Re: automatic redirection to flash page

One thing to keep in mind is that many adaptive technologies, such as Jaws
and Home Page Reader, use Internet Explorer as their browser. This means
that a person using a screen reader probably does have a browser that can
accept Flash, JavaScript, Java, and everything else. The problem is that
they probably can't use it.

Scripts that detect the browser capabilities are great for knowing what the
browser can do, but they are terrible at figuring out what the person at the
other end can actually do. If you have a JavaScript that detects whether or
not a person has Flash capabilities installed, then the blind person using
Jaws (this is just an example) would receive the Flash content because they
are using a browser that supports Flash. What is the blind person going to
do with the Flash content though? Most likely they will be unable to do
anything with it, so the JavaScript detection is useless in this instance.

Of course, if the blind person is technologically-savvy, he or she can
disable JavaScript and other extras, but your "average" blind user may not
be able to do this.

One option is to simply provide a text link before the Flash content that
says something like "Non-Flash version" or "HTML version" or "text-only
version" or "screen-reader accessible version." This link would lead to
another page that has an accessible version.

Paul Bohman
Technology Coordinator
WebAIM: Web Accessibility in Mind (www.webaim.org)
Center for Persons with Disabilities (www.cpd.usu.edu)
Utah State University (www.usu.edu)


----- Original Message -----
From: "Pat Byrne" <pat@glasgowwestend.co.uk>
To: <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2001 12:34 PM
Subject: automatic redirection to flash page


> Hi,
>
> I have been asked to comment on the accessibility of the following feature
> that is being developed from my University Web site:
>
> "What I am looking to set up is that when you go to www.somesite.org (not
> the real URL), the script will not ask you to download the browser, it
will
> automatically take you to the non-flash homepage. If it detects the
> plug-in, it takes you to the flash version."
>
> The flash version has many problems in terms of accessibility. Apart from
> that and the lack of choice for users who happen to have the flash plugin
> installed are there other reasons why this might not be a good idea?
>
> Thanks,
> Jim
>
> --
>
> Glasgow West End: Pat's Guide: http://www.glasgowwestend.co.uk
>
> Guide to all that's best in Glasgow's West End: What's On, Eating Out,
> Shopping, Flat Hunting, Local Characters, Classified Ads., Community
> Pinboard, Art for Sale and Free Photographs to download.
>
> ScotConnect:
> Quick to load, accessible Web sites - built with the minimum of fuss.
>
> Jim and Pat Byrne
>

Received on Wednesday, 27 June 2001 18:14:53 UTC