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

[Aaron Cannon]

I also agree that companies should test with as many AT packages as
possible, but I would submit that testing with just one of them is far
better than testing with none.  The reason is simply that, in my
experience, if a site is accessible with one piece of AT, it is more
likely that it will be accessible with another.  Of course there are
tons of exceptions, and those exceptions are far from uncommon, but I
think there's still value in testing with almost any AT, if that's all
you can afford/convince management to go for.

Aaron

On 2/19/12, Fred Wurtzel <f.wurtzel at att.net> wrote:
> 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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