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Omni temporary disruptions and alternatives

Temporary disruptions

Local issues

These are issues that can likely be fixed by the Laurier Library:

  1. Color contrasts: Many user paths have inadequate colour contrasts and hover/focus effects
    • Reason: Style sheet needs correction
    • Duration: This issue is within our control and is scheduled for a fix in our next update.

Vendor issues

These are issues that require fixes by the vendor. We've reported them. They fall into 2 categories:  open and resolved. 

2. Open issues

There are more issues than can be listed here. If you have a question or concern, email mweiler@wlu.ca

  1. Screen readers: Scan on Demand request
    • Description: 
      • When requesting a digitization of a chapter of a book, Omni has several bugs. For example, it's a bit noisy and the date calendar isn't accessible
    • Reason: Likely a vendor issue
    • Duration: We've reported the issue (06439756)
    • Alternative: Date not needed by is not a required field. Verbose speech can be cut with screen reader
  2. Screen readers: Navigation - Announcing that search results are loaded
    • Description:
      • After doing a search, announcements are inconsistently being made.
      • VoiceOver announces that a last item was loaded.
      • Verified fixed. JAWS + Chrome does not make an announcement.
      • JAWS + Internet Explorer announces a mangled string.
      • NVDA + Firefox does not announce.
    • Reason: Likely a vendor issue
    • Duration: The was issue was reported to the vendor (#00709876)
    • Alternative: Manually check for the arrival of content after a couple of seconds. 

3. Resolved

  1. JAWS:  Navigation - Cannot access the More Options link in navigation region
    • Status:
      • Verified fixed for JAWS and Chrome.
      • Not yet verified with JAWS and Internet Explorer
    • Description: JAWS with Chrome and Internet Explorer doe not read the More Options button (displayed as ellipses) in the Link menu in the Navigation Region. This is an obstacle for accessing the following functionality: Interlibrary Loan, Newspaper search, and Citation Finders
    • Reason: Unknown
    • Duration: The issue was reported to the vendor (#00752470)
    • Alternatives: Use direct links to features in this blocked menu, provided below
  2. Screen readers:
    • Desription: When Full Records are displayed, screen readers could not detect headings (#00660993)
    • Status: Resolved
  3. Search results list is not code properly for navigation by Headings
    • Note: Progress has already been made on this issue. Heading navigation seems possible now. Awaiting vendor. confirmation.
    • Description: Each item in a search results list is tagged with H3 but it is not detectable by JAWS or VoiceOver
    • Reason: Unclear
    • Duration: The issue was reported to the vendor (#00699474). The vendor reports a target fix date of May 2020
    • Alternative: Navigate by buttons. Numbered buttons are a search result item
  4. VoiceOver, JAWS: Examining an item returned by a search query is difficult
    • Note: Progress has already been made on this issue. Awaiting vendor confirmation.
    • Reason: This may have to do with the coding proactice of nesting buttons within buttons
    • Duration: The issue was reported to the vendor and an esclated (#00709888)
    • Alternatives:  For support in navigating this part of the Omni interface, contact Mark Weiler . For one-on-one library research accommodation, contact the library accessibility contact person at your location (WaterlooKitchenerBrantford, Online Learning Students).
  5. Screen readers (VoiceOver, JAWS): Advance Search - Submit Button
    • Description:  On the advance search interface, the submit search button only appears after typing some part of the search query.  When the button appears, Omni does not seem to announce it's appearance, which could be confusing.
    • Reason: Unclear
    • Duration: The issue was reported to the vendor (#00755778)
    • Alternative: Presumed to be a vendor only issue
  6. Screen readers (VoiceOver, JAWS): Advance Search -  Input fields for Start and End Years
    • Description: On the Advance Search interface, the start year and end year controls have mangled labels
    • Reason: Vendor coding mistake
    • Duration: The issue was reported to the vendor (#00706562)
    • Alternatives: VoiceOver and JAWS can create customized labels to correct. Contact mweiler@wlu.ca for instructions or support
  7. JAWS: Operating - Logging out
    • Description: When logging out JAWS users are required to be in forms mode (turn Virtual PC cursor off)
    • Reason: Unknown
    • Duration: The issue was reported to the vendor (#00742619) and has been escalated. Vendor reports target fix of May 2020
    • Alternative: Described on Omni Accessibility Guide
  8. Screen readers: Operating - Menu button in Banner region
    • Description: Menu button in Banner can't be accessed with screen reader cursor.
    • Reason: Likely a vendor issue
    • Duration: The issue was identified and reported by another university. We've reported it too (#00790219)
    • Alternative: No known alterantive identified.
  9. Screen reader (VoiceOver, JAWS): Navigating with skip links to search results and facets
    • Description: Navigating with the "Skip to Results" and "Skip to Facets" links do not work with VoiceOver. For JAWS, after the focus is moved, JAWS is put into forms mod.
    • Reason: Unknown
    • Duration: Issue (#00758045) reported to vendor on Nov 26, 2019.
    • Alternatives:
      • VoiceOver: Use Rotor to navigate to the equivalent headings
        • Skip to facets links is at the Modify your search heading in the Rotor
        • Skip to results link as at the Results heading in the Rotor
        • Add hotspot: VO + shift + a number, such as VO + shift + 1. To move to hotspot: VO + the number, such as VO + 1.
      • JAWS: Turn Virtual PC cursor off JAWS + Z and then on JAWS + Z

 A document setting out the steps we will ensure are taken in connection with a temporary disruptions is available on request.

Page Owner: Mark Weiler

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