Re: Search forms for text-oriented/request for advice

Hi I'm forwarding this to the wai interest group to see if they have
anything to offer as well.
Daniel Stephen Mikell wrote:
> 
> Greetings List Members:
> 
> I'm working on a frameless  HTML document interface for large
> public documents. The documents are primarily Codifications of
> Municipal Regulations and Ordinances and they are posted on the
> Municipal Code Corporation Website which is running a Windows
> NT Internet Information Server and a program called the Folio
> siteDirector. The documents are contained in Folio Infobases which
> are essentially indexed document containers.  siteDirector
> responds to requests from users and returns about one page or 15
> infobase records. The interface is a standard HTML form.
> 
> Each document page page returned as a part of an an HTML form
> with a Text Input field for entering query specifications. There are
> next and previous page buttons, and if a query is loaded there are
> next and previous hit buttons which take one rapidly from one hit to
> the next.
> 
> I understand that a key-stroke oriented person would use the Tab
> key to change focus from one form element and the next, but I don't
> understand how one would get the screen reader to focus on the
> text of the page that is returned with the form.  Because of this I do
> not really know if any redundant controls, such as a next page button
> placed at the bottom of the screen would be useful to people who
> are text and key-stroke oriented.
> 
> Any advice will be appreciated. I'm including an five point outline of
> the page format below in case anyone wants to take a closer look at
> the form in the planning stages.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Dan Mikell
> Web Administrator
> Municipal Code Corporation
> 
> Currently, the page layout is as follows in outline form:
> 
> A.   At the top of the page there is a Table with Links to all headings
> to which the current page is subordinate, so  the Chapter, Article,
> Division, Subdivision and Section headings all appear at the top of
> the page as HTML links.
> 
> B.  Below the above mentioned links to superior headings is an
> array of controls:
> 
> (1) a  Text Input box for entering a search specification
> (2) a Send Query Button,
> (3) A Previous Page Button,
> (4) A Next Page Button, and,
> (5 & 6) if a Query is loaded, Next Hit and Previous Hit buttons also
> appear.
> 
> C.  Below the array of controls is the text of the page returned by the
> server which consists of 15 records of the Folio Infobase document
> container.
> 
> D.  Finally, at the bottom of the page, there are a Next page and a
> Next Hit buttons.
> 
> End of Letter.
> 
> Dan Mikell
> System Administrator
> Municipal Code Corporation
> (800) 262-2633 x 592

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Received on Tuesday, 28 September 1999 21:33:50 UTC