- From: Al Gilman <asgilman@iamdigex.net>
- Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2002 09:59:12 -0500
- To: webwatch@yahoogroups.com
- Cc: w3c-wai-au@w3.org
At 08:48 AM 2002-01-29 , Mike Paciello wrote: >I have noticed that these dual links with ALT are a popular design trend. I >believe it's based on the misunderstanding of ALT text use. "We" have been >preaching the need for ALT text on images for so long, that designers are >including it on every instance and forgetting usability. > >I think we need to do a better job of educating the designers. Simple as >that. > Yes, but why is it that designers have to be repeatedly told [this]? It is a megatrend and the bane of my existence. They are following a context-free rule that only takes linear thinking. Here is an IMG, supply an ALT. All they did was to follow that rule without looking around. They ignore the context. The better ALT would consider the context in a linear reading. But from the work-situation of the visual designer willing to JustDoIt for a few rules imposed by the boss, that is a radical step beyone what they understand they have to do. My consulting linguist tells me "in English we are rapidly losing constructive morphology." The ability to have people understand a new word you put together because you put it together following "the rules." There is a strong preference in the JustDoIt culture for extreme locality of reference; not to have to look around or consider anything but what is dead ahead of you. This is what I mean is a megatrend. Don't know when or if this trend will turn around. For effective education and outreach, to get the design constraint we wish to be effective in the designer's understanding we have to put the form of the fluency constraint graphically under their nose. This can be done with Lynx or Home Page Reader or you name it. But the authoring process has to present the author with the text content in a geometry which makes the repetition obvious, and makes it look like a mistake. It is not enough to verbalize an abstract pattern in their ear. We need to use all the senses they have and habitually respond to, to impress on them the geometry of the problem, that the words should flow. Sadly, the documentation of techniques for authoring tools has lost sight of this master principle. Techniques for Authoring Tool Accessibility <http://www.w3.org/TR/ATAG10-TECHS/#check-provide-missing-alt>http://www.w 3.org/TR/ATAG10-TECHS/#check-provide-missing-alt Al >Mike > > > >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Kelly Ford [<mailto:kelly@kellford.com%5D>mailto:kelly@kellford.com] >> Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2002 8:35 AM >> To: webwatch@yahoogroups.com >> Subject: Re: [webwatch] Visa Paralympics accessible site >> >> >> Hi Phil, >> >> A couple things jump immediately out at me. These fall in the >> category of making something really usable in my opinion. Rather >> not doing them would make the site more usable. >> >> 1. Several of the links at the beginning of the page use alt text >> phrasing of "this link goes to...". Just give me the name of the link. >> >> 2. As you mention there are multiple instances of alt text and >> then a link with the same name. To me this is where alt="" >> should be used on a graphic that simply duplicates the text of a >> link that is immediately after. >> >> Kelly >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: Phill Jenkins >> To: webwatch@yahoogroups.com >> Sent: Monday, January 28, 2002 9:01 AM >> Subject: [webwatch] Visa Paralympics accessible site >> >> >> Last week I saw a presentation from VISA about how they are >> sponsoring the >> Paralympics. They also claim to have made a lot of progress on their >> <http://www.visaparalympics.com/>http://www.visaparalympics.com site. >> >> I found the redundant use of alt text to be distracting. Using Home Page >> Reader [1] VISA would be able to see & hear just what I mean, >> for example >> Overview Overview. Also, the main image of a skier with only >> one leg was >> not described. But, I really liked the used on skip navigation and the >> link at the bottom that jumps back to the top. It appears to meet >> accessibility standards but could be tweaked to make it more >> easy to use. >> >> What do others think? >> >> Regards, >> Phill >> >> >> Yahoo! Groups Sponsor >> >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> >> >> >> To Post a message, send it to: webwatch@eGroups.com >> To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: >> webwatch-unsubscribe@eGroups.com >> >> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. >> >> >> >> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >> >> >> >> To Post a message, send it to: webwatch@eGroups.com >> To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: webwatch-unsubscribe@eGroups.com >> >> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ >> >> >> >> > > >------------------------ Yahoo! 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Received on Tuesday, 29 January 2002 09:59:16 UTC