Dear Moodle Core Development Team,

I am writing to urge a reassessment of the approach to screenreader support in Moodle, specifically the integration of VoiceOver. This proposal revisits a discussion from a decade ago, where VoiceOver support was designated as a "best-effort" initiative. That decision aligned with insights from the 5th edition of the WebAIM screenreader usage survey.

Currently, Moodle's accessibility efforts are centered around JAWS and NVDA, both desktop-oriented screenreaders. However, considering the evolving landscape of screenreader usage, I propose extending this support to include VoiceOver for these reasons:

1. Consistent Ranking in WebAIM Surveys: VoiceOver has maintained a solid third place in terms of usage, both as a primary and general-use screenreader, as evidenced in WebAIM surveys.
2. Cross-Platform Accessibility: Unlike JAWS and NVDA, which are confined to Windows, VoiceOver is accessible on both desktop (MacOS) and mobile (iOS), addressing a crucial gap in our current support structure.
3. Significant User Base: According to the latest WebAIM survey, 40% of desktop screenreader users utilize VoiceOver. Furthermore, a staggering 71% of mobile screenreader users prefer VoiceOver, making it the predominant choice in the mobile user segment.
4. Industry Standard Practices: Leading LMS competitors have already integrated VoiceOver in their testing protocols, as evidenced by their VPATs:

• Instructure Canvas
• D2L Brightspace (PDF)
• Anthology's Blackboard

The inclusion of VoiceOver not only aligns Moodle with industry standards, but also significantly enhances a commitment to accessibility.