Screen Readers and Course Narration

Jul 17, 2023

Upon realizing that using triggers to sync the slide timeline with audio narration interferes with the user’s ability to rewind audio using the seekbar, I am looking for an alternative for screen reader users. My course is fully narrated. Previously I used a variable to allow users to select “audio narration on” or “off” at the start of the course which I later found out interferes with their ability to use the seekbar to rewind/fast forward audio. Question: Can I add a slide at the start of the course recommending screen reader users MUTE the course so their screen reader does not pick up the narration? Their screen reader will read the slide to them. Is muting the course a valid solution? Thanks!

3 Replies

Nicola Thomas

6 months ago10/28/23 at 9:32 am (UTC)

Hi Kathy

I'm in exactly the same situation and approaching my deadline - I used a so-called updated accessibility checklist for Storyline and followed their approach throughout the course only to find the seekbar not working when audio file has a trigger associated with it!

I have opened a support ticket but they are on a retreat until Tuesday! Did you find a solution to this? Mute isn't a solution for me.

The only thing I can think of right now is to potentially create a new scene - mirror of all slides but with a play button for those who toggle off autoplay to view) but wondering how this will affect progress bar if they toggle it on again during the course.

If you did find a solution, I would love to hear. If not, let's hope Storyline fix this as your ticket was 3 months ago.

Thanks, Nicola

Phil Mayor
Hero

6 months ago10/28/23 at 8:34 pm (UTC)

Probably better in this situation to add the audio to layers that show or add triggers to stop audio when your mute variable is true. Rather than setting them to play which is breaking the timeline link.

Nicola Thomas

6 months ago10/29/23 at 11:02 am (UTC)

Thank you very much Phil - your answer helped me tremendously.

Please note however, that by moving the audio to a layer, while the seekbar worked for audio, the animations didn't sync. So for others in the same boat, this is how it works (and I'm so grateful for the stop, not play advice - that solved it):

1) Create base layer with animations and audio

2) Create another layer, mine called 'Accessibility Layer' with a play button - two states - normal and visited (100% transparent - change state of button when clicked)

3) On base layer, create two triggers - (i) Show layer Accessibility Layer when timeline reaches time 0m 0s if Autoplay = value False (ii) Stop audio Audio File when the timeline starts on this slide If Autoplay = value False and the state of the Play Button does not equal Normal

4) On Accessibility Layer, create two triggers - (i) Set state of Play button to Visited when the user clicks Play Button, (ii) Hide layer this layer when the user clicks Play button.

And voila, it works - could not have solved this unless I'd known to switch to Stop Media.

Thanks, Nicola