- From: Ian Jacobs <ij@w3.org>
- Date: Tue, 20 Jun 2000 12:18:37 -0400
- To: Lubow Scott <lubow_scott@bah.com>
- CC: wai-wcag-editor@w3.org, Schaffer Jeff <schaffer_jeff@bah.com>, w3c-wai-gl@w3.org
Lubow Scott wrote: > > Hello, > Under the working groups priority 1 checkpoints, it states that you must > provide a text equivalent page for pages with frames (checkpoint 1.1). > Checkpoint 12.1 states that you must title each frame. I was wondering > if this means that you must do both, checkpoint 1.1 and 12.1. It seems > redundant to title frames and then also create a text equivalent page. Scott, As I read checkpoint 1.1 today, I think it may be a bug in the spec [1] to have included frames in this list. Frames are generally used to create a two-dimensional graphical presentation. There's nothing inherently inaccessible about doing that (though we hope CSS positioning will replace frames, and frames are not promoted by W3C). However, if designed poorly, a frameset may not linearize well - relationships among components may not "translate" to a serial rendering and therefore a page may be unusable by users who access it serially (e.g., blind users). Frames can be made accessible through a combination of efforts by authors and user agents: authors are required to title frames properly and to provide frameset alternatives when the frameset does not make sense when linearized. User agents must provide navigation mechanisms so that users can get at components quickly when rendered linearly. I do not believe that it is necessary to provide a "text equivalent" for a frameset, notably one that only contains text content. To make the frameset accessible, ensure that is linearizes sensibly (frames should be titled for this reason) and if not, provide an alternative to the frameset that does. I note that it is preferable to avoid an alternative page and to make the frameset accessible directly. An alternative to the frameset need not be text exclusively, as long as the alternative content is itself accessible (e.g., images with text equivalents, etc.). I will forward these comments to the GL Working Group for their consideration. Thank you, _ Ian [1] http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/WD-WCAG10-2000615 > Scott Lubow > Consultant > Booz Allen & Hamilton > 703-917-2110 -- Ian Jacobs (jacobs@w3.org) http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs Tel: +1 831 457-2842 Cell: +1 917 450-8783
Received on Tuesday, 20 June 2000 12:18:50 UTC