Accessibility

That sounds like a cool feature. What happens if the user is using a speech browser that does not support MSAA. The only browser I know that does it at the moment is Window-Eyes. Can you point me to other speech browsers that support this?

Hi Sandy,

Actually screen readers (speech browsers) must support MSAA in order to support Flash. It is the only means the Flash Player uses to pass data to the screen readers.

The current list includes Window Eyes 4.2+ and JAWS 4.5+.

> I strong recommend just using
> one site and making it as accessible as > possible to all users.

Why?

Ciao,

Rene =>=

Hi Rene,

In my experience, secondary, 'accessible' sites often become lackluster sites that don't have all of the features of the full site and are not as well maintained. Frequently this is not the intent, but it is how it plays out in practice, almost without fail.

Cheers,
Bob

Bob:
Long time fan, first time blogger.
I recently found this thread and the sample detector- I'm running Windows Eyes 4.5 Beta Demo, and it's not getting picked up by the sample, and there is no button action on tke check button.

That aside, I'm having a nasty time with Windows Eyes right now: I'm working on a CD ROM app, and can get the first page to read correctly, but when the user selects a button, > I get a "CUSTOM CONTROL_ MSAA OFF" announcement from the reader and low and behold, MSAA is set to off. is this a common error, and if so, is there a way to repeatedly check to make sure that both MSAA and Flash access are running n Windows Eyes and JAWS using actionscript, perhaps as an onEnterFrame command? Knowing that a knowledgable user can turn it back on with a ALT SHFT M in windows Eyes, and knowing that not all users are knowledgeable and some of those are using JAWS, I'd like to be able to check the state of MSAA for the User, and turn it on should it be set to off; similarly the Flash feature within both Windows Eyes and Jaws. I don't want to simply toggle it, as it may already be on, and I'd be shutting it off.

Thanks,
Bob Babcock

Hi Bob (everybody drink),

So I have to admit, I have not played with the beta too much yet. On my to do list later this month as I clear my calendar.

The MSAA mode is comparable to forms mode in JAWS. Window Eyes slips in and out of MSAA mode as the user navigates through a Flash movie. It is triggered by user interactivity much the same way it does in a form. A Flash movie forces the user to use the down arrow to navigate the content after activating a control. Once they do, MSAA mode turns off by default.

That being said, let me get a more sophisticated response from my friends at GW Micro and NCAM.

Thanks for the note!

Cheers,
Bob

Thanks Bob.
Rergards, Bob Babcock

HI Bob: (Drink again)
Since MSAA shuts itself off, is there a way to call it from action script to turn it on (Accessibility.MSAA.isOn or the such?)

Bob

Hi Bob

Nope. Designers can't control the screen reader like that (for some very good reasons).

Cheers,
Bob

Hi Bob (Still drinking)
...so what does a developer do to keep a flash presentation accessible from end-to-end?
Regards,
Bob

Hi Bob,

Well aside from all of the drinkin' (keep in mind I live in WI), a lot of testing.

While HTML designers don't think twice about popping open their pages in multiple browsers, Flash designers tend to stay in the Flash application itself to test their movie.

It is really important with Flash accessibility that you test early and often. Open the flash movie in a screen reader as often as you can when you are in the early design stages to ensure you have not gone down an incorrect path.

Hope that helps.

Cheers,
Bob

Bob (drinking? The lights weren't the only thing blacked out in NYC this weekend):
CTRL+F12 & "Test and Save often"- is that the best you can do for me bobby boy?
Put on the ol' Senior Project Manager hat, or the 'i've written the only book on the subject" hat for a second-
If MSAA goes off with the user's first navigation selection within a flash app when using the latest beta from GW Micro, is Flash to be considered "accessible", or only "initially accessible"? Is there a way to stay within the context of MSAA once someone makes a selection (BTW- no down arrow only tabbing and a return to select- I'd show you the content, but then I'd have to kill you).

Regards, Bob

I'm looking around your blog, and I'm trying to learn more about MSAA and not finding much. Is there a post that does the intro bit about this? It sounds like a key thing to know when creating an accessible site.

Re: Creating one accessible site.

Rene, from my experience, when users see one version of the site that is in Flash (or some other plugin technolog) and one that is not, there is a sense that the non-Flash version is not only less immersive, but has less content, fewer features, older updates, etc. That is, that the non-flash version is non-interesting.

However, one thing to keep in mind is that if you are doing a non-flash equivalent, that the translation be worthwhile. For instance, instead of just the text transcript for a movie, a text version should capture the spirit and meaning of the non-text content.

A strategy I'm working with on a project right now is to have the non-flash version contain narrative features that the flash version doesn't have. That is, both versions are more interesting than the other, but in different ways.

Not only does that keep people from feeling like 2nd class citizens if they have disabilities, but it encourages people to try both the non-flash and flash versions, especially since we're going through all sorts of efforst to make the flash version accessible.

Accessibliity isn't just about being technically compatible. Note that this idea is built right in to the emerging level 2 WAC standards.

Hi.

Actually, it is not really. I say that only in so much as MSAA shapes a lot of what flash can and can not do but as a designer you will likely never interact with it directly. The only resource on MSAA resides on the Microsoft site. It is a steep learning curve, so be warned!

Cheers,
Bob

Bob:
Do you know of a California based company that does accessibility testing for media?
Bob Babcock

I understand that Flash player 7 has a screen reader. Does this mean that JAWS or Window-Eyes are not needed for Flash to be accessed by visually disabled folks?

No, it does not. Flash Player 7 does not have a screen reader, it works with screen readers.