- From: Rand, Robert <RandR@SEC.GOV>
- Date: Mon, 3 Dec 2001 16:49:11 -0500
- To: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
As a newcomer to accessibility issues in web development, the awkward workaround practice of using invisible graphics for screen reader links and their alt tags for explanatory notes seems to highlight the need for a style dedicated to aural presentation only. I would argue that the aural experience of gathering information from a web page is so different from the visual experience that it warrants special consideration. While there seem to be aural styles in CSS2, none seems to fit the need that invisible text would. Isn't there a need for aural comments not met by CSS2? A case in point is our home page. Seeing it for the first time, I would be able to visually identify within a couple of seconds the 9 key subject headings that correspond to links to our main second-level index pages. In contrast, the aural effect seems to be a jumble of unorganized links. An older staff member here using JAWS lamented that in the days of line browsers, branching menus allowed her much quicker access to the information she wanted. The skip links approach was not initially helpful for her as she didn't understand the overall structure, hence had a hard time understanding what was skipped. Maybe I didn't do that as effectively as I could have. I'm considering recreating that first-level branching menu for screen-readers only as a subsection of our home page. Is this too much retrofitting? Any references to websites that get it right would be most appreciated. Thanks in advance. Bob Rand, web developer rrand@sec.gov www.sec.gov
Received on Monday, 3 December 2001 16:50:22 UTC