[Accessibility] Native Python REPL output is not accessible for screen reader

[jooyoungseo]

Type: Bug

CC @meganrogge

This is a CRITICAL issue against screen reader users.

When "python.REPL.sendToNativeREPL": true, pressing shift+enter sends Python code to the VSCode native REPL.

Unfortunately, once the code is executed, the output is not read aloud to screen reader. Additionally, there is no way for keyboard-only users to move between input and output areas within the native REPL.

Please make this REPL accessible just like VSCode's Jupyter Notebook widgets.

VS Code version: Code - Insiders 1.91.0-insider (b631c0a, 2024-06-18T08:28:13.539Z)
OS version: Windows_NT x64 10.0.22631
Modes:

System Info

Item	Value
CPUs	11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-1145G7 @ 2.60GHz (8 x 2611)
GPU Status	2d_canvas: enabled canvas_oop_rasterization: enabled_on direct_rendering_display_compositor: disabled_off_ok gpu_compositing: enabled multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on opengl: enabled_on rasterization: enabled raw_draw: disabled_off_ok skia_graphite: disabled_off video_decode: enabled video_encode: enabled vulkan: disabled_off webgl: enabled webgl2: enabled webgpu: enabled
Load (avg)	undefined
Memory (System)	15.71GB (8.41GB free)
Process Argv	. --crash-reporter-id b05b88e5-8894-4031-ae34-fa034ebddea9
Screen Reader	yes
VM	0%

Extensions (123)

Extension	Author (truncated)	Version
vscode-openapi	42C	4.26.3
zotenote	A-W	1.0.1
android-dev-ext	ade	1.4.0
aiprm-lang	AIP	0.0.2
Bookmarks	ale	13.5.0
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spellright	ban	3.0.132
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vscode-markdownlint	Dav	0.53.0
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gitlens	eam	14.6.1
EditorConfig	Edi	0.16.4
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figma-vscode-extension	fig	0.3.5
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cloudcode	goo	2.12.0
overleaf-workshop	iam	0.12.3
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scheme	jea	0.2.0
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commitlint	jos	2.6.0
language-julia	jul	1.79.2
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debugpy	ms-	2024.7.11591013
flake8	ms-	2023.13.11511011
isort	ms-	2023.13.11511010
python	ms-	2024.9.11691012
vscode-pylance	ms-	2024.6.100
jupyter	ms-	2024.6.2024060601
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remote-ssh	ms-	0.113.2024061415
remote-ssh-edit	ms-	0.86.0
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cmake-tools	ms-	1.18.42
cpptools	ms-	1.21.0
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js-debug-nightly	ms-	2024.6.1417
powershell	ms-	2024.3.2
remote-explorer	ms-	0.5.2024011009
remote-repositories	ms-	0.40.0
remote-server	ms-	1.6.2024011109
vscode-github-issue-notebooks	ms-	0.0.130
vscode-node-azure-pack	ms-	1.2.0
vscode-selfhost-test-provider	ms-	0.3.25
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vscode-speech-language-pack-ko-kr	ms-	0.4.0
vsliveshare	ms-	1.0.5932
windows-ai-studio	ms-	0.3.2
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pandocciter	not	0.10.4
shiny	Pos	1.0.0
shinyuieditor	pos	0.5.0
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r	REd	2.8.4
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AudioQ	Seh	0.0.2
vscode-deepl	soe	1.1.1
abc-music	sof	0.4.0
lua	sum	3.9.3
latex-utilities	tec	0.4.14
cmake	twx	0.0.17
vscode-terminal-here	Tyr	0.2.4
windows-terminal	Tyr	0.7.0
errorlens	use	3.16.0
intellicode-api-usage-examples	Vis	0.2.8
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vscode-arduino	vsc	0.6.230727001
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vscode-java-dependency	vsc	0.23.6
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vscode-maven	vsc	0.44.0
zotero-cite	XIN	0.8.5
markdown-all-in-one	yzh	3.6.2
grammarly	znc	0.25.0

(1 theme extensions excluded)

A/B Experiments

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pythonmypyd1:30859725
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pythonait:30973460
jchc7451:31067543
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dvdeprecation:31040973
pythonprt:31036556
dwnewjupyter:31046869
impr_priority:31057980
nativerepl1:31071684
refactort:31073763

[anthonykim1]

Hello @jooyoungseo. Thank you for filing this and giving a try to new REPL.

@amunger I feel like this is case with Interactive Window in general.

As I turned on voice over and moved up and down the arrow keys, I am able to see the selection moves around different notebook cell box, but the voice over does not actually read the code input nor the output. Also experienced no way for keyboard only users to move between input and output areas.

[jooyoungseo]

As this issue causes significant accessibility issues, please change the default value of this setting to false when screen reader mode is on until the interactive editor is made accessible. Many SR users have been already impacted by this default setting and we need to avoid the side effects.

[amunger]

here is the issue to actually fix accessibility for that UI #209140

But yes, we can stick to the terminal for SR users for now until we tackle that issue