Temporary semi-solution to access key debate: support them but disable them by default

There's much debate between webmasters about whether access keys
should or should not be implemented on a website. Access keys are very
useful for many web users with accessibility needs, and many people
depend on them being well implemented by websites; however, access
keys interfere with some assistive technology devices by overriding
the built-in/preset shortcut keys of such devices (which are probably
what the assistive device users would prefer to use if given the
choice).

By scripting your website on the server-side with a language like PHP,
ASP, JSP...etc., in order to support access keys by the user's request
(via GET or POST variables) but with access keys disabled by default,
this entirely counters the negative effects of access keys whilst
making limited but considerable use of the positives.

Has anyone else implemented this strategy? What do you think about the idea?

Daniel Land
Birmingham Web Development Partnership
http://bwdp.org

Received on Friday, 28 September 2007 19:19:30 UTC