WCAG 2.0 Comment Submission

Name: Roger Hudson
Email: rhudson@usability.com.au
Affiliation: 
Document: W2
Item Number: Success Criterion 2.4.1
Part of Item: 
Comment Type: TE
Comment (Including rationale for any proposed change):
Success Criteria 2.4.1 is a Level 1 criteria concerned with provide mechanisms that will allow users to by pass blocks of content that are repeated on different web pages, eg navigation menus. The HTML techniques relating to this SC in the Understanding WCAG 2.0 document include the use of skip links, but there does not appear to be a requirement to make the skip links visible.



Skip links allow the user to bypass sections of the page. However, skip links that are not visible offer no benefit to sighted users of the web who rely on switching devices.



A user who is dependent on a switching device, such as a pressure switch in a headrest or a \'suck –puff\' straw, often has to physically activate the device many times as they tab though many navigation links on their way to the page content. The inclusion of a visible \"skip to content\" link at the top of the page would allow them to jump directly to the content.



Proposed Change:
I suggest the Working Group explicitly require skip links to be present and to be visible.

Received on Saturday, 20 May 2006 06:43:38 UTC