Web Access Centre

Speech output testing

Summary: Techniques for testing web pages using screen readers, text-based browsers and screen magnification.

• Screen Readers: JAWS
• Text-only browsers: Lynx
• Screen magnifiers: ZoomText
• Plan and test links

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Accessibility testing:

• Testing with Internet Explorer
• Testing with Navigator
• Testing with Opera
• Speech and braille output

There is no better way to simulate how your website will appear to someone who has a disability than to use the tools they use. Running your website through assistive technology like a screen magnifier, text-based browser or screen reader to test accessibility will give you the definitive pass or fail that you are looking for. They even show up quirks you may not even have guessed were present.

There are a great many different assitive technology products available, and new ones being developed all the time. We will focus on the most popular of each of the main types screen readers, text-based browsers and screen magnifiers.

Some of these tools are free or have free demonstration versions. From a testing point of view, they will be a great benefit if you do have access to them.

Screen Readers: JAWS

JAWS will read out the content and structure of your web page in linear order, from top to bottom and left to right. A skilled JAWS user can navigate around the structure of your site via keyboard commands.

JAWS is a very complicated piece of software. It has a very high learning curve, and becoming competent with it can take a big investment of time.

Useful for checking that:

• You hear exactly what you see on screen.
• Your "alt" texts are useful and not too long or short.
• Forms work properly and make sense.
• Your pages work when read in a linear way.
• Your site works without a mouse (simply place you mouse out of reach and use the keyboard).

JAWS is available to buy, and a time limited demonstration version is also available for download.

Text-only browsers: Lynx

Lynx will display the content of your site in text only format. It will remove all dynamic and scripted elements, colouring, multimedia and graphics and display the "alt" text. Effectively Lynx displays what a screen reader will read out.

Useful for checking that content and functionality of the site works:

• without multimedia
• without scripting
• without colour
• without graphics
• Style Sheets
• how your site looks when "linearised"

Lynx is free to download or use online.

Screen magnifiers: ZoomText

ZoomText will magnify the screen way beyond the normal capability of the operating system. It is used by people who have low levels of sight to bring the content up to a level that they can read. The drawback is that because of the extreme levels of magnification only a very small amount of content can be displayed on a page at a time. This can be as little as two or three letters at a time.

Useful for checking that:

• Your layout and design is usable for people with low vision.
• That your design does not include images of text.
• The colours and contrast work well and can be changed.

ZoomText is available to buy, and a demo version is available for download.

Plan and test links

• Planning
• Intranets
• Checklists
• Testing
• Evaluation and monitoring
• Return to testing for accessibility

For Web Access Centre updates email webaccess@rnib.org.uk

Content author: webaccess@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 06/03/2008 15:41