Muse and Accessibility

[zariahgl]

I have many questions concerning MUSE and accessibility. But the these are the pressing issues:

• Is there a method to control or edit the tabbing order?
• What is the interactivity of screen readers?
• Is the only way to ensure compliance is to download the file as HTML and adjust via code?

[pziecina · Accepted solution]

As no one has replied to your question, here goes -

Never ever set or apply any tabbing order to a web page. This was introduced back in the early days of the web when html tables were common for layout. The latest guidlines, (and legislation) also say that web pages that use a tabbing order should not do so, as it interferes with the end users assistive devices pre-sets, and should not be used.

The interactivity of screen readers has moved forward dramatically over the last 10 years, providing WCAG Level 2 and Aria Graphics guidlines are implemented. The old section 508 guidlines for accessibilty have been replaced in most legislations by WCAG Level 2.

The easiest way to ensure complience, (impossible using Muse) is to use html5 semantic mark-up, as this will in most cases make the page 75%+ complient, otherwise aria roles must be used, (do not apply aria roles to html5 semantic mark-up, as these have the roles built-in). Even things like images that are pure decorative have there own method of marking as such. 

You could read the specs, if you have a few week to spare -

https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/glance/

Also do not forget that complience with WCAG Level2 on new pages for government sites is mandatory, (though few truely achive this) and currently only recommended for smaller sites, (completely personal sites exempt). Though it will also become mandatory for most sites that offer goods and/or services within the next few years.

[zariahgl]

Thank you for the information.

I'm not using Muse to create a webpage, I'm design a page to sit within my online course. When testing, my screen readers reads well and how it should. However, when I utilize keyboard functions - tabbing through from element to element is non-existent. This was the root of my question - the tabbing function doesn't work when designing with Muse. So I need to ensure it does.

I'm an Accessibility specialist - and yes both Section 508 Refresh and WCAG is a long read

Designing websites or online courses aren't an issue, because I build utilizing compliant methods. If I need to I go into the backend and add HTML 5 and/or ARIA code to adjust and ensure that items compliant (i.e. focus order, dual iframe titles, etc.).

[pziecina]

I'm not a Muse user, except for trying it out for interest only.

I do know from having worked with users requiring assisted devices to use a computer, that many programs require the devices and computer accessibility features to be set-up specifically to match mouse to tab for the programs required.

MS Office does have (or MS supply) a utility program that a user can use to do this mapping, but I have not seen mention of such a utility by Adobe, though it may be worth asking customer support if one is available.