rubykaigi 2017-nishimotz-v6

What visually impaired programmers are thinking

about Ruby?

Takuya Nishimoto @nishimotz

RubyKaigi 2017

self

• Hiroshima → Tokyo → Kyoto → Tokyo → Hiroshima• PhD Eng. (17 years)

• speech, audio, natural language, machine learning

• experimental psychology / applications / accessibility

• Freelance jobs: Objective-C++ / Python

• NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA)• Japanese Team Director www.nvda.jp

• Localizations / Enhancements• Insert key → Escape key (makes Mac users happy)

• OpenJTalk / ATOK / Excel cell border / Japanese Braille

Takuya Nishimoto (RubyKaigi 2017) 3

Pref Shimane CMS


Read aloud button


https://github.com/edhowland/viper

• simple editor in Ruby that works with screen readers• only attempts an audible interface

• sighted users will only see confusing gibberish


Braille display


Console (Terminal) applications

• only displays text

• text is accessible• use can use speech synthesizers and braille displays

• engineers prefer terminal + screen reader• remote access

• demo• Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

• Emacs 24.3.1 + sshd

• TeraTerm + NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access)


Text + Assistive Technology

• Screen reader• VoiceOver (iOS/macOS) / TalkBack (Android) / Orca (Linux)

• Narrator, JAWS, NVDA, etc. (Windows)

• Tactile (refreshable Braille display)• good for verify spelling (type errors)

• device is expensive

• difficult to learn

• Listening (speech synthesizer)• takes time, difficult to locate information


Accessible modern text editors

• Visual Studio Code• Chromium-based

• Web accessibility technologies are used

• collaborating with NVDA developers

• Eclipse• IAccessible2 API (developed by Mozilla)

• Dynamic Language Toolkit (DLTK)

• Ruby is supported


Ruby and visually impaired programmers

• Pros• documents in Japanese

• easy to read, easy to write, less coding

• tools for server engineers

• test driven development (RSpec etc.)

• Cons• How to build Windows Apps?

• GUI development? (in non-visual way)

• TK is not accessible


GUI framework and accessibility

• application• does not directly use speech synthesizer (or Braille display)

• should expose necessary information to OS

• if GUI framework just draws images• sends nothing to OS

• OS cannot send information to screen reader

• application cannot be operated with screen reader

• wxRuby is good, but not actively developed now


Example Ruby source code


Documentation tools

• Ruby source code to HTML• rdoc

• yard

• demo• Ruby 2.4.1 (Windows Subsystem for Linux)

• Windows 10 + NVDA + Firefox


rdoc output


Landmarks

• efficient way of move• main role = class Poke

• navigation• search

• content info

• operations• d : next landmark

• shift+d : previous landmark


Headings

• == : h2

• === : h3

• default items• h1 : Class

• no methods or constants

• operations• h : next heading

• shift + h : previous heading

• 3 : next h3


View Source

• "click to toggle source" appears if pointed by mouse• announced as "clickable"

• cannot understand what happens without mouse pointer

• line indentation reporting


Yard output (no landmarks)


Headings


• == : h2

• === : h3

• default items• h1 : Class

• h3 : Instance Method Details

• no constants

• Summary and Details• "collapse" in item name

expand / collapse (without mouse pointer)


view/hide source (without mouse pointer)


Why important?

• Comply with standards• Robustness / quality

• Prepared to new technologies

• Voice agents

• Human rights of every person• guidelines and regulations

• W3C WCAG / JIS X8341 / US Section 508 Law

• Technology is removing barriers


Conclusions

• accessibility of Ruby• pretty good

• we can make it better

• inclusive design

• handicapped people = lead users
