Macromedia Flash Accessibility Web Page; Understanding Screen Reader Technology - MACROMEDIA FLASH 8-USING FLASH Use Manual

In the United States, the law that governs accessibility is commonly known as Section 508,
which is an amendment to the U.S. Rehabilitation Act. Section 508 prohibits federal agencies
from buying, developing, maintaining, or using electronic technology that is not accessible to
those with disabilities. In addition to mandating standards, Section 508 allows government
employees and the public to sue agencies in federal court for noncompliance.
For additional information about Section 508, see the following websites:
The US government-sponsored website at
The Macromedia accessibility site at
Macromedia Flash Accessibility web
page
For the latest information on creating and viewing accessible Flash content, including
supported platforms, screen reader compatibility, articles, and accessible examples, consult the
Macromedia Flash Accessibility web page at www.macromedia.com/go/flash_accessibility/.

Understanding screen reader technology

Screen readers are software applications designed to navigate through a website and read the
web content aloud. Visually impaired users often rely on this technology. You can create Flash
content designed for use with screen readers only with Windows platforms. Viewers of your
Flash content must have Flash Player 6 or later and Internet Explorer on Windows 98 or later.
JAWS, from Freedom Scientific, is one example of screen reader software. You can access the
JAWS page of the Freedom Scientific website at www.hj.com/fs_products/software_jaws.asp.
Another commonly used screen reader program is Window-Eyes, from GW Micro. To access
the latest information on Window-Eyes, visit the GW Micro website at www.gwmicro.com.
To enable a screen reader to read nontextual objects in your application, such as vector art and
animations, you can use the Accessibility panel to associate a name and description with the
object, which the screen reader reads aloud.
Screen readers help users understand what is contained in a web page or Flash document.
Based on the keyboard shortcuts you define, you can allow users to navigate through your
document using the screen reader with ease. See
To expose graphic objects, you can provide a description using the Accessibility panel or
ActionScript. See "Using Flash to enter accessibility information for screen readers"
on page 516.
www.section508.gov
www.macromedia.com/macromedia/accessibility/
"Creating a keyboard shortcut" on page
Understanding screen reader technology
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