[Issue 70567] ACCESSIBILITY: Make Apache OpenOffice usable for speech recognition

[bu...@apache.org]

https://bz.apache.org/ooo/show_bug.cgi?id=70567

--- Comment #14 from Peter <pe...@apache.org> ---
So because a user wrote to the dev list, I did some experiment on my machine. I
repeat my Experiment here:

For me it was a disappointing experience, but it did work. So first thing to
know the screen reader virtually reads the screen, without having any Idea of
context.

When you Open a new text document, then you get an empty page. May screen
reader identifies this as empty frame, since OpenOffice draws a optical frame
for the border of the printable space.

I simply started to type, and the screen reader read every letter. In order to
get the screen reader to read the the text I had to mark it. Press Control
button and Key A at the same time.

Applying an headline, has been more challenging task. Since everything works by
shortcuts a blind person using a screen reader has to image the GUI in his
head.

So pressing F11, for the styles window, will be then read to the user. However
you have no Idea where you are, or what this nid of a menue is. So you must
know that after it stopped reading the last thing it is mentioning is a style.
Navigate with the down button to the header. Pressing enter will select the
header, but you will not get any information that you are again on the page and
can now type your header. And you do not get any information, that the style
changes when you press enter. So yea. You get some information, but not enough
so you can really use it.I can confirm, that using Linux, with Gnome Orca
screen reader works. If you know what you are doing it is usable. If you have
no Idea, it is not usable or learn able. The screen reader just misses to many
information when writing text.


On further research I have found out that there is an accessODF Extension. It
aims at closing the gap. I have not tried it yet, and the last information it
states is it works with Apache OpenOffice 3.4.0. With 4.0.1 we added a sidebar
which is not recognized. The development seems to have stopped in 2013. The
extension can be found at [1] for openOffice, and at [2] is the project page.
It isd reported not to work. But maybe users with impairment face issues from
above and cannot utilize the application.


So next steps. I think further research is needed. And more detailed experience
stories. The one given in the bug are more pleads then something I can use.

I do not know when I have time to experiment with AccessODF. I will note it to
the Issue we have for Visual Accessibility, which can be found at [3].

I need more detailed input and experience.


[1] https://extensions.openoffice.org/en/project/accessodf

[2] https://sourceforge.net/p/accessodf/home/Home/

[3] https://bz.apache.org/ooo/show_bug.cgi?id=70567

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