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

I disagree.  What we need is a guide to optimal use and configurability for 
all by all.  Skip to is  ahack and can be miss construed badly and is often 
badly implemented and miss understood and is also being used as a marketing 
trick...  The most usefull thing that can be done in this regard is to put 
in well defined internal links.

Johnnie Apple Seed
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Janet Russeau" <russeau@misd.k12.mi.us>
To: <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
Sent: Monday, February 14, 2005 9:30 AM
Subject: Re: Copywriting for Screenreaders (was Alt text for URL's)



At 08:54 AM 2/14/2005, you wrote:
>   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

Thank for these insights. It is very difficult to put yourself in someone
else's shoes.

Some other groups that I am fine-tuning our web site for are those that use
alternative input devices, such as switches, touch screens, special
keyboards, and the like. I have found these groups to also benefit from
"skip to..." links and would appreciate copywriting tips that also include
these types of users.

The on-screen clues that I provide for screen readers must also make sense
and be usable by these groups with varying physical impairments. I haven't
even really begun to address the needs of individuals with varying types of
cognitive and learning impairments. I've tried to use my technical writing
background for that, but I have heard there are specific things that can be
done to accommodate individuals with dyslexia. Unfortunately, I don't know
anything about it.

We really do need some type of copywriting or copyediting guidelines that
include all of the various usability groups, not just screenreaders.

Janet

Received on Monday, 14 February 2005 14:45:03 UTC