Accessible Flash Content for the Blind

Question

I am working on a browser project for the blind at my university. For swf files, I am trying to access SWF content and parsing so that screen readers can use it to read aloud. I was able to extract static text using swfutils.jar from the Flex SDK. But I was interested in learning the following: Given the flash form, I should be able to move around the fields using "Tab" and then read the buttons (by extracting the associated text) and read it out loud so that the user can click on the desired button. Hope that I am clear with a description of my problem.

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Short answer: yes, this is possible in Flash / Flex, and the key things you need to do in your code:

• Enable accessibility in your application.
• Give your components the specified tabIndex value .

The Adobe documentation has accessibility information, and while it's not often well organized or does not work -date, a healthy dose of googling around related community sites will create the practical methods you need.

Please note, however, that the target screen reader for the Flex framework is JAWS, a screen reader with errors, but in a market that implements the MSAA standard software. Flex does not have built-in support for any other accessibility standards or software.

Answer 2

I found this Niqui Merret page very useful: http://niquimerret.com/?p=94

It has not been updated for some time, but I recently discovered that all the information there is still infringed. I will not repeat what Niqui said, but I found that IE was the only realistic browser for screen readers such as JAWS, Windows Eyes and Dolphin.

In future projects, until the support and communication between the flash memory and the screen reader is improved, I plan to create a “Read aloud” button when the button or field / description names are read when the “On” switch is switched on, when the user moves them. (i.e., it plays the sound clip recorded by me.) At the moment, I see this as the only cross-browser / AIR implementation for the accessible flash for people with visual impairments.