How Do Students with Screen Readers Navigate?

 

By Headings, Links, Tables, Images, and More!

 

Below are several pictures that demonstrate how two assistive technologies (technology that supports users who are disabled) support navigation. Accessible markup can lead to better usability with screen readers.

Heading & Link List Navigation with JAWS

Screen readers can search blocks of information in various ways, providing your students with increased navigation power. Empower your students to be independent learners!

Here are some ways students scan documents.

Headings List

When Jaws opens a document, it parses all heading elements and displays them in a list.


Headings are initially presented in tab order and each heading is followed by the heading level. By listening to this list the user can get an overview of what the page is about. The user can also sort headings alphabetically and filter all headings on a specific level. 

Links List

Similar to the list of headings this list presents all links in the document. By listening to the links the user may get a different view of what the page is about and more specifically to where a student can navigate. Shortcut keys specified for links are also presented in the list.

How do you scan with your ears?

Randy Knapp is an Assistive Technology Professional for The Cleveland Sight Center.  In this presentation, Randy showcases how he navigates a webpage using a screen reader program called JAWS.  Screen readers can navigate strictly via headings, images, tables, and links on a page. There are various ways screen readers can interpret information on any given Canvas page. 

Watch this optional video to experience a screen reader's perspective in navigation:

  • Duration
  • 2:37

The sound may be a bit muffled in some parts of the video. Please toggle closed-captioning!