Comments on checklist

CMN:: General thought: Maybe we should make a statement of some kind about
alternative text, and when ALT="" (or the equivalent for different
elements/languages/etc) is appropriate?

   
If you use tables...
   A.13.5 Until user agents and screen readers are able to handle text
   presented side-by-side, all tables that lay out text in parallel,
   word-wrapped columns require a linear text alternative (on the current
   page or some other).

CMN:: Until user agents and screen readers are able to handle text
presented side by side, is this not P1? (Some users are effectively unable
to access the information...)

   
If you use frames...

   Checkpoint Yes No N/A
   Priority 1
   A.9.1 For frames, provide a fallback page for pages that contain
   frames (e.g., by using NOFRAMES in HTML at the end of each frameset).
   
CMN:: How about: For framesets provide a fallback page which provides
access to the content of the various frames. (eg by NOFRAMES) NB A
statement that a frames-enabled browser is required to view frames-based
websites is neither accurate nor satisfactory.

   A.9.2 For frames, ensure that the source of each frame is a markup
   file, such as HTML.
   B.1.1 Name each frame so that users can keep track of frames by name
   (e.g., via the "title" attribute on HTML FRAME elements).
   Priority 2
   B.1.2 Describe the purpose of frames and how frames relate to each
   other if it is not obvious by frame names alone. (e.g., in HTML, use
   "longdesc". Until "longdesc" is widely supported, also use a d-link or
   invisible d-link).
     _________________________________________________________________
   
If you use forms...

   Checkpoint Yes No N/A
   Priority 2
   A.13.4 For all form controls with implicitly associated labels, ensure
   that the label is properly positioned. The label must immediately
   precede its control on the same line (allowing more than one
   control/label per line) or be on the line before the control (with
   only one label and one control per line).

CMN:: Ensure that the label is positioned so that it is clear which
control the label is associated with. eg. on the line before a text field
where there is one field OR label per line, or on the same line as the
control(s) immediately before the (first) control.

   Priority 3
   A.13.2 Include default, place-holding characters in edit boxes and
   text areas (e.g., TEXTAREA and INPUT in HTML).

CMN:: This can cause useability problems. How strong is the need for this?

If you use applets and scripts...

   Checkpoint Yes No N/A
   Priority 1
   A.1.2 Provide alternative text for all applets and other programmatic
   objects (e.g., in HTML, via the "alt" attribute or within the content
   of APPLET, or via the "title" attribute or within the content of
   OBJECT). [+Gown-interface]
   A.9.3 For scripts that present critical information or functions,
   provide an alternative, equivalent presentation or mechanism (e.g., by
   using NOSCRIPT in HTML, or a server-side script).

CMN:: These are essentially the same thing (except that A.1.2 requires
alternatives for those annoying little animations that Javasoft used to
use, and A.9.3 doesn't. Guess which I prefer...)

   Priority 2
   A.11.1 Where possible, make programmatic elements, such as scripts and
   applets, directly accessible. [+Gnew-technologies]. [+P1] if
   information or functionality is important, and not presented
   elsewhere, otherwise [+P2].

...not presented elsewhere (see A.9.3), othrewise...


--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
545 Technology sq., Cambridge MA, USA

Received on Monday, 4 January 1999 05:36:31 UTC