Using Speech Recognition Software with the Add Media Panel

[grahamarmfield]

Linked to #23560 this ticket specifically concerns the speech recognition user's accessibility experience of the Add Media functionality.

I'm using Dragon Naturally Speaking with IE9 on Windows 7 - a typical setup as Dragon works best with IE.

Within the Edit Post screen I can use Dragon to action the Add Media link successfully. The command in Dragon for such an action is "Click Add Media". This works, but then I run into the following problem:

• With the exception of Set Featured Image, none of the other links on the panel appear to be directly accessible with Dragon.
• If I select Set Featured Image I can't action any of the other links.

Dragon users can use voice commands to replicate pressing the tab key. The experience then mirrors that outlined in #23560 - but of course this cannot be used to select the images or other files.

It is possible for Dragon users to interact with screens using mouse commands but it is an incredibly laborious and time consuming process - used only as a last resort.

If one of the images is selected, the information panel for that images opens to the right. Unfortunately none of the input fields (for title, alt, etc) are directly available to Dragon. Ironically, the Insert Into Post button can be accessed directly with a voice command.

Some investigation needs to be done as to why most of the links and input fields cannot be directly accessed by Dragon when the panel is opened. This is a parallel with the situation on the Theme Customizer panel.

It is interesting that the Set Featured Image link and the Insert Into Post button can be directly accessed. What is different about them?

[tomauger]

Graham, the Media Modal has significantly changed in 3.9 can you re-run your tests and update this ticket?

[joedolson]

Graham - if you could re-test this, that would be great.

[joedolson]

We're going to have this checked over by the accessibility testing team to see where we stand on this question.

[afercia]

Definitely needs to be re-tested after all the relevant changes in the last months and before we can make a decision and a schedule for a future release.

[rianrietveld]

Test results on: ​https://make.wordpress.org/accessibility/2016/05/13/20th-wordpress-accessibility-test-add-media-with-speech-recognition-software/

[afercia]

Either we should make an action plan or close this ticket :) Moving it to Future release, as it is something that at the very least needs a decision.

[GrahamArmfield]

Replying to afercia:

Either we should make an action plan or close this ticket :) Moving it to Future release, as it is something that at the very least needs a decision.

I think there is a piece of work being done to improve media - I read about it on the core blog or WP Tavern (can't remember which).

Maybe efforts should be made to influence that in an accessible way rather than making specific changes to existing functionality which may get trashed in the next major release or one after.

[antpb]

Mentioned in the recent Media Component meeting, this looks like a good ticket for 5.8. Adding to the milestone.

[joedolson]

In order to start working on this, it's going to need some fairly extensive re-testing and documentation that's current. Both the media library and voice command software have changed significantly in the 8 years since this was reported.

Depending on the results of that testing, this may or may not stay in the 5.8 milestone; but we need to do the testing before the work to address this can be assessed. It's a pretty broad issue.

[joedolson]

This won't happen in 5.8, but I'm going to target it as a project to re-check for 5.9.

[audrasjb]

Should we reconsider (and re-test) the issue now that IE11 and below aren't supported anymore by WP Core? Also, the ticket was opened years ago and we're not sure the issue still occurs with the last version of this assistive technology.

Adding needs-testing keyword.