Re: screen readers and punctuation

Depending on the writing style guide you’re working with, using plain language in place of certain punctuation that represents plain language is an option. In AP style, for example, it’s acceptable to write from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. instead of using a hyphen between the times.

That doesn’t solve the problem of more complex content like math equations, but it can remove a few concerns from the list.

Casey Hickey
Web and Digital Marketing Specialist
SUNY Cortland
Marketing Office
Brockway Hall, Room 309
607-753-2533

From: Michellanne Li <michellanne.li@gmail.com>
Date: Wednesday, February 13, 2019 at 11:40 AM
To: Joseph Yang <joesaiyang@gmail.com>
Cc: WAI IG <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
Subject: Re: screen readers and punctuation
Resent-From: <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
Resent-Date: Wednesday, February 13, 2019 at 11:36 AM

How might one account for that?

Michellanne Li
(512) 718-2207
http://www.michellanne.com



On Wed, Feb 13, 2019 at 10:32 AM Joseph Yang <joesaiyang@gmail.com<mailto:joesaiyang@gmail.com>> wrote:
You'd have to account for users who have disabled the reading of punctuation as well.

On Wed, Feb 13, 2019, 10:54 AM Michellanne Li <michellanne.li@gmail.com<mailto:michellanne.li@gmail.com> wrote:
Hello all,

I just read this piece from Deque on how screen readers address punctuation: Why Don’t Screen Readers Always Read What’s on the Screen? Part 1: Punctuation and Typographic Symbols<https://www.deque.com/blog/dont-screen-readers-read-whats-screen-part-1-punctuation-typographic-symbols/>.

Since it was written in 2014, I am wondering if screen reader technology has since been updated to better read out important symbols.

Thanks!

Michellanne Li
(512) 718-2207
http://www.michellanne.com