Re: Blind Users Behaviour and Online Forms

You might also find the following resources useful:


   1. Blind Webbers · A Yahoo Groups list for blind and visually impaired
   web authors (a very active and responsive list):
   http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/blindwebbers/

   2. Understanding Accessibility- Videos of users using Assistive
   Technology:
   http://www.conetrees.com/2009/02/linkblog/understanding-accessibility-videos-of-users-using-assistive-technology/


Best
Abhay

-- 
Cone Trees- User Research & Design
http://www.conetrees.com
http://www.twitter.com/conetrees
http://www.theuxbookmark.com
http://uxbookclub.org/doku.php?id=new_delhi

On Fri, Feb 27, 2009 at 8:58 AM, marilyn tahl <[email protected]> wrote:

> Nice to see this topic!
>
> I agree with all Steve's points below, and add from personal experience
> watching blind users: we know tab order is important to most users -  but
> tab order and field labels are particularly important to blind users. I have
> watched blind users get quite irked when the tab order is illogical and/or
> field labels don't make sense to the purpose of the form.
>
> I'd also add to stay away from  single-select drop-down lists that add
> additional fields on selection.  The form constantly changes as the user
> tries to make her/his way through the drop-down list -  quite crazy-making
> for blind users when each element on the list is treated as a selection as
> it is read.
>
> On Feb 25, 2009, at 2:58 AM, Steven Pemberton wrote:
>
>  On Fri, 20 Feb 2009 23:18:51 +0100, <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>  Does anyone have any research or personal experience observing blind
>>> users using online forms with screen readers? Specifically, do blind users
>>>
>>
>> The place to ask this sort of question is on the W3C WAI lists,...
>>
>
>  As I understand it, there are two approaches to accessibility software...
>> These two approaches can cause a difference in how blind users use a
>> form....
>>
>> My limited experience with blind users filling in forms says that they do
>> the same as sighted readers: sometimes they scan the form first, and
>> sometimes, especially if they already know the form, they just pile in.
>>
>
> Absolutely-  it's important to not confuse needs with human behaviors.
> Blind users have special NEEDS, but still have the same range of behaviors
> as any other user. :-)
>
>  Accessibility software often has to use heuristics, for instance to tell
>> which label belongs to which input control. There is currently work going on
>> in WAI-ARIA to improve this situation, allowing pages to be more exactly
>> marked up, to reduce the need for heuristics.
>>
>
> Best wishes,
> Marilyn Tahl
>
> "Empathy is not just about stepping into another's shoes. First you must
> remove your own shoes."  - Indian proverb
>
>
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