[nfbcs] Should JAWS be used for web accessibility testing (was Re: Opinions?)

[Fred Wurtzel]

Hello,

I certainly agree here, Mike.  It is especially important since JAWS is the
most expensive screen reader out there.  Hopefully, the free applications
will do as well as the most expensive, if the site is properly designed.

Warm regards,

Fred

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Mike Freeman
Sent: Saturday, February 18, 2012 11:49 PM
To: 'NFB in Computer Science Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Should JAWS be used for web accessibility testing (was
Re: Opinions?)

Jim:

I respectfully, but strongly, disagree. Although I argue in another message
that there's no good way to include or exclude a particular screen-reader
from accessibility or useability tests, I also think that excluding a
particular screen-reader amounts to a value judgment even if it is not
intended as such. Consider how irked Window-eyes users get when everyone
tests their sites against JAWS. Why should JAWS users put up with the same
sort of nonsense?

In fact, I think the article's author is desperately trying to find a way to
lessen work for himself or, put another way, he is hoping he can be lazy and
not do the sort of in-depth testing that is truly required for good
accessibility testing.

I think the only way to do this right would be to specify that *every* site
should be put through a suite of tests by *human* *beings,* not automated
tools, using the following screen-readers at a minimum: JAWS, Window-eyes,
Hal, SuperNova, System Access, NVDA, Coco (sp) and VoiceOver (both on
i-devices and on the Mac). It's a matter for debate whether or not one
should specify note-takers such as the BrailleSense and BrailleNote family
also to be tested.

The only alternative I can see would be to try to get all screen-readers to
behave the same way and, my friends, that ain't a-gonna happen! (grin)

Mike Freeman


-----Original Message-----
From: nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Jim Barbour
Sent: Saturday, February 18, 2012 8:21 PM
To: NFB in Computer Science Mailing List
Cc: NABS-L
Subject: [nfbcs] Should JAWS be used for web accessibility testing (was Re:
Opinions?)

I am in 100% agreement with the statement that JAWS should not be used for
web site testing.  However, my reasons differ from the ones written in the
article.

It is not possible today to design and build accessible websites without
performing usability tests.  Further, there are too many access technologies
to test with them all.  So, the question is which AT should be used to test,
and therefore drive improvements to, web site accessibility?  Whichever one
gets chosen will have the opportunity to informally set standards around how
certain types of content will be handled.

Given this, I think JAWS is not the right answer.   Perhaps NVDA or
SA to go or some other screen reader I'm not aware of could step in?

Jim

On Sat, Feb 18, 2012 at 07:21:31PM -0800, Nicole B. Torcolini at Home wrote:
> When doing some research for a project, I found the following article.
What do people think?
>
http://clearhelper.wordpress.com/2010/03/16/stop-using-jaws-for-web-accessib
ility-testing/
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