Android - prevent TalkBack from announcing TextView title aloud

Question

I am developing an accessible android application where people would be using Explore by Touch and TalkBack accessibility services to use my application.

This is my Android XML code:

<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:id="@+id/LinearLayout" 
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:orientation="vertical">

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/forename"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_marginTop="20dip"
        android:layout_marginLeft="15dip"
        android:textSize="20sp"
        android:text="@string/forenameText" 
        android:contentDescription="@null"/>

    <EditText
        android:id="@+id/EditTextForename"
        android:layout_width="285dp"
        android:layout_height="65dp"
        android:layout_marginTop="10dip"
        android:layout_marginLeft="15dip"
        android:hint="@string/forenameHint"
        android:inputType="textPersonName"
        android:lines="1"
        android:singleLine="true"
        android:textSize="20sp" >
    </EditText>

</LinearLayout>

strings.xml

<string name="forenameText">Forename</string>
<string name="forenameHint">Enter your forename here</string>

TextView displays the title "Forename" and EditText allows me to enter some details in the form field. The problem I have is that when I drag my finger across the screen by using Explore by Touch, TalkBack picks up the title of the TextView and announces it aloud as "Forename". I want the TextView to only display text and not provide any audible feedback.

I have set contentDescription to @null as you can see from the code above, but TalkBack still announces "Forename" when my finger is located over the TextView.

I have also tried setting contentDescription in my Java class:

TextView forename=(TextView)findViewById(R.id.forename);
forename.setContentDescription("");

However, I still get the same problem. Is there any other way to set contentDescription to null/empty and prevent TalkBack from announcing it aloud?

Java code:

public class MainActivity extends Activity{

    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

        View forename = findViewById(R.id.forename);

        forename.setAccessibilityDelegate(new AccessibilityDelegate() {
          public boolean performAccessibilityAction (View host, int action, Bundle args){
            return true;
          }
        });
    }

}

Answer 1

Since API 16, Android introduced the following:

android:importantForAccessibility="no"

or

setImportantForAccessibility(View.IMPORTANT_FOR_ACCESSIBILITY_NO)

Which allows developers to disable talkback all together for certain views.

http://developer.android.com/reference/android/view/View.html