Making layout objects accessible to screen readers

You can add accessibility labels to layout objects, which make your database accessible to assistive applications such as screen readers.

Any object can be connected to another object as an accessibility label. For example, if the object is a text field that stores customer number data in a specific format, you might enter:

• Title: Customer number.

• Help: Unique five-digit ID for tracking customers.

Spoken text can come from an object on the layout, custom text you specify, or the result of a calculation.

To add accessibility labels to layout objects:

1. In Layout mode, choose View menu > Inspectors > Accessibility Inspector.

2. Select an object on the layout, then:

   • To specify another object as the accessibility label, in the Accessibility inspector, for Label, click Click to select, then select another object on the layout. Text from the object that you select second appears as the label in the Accessibility inspector. This text will be spoken when the first object selected is active.

   • To specify custom text as the accessibility label for an object, for Title, type the text you want spoken for the object or click to specify a calculation to provide the spoken text. See Specify Calculation dialog box.

   Tip  If you specify an object as an accessibility label and also specify text in the Title text box, a screen reader will speak the text in the Title text box after it speaks text from the object on the layout.

3. For Help, type an instruction for using the object or click to specify a calculation for the instruction.

To delete an accessibility label:

1. In Layout mode, choose View menu > Inspectors > Accessibility Inspector.

2. Select the object with the label you want to delete.

3. Do the following:

   • If another object on the layout is the accessibility label, for Label click X.

   • If text exists in the Title or Help text boxes, delete it.

Notes 

• When developing text for accessibility labels:

  • Ensure the content you write is alternate yet equivalent to text on the layout. Imagine you are describing the layout object over the telephone. For example, consider what information the user would need to successfully complete a form.

  • Avoid redundancy. Don't simply repeat the text that appears on the layout.

  • Be succinct, but provide additional information to users by describing the purpose of the object or its high-level functionality.

  • Write descriptions according to context.

  • Include punctuation in label text, so the screen reader pauses at appropriate times.

  • If an image on the layout contains text, include that text in the accessibility label. (Screen readers can't read text in images.)

  • Don't label decorative objects (visual enhancements, decorations, or embellishments) that provide no function or information beyond aesthetics.

• Screen readers cannot access hidden objects. See Hiding or showing layout objects.

• Screen readers cannot speak placeholder text.

• The macOS "speak item under pointer" function is not compatible with FileMaker Pro. Only VoiceOver is supported.