Re: Copywriting for Screenreaders (was Alt text for URL's)

One more thing to throw into the mix is that now jaws allows you to do a lot 
of personalization on a domain by domain and page by page basis which really 
trows things off kilter wich is why I go for coding that should make a 
screen reader happy if it is looking at things in light of standards.  I 
have less trouble using the web with lynx in windows through telnet than I 
do with ie and jaws for precisely this reason.  If a page is propperly 
marked up and all things are in play visa vie lynx, going through telnet is 
a much more joyous experience as far as the actual page is concerned.  Jaws 
provides too many concessions and from what I can tell, goes far beyond 
standards to coddle the user who may or may not need to be coddled.  Yes, at 
first, the web seems daunting, even the coddled web seems daunting.  After a 
while though, the uncoddled web can be just as effective for a user and if 
we first learn the coddled web, it is harder to learn the uncoddled web.

A good example to compare with is dos and windows or dos and any gui.  If I 
first start on a computer and learn windows, I will be less likely to be 
able to grasp dos efficiently than I would if I started with dos.  however, 
learning dos first actually increases my ability to learn windows.

Johnnie Apple Seed
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tina Holmboe" <tina@greytower.net>
To: <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
Sent: Monday, February 14, 2005 8:54 AM
Subject: Re: Copywriting for Screenreaders (was Alt text for URL's)



On 14 Feb, Janet Russeau wrote:

> willing to purchase copies of JAWS and Window Eyes for me, but since
> I am a sighted user and don't know enough about each product, I
> wouldn't have a clue where to begin setting up options or using it
> like someone with a vision impairment.

  One important thing to remember regarding this issue is there the
  stereotypical vision impaired user does no more exist than does an
  unimpaired user.

  As people with vision impairment has told me time and time again:
  there are really no way to configure any user-agent so that it
  reflects these users as a group.

  This is also a problem with user testing. A visually impaired user
  with long 'net experience and JAWS find-tuned to the hilt will give
  vastly different results from someone just starting out with both.

  I suggest that you do get these programs, and use them like a normal
  user would. At first you'll probably feel abit uncomfortable; after a
  while you'll learn the application and your experiences with both it
  and webpages will change.


-- 
 -    Tina Holmboe                    Greytower Technologies
   tina@greytower.net                http://www.greytower.net/
   [+46] 0708 557 905

Received on Monday, 14 February 2005 14:18:32 UTC