Accessibility of JavaScript? (Was "Re: comments on guidelines")

>>> <w3c-wai-gl@w3.org> 09/21 12:56 AM (Charles McCN) >>>
... Javascript is not really accessible.
<<<

References and/or examples?

Is it JavaScript (the language) or its uses that are not accessible? One could argue that HTML, for example, is not accessible because it can be [ab]used to produce inaccessible documents. So can JavaScript, especially when used to create visual effects with no alternative, non-visually accessible counterpart. I'm not "defending" JavaScript here, just wanting to be aware of accessibility issues in its use.

As a programmer, I find JavaScript to be a powerful tool, for example, for client-side forms validation and assistance. Is this use necessarily inaccessible? I think if I'm sensitive to accessibility concerns in consideration, planning and design, it need not be. For example, for public Web sites, I can't (won't) require that the reader/user enable JavaScript to use the form, so part of my design and testing is to make sure the form works without JavaScript. I can suggest to the reader/user that they enable JavaScript to obtain specific advantages with that form, but I can't (won't) require that they do so. 

Chris Kreussling
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The views expressed are those of the author 
and do not necessarily reflect the position 
of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York 
or the Federal Reserve System.

Received on Tuesday, 22 September 1998 11:20:26 UTC