Forum Discussion
Rise Storyline Blocks & Screen Readers
Hi,
I am trying to improve overall engagement with my Rise courses and have created several storyline blocks.
I am coming across an issue where screen readers are not reading the text blocks in my storyline blocks. Are there any tricks that I can employ to resolve this?
The text is in a block and is not part of imagery. I have also set a focus order for the slide.
The screen reader will state there is a storyblock and read the name of the slide that is in the storyline block, but it is not reading the text blocks in it.
Thanks!
Hi Andrew, I am having the same issue. I've just installed NVDA Screen reader and it recognises there's a storyline block but its not reading any alt text and I have also applied a focus order. Interestingly though, it read 1 or 2 images in a previous identically designed storyline block. So its inconsistent. Is it the screen reader I am using? If its inconsistent then I need to re-design a similar experience using RISE 360 blocks instead. I wonder if anyone has the answer or can help??
Hi KimRushbrooke-9!
Sorry to hear you're having trouble with Alt Text dictation of Storyline content, by NVDA!
Can you share which keys you are using, and the order you used them in, when testing? Also, it would be easier to troubleshoot this behavior if we could see the .story file you've been working with. Do you mind uploading a copy here in the discussion, or privately through a support case?
We'll delete it from our system as soon as we're finished!
HI Kim, I am using the same screen reader. It can read the text (sort of), by clicking tab and the down arrow, but like you said, it is inconsistent. Plus, it is stating the Storyline block name, the slide name, and then (if lucky) the text that I actually want it to read. We can't be the first to have to deal with this. Hoping someone has a clean solution.
Hi AndrewHoskins-e!
Sorry to hear you're facing screen reader issues when navigating Storyline Blocks in Rise 360!
Using NVDA, I tested the behavior on my end with a Storyline Block embedded in a Rise 360 lesson. This Storyline slide contains a paragraph of text, within a Text Box. Using the Tab key, NVDA initially focused on the 'Back to top' button, as it is an interactive element on the slide. From there, I used the UP ARROW key to switch focus to the text itself. About halfway through my paragraph, I did have to click the DOWN ARROW key to move focus to the next grouping of text in the Text Box. I tested this a few times, and the text was dictated consistently, as expected.
- Here's a quick Peek of my testing results!
If you're using the initial sequence of TAB > DOWN ARROW, can you try TAB > UP ARROW instead?
Let me know how it goes!
Hi Andrew, thanks so much for your support. I will attached on of my storyline files. To be honest I am new to this, and still learning the best practice. Appreciate your help. In summary the attached has: 1. Focus points for each block as I wanted the SR to navigate in that order. I've also added via the focus settings alt text. Issue: RISE 360 isn't recognising any of the settings. Grateful for your help. It could also be the fact that I am very unfamiliar with how a SR functions!
Hi KimRushbrooke-9!
Thanks for following up and sharing your .story file. Happy to jump in here!
After adding your course to Rise 360 as a Storyline Block, I tested the behavior on my end with the current version of NVDA.
- When using the TAB key, NVDA focuses on the 'NEXT' button first, as it is an interactive element of the Storyline slide.
- From there, I used the UP ARROW key to switch focus to the individual columns. This focus moved from right to left.
- The DOWN ARROW key can be used to move back from left to right.
Throughout my testing, the Alt Text you've set in your Focus Order was announced correctly.
- Here's a quick screen recording of how the playback sounded for me!
Can you please share which keys, and the order you used them in when testing with NVDA? Also, seeing a screen recording of the behavior as you're experiencing it, would be helpful.
Thank you. Looking forward to hearing from you!
Wow -- thank you so much Steven. The recording showed the opposite that I thought I set in the focus order. Logically it should have gone from left to right with the NEXT button as the last element. I obviously have a lot to learn about the focus order settings and how the Screen reader works. I don't think its helpful sharing my recording Steven, as I have no idea what I am doing!! You have listed in your response what I should be doing. So I think next steps is to - inspect the focus order settings and use the (tab and arrow keys as you've listed) to navigate the file via RISE 360 to test it. I'll keep you updated on my efforts. I really appreciate your help. This is all very new to me. I am a member of a funded project and the next phase of the project is update all 3 packages to be fully SR friendly. RISE 360 does an amazing job of this, but it was the storyline files that lacked accessibility. Also Andrew, would you have any experience with PDF and accessibility? I've been inspecting the files and I thought that PDFs already had SR accessibility built in, but some of our custom made files from other departments - the SR isn't recognising them! What the SR is recognising is the very, very long link name. Its announcing all the letters and the (%s) in the link. I expect I need to open them in Acrobat and run some accessibility checker. Grateful for your expertise.
As I do not have a need for NVDA personally, I was not familiar with it until recently. Is this a tool that is very common and familiar for those with visual disabilities? What I am asking is, are the struggles I am having something that someone that uses it a lot would more than likely not deal with? Thanks again!!!
Hi Andrew. You and I are experiencing the same. Steven Benassi (Articulate member), helped with some of my understanding. I am working through some settings over the next few days.
I appreciate the feedback, but still need a little clarification. For me, I can get the NVDA screen reader to (eventually) read everything on the slides, but it also reads out the name of the storyline block, the name of the slide in the block, and then as I randomly click tab and arrows, it eventually reads all the text. I have two questions:
- Is there anyway to get the screen reader to NOT state the name of the storyline block or slide on the block?
- Is the tabbing and arrows something that a regular user of the screen reader is used to, to the point that it is not confusing to them as it is me? I simply cannot tell if I did a bad job putting it together or I just am not proficient with the screen reader tool.
Hi Andrew. I am in the same boat as you. Learning as I go. I am reliant on the staff to educate me as I go. Steven Benassi's been very helpful. However there is more to learn. I share your experiences! Please keep me up to date as we learn together.
