I’m glad there’s some progress! I don't remember how status bars work with screen readers anyway… do they ever get read? The status bar includes the current location name, the list of known exits, the score and the turn count. Within menus, the status bar also lists which keys perform which functions…
I don’t know if this link adds any useful info to your situation…
If you do get things running satisfactorily, I’d sure love to hear about your experience, pros and cons! If you feel like creating a SCRIPT as you play, that would be good as well!