List item announcement suppressed when the list item begins with an office math expression in MS Word

[brichwin]

Description:

A list item's announcement is suppressed when the list item begins with an Office Math object. Reasons this is significant include that non-visual users will not be told the number of an expression when it appears in an ordered list, will not be able to discern separate list items that begin with a math expression, and cannot reliably edit a list that contains math expressions.

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Launch the JAWS screen reader
2. Configure JAWS:
   a. Enable MathCAT
   b. Configure MathCAT
   1. Speech Style: ClearSpeak
   2. Math Verbosity: Verbose
      c. Restart JAWS if changes were made
3. Launch Microsoft Word 365 (desktop app) and start a new blank document
4. Use the Numbering command on the home tab to begin a numbered list
5. Enter a math expression using the Equation Editor at the start of the list item
6. Repeat step 8 until several list items that start with or contain only Office Math expressions have been created
7. Observe that:
   a. If the "Say all" reading mode is activated and JAWS reads aloud the list that the list items starting with Office Math objects are not announced.
   b. When navigating through the list using arrow keys JAWS does not announce that a new list item has been reached. Non-visual users will not be able to create and edit a list containing Office Math expressions reliably since they cannot always know when a new list item has been reached.

Expected Behavior:

When navigating character by character with a screen reader using speech, it should always announce when a list item has been reached. When continuously reading aloud a MS Word document ("Say all" reading mode, etc.), screen readers should always announce list items and their designation (bullet, "1.", "2.", etc.)

Observed Behavior:

List item announcement is suppressed when the list item begins with an Office Math object.

Version Information:

• OS Version:
  -- OS Name: Microsoft Windows 11 Enterprise
  -- Version: 10.0.22621 Build 22621
  -- Locale: United States
• Microsoft Word Version:
  -- Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise
  -- Version 2402 (Build 17328.20550 Click-to-Run)
• JAWS Version and Settings
  -- JAWS Professional Version 2024.2409.2
  -- Configured to use MathCAT with ClearSpeak Verbose

Example Video and Sample Document:

I have provided a link to a short example video demonstrating the issue, and attached the Word document used in the video.

Attachments:

• Video: List item announcement suppressed when the list item begins with an office math expression in MS Word (6 minutes)
• Various In-Situ Office Math Examples.docx

Credits

Thanks to Sara Larkin, Statewide Math Consultant, Iowa Educational Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired for reporting this issue.

[GeorgeKerscher]

I have the same experience using NVDA.

I started a numbered list just using the 1. and the next line auto generated the 2. I then entered an expression. When I move to that list item, the expression is spoken, but not the number of the list item.