Style switcher position and default contrast when using conforming alternate versions to meet SC 1.4.3

Hi everyone,

I have gone back to a comment I made on Dec 27, 2010 via the public 
comments function regarding G174: "Providing a control with a sufficient 
contrast ratio that allows users to switch to a presentation that uses 
sufficient contrast", and the response of the WG on March 23, 2011:

http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-comments-wcag20/2011Mar/0035.html
Short URL: http://url.ie/dypv

I quote the response for convenience:

================================
Response from the Working Group
================================
This technique does not require that the style switcher be at the top of 
the page. This is just good practice and therefore we included it in the 
examples to encourage it. It is therefore not in the technique nor in 
the test criteria. However, we are adding a note about this in the 
description.

I have thought again about this issue and posted an article covering 
what I would call the style switcher loophole:

http://www.bitvtest.eu/style-switcher

I still think the WCAG technique should require a top-of-the-page 
position of the switch *and* a minimum default contrast.

Should this line be taken, then there should also be a new failure to 
cover situations such as pages with light grey text on white and a tiny 
switch (even a permanently visible label may not be required) somewhere 
way down on the page. In my opinion, such pages must not conform to 
WCAG. Currently they do, even on Level AAA.

Let me know what you think.

Regards,
Detlev

Received on Monday, 9 January 2012 13:30:47 UTC