RE: <i>, <em> and font-style:italic in HTML 5

For the most part these text display options are not used by screen reader users, but that does not mean these indicators should not be used. Depending upon the screen reader user agent, it is possible to set these options for speech and for braille output. A blind user in a professional environment quite often needs to know, just as the sighted user, the change in text colour and highlighting. In this case the screen reader user will create multiple speech themes, and switch between them as needed. Just because most screen reader users do not depend upon the text display changes, does not mean that it is not used and not needed. Without this ability you are limiting the career development of blind professionals.
David

-----Original Message-----
From: Ramón Corominas [mailto:listas@ramoncorominas.com] 
Sent: Friday, October 04, 2013 12:43 PM
To: Adam Powell
Cc: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
Subject: Re: <i>, <em> and font-style:italic in HTML 5

Hi, Adam and all,

As far as I know most screen readers today do not read <b>, <i>, <strong> or <em> (or <ins>, or <del>, or many others) in a different tone or voice, unless the user specifically enables this setting.

Moreover, even if it is possible, most blind people I know don't like these changes to occur because the voice changes are more confusing than helpful.

Regards,
Ramón.

Adam asked:

> Does this mean that when/if this becomes a specification (worded this 
> way, I mean), a compliant user agent e.g. a screenreader would read 
> *b* with no change in tone or voice?

Received on Friday, 4 October 2013 19:31:32 UTC