Re: Interactive elements and accessibility

Hi Robert,

Are you generating all the interactions using plain HTML, or are you also
relying on Java or javascripts? If they are in plain HTML then the answers
should be fairly simple. If you are relying on javascript to validate before
submitting, then make sure that you are also allowing for validation on the
server side, in case the user doesn't have the ability to run javascript.

One of the big issues in accessibility of form-type interaction is labelling
- making sure it is clear what the user is supposed to do with each control
(such as a text entry, or a set of radio buttons).

There are some dicussions on this topic in the archives of this list and the
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines working group list (archives are
http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-ig for this list and
http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-gl for the wcag group) and there
is some information in the HTML techniques for WCAG document at
http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG10-HTML-TECHS/#forms-labels that should get you
started.

Cheers

Charles McCN

On Fri, 27 Jul 2001 rob.duffield@bigpond.com wrote:


  Hi there,
    I work for the Australian Taxation Office developing on-line interactive
    training resources for our staff. The Australian Government has adopted
    guidelines based on the W3C guidelines for accessibility and this has
    significant implications for our current resources as well as those we
    wish to develop in the future.

    Our on-line training sites are different from our normal information sites
    because of their higher interactivity and we see those interactions as
    being essential for effective learning. Simple yes/no or true/false or
    multiple choice type interactions are not a problem as far as
    accessibility is concerned. However we do make considerable use of text
    entry interactions and multiple selection interactions. (Multiple selection
    is where the user must tick some of many check boxes to get the correct
    answer. For example, 3 from 5.) We generate these questions
    using Coursebuilder for Dreamweaver and they can enrich a learning site
    substantially. But how can we use these interactions and still make them
    accessible to the visually impaired? I've been searching the net and can
    find plenty of tools to evaluate our pages but none to show me how to make
    those specific interactions accessible.

    Can anyone help me or at least point me in the right direction?

    Regards,
    Robert Duffield


-- 
Charles McCathieNevile    http://www.w3.org/People/Charles  phone: +61 409 134 136
W3C Web Accessibility Initiative     http://www.w3.org/WAI    fax: +1 617 258 5999
Location: 21 Mitchell street FOOTSCRAY Vic 3011, Australia
(or W3C INRIA, Route des Lucioles, BP 93, 06902 Sophia Antipolis Cedex, France)

Received on Sunday, 29 July 2001 02:41:48 UTC