[blindLaw] WestLaw and LixesNexis Accessibility with the Screen Reader

Sun Sep 27 12:28:58 UTC 2026

Thank you for sharing, Omar - this is very helpful!

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________________________________
From: omar duncan <oduncan821 at gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, 26 September 2026 23:41:51
To: Abdulrahman Bagais <abagais1 at hotmail.com>
Cc: Blind Law Mailing List <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [blindLaw] WestLaw and LixesNexis Accessibility with the Screen Reader

Ohhh I don’t have any experience with NVDA, but I’m sure a lot of people here might. In the meantime, my best recommendation Is to consult artificial intelligence with prompts

However, I went on Google Gemini and entered the following prompt and I literally copied, pasted your issues but framed it as a question.
Attached below is my prompt I asked Google Gemini based on your question, followed by the response, spit it out, which is quite comprehensive and potentially/hopefully helpful to you. Just wanted to show this to you as a start to help with your concern and show you what artificial intelligence is capable of
And be advised, the response is quite comprehensive

See attached below

Prompt:
I use NVDA screen reader and I navigate west law legal database , I’m having a hard time with some navigation

For example, I wrote a word in the search box's and I found the suggestions do not work with the screen reader. Also, navigating through the results page of the dictionary (e.g., BlackLaw) and reaching and expanding the target result do not work with the screen reader as well.

The above represents the situation I’m navigating. Can you please advise on how to navigate using your knowledge of Westlaw user interface and NVDA

———————————————-

Response :

Navigating heavy legal databases like Westlaw with a screen reader can often be challenging due to complex web applications, dynamic search suggestion widgets, and deeply nested result trees (such as legal dictionaries like Black's Law Dictionary).

The following practical workarounds and navigation strategies for NVDA will help you bypass these interface barriers.

1. Fixing Search Box Suggestions and Auto-Complete Issues

Search suggestions on Westlaw often use dynamic ARIA combobox patterns that fail to announce properly or trap focus away from what you are typing.

  *   Force Focus Mode: When you land on the search box, ensure NVDA is in Focus Mode (indicated by a typewriter sound or a chime) so your keystrokes go directly into the box. If NVDA is stuck in Browse Mode, press NVDA + Space to manually switch.
  *   Ignore the Dropdown and Search Direct: Instead of trying to arrow down into the visual suggestion list (which frequently breaks with screen readers), type your complete term (e.g., "Black's Law Dictionary definition of [term]" or specific legal citations) and press Enter directly. This forces the application to execute a standard search page query rather than relying on the unreliable popup menu.
  *   Use the Elements List: If you get lost inside a form element block, press NVDA + F7 to open the Elements List, select Form Fields, and jump straight back to the main search input.

2. Navigating Dictionary Results and Hitting Expansion Roadblocks

Result pages for specific legal terms or dictionary entries often use collapsible trees, accordions, or hidden-state buttons that screen readers fail to recognize as "expanded" or "collapsed."

  *   Bypass ARIA Traps with Object Navigation: If pressing Enter or Spacebar on a result link or a "plus/expand" button does nothing, drop out of standard web navigation and use NVDA Object Navigation:
     *   Press NVDA + NumPad 4 or NumPad 6 to move horizontally/locally through the immediate elements.
     *   Press NVDA + NumPad 5 (or Enter while in object mode) to force a click/activation on the stubborn element.
  *   Look for Alternative Links: Legal databases often duplicate links—rendering a fancy JavaScript button alongside a standard HTML hyperlink. Press K to cycle strictly through links on the page. Often, the text heading itself or a secondary "Full Text" link behaves much better with NVDA than the graphical expansion chevron.
  *   Navigate by Headings: On a dense dictionary results page, don't read line-by-line. Press H to jump from heading to heading to find the specific entry title instantly, then use your down arrow to read the definition block.

3. General Best Practices for Westlaw + NVDA

  *   Turn off "Screen Layout" in NVDA: Sometimes complex tables or sidebars on Westlaw get jumbled. Go to NVDA Preferences (NVDA + N), select Settings, navigate to Document Formatting, and ensure things like tables and block elements are structured logically.
  *   Use Firefox or Chrome Consistently: Westlaw's React/Angular framework occasionally behaves differently depending on the browser. Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox typically offer the most stable accessibility tree API implementation for NVDA.

Are you primarily accessing Westlaw through a standard web browser on a desktop, or are you running into these specific issues within a localized corporate/university portal wrapper?

If you want we can exchange phone and be in touch if you’d like .

Thanks,

On Sat, Sep 26, 2026 at 8:32 PM Abdulrahman Bagais <abagais1 at hotmail.com<mailto:abagais1 at hotmail.com>> wrote:
Hi Omar - I use NVDA. Thanks!

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________________________________
From: omar duncan <oduncan821 at gmail.com<mailto:oduncan821 at gmail.com>>
Sent: Saturday, 26 September 2026 23:30:42
To: Blind Law Mailing List <blindlaw at nfbnet.org<mailto:blindlaw at nfbnet.org>>
Cc: Abdulrahman Bagais <abagais1 at hotmail.com<mailto:abagais1 at hotmail.com>>
Subject: Re: [blindLaw] WestLaw and LixesNexis Accessibility with the Screen Reader

Hello Abdul, do you mind telling us what system you  use
Jaws or voiceover

On Sat, Sep 26, 2026 at 6:55 PM Abdulrahman Bagais via BlindLaw <blindlaw at nfbnet.org<mailto:blindlaw at nfbnet.org>> wrote:
Hi Everyone,

I am a new master's in law student in the United States. I started using WestLaw and LexisNexis, and I am assuming they will be my main source in law school. I found WestLaw in particular a bit confusing with the screen reader. For example, I wrote a word in the search box's and I found the suggestions do not work with the screen reader. Also, navigating through the results page of the dictionary (e.g., BlackLaw) and reaching and expanding the target result do not work with the screen reader as well.

I would appreciate any resources or tips that might help with both WestLaw and LexisNexis. Thank you!

Kind regards,
Abdul

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