Some assignments are of type "online text." The user enters text in a single large textarea, then submits it for grading. The first page in this type of assignment is an introduction. To complete the assignment users must click a button labeled, "Edit my submission." Users had trouble understanding that this was the next step. A typical reaction was, "Edit what submission? I didn't complete this before, did I?"

Why it matters

For a sighted user, this button is clearly placed at the center of the page. There are no other actions near it, and it seems obvious that, regardless of the label, it is the next step. Screen reader users have no idea of placement, or of how the button relates to the assignment.

Possible solution

Regardless of specific terminology, the important thing is for the button to indicate that it is the next appropriate step for a user who has not yet attempted the assignment.

• If the user has not completed the assignment, label the button, "Start the assignment."
• If the user has completed the assignment, keep the label the same, or perhaps change it to, "Edit your assignment."