Listening to the web, part three: working with screen readers

Part 3 of a 3 part series in which I share my thoughts on thinking about accessibility while developing and working with screen readers

Scott Vinkle
11 min readNov 17, 2016
Photo by Matthew Henry on Burst

Now that we have learned about the importance of thinking in accessibility, and using native elements when it comes to designing sites that are usable, let’s turn our attention towards learning about screen readers.

As I began to work with screen readers, it was sheer curiosity that propelled me to dive in fearlessly. I knew it was something I wanted to learn, so I rolled up my sleeves and got to work. In this post, I will share with you the basics of screen readers: how they are used and commands to know. I’ve included a demo to show a few common problems with solutions as you’re getting started.

Keep in mind, any journey involving learning is ongoing. Let your accessible and inclusive mindset form a solid foundation upon which you can add new knowledge.

How people use screen readers

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Scott Vinkle

Accessibility Specialist at Shopify • Speaker, writer, workshop instructor • IAAP CPWA • ScottVinkle.me