A user could be using a mouse (clicking), their fingers or a stylus (tapping), a keyboard without a mouse (tab, key, press), a screen reader or any other assistive technology.

Never label something like a button as “button” because the screen reader is intelligent enough to read that part to the user already.ĭon’t use “Click Here,” “Tap to Continue” and similar labeling schemes that presume a specific action. Screen readers “read” both the structure and the text of elements on a page.

Android and iOS both have many accessibility features built-in, including screen readers. This article will cover the basics of screen readers on desktops. The result is technology that’s inclusive.” - Microsoft It’s what drives us to create a world that makes lives better. “We design to embrace the things that make us human. Designing for voice assistance also means you get built-in SEO and easier integration with chat assistants (Alexa, Cortana, Siri, etc.) for minimal additional cost. You increase your potential market share and protect yourself against lawsuits. Analytics does not track assistive technologies screen readers, because screen readers read browsers themselves.Ĭreating for inclusion enables humans with unique experiences and all backgrounds to use your website or app. If you’ve never seen someone with a screen reader on your analytics, it doesn’t mean they aren’t there. This number does not include users with temporary impairments or those who have not reported a disability. One in five users in the United States has a legally recognized disability. I couldn’t see how this much effort was worth it for (what I thought was) only a few users.

Not only did it not work for my Mac, but it was also going to set me back over a thousand dollars. I looked at JAWS, hoping for a simpler solution. I started by opening the Apple VoiceOver guide and tried to memorize the first ten (of many) shortcuts. When I first started testing with a screen reader in 2015, I thought it was going to be nearly impossible.

Nvda screen reader 2018