Re: About Priority 2.1 and 2.2

I think you have correctly interpreted the requirements on links. I would
recommend against the practice of removing some visually distinct
characteristic, as being at least beneficial for people with cognitive
disabilities.

I would suggest that even using style sheets a low-contrast combination is
not a good idea. It depends on how low the contrast is, of course. However
the case that you are making would be supported by the fact that providing an
accesible alternative is acceptable, if not recommended practise. Using
technologies such as style sheets means that you are indded providing an
accessible alternative, since they can be turned of or overridden.

Charles McCN

(which menas there are two opinions. I think it would take a few more before
we could be talking about consensus...)

On Wed, 21 Jul 1999, Charles F. Munat wrote:

  Priority 2.1 states "Ensure that all information conveyed with color is also
  available without color, for example from context or markup."
  
  If I use a stylesheet to set "text-decoration: none" for links, does this
  violate Priority 2.1?
  
  At first glance, it would seem that the links are now distinguished only by
  text color; however, virtually every browser I know of has some way to
  identify links when they are in focus or mouseovered. By this I conclude
  that links are conveyed by markup and the text-color is an additional clue,
  not necessarily the primary clue. Therefore, I conclude that it would be
  okay on a link to do so, though not, perhaps, on other text.
  
  
  Priority 2.2 deals with having sufficient contrast between foreground and
  background.
  
  If a low-contrast combination is achieved via stylesheet (and therefore
  overrideable), would it still violate Priority 2.2?
  
  My feeling is that effects achieved with stylesheets should be less
  restricted so long as the page is understandable with the stylesheet turned
  off. Otherwise, Priority 2.2 would seem to rule out many artistic effects.
  What is the consensus on this?
  
  
  Thanks,
  Charles F. Munat
  

--Charles McCathieNevile            mailto:charles@w3.org
phone: +1 617 258 0992   http://www.w3.org/People/Charles
W3C Web Accessibility Initiative    http://www.w3.org/WAI
MIT/LCS  -  545 Technology sq., Cambridge MA, 02139,  USA

Received on Friday, 23 July 1999 10:41:27 UTC