Re: Javascript

From: "Angela Hilton" <angela.hilton@umist.ac.uk>
Subject: RE: Javascript


> I'm inclined to agree with your first point - as a designer I want to
> create an attractive, intuitive, uncluttered and usable web page.  On
> the other hand I want to ensure that that page doesn't exclude anyone
> for any reason.

So you need to cater for CSS not being available and Javascript not being
available.

> With that in mind - do we think it's acceptable to go ahead and use the
> JavaScript menu - and apply the NOSCRIPT element?

I would start off with an accessible menu - probably something like a nested
list -- which is why the gazingus.org link that David Doward gives above is
a good place to start. Now when the page loads, the Javascript kicks in. If
it doesn't kick in then the user is left with an accessible static menu. If
Javascript is available, then I would start applying the CSS needed to
"hide" the drop-down menus themselves and reposition the elements, and then
adding in the necessary event-handlers (onclick, onfocus, onkeypress) to
introduce the javascript which drives the menu.

I think the trick with making DHTML accessible is to avoid onmouseover and
onmouseout - this is where things quickly become inaccessible. Introducing
accesskey to the top-level menu does alleviate some of the problems, and
having sensible fallbacks - like when there's a "javascript-only" link used
to make a menu appear, allow it to be clicked either to make the menu
appear, or go to a static html navigation page.


Mike

Received on Thursday, 1 May 2003 14:13:55 UTC