sarah E. Bourne
Director of IT Accessibility
Executive Office of Technology Services and Security (EOTSS)
1 Ashburton Place, 8th Floor, Boston, MA 02108
Office: (617) 626-4502
sarah.bourne at mass.gov  |  www.mass.gov/eotss<http://www.mass.gov/anf/research-and-tech/oversight-agencies/itd/>

From: athen-list [mailto:athen-list-bounces at mailman12.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Deborah Armstrong
Sent: Thursday, July 19, 2018 11:17 AM
To: Access Technology Higher Education Network
Subject: Re: [Athen] Screen Reader/Browser Combination

The Chrome and screen reader combination sometimes results in the user being unable to read what’s being typed in an edit field, or in finding an edit field. The screen reader says one is focused there, but the browser does not agree.

Firefox and NVDA are more sluggish , but sometimes can read/find things the other combos cannot.

Also, though VFO has heavily marketed JAWS as the best thing for testing websites I don’t agree. JAWS can find items on a website that aren’t entirely accessible by modern standards. It does a lot of hacking in to the browser to accomplish this, whereas if NVDA can’t read it, the web element probably has access issues.

My favorite example of this are clickable elements which JAWS can find well enough to make you believe they are accessible. The problem is that JAWS doesn’t always see them or let the user navigate to and activate them. JAWS also thinks an element is clickable when it isn’t at times.

However if the situation isn’t a testing one and the website is only partly accessible, and the user has a choice, JAWS is better. So NVDA for testing, JAWS for actualy dealing with sites that aren’t fully accessible.

A comment on narrator: it has a developer mode which lets a sighted user actually know for sure what Narrator sees. It does this by blanking everything onscreen that is not visible to narrator. To toggle this, press Caps lock plus Shift plus function key F12.

With NVDA, sighted testers should enable the “focus highlight” add-on which shows where the voice is reading – what NVDA calls the navigator object.

--Debee


From: athen-list [mailto:athen-list-bounces at mailman12.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Robert Spangler
Sent: Thursday, July 19, 2018 8:00 AM
To: Access Technology Higher Education Network <athen-list at u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: [Athen] Screen Reader/Browser Combination

Yes you're right, I still run into issues with Chrome, especially with Google apps!  Funny, isn't it?  This is why I still keep Firefox around, for the instances where Chrome doesn't cut it.  I just find Firefox to be more sluggish than Chrome.


On Thu, Jul 19, 2018 at 10:48 AM, Frederick, Kathryn A. <frederick.273 at osu.edu<mailto:frederick.273 at osu.edu>> wrote:
When we test websites for screen reader accessibility, we use NVDA and FireFox. Chrome presents some browser accessibility challenges, especially when using NVDA. I agree, we should all keep Narrator in the back of our minds concerning screen reader access.

Katie Frederick, Digital Accessibility Specialist

The Ohio State University

From: athen-list <athen-list-bounces at mailman12.u.washington.edu<mailto:athen-list-bounces at mailman12.u.washington.edu>> On Behalf Of Robert Spangler
Sent: Thursday, July 19, 2018 10:16 AM
To: Access Technology Higher Education Network <athen-list at u.washington.edu<mailto:athen-list at u.washington.edu>>
Subject: Re: [Athen] Screen Reader/Browser Combination

I'm no longer a student, but at one time I was - a blind student!  At that time I was using Firefox with NVDA but nowadays I am using Chrome, since it has improved to a usable level.  I would never suggest Internet Explorer as most development work now is put towards Firefox/Chrome and improving their access with screen readers.  Basically, you should be OK with JAWS/NVDA with Firefox and Chrome.  I use Chrome as my main browser, with Firefox as my secondary in case something doesn't work well with Chrome.

Chrome is much snappier in performance than Firefox, even since the Quantum update.  This has been my experience, at least.

Robert


On Thu, Jul 19, 2018 at 9:30 AM, Castiglione, Deb A <deb.castiglione at cengage.com<mailto:deb.castiglione at cengage.com>> wrote:
I’ve asked previously about a screen reader/browser combination matrix, which does not appear to exist. It has been suggested that testing be performed on the current and prior version of JAWS and Internet Explorer, NVDA and Firefox, and VoiceOver on iOS. I’m also familiar with the WebAIM survey and results.

I was curious, however, what the most popular combination is for students in higher education. And, are HE students using Chrome? Any input you can provide is greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
Deb


What is “essential for some” is almost always “good for all” (Meyer, Rose, and Gordon, 2014).

Deb Castiglione, EdD, ATP
Director, Universal Design & Accessible Technologies
Learning Center of Excellence
Cengage
5191 Natorp Boulevard, Mason, OH 45040
513-229-1654 / 513-309-6262
deb.castiglione at cengage.com<mailto:deb.castiglione at cengage.com>


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--
Robert Spangler
Disability Services Technical Support Specialist
rspangler1 at udayton.edu<mailto:rspangler1 at udayton.edu>
Office of Learning Resources (OLR) - RL 023
Ryan C. Harris Learning & Teaching Center (LTC)
University of Dayton  | 300 College Park  |  Dayton, Ohio 45469-1302
Phone: 937-229-2066
Fax: 937-229-3270
Ohio Relay: 711 (available for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing)
Web Site: http://go.udayton.edu/learning<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__go.udayton.edu_learning&d=DwMFaQ&c=xoYdONxMEGxjdvKj5bOdEOV28uakaJ20R4TjadGGZBc&r=gcvya4Pqy0A2EsMRyTgo_3n3PIn53GqWAnSNzbIFuBs&m=Sth3YTYl7fMF_kRmFMwKxXmGZQPoluFG-VJxn1V3ELw&s=My5-xbC6W-Pyl8GK-YnPzVntK2l1BEEB-oaoj0_HOxU&e=>

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--
Robert Spangler
Disability Services Technical Support Specialist
rspangler1 at udayton.edu<mailto:rspangler1 at udayton.edu>
Office of Learning Resources (OLR) - RL 023
Ryan C. Harris Learning & Teaching Center (LTC)
University of Dayton  | 300 College Park  |  Dayton, Ohio 45469-1302
Phone: 937-229-2066
Fax: 937-229-3270
Ohio Relay: 711 (available for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing)
Web Site: http://go.udayton.edu/learning<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__go.udayton.edu_learning&d=DwMFaQ&c=xoYdONxMEGxjdvKj5bOdEOV28uakaJ20R4TjadGGZBc&r=gcvya4Pqy0A2EsMRyTgo_3n3PIn53GqWAnSNzbIFuBs&m=Sth3YTYl7fMF_kRmFMwKxXmGZQPoluFG-VJxn1V3ELw&s=My5-xbC6W-Pyl8GK-YnPzVntK2l1BEEB-oaoj0_HOxU&e=>
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