RE: Use of headings and better explanation

Thank you, Stuart, for your evaluation.  It gives me more incentive to
provide "incentive" for change! 

If anyone else would care to chime in, please do so!     

Janet

-----Original Message-----
From: ZZALSSMS ZZALSSMS [mailto:Stuart.M.Smith@manchester.ac.uk] 
Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2005 7:48 AM
To: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
Subject: Re: RE: Use of headings and better explanation


Hi Janet

Thanks for clarifying and providing the example links. I
think any site using this tool is going to be difficult to
use with a screen reader and certainly I think Headers are
going to be needed to help it improve.

The tool clearly has a lot of power and of course your
institution may be implmenting it differently but the
examples you have show display interfaces that are
incredible complex to follow and difficult to alter. I
realise that the tool is capable of a lot but if the
functionality cannot be exploited by the user properly then
it might as well not exist. I think those with cognitive
difficulties are going to struggle because there is no real
way they can focus using this.

Sorry if that seems a bit negative on the otherside because
it is CSS driven I think things could be done. Could the
vendors be lobbied for "bug fix" given that it is meant to
produce useful HTML, it doesn't appear to be doing so?

Cheers

Stuart

> 
> Stuart and all
> 
> Yes, I'm referring to the header tags outputted in HTML. 
The portal pages consist of categories ("channels" in SCT land) of
info with short descriptions of the categories with links to the actual
info or service. The software used to create the pages doesn't make the
visual category headers into actual HTML headers, which I think is
really
dumb!  
> 
> Anyway, when the whole page is read, the category info is
read, but when a screenreader user wants to use a headings list, there
aren't any - except for the categories where the developer has used
headings (few and  far between). And, since eventually people like
department
secretaries will be maintaining these "channels", if the development
team member in charge of accessibility (me) doesn't specify what to do,
it won't get done.  
> 
> The links list, which I tried to replicate in my previous
e-mail, is  fairly useless.
> 
> Oh, I should note that I'm basing my evaluation on the use
of "Fangs"  with Firefox, an extension which simulates screen reader
output. I will  go use Jaws on campus today or tomorrow.
> 
> Our implementation isn't yet viewable by the general
public, but here are some that are:  
> 
> Colorado State University:
> http://rampoint.colostate.edu/cp/home/loginf  
>        Click on "View Student Demo" or" View
> Faculty/Staff Demo". 
> 
> Savannah College of Art and Design:
> http://myscad.scad.edu/cp/home/loginf  
>         Click on "students", "faculty"
> or "staff" in "online tutorials for students, faculty and
staff".
> 
> Wayne State University:
http://lumprod.wayne.edu/cp/home/loginf  
>       Enter a WSU AccessID of "wsuguest" with a
> password of "warrior" and click OK.  This gives guest
access to their system.
> 
> Janet
> 
> 
> Hi Janet
> 
> Can you clarify what is meant by the "headings list"? I
think that if
> you
> are referring to the header tags outputted in HTML then
not only will
> screen
> reader users benefit from them but also all users in
general as they add
> structure to the page.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Stuart
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: w3c-wai-ig-request@w3.org On Behalf Of Janet Perkins
Corbett
> Sent: 03 May 2005 01:37
> To: webaim-forum@list.webaim.org; w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
> Subject: Use of headings 
> 
> 
> Hello 
> 
> Our university is implementing Sungard-SCT's Luminis
portal software,
> we're in the development stage.  My role is to ensure that our
> implementation is as accessible as it can be. There is
much to be
> desired about the entire software package, but one thing
that I thought
> might be do-able is to encourage the use of headings in
channels. Here's
> my question: do screen reader users depend much on the
headings list?  
> 
> The current list of headings is empty for most pages. 
> 
> The list of links yields something like the following:
focus minimize
> focus minimize focus minimize delete focus minimize delete
j a dash sig
> homepage 
> Etc.
> 
> 
> Janet Perkins Corbett
> Wyoming INstitute for Disabilities
> http://wind.uwyo.edu/  
> (307)766-2506
> perky@uwyo.edu
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>

Received on Thursday, 5 May 2005 22:10:54 UTC