Hi, Cara,
I'm not sure I understand exactly. Are you
interested in directly accessing text-to-speech
features from within java, maybe say, speak a
message you get from some socket connection, like
telnet or the like. Or, are you interested in
updating the values of the AccessibleContext
object so that if you interact with it, it
reflects the current state. For example,
interacting with some custom JComponent so that
user keys interactions will be reflected from VO?
I think in any case, you'll want the second, so
that you can interact with the object to get
additional or repeated information.
Give me a little more to go on, and I'll try to
steer you in the right direction.
Things are very busy for me right now, but that's
the nature of the academic calendar.
Take care,
Scott
Hey Scott, yes you're right, but what I was
meaning was how one would direct VoiceOver or
the system to speak specific phrases in an app.
For example, if you're coding using Swing,
then a Java app is pretty much accessible out of
the box so to speak, but this doesn't tell me
how to tell VoiceOver to say a specific line of
text just as it gets printed to a window per se.
Does that make sense?
Anyway, -hope all is well witcha <smile> and have a nice night, K?
Smiles,
Cara :)
On Jun 11, 2008, at 6:53 PM, Scott Bresnahan wrote:
Hi,
Java deals with accessibility in its framework from the start.
Objects support the accessible interface which
defines how a UI or any java object can respond
to adaptive technology. So, the APIs of Apple
or any other vendor, are hidden. It's up the
JVM to implement the java framework on the
native platform.
If you're interested in this, I suggest you
look at the java.accessibilty package and the
accessible interfaces in the java framework
docs.
I have not seen an accessible java application
on any platform, so I cannot comment on what a
Mac would do to a properly coded java
application.
You've made me curious though....
--Scott
AGreed as well, and very good post! I'm
actually wondering the same thing myself, but
for differing reasons. I'm wanting to do a
bit more work with Java apps on the Mac and
need to know more about this very issue.
VO may be a moving target behind the scenes,
and that sure would be an issue for the
moment, but as it seems that Apple has taken
quite a bit of care to create / maintain /
make public, their framework for accessible
apps, I'd doubt it. However, as improvements
are always being made, it is certainly
possible to some degree?S
Thanks for your note and have a wonderful day!S
Smiles,
Cara :)
On Jun 10, 2008, at 7:31 AM, Chris Blouch wrote:
I wonder if he is referring to things under
the hood like the Apple Accessibility API and
such. While VO generally provides full access
to everything on the Mac, if you're wanting
to plug stuff into VO underneath (like Flash
accessibility) are the APIs consistent? Have
they been shifting and changing with each
release? I don't actually know but the
developer might see VO as shifting sand while
the user is productive and happy. It could be
that I'm in the lobby with the comfy chairs
and tinkling fountain but down in the
basement the plumbing is full of leaks and
things to knock your head on.
CB
Cara Quinn wrote:
darcy, I absolutely agree 100 percent!
I'm using Mac exclusively right now, and as
I've mentioned here before, I work to a huge
degree on the web all the time for castings,
and dealing with agents and such. So for
someone to arbitrarily say that VO, (my
current exclusive means of speech output) is
less than 'mature' is a bit uninformed at
the very least.
On top of that, it's also a bit of a catch
22, as VO will never be seen as mature
without at least some degree of flash
access, which to some degree mirrors that of
JFW / WE on the Windows side. So it's a
self-fulfilling prophecy, yes?S
Anyway, I personally am in tremendous need
of flash access which I know I can get with
JFW, and would be forced down that road if
it weren't for extremely irritating
work-arounds or conventional site links
which could vanish at any moment as some of
the sites I work with regularly are updated.
So I'm on a bit of a tenuous thread here so
to speak. I love the Mac side though, and
as it's a joy to work with in large part,
I'll stay with it here as access improves or
I'm forced in another direction for certain
tasks.
I'd hate to see that happen, but if people
keep making arbitrary uninformed claims or
decisions about VO and it's user base /
perceived lack thereof, that may happen.
here's hoping it doesn't though!
Thanks for your note and keep up the wonderful work! You guys rock!S
Smiles,
Cara :)
On Jun 9, 2008, at 11:27 PM, Darcy Burnard wrote:
Hmmm, wonder if Mr. Kirkpatrick has been
reading a little too much access world.
Seriously though, who gets to decide if a
product is mature or not? I've been a Mac
user for two years now, in in the last
year, I bet I could count on my fingers the
number of times I've turned on my windows
machine.
This is a cop out in my opinion. They can
keep saying this indefinitely.
Darcy, who now has something more to talk
about on Screenless Switchers tomorrow.
On 9-Jun-08, at 11:12 PM, Greg Kearney wrote:
Got this back from Adobe. Not sure how to
reply perhaps the user community could
give Mr. Kirkpatrick an education.
Greg Kearney
535 S. Jackson St.
Casper, Wyoming 82601
307-224-4022
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Begin forwarded message:
From: "Andrew Kirkpatrick" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: June 9, 2008 8:09:29 PM MDT
To: "Greg Kearney" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: RE: Adobe accessibility
Greg,
Tried to chat with you from your site.
Unfortunately, VoiceOver is not
ready for real use as a tool for blind users to gain access to many
applications and access to HTML content
with VO is hardly mature. As a
result, we have not focused on supporting the Mac accessibility API in
the Flash player yet.
The Australian law doesn't require cross-platform accessibility,
particularly when there is no mature tool on one of the platforms in
question, resulting in no users requiring screen reader access in that
environment.
AWK
Lloyd Rasmussen at the Library of Congress suggested I communicate
with you concerning accessbility of Flash content with in the
Macintosh environment with VoiceOver.
Later this month I will be traveling to Australia where I will be
working on accessible websites. Australian law requires that web sites
be accessible. I have been unable to interact with any Flash based
content with VoiceOver on a Mac.
I am wondering if this is an issue that is being addressed or not as I
will need to advise my clients as to the legal use of Flash content.
Thank you for your time.
Greg Kearney
535 S. Jackson St.
Casper, Wyoming 82601
307-224-4022
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
---
View my Online Portfolio at:
http://www.onemodelplace.com/CaraQuinn
---
View my Online Portfolio at:
http://www.onemodelplace.com/CaraQuinn
--
--Scott
---
View my Online Portfolio at:
http://www.onemodelplace.com/CaraQuinn
--
--Scott
