Re: rationale for checkpoint 8.1

On Fri, 1 Mar 2002, Pedlow, Robert wrote:

> Hi
>    I am seeking advice on the reasons behind WCAG checkpoint 8.1.
>
> "Ensure that pages are usable when scripts, applets, or other programmatic
> objects are turned off or not supported. If this is not possible, provide
> equivalent information on an alternative accessible page. Make programmatic
> elements such as scripts and applets directly accessible or compatible with
> assistive technologies [Priority 1 if functionality is important and not
> presented elsewhere...]Specifically they want to use Javascript.

How is Javascript a problem?  There are, and always have been, perfectly
good ways to use Javascript with graceful and accessible fallback.
At worst, just make use of <noscript> where necessary, and if you are
ever tempted to use the evil javascript: pseudo-protocol for forms or
links, change that to a valid destination and use event handlers for
the scripting.

> I am aware that JAWS is able to handle Javascript.
> Are there assistive technologies that cannot interact with Javascript?

Erm - not everyone can afford modern equipment.  Have a thought for those
with an old 386 and 4Mb RAM, using Lynx, perhaps with a speech reader[1].
Perfectly good with well-considered javascript, of course.

-- 
Nick Kew

Site Valet - the mark of Quality on the Web.
<URL:http://valet.webthing.com/>