ePub3 Accessibility query

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1. We have used the following page number content element “<span epub:type="pagebreak" id="page14">14</span>” in our accessible epub3 file and screen readers (JAWS/Voiceover/Natural reader) just read only the number. Which content elements should be used to read the Page number link for example “Page 14”?

2. We have used the “aria-describedby” attribute to hide the description but the hidden elements are not read by the screen readers (JAWS/Voiceover/Natural reader). Please see the below example and advice.

<figure><img src="../images/f0014-01.jpg" aria-describedby="ch01altext12" alt="This graph shows the declining number."/>
<figcaption>Figure 1-1 The impact of deinstitutionalization.
<aside id="ch01altext12" class="hidden">
<p>Year 1950</p>
<p>Inpatients in Public Mental Hospitals ...</p>
</aside>
</figcaption>
</figure>

Any advise on this will be very helpful, Thanks in advance.

To your first question, you could try adding "page" to a separate span and clip it so that it doesn't display but is still read out. But why do you want the page number displayed? It's informative information that breaks up the flow of the text for someone reading using an AT. If users want access to specific pages, they'll use the page list.

To your second question, is it that the AT won't read the description from within a specific reading system? I don't see an obvious issue with the markup.

Thank you Matt for your reply.

1. We have already checked the following examples:
<span epub:type="pagebreak" id="page5" title="5"/>
And
<span epub:type="pagebreak" id="page5" title="page 5"/>
but the screen readers (JAWS/Voiceover/Natural reader) just read only the number and not the word “Page 5”.

2. The hidden elements are not read by the any screen readers for Mac OS Voiceover, iPad Voiceover, Windows JAWS and Natural reader.

That's not what I meant by clipping the word. Have a look at this page: http://adaptivethemes.com/using-css-clip-as-an-accessible-method-of-hidi...

But why do you think it's helpful to the reader to force them to hear every print page break when they occur? Sighted readers don't stop and read each page number every time they turn a page, as it's disruptive to comprehension. Print page breaks are useful for being able to jump to a specific location, but they're also artificial inside a digital book.

I can't really help you any further with your other question. Check that you don't have errors elsewhere in your content that could be breaking the page. The attribute is supported: http://davidmacd.com/blog/is-tabindex-required-on-describedby.html

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