[Trainer-Talk] Possibly OT: need advice for dealing with semi-accessible software

Wed Nov 9 23:07:20 UTC 2016

There are many modules that are super accessible. The calendar is wonderful, more accessible than outlook. The problem is that I prepare alternate media, and the modules for entering, editing and completing requests and jobs  had some hastily added keystrokes to make them "accessible". The problem isn't so much a lack of keystrokes, which is easy to explain to sighted people; it's the fact that the focus often is  nowhere the screen reader can locate. 

The off-screen model is the screen reader's "view" of what's on screen. When you use your WindowEyes mouse cursor, or screen review in NVDA or the JAWS cursor, you are moving the mouse through the off-screen model. Yeah, I know visually it's moving onscreen, but what's being spoken is not the screen content but the screen reader's database of what it "thinks" at any given moment is supposed to be there.

You can check this out in JAWS by pointing to something using any JAWS method and then holding the insert, the alt key and the W to "virtualize" the current Window. What appears there is what JAWS is actually able to see at your focus.

--Debee

-----Original Message-----
From: Trainer-Talk [mailto:trainer-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Julie Adkins via Trainer-Talk
Sent: Wednesday, November 09, 2016 2:57 PM
To: List for teachers and trainers of adaptive technology
Cc: Julie Adkins
Subject: Re: [Trainer-Talk] Possibly OT: need advice for dealing with semi-accessible software

So what is weird in this situation is that their site says Clockwork is fully accessible with screen readers and that they have a AA rating for WCAG 2.0 compliance. I did see in an internet search that the developer used NVDA when making it. The company is also specifically a company that makes accessibility software, so I'm not sure how you ended up with a trainer that is not familiar with screen readers.  I hope it is just a case of miscommunication. As a sighted trainer, sometimes I do tend to see myself almost as an interpreter between the two computer worlds. Since they say it is completely accessible with screen readers, it sure makes me wish i could get in there and see what is going on. I'm sure you have HIPPA issues with that, though.  I also used to work in Disability Services. This looks like neat software. Anyhow, I would have to admit, even though I bet I could figure out the easiest way for you to perform the tasks you need to do, i have no idea what off-screen model means!  

Julie Adkins

> On Nov 8, 2016, at 12:08 PM, Deborah Armstrong via Trainer-Talk <trainer-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> I work at a college where we use a data management package called Clockwork. Its website is here:
>                
> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__microscience.on.ca
> _clockwork_&d=CwICAg&c=xoYdONxMEGxjdvKj5bOdEOV28uakaJ20R4TjadGGZBc&r=g
> cvya4Pqy0A2EsMRyTgo_3n3PIn53GqWAnSNzbIFuBs&m=TqEePYMU03K40CmdVdKmc5zrB
> yTm_xKQPrH80t4Wxeo&s=Ei8PsaOEMXEwV2UBNEyo5dRtNQ9yNe1c-eh89SGpDLw&e=
> 
> Even though this software is specialized for tracking post-secondary disabled students, it has some serious accessibility glitches for screen reader users.
> 
> I have gotten some training from the vendor, but they know little about screen readers. I know a great deal about screen readers but I didn't know much about the Clockwork package.
> 
> The vendor has added many keyboard shortcuts, and some of Clockwork's modules have become reasonably accessible. But other modules still are not. Even though there are keystrokes to accomplish some tasks, the screen reader often is unable to track the focus so I can't read what I'm searching for or entering. And even though I of course know how to use a mouse cursor, the off-screen model seems to capture only part of the data on screen; there are often missing chunks when I'm reviewing text. The vendor's training person doesn't know what an off-screen model or focus tracking is, so we can't communicate about this problem using the same language.
> 
> I have complained several times to my supervisor, but she has consulted with the vendor and they seem to decide each time the problem is I need more technology training. But when I suggest they have a consultant in access technology come and assist me, they instead want the vendor to work with me more. I know people in the college system who will take a fresh look at this problem but my supervisor tells me to not involve others.
> 
> I know JAWS extremely well, NVDA fairly well and WindowEyes well enough to get by. The behavior of Clockwork is the same with all three screen readers, except it's most accessible with JAWS. I am the only visually impaired employee here and have held this job for fifteen years. We just switched from a paper tracking system to Clockwork two years ago.
> 
> The problems are complicated by the vendor being in Canada, and we are in Silicon valley. When the trainer does "meet" with me, we speak on conference call. She uses TeamViewer, and insists she's just pressing keys and not using the mouse to show me how "easy" it is to enter and search for data. When she did train me in person once she did cheat and pick up the mouse several times.
> 
> My husband says that I should disconnect my screen and mouse and insist my supervisor try using the system without those crutches. But I know this is just going to anger her more and solve nothing.
> 
> I really need some advice on coping with this in an effective manner.
> 
> I'm not sure how to convince people this software really is only partly accessible and until it is fixed, there are some tasks I can't perform. Complaining seems to only get me in trouble.
> 
> --Debee
> 
> 
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