PhET Notes

Mar 11, 2016 - JAWS and NVDA testing

Primary Issues:

Descriptions are not properly read back with JAWS if description container is set to "polite". Test effects of setting the container to "assertive".
IE 11 is not working (no way to submit values in number field). Will need to do some validation too.

Changes:

Put phet-description span within a container and set this outer container to role="status" aria-live="polite"
Added aria-controls="phet-description" to input controls.
Added role="slider" to input
Added old and new description string comparison and only set description when values have changed (fixes an FF issue with NVDA with descriptions always being read out)

test results:

Screen Reader	OS + Browser	Description Updates	Alert Update	Slider Value	Progress Bar	Result

Screen Reader	OS + Browser	Result
Voice Over	Firefox	numerical value of slider is not read when changed, only when focused description updates are not read back
	Safari	numerical value with value text is read description updates are read back but interrupts from the slider text from being read. alert box is not read back when aria-live is set to assertive progress is not read back, but can be discovered by moving virtual cursor to it.
	Chrome	numerical value with value text is read description updates are read back only when text value has changed. a beep is heard, but alert box is not read back when alert box appears, the description does not get read back progress is not read back, but can be discovered by moving virtual cursor to it.
NVDA 2015.4	Firefox Win10	only numerical value for sliders being reported. description changes always being reported with each slider change when alert box is read back, but description is not.
	IE 11 Win 10	Sliders are replaced with number input fields. There's no way to submit.
	Edge Win10	numerical value for slider is read back for hand and foot description and alert are not read back on changes
	Chrome Win10	When alert occurs Alert is read back only, not the description.
JAWS 17	Firefox Win10	numerical value for slider is read back for hand and foot alert is read back, but not the description. descriptions are not read back if aria-live on the description container is polite. descriptions are read back if aria-live on the description container is assertive.
	IE 11 Win 10	Progress just announces numbers - without context it just sounds random.
	Edge Win10
	Chrome Win10	Atomic description of charge update is read back only. All other changes in description text is ignored. Example: "a small amount of negative charges" would be all that is read back. partial descriptions are read back if aria-live on the description container is polite. full descriptions are read back if aria-live on the description container is assertive.

Findings:

Adding role="slider" to the input helps Voiceover + FF, and FF + NVDA
Without aria-live="polite" on the description container Chrome + NVDA will not read back changes
Role="status" on the description is needed, otherwise Chrome treats changes to the text as atomic.

Mar 2, 2016 - ARIA Live Region testing

Test: Aria-live regions

Source: http://terrillthompson.com/tests/aria/live-scores.html

Results:

OS	Screen Reader + Browser	Test 1 aria-atomic="false"	Test 2 aria-atomic="true"	Test 3 role="presentation"

OS	Screen Reader + Browser	Test 3 role="presentation"
MacOS	VoiceOver + Safari
	VoiceOver + Firefox
	VoiceOver + Chrome
Win10	NVDA 2016 + FF
	NVDA 2016+ IE11
	NVDA 2016 + Edge
	NVDA 2016 + Chrome	Only reads updated text, not whole string.
	JAWS + FF
	JAWS + IE11
	JAWS + Edge
	JAWS + Chrome

Test: Aria-live regions with polite and assertive messages

Source: http://terrillthompson.com/tests/liveregions.html

Results:

OS	Screen Reader + Browser	Polite	Assertive

OS	Screen Reader + Browser	Polite
MacOS	VoiceOver + Safari
	VoiceOver + Firefox
	VoiceOver +Chrome
	NVDA 2016 + FF	Interrupts like assertive
	NVDA 2016 + IE11
	NVDA 2016 + Edge
	NVDA 2016 + Chrome
	JAWS 17.0124 + FF
	JAWS 17.0124 + IE11
	JAWS 17.0124 + Edge
	JAWS 17.0124 + Chrome

February 11, 2016 - Meeting

Attendees: Jon, Justin, Vince

General Usability & Descriptions

Using FF, Win 10, Jaws 16 then 17.
Was able to use the sim well
The description was important, key for understanding the numbers
understood the mechanics of the electrons
- rubbing foot to accumulate electrons
- positioning hand
- electron discharge
liked that there wasn’t much on the page
a bit unclear which foot is moving
- foot is introduced as "foot off the rug" and the foot range slider is called "foot position" -> could be confusing to user, not sure which foot is moving.
- could say right foot is on the floor, and label the moving foot as left
It wasn't clear what the numbers meant on the sliders but figured it out as he experimented with the slider and examining the description.
- Went back and forth between the description and the hand/foot to learn what was happening
- Eventually he figured out what was happening

Sonification

Suggestions for possible sonification

foot rubbing on the floor, discharge
not sure what sound would be used for the hand, maybe something in stereo to indicate position relative to the door knob
all sonification should be meaningful and not take over the space
- e.g. rubbing foot vs carnival background music
- would providing a separate volume slider for sound effects be useful?
- important to hear the screen reader
Use audio icons - more efficient and effective than listening to JAWS read out everything
Notify as electrons are added
- he just went up and checked the value of the electrons.
- Felt that people using JAWS would do this

Fun

Did you enjoy it? Was it fun?
- It wasn’t frustrating
- It was interesting more than fun
- it was able to explain the learning goals well
- More interactive sounds would make it more interesting