[jawsscripts] Re: Accessibility, Usability and Scripting

  • From: james.homme@xxxxxxxxxxxx
  • To: jawsscripts@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2007 07:47:23 -0400

Hi,
If possible, can you please be specific about any issues you are coming up
against. That way, we can better help you solve them.

While we are being general, I try to separate in my mind which key strokes
are JAWS related and which are application related. That helps me figure
out whether there is an access problem with the application I am using or
whether the scripts for JAWS need to be changed.

Thanks.

Jim

James D Homme,
Usability Engineering
Highmark Inc.
james.homme@xxxxxxxxxxxx
412-544-1810

"It's more important for me to start to do the right thing than it is to
wait until I think I
can do it just right."



                                                                           
             "Kamil"                                                       
             <kamilimak@hotmai                                             
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                                       [jawsscripts] Accessibility,        
             10/01/2007 10:27          Usability and Scripting             
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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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