Speech recognition lets users navigate and interact with a page using their voice instead of a mouse or keyboard. It’s another assistive technology that’s easier to test with than you might think.
In this video, we cover:
- What speech recognition is
- How to set up Mac’s Voice Control
- Demo how to use Mac’s Voice Control
Transcript
In this video, we’ll go over what speech recognition software is, how to get started testing with it, and demo it on a table with buttons.
What is speech recognition
You’ve probably used speech-to-text before, dictating a text message instead of typing it out. Speech recognition software works similarly, but it also lets you control your computer with your voice. You can say things like ‘Click here’ or ‘Scroll down’ to navigate.
We’re using Mac’s Voice Control, a free tool built into macOS. Make sure you use Voice Control in Safari.
How to start testing with Mac’s Voice Control
To turn on Voice Control, go to your Mac’s System Settings, then Accessibility, then Voice Control. Use the toggle to turn it on.
Three commands to know right away: ‘Click,’ followed by whatever text you see on screen,’Show names’ puts the element’s accessible name next to it, and ‘Show numbers,’ which puts a number on every clickable element.
Once Voice Control is on, you don’t have to turn it off completely between tests. Just say ‘Stop listening’ to pause it, and ‘Start listening’ to start again.
Now let’s demo this on a table with an Edit button in every row.
Demo: Click command
Every row on this table has a button labeled ‘Edit.’ I’ll say ‘Click Edit.’
Click Edit. [Voice Control bleep]
Since every row shares that same label, Voice Control can’t tell which one I mean, so it shows a number next to each Edit button. I’ll say the number for the row I want.
Three. [Voice Control bleep]
And that selects the right one.
Demo: Show names command
Now let’s try a button where the visible text and the accessible name of the button don’t match. On screen, the buttons say ‘Edit.’ I’ll say ‘Click Edit’ again.
Click Edit. [Voice Control bleep]
Go back. [Voice Control bleep]
Voice Control selected the Safari Edit menu but didn’t give the number options to select the other Edit buttons. Voice Control isn’t reading the Edit buttons in the table as ‘Edit’ because behind the scenes, these buttons are actually named something else. I’ll say ‘Show names’ to see what they’re really called.
Show names. [Voice Control bleep]
They’re actually named ‘Edit’ then the user name. So I’ll say: ‘Click Edit Jordan Chen.’
Click Edit Jordan Chen. [Voice Control bleep]
And now it works. One thing to know: Mac’s Voice Control needs an exact match. Saying just ‘Click Edit’ won’t work here, even though ‘Edit’ is part of the element’s accessible name.
Close
You’re ready to start testing with Voice Control. We go deeper into testing complex tables with speech recognition in our article, which is linked in the description. Remember to subscribe for more accessibility videos.