Hi there, I'm having some trouble implementing accessibility for my Pick Many activities. Screen readers do not seem to recognize the difference between a Normal state and a Selected state of a button I have a multiple choice question where the user can select more than one answer. I've made Normal state alt texts (Option 1, Option 2, Option 3, Option 4) and I've made Selected state alt texts (Option 1 Selected, Option 2 Selected, Option 3 Selected, Option 4 Selected). This way, a visually impaired user can know which answers he/she has already chosen before selecting the Next/Submit button. It doesn't work though and the screen reader just reads the normal alt texts. Is there a solution around this? Thanks!

Hi, Cristina. Thanks for checking in! While I don't have an update on this problem just yet, we promise to keep this discussion updated as soon as new information is available. Thanks for bearing with us, and let us know if we can be of any other help!

Hi Yuna, Do you mean a multiple response or select all that apply type question? By selecting that question type (or creating one), Storyline allows the keyboard user to select multiple answers, just like a person using the mouse (only difference is their click to select comes from a keyboard click). Our team likes to add alt text before a question like this to let a learner get some context surrounding the question (question type, number of answer, etc.). I've attached a quick video that shows what I mean (sorry for the audio quality with JAWS, but this should give you an idea). This is a plain Multiple Response type graded question.

Hi there Ria, Thanks so much for letting us know what's going on. Are you using Storyline 360? We do have an issue on our radar where changing the Alt Text within states retains the original Alt Text for JAWS. I'm really sorry this is giving you headaches, and I'm glad you reached out. Knowing how many people this affects really helps us prioritize issues. For now, try using shapes instead of buttons. For example, insert a rounded rectangle, and style it to look similar to the buttons you have already created. Add Alt Text to both the Normal and Selected states, and you should be good to go. I hope this helps, and please reach out if you need any more help!

Hi Ria and Matthew, As Alyssa mentioned, there is a bug on QA's radar about JAWS not narrating objects' states accurately. I'm sorry it's creating problems for both of you! I'd like to help each of you come up with the best workaround for your specific situations. Any chance you can attach your .story files to this thread? Or, you can create a case here, and be sure to include your .story files. Thanks for your patience!

Hi all, I have a similar problem for checkboxes: the screen reader cannot read the selected status of checkboxes. If I try this workaround, the box is not shown selected, futhermore the text in selected status is overlying the normal status. What can I do to make readble the selected status, without creating multiple checkboxes and textboxes handled with triggers?

Screen Reader Accessibility for Button States

LaurenAckley-6d
Community Member
3 years ago
I'd like to revisit this issue and bring up something I've been experiencing. I'm able to get the screen reader to read the selected state - this was accomplished by copying the object, deleting it, and pasting it back in - but when when the slide is tabbed through, if users go backwards it reads also the normal state text.

https://360.articulate.com/review/content/34159c91-8e95-47fc-bd8c-cac3a3fd2dde/review
TEST.story20.7 MB
AndreaKoehntop-
Community Member
3 years ago
Hi Lauren!

Thank you for sharing the details of what you are experiencing.

I tested this on my end and had the same outcome as you did with NVDA reading the selected state and the normal state text when the slide is tabbed through.

As a follow-up question: which screen reader are you using?

I can add your experience to the bug we are working on and update you with any news in this thread!
LaurenAckley-6d
Community Member
3 years ago
Thank you for looking into this, Andrea. I am also using NVDA.
AndreaKoehntop-
Community Member
3 years ago
No problem, thank you Lauren!
VeronicaAkagi
Community Member
3 years ago
Seems to be an issue with screen readers not being able to read the state of buttons - visited. Just did an update today for Storyline 360. Anyone else notice this happening?
eLearningTeam-6
Community Member
2 years ago
We have version: 3.69.28997.0 and noticed this issue showing up as well. The visited states ALT text isn't being read out correctly by the screen readers (NVDA and JAWS). For buttons the visited state will be read out as "button" in NVDA or "unlabeled button" in JAWS.
HeatherDurham-b
Community Member
2 years ago
The post about screen readers not recognizing the assigned state of shapes is 6 years old and still a problem. I am currently working on shapes that function as buttons with normal and visited states and screen readers are still not recognizing the states. Any chance of this being addressed finally? It makes the functionality inaccessible for some people.
- SamHill
  Super Hero
  2 years ago
  Hi Heather (and anybody else this might help). A solution that can *sometimes* work, is to ensure that the default state of the element is defined in the Focus Order panel.
  
  For example, the buttons Normal state text. I'm not sure why this has an impact, but it does. I can then have a custom state, and append the word "viewed" or "completed" to the ALT text in that state and it will be picked up by a screen reader.
  
  There are still some sets of buttons that refuse to work, and I can't fathom why, as the set-up is identical.
JohnMorgan-c50c
Former Staff
2 years ago
Hi Heather,

I'm sorry you are having an issue with your shapes/buttons being read by your screen reader! You are experiencing a bug in the software that has already been reported. I'm going to add your voice to the report. If there's any news regarding this bug, this conversation will be updated.

Thanks for letting us know about this!