508 Compliance, Quiz Radio Button and JAWS Reader

I know this is over a year old, but I wanted to share just in case. The only way that I was able to overcome the 508 issues with quizzes in captivate is to create the quiz from scratch--not use any of the built-in quiz slides. This was done through a ton of advanced actions, text buttons (not radio), and visibility rules. I'm happy to share if you still need assistance, but given the date of this post, it might not be relevant anymore.

You've encountered the major accessibility show stopper in using the pre-made question slides. Captivate does not allow you to set the name, role, or state for the buttons on the quiz slides, and unlabeled buttons are a deal killer for any 508 compliance test I have ever worked on. See if your testing group will allow you to include a text equivalent test that a visually impaired user can access and take either proctored on do an alternative submission. If the quiz needs to be scored for completion, there's no way to currently pass a 508 accessibility test with the standard question slides otherwise. If its just a knowledge check that will not be scored, you may be able to create a description of the question and answers and put it in the slide notes area of your slide, JAWS will read that first. you would also need to have a way for the user to get past the slide without navigating it. Details follow:

JAWS 14 reads a four answer multiple choice question slide as follows (using either tabbing or arrow keys):

1. Slide Title

2. Question Title

3. Question Text

4. radio button (unchecked) - fails 508 testing

5. text for answer A

6. radio button (unchecked) - fails 508 testing

7. text for answer B

8. radio button (unchecked) - fails 508 testing

9. text for answer C

10. radio button (unchecked) - fails 508 testing

11. text for answer D

12. radio button (unchecked) - fails 508 testing

13. Submit button

14. Question # of #

This means that a visually impaired user has to:

1. figure out that the button before each answer is related to the following answer

2. navigate through the entire slide to the submit button to be sure they have hear any and all choices

3. navigate back to through the question and answers

4. select the button that matches up with the answer; then navigate back to the submit button

5. select the submit button and (at least in Captivate 7.01.237) listen to the feedback box that opens after activating the submit button

6. navigate to the next button or playbar

In short - if you are working off an LMS that has an accessible testing area built in, build your tests there and provide a link from the last frame of your Captivate lesson. Score the test seperately from completion of your Captivate lesson.

Justenuf