Disability Access

Poster: Maz
Dated: Friday June 20 2003 - 8:24:26 BST

Is there anything about the menu to make it disability compliant for audio readers and devices?

Poster: Andy
Dated: Friday June 20 2003 - 11:44:37 BST

There will be an onfunction and offfunction feature for each menu item.

This will enable a sound file to be played as the user moves over each menu item.

We are also working on keypress actions.

We hope to have the menu Section 508 approved soon.

Cheers
Andy

Appreciated

Poster: Maz
Dated: Friday June 20 2003 - 19:12:01 BST

Thank you!

(new lass)

Poster: John
Dated: Monday June 23 2003 - 18:54:09 BST


Hi Andy -

What exactly does "a sound file" mean? Something entirely separate from the menu items? If so I'm not sure 508 will like that. Most screen readers are looking for alt or id info (and straight text, of course)to read. If not already in there, any way to make that happen?

Thanks.

Poster: Andy
Dated: Tuesday June 24 2003 - 9:23:57 BST

Oh yeah, I see your point.

We should be able to pass any parameter to a text reader.

I know that Flash can do basic text reading so if we can get data into a Flash object it'll work. Or maybe even an ActiveX control.

It should be do-able anyways.

Cheers
Andy

Poster: xMANIGHTx
Dated: Tuesday June 24 2003 - 12:20:39 BST

I guess the most functional feature would be to have the same links inside <noscript> tags.
I guess screen readers and JS are not a good mix (apart from IBM home page reader and I don't know how many others)
Having menu links in <noscript> tags would solve the issue both for screen readers and search engines [:)]

Poster: toasterhead2k
Dated: Friday June 27 2003 - 21:10:01 BST

One work-around solution which we've used for additional 508 compliance is to make the top bar of the menu out of graphics with alternate text, and provide redundant navigation on all the second level pages.

An additional consideration for 508 compliance is that there must be a method to skip the redundant navigation, to allow someone using a screen reader to jump to the main content quickly. I did this using a 1-pixel spacer in the first entry of the first menu.

Poster: Maz
Dated: Saturday September 20 2003 - 18:36:46 BST

I decided to jump back to this posting, now I'm confused.

First I read title was picked up by the reader, apparently not.
My 1px spacer just messed up and I took it off until later.

I have 2 menus top horizontal and right vertical, I don't know where it jumps from one menu to the other or what to do about it.

I have a simple second navation system to a site map if javascript is turned off. I was thinking of having a simple html button that would either switch on or off the menu if someone would rather use the site map links.

Can I make the site map a navigation system from another browser, or does that not help?

My links are text, background images change on mouseover, is there any reason to attach an alt tag with those, or use those for anything?

Thanks for helping me out on this.

Meanwhile I'll start looking for a volunteer with disabilities.

maz

Poster: Maz
Dated: Sunday September 21 2003 - 16:12:54 BST

This link is good, it has clear examples:

http://www.w3.org/WAI/wcag-curric/oversam.htm

I found a volunteer with disabilites to help.

maz

Poster: Maz
Dated: Monday September 22 2003 - 22:56:09 BST

I now have a volunteer providing feedback.

He can't navigate the menu because he's looking for the title tag.
Thinking it was image based couldn't locate the image tab.
He finds alt tab too difficult to use.

He hasn't got to the submenu yet.

I have to solve the problem why he can't scroll the page.

Regards
maz

Poster: John
Dated: Monday September 22 2003 - 23:22:20 BST

What screenreader is he using?

Poster: Maz
Dated: Monday September 22 2003 - 23:30:06 BST

He is using Dragon NaturallySpeaking due to hand coordination.

I put title tags back in to see if that works.

maz

Poster: John
Dated: Monday September 22 2003 - 23:43:37 BST

I don't see title listed as a property, so it probably won't work (unless it's been added and not documented). Been trying to get it in for the same reason as you.

Is your volunteer not able to use JAWS?

Poster: Maz
Dated: Tuesday September 23 2003 - 3:37:29 BST

that's the problem.

Once I get it working, I can ask for another volunteer and see what else pops up. I don't want to mess with something that works for him.

Thanks
maz

Poster: fredlongworthhighschool
Dated: Tuesday September 23 2003 - 8:11:12 BST

I used to be a special needs adviser. I would have recommended Texthelp Screenreader much better than Dragon.

Poster: Maz
Dated: Wednesday September 24 2003 - 8:58:04 BST

Thanks for the suggestion Andy D.

I haven't found anything I can use yet, how about:

tabindex, label, title, an on/off class function or something?

Any suggestions?

The strange part is that the reader automatically tabindexes all graphic links... now that I have all text links because I thought they were supposed to be better. I have plenty of background images, but background images don't count as links. This is a strange senerio.

Can I make an item both text & graphic, or use the subimage arrows for tabindexing?

Thanks
maz