IBM Home Page Reader 3.02IBMMicrosoft WindowsHTML 4.01Cathy Laws, David Poehlman and Jon Gunderson (August 2002 updates)IBM and Blind Access Review Boardclaws@us.ibm.com, poehlman1@home.com12 September 2001 (updated 19 August 2002)

CAll functions can be operated using the keyboard alone. Text can be selected by marking the beginning and end of text with shortcut keys or the HPR menu. Cut, copy, paste can be accessed with common shortcut keys as well as with the Alt and arrow keys through the menus. F6 takes the user through all the views and the address bar. HPR can be installed by just pressing Enter a number of times or by tabbing to different text fields and buttons. All documentation and web page elements such as form controls and tables can be accessed using standard Windows keys (arrows, PgUp, PgDn, Home, End, Tab) as well as numeric keypad keys.

CSpoken messages that are not web page content or HPR menus and dialogs are rendered in the information view or on the status line. The user can read the status line with Ctrl + Shift + F1 and the information view with F6.

CAll content is available visually in the Graphics View dependent on IE's support. Most content is available in speech and in the text view except for objects, applets, some plug-ins, ABBR, and ACRONYM. For applets, alt, title, or code and content is rendered in text and speech. For objects, the codebase, data, or classid attribute and content is rendered in text and speech. For image links and areas, the alt text, title, or the href is rendered and a longdesc if available. Longdesc is rendered as a link pointing to another page containing the longdesc content. For controls and forms, meta text is rendered describing the type attribute and the FORM tag. Also, the number of map areas and select options are rendered as meta text. For frames, the title, name, or src attribute is rendered in the information view or in a dialog list control. For tables, colspan and rowspan are rendered if there is more than 1, and headers are rendered if there are more than 3 rows or 3 columns. Settings are available to control the rendering of images with no or null alt text and the headers for table rows and columns. For all links, the user can press a status line key (Ctrl + Shift + F1) to hear the href which is displayed on the status line. For all elements, the title attribute is also displayed on the status line and spoken using the status line key.

CProvides a source view of documents and source view of frame elements

CSee implementation notes under Checkpoint 2.1 for applet, object, img, area, input, abbr, and acronym, conditional content settings, and the status line key. Table summaries are rendered in the information view and speech when the Where am I key is pressed. HPR does not render NOFRAMES, NOSCRIPT, the longdesc for FRAME or IFRAME, or multimedia conditional content.

CSee implementation notes under 2.1 and 10.1 for content repair techniques and cell header repair strategies.

CHPR does not render an element with alt="" unless the user has turned on the setting to announce images with no alt text.

CHPR: Yes, see the implementation notes under 2.3 and 2.1.

CEmbeds IE so inherits accessibility features of IE

ACDependent on IE and Internet Options to handle this in the Graphics view. Of course, no images are rendered in the text view but alt text is rendered instead. Also, for images with null alt text or have no alt text and are not a link, the user can choose whether or not to render the image "placeholder" or not.

CThe user can control text size through a text settings dialog or the Windows system settings for all views except the Graphics view, the menus, and dialogs. The text size can be selected uniquely for headings, list items, links, visited links, search results, and meta text. HPR has a small to large font size setting for both the text and graphics views. They can also use Internet Options and style sheets to control font size in the graphics view.

CThe user can control font type, style, and effects in the same way as they control font size (see 4.1).

CThe user can control foreground and background colors in the same way as they control font size (see 4.1).

CFor HPR-generated audio. Speech can be turned on or off for the whole HPR environment or for just external applications supported by HPR (so that a user can use their screen reader instead of HPR speech, if desired). HPR volume control is relative to the system and physical volume control settings. For controlling volume in web page objects and plug-ins, HPR is dependent on IE and Internet Options and the plug-in interfaces.

CVolume can be controlled individually for default text, headings, links, visited links, search results, meta text, list items, messages, and menus and dialogs. Speech can be turned on or off for external applications supported by HPR so that a user can use their screen reader instead of HPR speech, if desired.

CSee implementation notes under 4.7 and 4.8.

CHPR supports SAPI tags for gender, age, rate, volume, effects (robotic and whisper), and language. Except for language, these speech characteristics can be controlled individually for default text, headings, links, visited links, search results, meta text, list items, messages, and menus and dialogs. The language setting is controlled by a user request, or automatically by using the lang attribute for any element, if it exists, or by analyzing the text for a web page using an HPR algorithm.

CHPR allows configuration of gender, age, and effects (monotone or robotic). These characteristics group pitch, stress, richness and etc..

CEmbeds IE so inherits accessibility features of IE

PIOnly can be configured to provide a prompt if the information submitted is not through a secure (encrypted) connection.

CHPR uses standard Windows controls.

CEmbeds IE so inherits accessibility features of IE

CHPR is a standard Windows C++ MFC application that uses Microsoft MSDN Workshop, HTML Help Workshop, Speech SDK, and Platform SDK libraries. HPR does not implement MSAA interfaces.

CHPR implements and handles keys for menus, dialogs, and navigating web pages using standard APIs, but HPR does not handle accesskey attributes on web pages.

CYes, but dependent on the IE web browser control and COM interfaces to the IE DOM. The IE Encoding menu does not show any UTF-16 encodings as options.

CAccess through the IE web browser control for the Graphics view only.

ACHPR implements default keyboard bindings for the most part. Some exceptions include different meanings for the arrow keys, PgUp, PgDn, Home and End depending on the reading mode; Spacebar for resume reading instead of list selection; and Ctrl + B and Ctrl + D instead of Shift + arrow keys for selecting text on web pages.

CHPR uses standard Windows controls, standard Windows keys, a standard installation program (InstallShield), and HTML documentation. Checkpoint 7.4 Follow operating environment conventions to indicate the input configuration. User agent only (Techniques for 7.4) ; Key bindings are underlined in menus and spoken and shortcut keys are displayed on the menus and spoken. Also, see implementation notes for 11.1.

PIPartial. HPR renders in text and speech the CAPTION, THEAD, TFOOT for tables as they are encountered in a table. HPR renders in text and speech the headers or scope attribute as each new row or column cell is read for tables with more than 3 rows or columns. The user can turn on or off the reading of headers. HPR does not support TBODY, COLGROUP, COL, axis, tabindex, or accesskey in text or speech. Also, see implementation notes under Checkpoint 2.1.

CF6 takes the user through all the views and the address bar. FRAMES and IFRAMES are selected using Ctrl + Tab or Ctrl + Shift + Tab, or the frameset can be displayed in a dialog with all the frames in a list for navigation and then selection by arrows or letters and then Enter.

CUsers can move focus forward and backward by word, character, item, lines, links, tables, table cells, headings, and form controls by selecting a reading mode and then using arrow keys. Users can always use the Tab and Shift-Tab to move to links and controls, and Ctrl + arrows to move by words. A user can navigate a list of links and controls in a dialog by typing the first letters of a link or control. The user also can enable and use the HPR 2.5 numeric keypad keys for navigation instead of the keyboard keys. Also, there are ways such as reading the whole page, Controls reading, and Table Jump reading, to read just the start of a group of elements, such as select menus, map areas, and tables, without reading each element. Searching for meta text, such as the words form, map, select, or submit, is a more direct way to navigate a web page. The tabindex attribute is not supported.

CWhen a user returns to the previous page in HPR's history, HPR returns them to the last point of regard on an item basis and then highlights and begins speaking from the beginning of that item.

COnly when scripts are disabled

CThere are reading modes for moving focus forward or backward to all links (hypertext, image links, map areas, controls) or just to form controls. The Tab and Shift + Tab keys and numeric keypad keys 1, 2, and 3 always move focus to all links in all reading modes. The Links List dialog is another way to move focus to any link. The user can also access links along with other types of elements using other reading modes and numeric keypad keys. Search functions provide another mechanism.

CThe user presses a key (Ctrl + F) to bring up a dialog to begin a forward or backward search from the current point of regard, case sensitive or not, within the current frame or page or across the Internet. The user can also begin a search from the address bar by typing a / then string to search the current page or ? then string to search the Internet. Shortcut keys allow the user to find the previous or next match. The user is notified if there is no match in the direction in which they are searching. The graphics and text views are always scrolled to show the item containing the search string. The user can select distinctive text or speech settings to distinguish search results from the surrounding text in the speech and text views. In addition to plain text, the user can search for meta text (like "Start of form 1"), alternative text for images, and text associated with controls (any text seen in the text view).

CProvides structured navigation by frames/iframes, links and controls, just controls, tops of tables, table cells across rows and up and down columns, headings, lines, characters, words, and items (like paragraphs). The user is told when the top or bottom or first or last of a structure is reached. The user can also jump to the next or previous block of text or links, which helps to skipping navigation bars. Also, the user can hear about maps and select menus and their number of items but then skip over the areas and options. For orientation, there are Where am I and page summary keys. Structured navigation by lists, applets, divisions, images, maps, and objects is not available in HPR 3.0, but an HPR user can navigate by item and/or link to all those elements except for divisions.

PIPartial. Colspan and rowspan are rendered before or after cell content according to a setting. Table summary, table number on the page, and row and column position within the table are rendered in the information view and speech when the Where am I key is pressed. The CAPTION, THEAD, TFOOT are rendered in text and speech as they are encountered in a table. HPR renders in text and speech the headers or scope attribute or a TH as each new row or column cell is read for tables with more than 3 rows or 3 columns. The user can turn on or off the reading of headers. The user can also press a key to hear the top or bottom cell of a column or the rightmost or leftmost cell of a row without losing their current cell position. HPR does not support TBODY, COLGROUP, COL, abbr, or axis in text or speech.; Does not support header and scope

CThe current selection and content focus is highlighted in all views, menus, and dialogs except for controls in the graphics view. HPR is dependent on Internet Options and style sheets for configuration of highlighting in the Graphics view. Highlighting is configured in all other views and UI through the Windows system settings. Low vision users can use ZoomText and Big Shot with HPR.

CSee 10.2 for highlighting configuration for selection and focus. The user can distinguish the font size, style, type, or effects in addition to color for links/controls and visited links in the text view. Links and visited links can also be distinguished with speech (see checkpoint 4.13), sounds, and leading and trailing text in the speech and text views. Links/controls and visited links in the graphics view are set through Internet Options. No distinctive settings exist for fee links.

CThe user can select distinctive speech and text settings (full range supported by Windows) for links (including controls) and visited links for the current session for the speech and text views using user style sheets or configuration options. Through Internet Options, the user can select settings for links and visited links in the Graphics view. Distinctive speech and text settings for image maps and fee links are not available.

CThe user can get the link URL and title attribute (if it exists) by reading the status line (Ctrl + Shift + F1). Visited links have distinctive speech and text settings. Alt text and longdesc is rendered for image links. If automatic language detection is on, the link is read in the author-specified language. However, whether the link is internal, involves a fee, and information about type, size, and natural language are not rendered.

CWhen a frame receives focus, the number of the frame, the total number of frames, and the title is spoken and displayed in the information view. When an HPR view or the application gains focus, the current view name is spoken and displayed on the status line. However, visually HPR does not outline which view or frame has focus.

CWhen the selection or content focus changes due to navigation or searching, both the graphics and text view scrolls to show the new location. (There are still some glitches with the graphics view.) The speech, text, and graphics view are synchronized.

CThe user can always get help by pressing F1. When reading web pages, F1 displays online help in the form of an HTML web page that explains all HPR features. To get a general, concise reference list and description of keys, the user presses Shift + F1. From that help page, there is a link that takes the user to a detailed list and description of keys that are grouped by "input configurations" (basic keys that work everywhere, numeric keypad keys, menu and dialog keys, reading mode keys, and keys that work within different kinds of web page structures like forms and tables). All access keys are underlined in the menus and spoken, and all shortcut keys are displayed in the menus and spoken. HPR does not support web page access keys. Possible key conflicts with 3 popular screen readers are documented in the HPR online help.

ACOf the 26 funtionalities identified in 11.5, HPR has single key bindings for 19 of them. The ones without single keys are increase and decrease text size (text settings dialog), increase and decrease global volume (speech settings dialog), fast reverse (none), history forward (Alt + right arrow), and add to favorites (menu or Plus then minus). However, every function can be accessed by pressing a series of single keys.

CBindings exist for all functions except fast reverse, and more than one binding is available for most of the functions. The numeric keypad key bindings are available for compatibility with key bindings in earlier versions of HPR and to allow one hand navigation. The user can show and hide viewports through the menu system but not with shortcut keys.

CAll HPR settings are saved in the Windows registry under the Windows login name for the current user. So user "profiles" are switched by logging into Windows under a different login name. Each settings dialog has a Defaults button to return those settings to their default values.

CAll documentation is available in accessible HTML format installed on the user's system and on the IBM Accessibility Center web site. The main help file that describes all HPR keys and functions is one file for easier searching. From HPR, the documentation can also be saved as a plain ASCII text file to read with other programs or for easier Braille printing. Tutorial text can be found in ASCII text files installed in the user's hpr3 directory even though we don't point that out to the user.

CAll configurable settings can be accessed from one Settings menu. Each setting, their default, and their range of values are documented in one main section in the main online help. The Table of Contents in help has a direct link to the Settings section. When focus is on each setting, the user can press F1 to get contextual help for that setting. There are also sections in the online help that describe low vision features, Braille features, and screen reader compatibility.

CSee implementation comment under 11.

CSee implementation comment under 12.2. There's not one but 4 sections that mainly address accessibility (settings, low vision, braille, screen reader compatibility).

CAll changes from previous releases of HPR are documented in the second section of online help called "What's New in HPR 3.0."