“You’re Not a Screen Reader User — and That’s Okay”: How to Test Accessibly Without Pretending to Be Native

Many accessibility professionals hesitate to use screen readers because they worry about “doing it wrong,” while others assume a quick NVDA test makes them experts. This session reframes screen reader testing as a strategic, non-native skill—not a performance of fluency.

Using the Screen Reader Ropes Course and a four-phase navigation framework, we’ll explore what non-native testers can reliably evaluate, where blind screen reader users have fundamentally different experiences, and how to test responsibly without over- or under-reporting issues. Attendees will leave with practical techniques for building confidence, setting realistic expectations, and producing useful findings—without pretending to be something they’re not.

We’ll explore the differences between how visual web surfers get around the web and how screen reader users do. We’ll dig deep into why, because of those differences, it’s optimal to pair native screen reader users with native visual users so both can explore what an equivalent experience would be, and they can give balanced recommendations for remediations to site owners and others.

Because access to native screen reader users isn’t always possible, the session emphasizes how accessibility professionals can strengthen their screen reader skills and use them responsibly to uncover real barriers. Attendees will learn why thoughtful, informed testing is far more valuable than skipping screen reader testing altogether, even when fluency is limited.

Finally, we'll show you how to take your testing to the next level by adding language to your reports that brings a deep understanding of the problem. We'll teach you how to describe what an ideal interaction for a screen reader user would be for the examined components. We'll train you to explore the problematic aspects of the current experience in language that will resonate with your readers. This will make it so that those you communicate with will gain a deep-seated sense of the inequality they've been unknowingly perpetuating. You already understand it, but helping others to get it too is a whole separate process that we'll train you in.