RE: Use of headings and better explanation

Stuart and all

Yes, I'm referring to the header tags outputted in HTML.  The portal
pages consist of categories ("channels" in SCT land) of info with short
descriptions of the categories with links to the actual info or service.
The software used to create the pages doesn't make the visual category
headers into actual HTML headers, which I think is really dumb!  

Anyway, when the whole page is read, the category info is read, but when
a screenreader user wants to use a headings list, there aren't any -
except for the categories where the developer has used headings (few and
far between). And, since eventually people like department secretaries
will be maintaining these "channels", if the development team member in
charge of accessibility (me) doesn't specify what to do, it won't get
done.  

The links list, which I tried to replicate in my previous e-mail, is
fairly useless.

Oh, I should note that I'm basing my evaluation on the use of "Fangs"
with Firefox, an extension which simulates screen reader output. I will
go use Jaws on campus today or tomorrow.

Our implementation isn't yet viewable by the general public, but here
are some that are:  

Colorado State University:
http://rampoint.colostate.edu/cp/home/loginf  
                                Click on "View Student Demo" or" View
Faculty/Staff Demo". 

Savannah College of Art and Design:
http://myscad.scad.edu/cp/home/loginf  
                                        Click on "students", "faculty"
or "staff" in "online tutorials for students, faculty and staff".

Wayne State University: http://lumprod.wayne.edu/cp/home/loginf  
                        Enter a WSU AccessID of "wsuguest" with a
password of "warrior" and click OK.  This gives guest access to their
system.

Janet


Hi Janet

Can you clarify what is meant by the "headings list"? I think that if
you
are referring to the header tags outputted in HTML then not only will
screen
reader users benefit from them but also all users in general as they add
structure to the page.

Cheers

Stuart

-----Original Message-----
From: w3c-wai-ig-request@w3.org On Behalf Of Janet Perkins Corbett
Sent: 03 May 2005 01:37
To: webaim-forum@list.webaim.org; w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
Subject: Use of headings 


Hello 

Our university is implementing Sungard-SCT's Luminis portal software,
we're in the development stage.  My role is to ensure that our
implementation is as accessible as it can be. There is much to be
desired about the entire software package, but one thing that I thought
might be do-able is to encourage the use of headings in channels. Here's
my question: do screen reader users depend much on the headings list?  

The current list of headings is empty for most pages. 

The list of links yields something like the following: focus minimize
focus minimize focus minimize delete focus minimize delete j a dash sig
homepage 
Etc.


Janet Perkins Corbett
Wyoming INstitute for Disabilities
http://wind.uwyo.edu/  
(307)766-2506
perky@uwyo.edu

Received on Tuesday, 3 May 2005 19:52:00 UTC