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Speaker 1: Content Lab brings you the next in our series about accessibility practices.
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In this video, you'll learn how screen readers work and why it matters for web authors.
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Screen readers are a type of assistive technology used by people with certain visual, physical, or cognitive disabilities.
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Screen readers convert content on a screen to audio, making text, images, everything on the screen accessible for the people using them.
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Notice how Robert Dias, an Assistive Technology Information Specialist, uses the screen reader.
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Speaker 2: I am a screen reader user, so I share my screen.
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I share my sound, the you know, screen reader output, and I'm reviewing digital content in real time.
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People using screen readers rely on their keyboards to navigate.
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Instead of a mouse, they use the tab and arrow keys and shortcuts to find what they want.
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Screen readers interact with code on a web page or a document.
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The code identifies elements like headings, buttons, links, and alt text so the screen reader can announce that information to the user.
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Speaker 1: The Mass.gov Content Management System, or CMS, is coded for accessibility, but what you do with content as a Mass.gov author will affect the screen reader experience.
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If you know how screen readers work, you can take steps to make sure that every piece of content you add to Mass.gov is accessible for users who are consuming it auditorily.
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Screen readers work in a linear way to reveal structures and elements on the page and announce them to the user.
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Screen readers use text to stand in for visual information, so it's critical, for example, that your content follows proper heading structure without skipping any levels.
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That means H1 or heading level one titles are followed by heading level twos or H2s, heading level threes, H3s, and so on.
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Good alt text is the auditory equivalent of an image.
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The person using a screen reader understands the purpose of the image based on the alt text that is announced.
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An illustration of a web page with a Welcome to the Berkshire sign on it.
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A tag marked with all text points to the image graphic.
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Using these text structures correctly creates a predictable experience.
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The screen reader user can trust that things are in the right place and they're not missing anything.
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Your titles, headings, and links should be descriptive and specific for the person hearing them announced.
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Notice here that generic headings like programs and services won't help people find what they want.
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Screen reader users can pull up lists of headings and links on a page to help them quickly navigate and scan information without surrounding context.
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They won't mean much if they're not specific.
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Check out our videos on headings and link text for more guidance.
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One way to know how screen readers work is to enable the one built into your operating system.
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If you use Windows, you can use the built in screen reader Narrator.
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If you are a Mac user, VoiceOver is your built-in screen reader.
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See how it functions on some of your Mass.gov pages.
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It's powerful to experience it for yourself.
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Speaker 3: Heading level 1.
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Apply for home heating and energy assistance.
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The Massachusetts Home Energy Assistance Program HEAP is a free resource to help eligible households pay a portion of winter heating bills.
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Link HEAP application plus service provider location portal.
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Speaker 1: Before you enable a screen reader, you should know how to turn it off.
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To quit Narrator, press Windows plus Control plus enter.
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To quit VoiceOver, press Command plus F5.
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For more help with understanding how screen readers work, check out the Access Team resources.