Re: WAI card

I think, as a practical matter, for maximum accessibility right now, if
we're going to ask people to avoid tables for layout, then we really should
ask them to have redundant text links for image maps, in addition to the
ALT text on AREA tags.

This is because I think there are more browser/screenreader combos that can
handle the tables, than there are that see the ALT text in AREA tags. (My
earlier email pointed out summarized problems with NN and MSIE and ALT
text; I believe, that they read tables cell by cell with most or all
current screenreaders however). 

On the other hand, if this card is aimed more at the future, when all user
agents do what they are supposed to, then it's fine as is.

Personally, I'm more worried about right now, even though it's messier.
Which would mean omitting injunction against tables for layout, and adding
words about redundant text links.  

At any rate, that's what I'm doing with folks I advise now.

Len

At 12:49 PM 1/29/99 -0500, Charles McCathieNevile wrote:
>I have been playing around with a version
>
>http://www.w3.org/People/Charles/thoughts/waicard
>
>It includes some thoughts and explanations.
>
>--Charles McCathieNevile            mailto:charles@w3.org
>phone: +1 617 258 0992   http://purl.oclc.org/net/charles
>W3C Web Accessibility Initiative    http://www.w3.org/WAI
>MIT/LCS  -  545 Technology sq., Cambridge MA, 02139,  USA
>
>
>
>
-------
Leonard R. Kasday, Ph.D.
Universal Design Engineer, Institute on Disabilities/UAP, and
Adjunct Professor, Electrical Engineering
Temple University

Ritter Hall Annex, Room 423, Philadelphia, PA 19122
kasday@acm.org        
(215} 204-2247 (voice)
(800) 750-7428 (TTY)

Received on Friday, 29 January 1999 15:44:41 UTC