Using the Block Editor with a Screen Reader
Posted on March 30, 2024 by abletec
The Gutenberg editor was introduced in 2018 and became the default editor in WordPress since version 5. Its adoption amongst blind persons, though, has been slow and reluctant for a variety of reasons. Initially, the accessibility was abysmal. Secondly, change is often not readily embraced because it’s just easier to keep doing things in ways that are familiar. Thirdly, and most importantly however, is the fact that, to date, there has been a profound lack of training regarding how to use the editor with a screen reader. The problem is, of course, that eventually the classic editor will cease being supported, and blind & low vision creators and developers will find themselves in a very difficult position. Paul Martz and Jackie McBride hope to remedy that as they present a class on using the block editor for those who use screen readers. The class will cover the reasons for the change, the new capabilities the block editor introduces, the appearance of the block editor, and finally, how to use it to create content. Paul will discuss using the editor with Voiceover on the Mack, while Jackie will discuss its use with Windows.
The class will be held on Apr. 26 at 2 PM Pacific and Mountain Standard Time, 3 PM Mountain Daylight Time, 5 PM Eastern Time, and 2100 UTC for the rest of the world. Please consult a timezone website if you’re unsure how that translates to your timezone.
The class will be held via:
Free Conference Call .com ((267) 807-9605) followed by access code 662501#.
Participation via
my free conference call .com room
is also available to those for whom telephone participation is a hardship. The class is free of charge and will be recorded for those who can’t participate or who just wish to review the content again. The presentation will last about an hour, and there will be time for questions at the end.
We hope to see you there.
CoolHappenings® 