[jawsscripts] Re: Accessibility, Usability and Scripting

  • From: "John Greer" <jpgreer17@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <jawsscripts@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2007 02:51:56 -0500

Well if it is being scripted for a professional environment then it will have 
to be scripted for using Freedom Scientific's guidelines.  If it is for 
personal use...well who's going to know but you.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Kamil 
  To: jawsscripts@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Monday, October 01, 2007 9:27 PM
  Subject: [jawsscripts] Accessibility, Usability and Scripting


  Hi folks,

  I would like to know your take on a subject which raises hot debats in my 
workplace and that is how much scripting is really necessary for an application.

  Based on this business standards, application accessibility means the 
existance of methods for getting the information on the screen and interact 
with it. 

  It doesn't take into account, the time it takes to reach to a specific piece 
of information and the needed energy to filter the unwanted announcements.

  The JAWS cursor is not only, not assumed the last resort, but also is assumed 
to be used, as the main tool for static information retrieval, according to 
this standard.

  This way, other than applications with graphic components without alternative 
text, the rest can be catagorized accessible since by using JAWS cursor 
eventually one can get to any place and if direct keyboard interaction is not 
possible then keyboard equivalents of mouse clicks can be utilized.

  The rest falls in the realm of usability.

  The business believes that it's responsible to provide accessibility as 
defined above and anything beyond that is just icing on the cake.

  My approach to this subject, is to see the big picture. Taking into account 
all the stress, frustration and the time that is getting wasted navigating a 
not properly laid out screen together with filtering unwanted audio data.

  This way not only total accessibilty should be provided but a highly usable 
interface is the winning card.

  What I mean by highly usable interface, is a kind of intelligent interface 
for the application which provides such facilities as:
  Instant anouncement of the value of each field by typing the very first 
letters of its label
  Automatic announcement of live data when they change
  Availability of hotkeys to activate major tasks 
  Suppressing extra announcements

  I highly appreciate your input.

  Thanks,

  Kamil

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