Navigational features

2.4.1 Navigational features within the content can be programmatically
determined.

Navigational features are defined as mechanisms that allow the user to
locate and/or move to a different piece of content.

Referring to the same (as in my message about 1.1.1) heading image on the
left side of http://borders.com with the text "Browse" in white letters on a
greenish-blue background. Is that a navigational feature? I think it is and
it should be by SC 2.4.1 possible to programmatically know about it. Which
means it should be (in HTML) marked up as a heading. 

I think that in-page navigation is a critically important accessibility
issue today (for any non-mouse user) and it is easy to address (HTML view)
by requiring headings markup for the section headings of a page. I want that
to be clearly and certainly reflected as a (or in a) level one success
criteria of WCAG 2.0. 

I think 2.4.1 does address my concern, except not "clearly and certainly".

I advocated a skip link provision in the Section 508 Advisory Committee
meetings. It was a hack, but addressed in the only available way this
problem of incredibly difficult in-page navigation for people who can't see
the page and who don't use a mouse.

The "skip over navigation" issue has been raised (up) to a Level 2 Success
criterion: 

2.4.3 Blocks of content that are repeated on multiple perceivable units are
implemented so that they can be bypassed. 

What needs to be at level 1 is a more general requirement than bypassing
repeated content. I think that HTML headings markup on the "browse" image on
Borders.com (and others like it, of course) should be the consequence of a
level one success criterion of WCAG 2.0. 2.4.1 is close. Is it there?
Perhaps the definition of "navigational features" can be changed to "clearly
and certainly" include the "Browse" heading of borders.com.

Jim
 
Accessibility Consulting: http://jimthatcher.com/
512-306-0931

Received on Monday, 28 November 2005 02:02:00 UTC