The SASWAT project is aiming to understand how to make Web 2.0 technologies accessible. One of the important features of Web 2.0 is the ability of Web pages to change dynamically, i.e., part of the page content may change without the whole page being reloaded. This may happen automatically, or as the result of an action by the user (e.g., a link is selected). As part of this project, we are looking to understand how current assistive technologies deal with dynamic updates: is the change registered at all; if so, what information is presented, and how? We have therefore created a set of pages for users to view. These contain a range of types of dynamic update, including sections added to the page, removed from the page, or sections replaced or rearranged. The update may be caused by selecting a link, or automatically (after a set period of time). The content is otherwise simple, mostly taken from randomly selected pages of the Wikipedia.
We would like as many people as possible to view one or more of these pages, using whatever browser and assistive technologies they normally use, and give us feedback about what happens when they view the pages. Even the most basic information is likely to be useful to us. You can send this information to either Andy Brown at andrew.brown@cs.manchester.ac.uk or Caroline Jay at caroline.jay@manchester.ac.uk. Please include as much information as possible about what happens, and include details of your computer operating system (Windows XP, Mac, etc.), browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc), and assistive technologies, with versions if known. The only requirement for viewing these pages is that javascript needs to be enabled - the update technology is fundamentally dependant upon it.
There are nine pages in total. The pages are short (the longest contains 230 words), and each ends with a link to the next page.
The first four pages update when a link is followed. In this case, please read the page to the end so you are familiar with its content, then go back to follow the link (these pages contain only two links, one to initiate the update, the other to move to the next page in the test). Note what happens directly after the link is clicked: for example, the page is read from the beginning and new text is found; new text is read straight away; nothing happens. If nothing happens, are you able to detect any changes to the page?
The second four pages should update automatically within 10 seconds of loading (and possibly again after that) - please read the page and note what happens. Does anything appear to change after approximately 10 seconds?
The ninth page is different, in that it just links to three "real" pages which use this technology. Again, we'd like you to tell us how you experience them - there are more details on what we'd like you to look out for on this last page.
We are running the study with no expectations at all as to how assistive technologies will present these pages, so any feedback is extremely useful. If you would like to ask any further questions before, during, or after taking part, please email either Andy or Caroline.
Thanks for your help!
To begin the study, please go to page 1.